Display device

Abstract

There is provided a display device including: a substrate including a hole area and a display area surrounding the hole area; a light emitting device disposed in the display area on the substrate; a plurality of encapsulation layers disposed on the light emitting device; and first and second dams disposed in the hole region on the substrate, the first and second dams being spaced apart from each other, in which the light emitting device includes a first electrode disposed on the substrate, a light emitting layer disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the light emitting layer, and an end portion of the second electrode overlaps the encapsulation layer and is spaced apart from the first dam and the second dam.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2023 - 0168132, filed on November 28, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. Technical field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a display device. Background art

[0004] In addition to the display screens of televisions or monitors, display devices are also widely used as display screens for laptop computers, tablet computers, smartphones, portable display devices, and portable information devices. With technological advancements, in addition to the image display function, display devices can also provide shooting or various sensing functions. Therefore, display devices need to include electronic devices such as cameras or sensors.

[0005] Recently, research has been conducted on hole - in - active - area (HiAA) type display devices, in which holes are formed in the display area and electronic devices are disposed below the holes. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a display having minimal moisture penetration.

[0007] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the above and other objects can be achieved by providing a display device including: a substrate including a hole region and a display region surrounding the hole region; a light - emitting device disposed on the substrate in the display region; a plurality of encapsulation layers disposed on the light - emitting device; and a first dam and a second dam disposed on the substrate in the hole region, the first dam and the second dam being spaced apart from each other, wherein the light - emitting device includes a first electrode disposed on the substrate, a light - emitting layer disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the light - emitting layer, and an end portion of the second electrode overlaps with the encapsulation layer and is spaced apart from the first dam and the second dam. Brief description of the drawings

[0008] Figure 1 is a plan view of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 2 is a cross - sectional view of a sub - pixel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 3A and Figure 3B is a plan view of a hole region of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a display device taken along line I-I' which is Figure 3A and Figure 3B .

[0012] Figures 5A to 5D is a view showing a manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The advantages, features, and methods for achieving them of the present disclosure are clarified by the following embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. In addition, the present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the claims.

[0015] The shapes, sizes, ratios, angles, and numbers disclosed in the accompanying drawings for describing the embodiments within the present disclosure are merely examples, and thus the present disclosure is not limited to the details shown. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. In the following description, when a detailed description of a related known function or configuration is determined to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present disclosure, that detailed description will be omitted. In the case of using "comprising", "having", and "including" described in the present disclosure, another part may be added unless "only" is used. Unless otherwise indicated, terms in the singular form may include the plural form.

[0016] When interpreting an element, although not explicitly described, the element is interpreted as including an error band.

[0017] When describing a positional relationship, for example, when the positional relationship is described as "on", "above", "below", and "adjacent to", unless "exactly" or "directly" is used, one or more parts may be provided between two other parts.

[0018] It should be understood that although terms such as "first", "second", etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the first element may be referred to as the second element, and similarly, the second element may be referred to as the first element.

[0019] The features of the various embodiments of the present disclosure can be partially or wholly coupled or combined with each other, and can interoperate with each other and be technically driven in various ways, as can be fully understood by those skilled in the art. The embodiments of the present disclosure can be executed independently of each other, or can be executed together in a mutually dependent relationship.

[0020] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] Figure 1 is a plan view of a display device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Referring to Figure 1 , a display device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a display panel 10, a data driver 20, a gate driver 30, a display controller 40, a host system 50, a touch driver 60, and a touch controller 70.

[0023] The display panel 10 may include a display area DA and a non-display area DNA surrounding the display area DA. The display area DA is an area where a screen can be displayed, and the non-display area NDA is an area where a screen is not displayed.

[0024] In the display area DA, a plurality of sub-pixels SP and a plurality of signal lines for driving the plurality of sub-pixels SP may be provided. The plurality of signal lines may include a plurality of data lines DL and a plurality of gate lines GL.

[0025] In addition, at least one hole area HA may be provided in the display area DA. That is, the display area DA may surround the hole area HA. Although Figure 1 a first area HA1 and a second hole area HA2 are disclosed, it is not limited thereto. The sub-pixels SP may not be provided in the hole area HA. In addition, an electronic device may be provided in an area overlapping with the hole area HA. For example, an imaging device such as a camera may be provided below the first hole area HA1, and sensors such as a proximity sensor and an illuminance sensor may be provided below the second hole area HA2, but it is not limited thereto.

[0026] The data driver 20 is a circuit configured to drive the plurality of data lines DL, and may output data signals to the plurality of data lines DL.

[0027] The gate driver 30 is a circuit configured to drive the plurality of gate lines GL, and may output scan signals to the plurality of gate lines GL.

[0028] The display controller 40 may control the data driver 20 and the gate driver 30. The display controller 40 may supply a data driving control signal DCS to the data driver 20 to control the data driver 20. In addition, the display controller 40 may supply a gate driving control signal GCS to the gate driver 30 to control the gate driver 30.

[0029] The display controller 40 may receive input image data from the host system 50 and supply image data Data to the data driver 20 based on the input image data.

[0030] The display device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention may provide a touch sensing function as well as an image display function. Accordingly, the display device 1000 may include a touch sensor and a touch sensing circuit. The touch sensing circuit may detect whether a touch occurs or detect a touch position by sensing the touch sensor.

[0031] The touch driver 60 may generate and output touch sensing data by driving and sensing the touch sensor. In addition, the touch controller 70 may detect the occurrence of a touch or detect a touch position by using the touch sensing data.

[0032] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a sub-pixel SP according to an embodiment of the present invention. That is, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a partial area of the display area DA.

[0033] Referring to Figure 2 , a sub-pixel SP according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a substrate 100, a thin film transistor 110, a passivation layer 120, a first planarization layer 130, a connection electrode 135, a second planarization layer 140, a bank 150, a plurality of encapsulation layers 160, a buffer layer 170, an interlayer insulating layer 180, a protective layer 190, a light emitting device 200, and a touch sensor 300.

[0034] The substrate 100 may be formed of glass or plastic, but is not limited thereto. The display device according to an embodiment of the present invention may be configured as a top emission method in which the emitted light is emitted upward. Accordingly, as the material of the substrate 100, not only a transparent material but also an opaque material may be used.

[0035] The thin film transistor 110 may be disposed on the substrate 100. The thin film transistor 110 may include a gate electrode 111, a semiconductor layer 112, a gate insulating layer 113, a source electrode 114, and a drain electrode 115.

[0036] The gate electrode 111 of the thin film transistor 110 may be disposed on the substrate 100. In addition, the semiconductor layer 112 may be disposed on the gate electrode 111. The semiconductor layer 112 may include a polysilicon semiconductor or an oxide semiconductor. Additionally, when the semiconductor layer 112 includes an oxide semiconductor, it may include at least one oxide of indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), indium gallium tin oxide (IGTO), and indium gallium oxide (IGO).

[0037] To insulate the gate electrode 111 from the semiconductor layer 112, a gate insulating layer 113 may be disposed between the gate electrode 111 and the semiconductor layer 112. The gate insulating layer 113 may include a single layer or multiple layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx). In addition, although Figure 3A and Figure 3B disclose a bottom gate structure in which the semiconductor layer 112 is disposed on the gate electrode 111, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a top gate structure in which the gate electrode 111 is disposed on the semiconductor layer 112 may be disclosed.

[0038] The source electrode 114 and the drain electrode 115 may be disposed on the semiconductor layer 112 while facing each other. In addition, a passivation layer 120 may be disposed on the source electrode 114 and the drain electrode 115. A contact hole exposing a part of the drain electrode 114 may be formed in the passivation layer 120. In addition, the passivation layer 120 may be formed of an inorganic insulating material, such as silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), or silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy).

[0039] The first planarization layer 130 may be disposed on the thin film transistor 110, and the second planarization layer 140 may be disposed on the first planarization layer 130. The first planarization layer 130 and the second planarization layer 140 may compensate for the step difference caused by the thin film transistor 110 to planarize the upper region of the thin film transistor 110. In addition, the first planarization layer 130 and the second planarization layer 140 may be formed of an organic insulating material, such as acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, or polyimide resin.

[0040] The light emitting device 200 may be disposed on the second planarization layer 140. The light emitting device 200 may include a first electrode 210, a light emitting layer 220, and a second electrode 230.

[0041] The first electrode 210 is disposed on the second planarization layer 140 and may serve as the anode of the display device. The first electrode 210 may be electrically connected to the drain electrode 115 of the thin film transistor 110 through a connection electrode 135 disposed on the first planarization layer 130.

[0042] The first electrode 210 may include a transparent conductive material, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO). Alternatively, the first electrode 210 may include a metallic material, such as aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), or chromium (Cr), or an alloy thereof. In addition, although shown as a single layer, the first electrode 210 may be formed of multiple layers.

[0043] The bank 150 may be disposed on the planarization layer 140 and the first electrode 210. The bank 150 may define a light-emitting area EA and a non-light-emitting area NEA. That is, the area where the bank 150 is not disposed may become the light-emitting area EA, and the area where the bank 150 is disposed may become the non-light-emitting area NEA.

[0044] The bank 150 may include an organic insulating material, such as an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin, a phenolic resin, a polyamide resin, a polyimide resin, etc. Alternatively, the bank 150 may include an inorganic insulating material, such as silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy). In addition, the bank 150 may include a black dye to absorb light incident from the outside.

[0045] The light-emitting layer 220 may be disposed on the first electrode 210. The light-emitting device 220 may also be disposed on the bank 150. That is, the light-emitting layer 220 may also be disposed in the light-emitting area EA and the non-light-emitting area NEA.

[0046] The light-emitting layer 220 may include a hole transport layer, an organic emission layer, and an electron transport layer. In this case, when a voltage is applied to the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 230, holes and electrons move to the organic emission layer through the hole transport layer and the electron transport layer, respectively, and may combine with each other in the organic emission layer to emit light.

[0047] The light-emitting layer 220 may emit white light. To this end, the light-emitting layer 220 may include a plurality of stacks that emit light of different colors.

[0048] The second electrode 230 may be disposed on the light-emitting layer 220. The second electrode 230 may serve as a cathode of the display device. Like the light-emitting device 220, the second electrode 230 may be disposed in the light-emitting area EA and the non-light-emitting area NEA.

[0049] Since the display device according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured as a top emission type, the second electrode 230 may include a transparent conductive material, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO), to transmit the light emitted from the light-emitting layer 220 upward.

[0050] Multiple encapsulation layers 160 may be disposed on the light-emitting device 200. In addition, the multiple encapsulation layers 160 may include a first encapsulation layer 161, a second encapsulation layer 162, and a third encapsulation layer 163.

[0051] The first encapsulation layer 161 may be disposed on the second electrode 230 of the light-emitting device 200. In addition, the first encapsulation layer 161 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy), etc.

[0052] The second encapsulation layer 162 may be disposed on the first encapsulation layer 161. The second encapsulation layer 162 may relieve stress generated in each layer when the display device is bent and may improve the planarization performance of the encapsulation layer 160. In addition, the second encapsulation layer 162 may have the thickest thickness among the first encapsulation layer 161, the second encapsulation layer 162, and the third encapsulation layer 163. The second encapsulation layer 162 may include an organic insulating material such as acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, or polyimide resin.

[0053] The third encapsulation layer 163 may be disposed on the second encapsulation layer 162. In addition, the third encapsulation layer 163 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy).

[0054] The touch sensor 300 may be disposed on the third encapsulation layer 163. In addition, the touch sensor 300 may include a bridge electrode 310 and a plurality of touch electrodes 320.

[0055] During the process of manufacturing the touch sensor 300, the etchant or external moisture used in the manufacturing process may penetrate into the display device 1000. In particular, the etchant or external moisture may penetrate into the light-emitting layer 220 of the light-emitting device 200 including an organic material. To prevent penetration, a buffer layer 170 may be disposed between the touch sensor 300 and the third encapsulation layer 163. That is, the buffer layer 170 may prevent damage to the light-emitting layer 220 vulnerable to the etchant or moisture.

[0056] The buffer layer 170 may include an organic insulating material such as acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, or polyimide resin. Therefore, the buffer layer 170 may have planarization performance, and thus, even when the display device is bent, damage to the touch sensor 300 disposed on the buffer layer 170 may be minimized.

[0057] The bridge electrode 310 and the interlayer insulating layer 180 may be disposed on the buffer layer 170. The interlayer insulating layer 180 may cover the end of the bridge electrode 310 and expose a part of the upper surface of the bridge electrode 310.

[0058] A plurality of touch electrodes 320 are disposed on the interlayer insulating layer 180 and may be spaced apart from each other. Some of the plurality of touch electrodes 320 may be electrically connected to each other through the bridge electrodes 310. For example, when the plurality of touch electrodes 320 include a first touch electrode and a second touch electrode, each of the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode may be disposed in contact with the upper surface of the bridge electrode 310. Accordingly, the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode may be electrically connected to each other through the bridge electrode 310.

[0059] The protective layer 190 may be disposed to cover the touch sensor 300 and may protect the touch sensor 300. In addition, the protective layer 190 may include an organic insulating material such as acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, or polyimide resin.

[0060] Figure 3A and Figure 3B is a plan view of the hole area HA of the display device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3A and Figure 3B The hole area HA of Figure 1 may correspond to one of the first hole area HA1 and the second hole area HA2 shown in

[0061] As described above for Figure 1 The light-emitting area EA and the non-light-emitting area NEA may be disposed in the display area DA. In addition, the hole area HA may be disposed in the display area DA. That is, the display area DA may surround the hole area HA. The sub-pixels SP may not be disposed in the hole area HA. In addition, the hole area HA may include a central area CA and a peripheral area SA.

[0062] Referring to Figure 3A , the central area CA may include a hole HH. The hole HH may have a circular shape with a constant radius from the hole center CT, but is not limited thereto. For example, the hole HH may be a polygon.

[0063] The peripheral area SA may be disposed to surround the central area CA. The peripheral area SA may include a plurality of dams 400. Each of the plurality of dams 400 may have a closed curve shape surrounding the central area CA. In addition, each of the plurality of dams 400 may have a shape corresponding to the central area CA. For example, in Figure 3A , since the central area CA has a circular shape, the plurality of dams 400 may have a circular shape with a constant radius from the hole center CT.

[0064] Multiple dams 400 may include a first dam 410 and a second dam 420. In addition, the first dam 410 and the second dam 420 may be spaced apart from each other. The second dam 420 may be closer to the central region CA than the first dam 410.

[0065] Accordingly, the hole HH in the central region CA and the sub-pixels SP in the display region DA can be completely separated by the multiple dams 400 provided in the peripheral region SA.

[0066] Referring to Figure 3B , the light-emitting layer 220 and the second electrode 230 may be provided in the display region DA. As described above, the second electrode 230 may be provided on the light-emitting layer 220. In addition, partial regions of the light-emitting layer 220 and partial regions of the second electrode 230 may also be provided in the peripheral region SA. In this case, the end portion of the light-emitting layer 220 may be closer to the central region CA than the end portion of the second electrode 230. In addition, the second electrode 230 may expose a partial region of the light-emitting layer 220 without covering the end portion of the light-emitting layer 220.

[0067] A first dummy light-emitting layer 220b and a second dummy light-emitting layer 220c may be provided in the peripheral region SA. The first dummy light-emitting layer 220b may be provided on the first dam 410, and the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c may be provided on the second dam 420. The first dummy light-emitting layer 220b and the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c may be formed in shapes corresponding to the shapes of the first dam 410 and the second dam 420. For example, in Figure 3A , since the first dam 410 and the second dam 420 have circular shapes with a constant radius from the hole center CT, the first dummy light-emitting layer 220b and the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c may also have circular shapes with a constant radius from the hole center CT. In addition, the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c may also be provided in the peripheral region SA adjacent to the central region CA. That is, the width of the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c may be greater than the width of the first dummy light-emitting layer 220b.

[0068] The first dummy light-emitting layer 220b and the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c may be formed of the same material as the light-emitting layer 220. In addition, the first dummy light-emitting layer 220b and the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c may be spaced apart from each other and may also be spaced apart from the light-emitting layer 220. Accordingly, since the first dummy light-emitting layer 220b and the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c are separated from the light-emitting layer 220, even if moisture penetrates from the outside through the hole HH, it may not penetrate into the inside of the light-emitting layer 220. Accordingly, damage to the light-emitting device can be minimized.

[0069] Figure 4 is along Figure 3A and Figure 3BCross-sectional view of the display device taken along line I-I'. That is, Figure 4 The non-light-emitting area NEA and the hole area HA of the display area DA are shown.

[0070] As described above with reference to Figure 2 The substrate 100, the thin film transistor 110, the passivation layer 120, the first planarization layer 130, the second planarization layer 140, the bank 150, the plurality of encapsulation layers 160, the buffer layer 170, the interlayer insulation layer 180, the protection layer 190, the light-emitting device 200, and the touch sensor 300 may be disposed in the display area DA.

[0071] Referring to Figure 4 , the substrate 100 may be disposed in the display area DA and the hole area HA. In addition, the substrate 100 may not be disposed in the central area CA.

[0072] The first planarization layer 130, the second planarization layer 140, the bank 150, and the light-emitting device 200 may be disposed in the display area DA. In the display area DA, the second planarization layer 140 may cover the end of the first planarization layer 130, and the bank 150 may cover the end of the second planarization layer 140.

[0073] As described above for Figure 3B , a partial area of the light-emitting layer 220 and a partial area of the second electrode 230 may also be disposed in the peripheral area SA. The end of the light-emitting layer 220 may be closer to the first dam 410 than the end of the second electrode 230. That is, the distance between the end of the light-emitting layer 220 and the first dam 410 may be less than the distance between the end of the second electrode 230 and the first dam 410. In addition, the second electrode 230 may expose a partial area of the light-emitting layer 220 without covering the end of the light-emitting layer 220.

[0074] The plurality of encapsulation layers 160 may be disposed in the display area DA and the hole area HA. In addition, as described above, the plurality of encapsulation layers 160 may include a first encapsulation layer 161, a second encapsulation layer 162, and a third encapsulation layer 163.

[0075] The first encapsulation layer 161 may be disposed in the display area DA and the peripheral area SA. In the display area DA, the first encapsulation layer 161 may cover the end of the light-emitting layer 220 and the end of the second electrode 230.

[0076] The second encapsulation layer 162 may be disposed in the display area DA and in the boundary area between the display area DA and the peripheral area SA. That is, the end portion of the second encapsulation layer 162 may be disposed in the boundary area between the display area DA and the peripheral area SA. In particular, the end portion of the second encapsulation layer 162 may be closer to the first dam 410 than the end portions of the light-emitting layer 220 and the second electrode 230. That is, the second encapsulation layer 162 may overlap the end portions of the light-emitting layer 220 and the second electrode 230. In addition, the end portions of the light-emitting layer 220 and the second electrode 230 may be disposed between the end portion of the bank portion 150 and the end portion of the second encapsulation layer 162. In addition, the area of the second encapsulation layer 162 may be smaller than the area of the first encapsulation layer 161.

[0077] The third encapsulation layer 163 may be disposed in the display area DA and the peripheral area SA. In addition, the third encapsulation layer 163 may cover the first encapsulation layer 161 and the second encapsulation layer 162. In particular, in the boundary area between the display area DA and the peripheral area SA, the third encapsulation layer 163 may cover the entire top surface and side surfaces of the second encapsulation layer 162. Accordingly, the third encapsulation layer 163 may minimize the penetration of external moisture into the first encapsulation layer 161 and the second encapsulation layer 162.

[0078] In addition, as described for Figure 2 the buffer layer 170, the interlayer insulating layer 180, the protective layer 190, and the touch sensor 300 may be disposed on the third encapsulation layer 163. The touch sensor 300 and the protective layer 190 may be disposed in the display area DA, and the buffer layer 170 and the interlayer insulating layer 180 may be disposed in the display area DA and the peripheral area SA.

[0079] As described above for Figure 3A the central area CA having the holes HH and the peripheral area SA having the plurality of dams 400 may be disposed in the hole area HA.

[0080] In the peripheral area SA, the first dam 410 and the second dam 420 are disposed on the substrate 100 and may be spaced apart from each other. Referring to Figure 4 a structure in which the gate insulating layer 113 and the passivation layer 120 extend to the lower portions of the first dam 410 and the second dam 420 is disclosed, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the gate insulating layer 113 and the passivation layer 120 may extend to the lower portion of the first dam 410 and may not overlap the second dam 420. Alternatively, the gate insulating layer 113 and the passivation layer 120 may extend to the peripheral area SA adjacent to the central area CA, but are not limited thereto.

[0081] The first dam 410 may include a first lower dam 411 and a first upper dam 412 disposed on the first lower dam 411. The first upper dam 412 may cover the first lower dam 411. In addition, the first lower dam 411 may be formed of the same material by the same process as the second planarization layer 140, and the first upper dam 412 may be formed of the same material by the same process as the embankment portion 150. Similar to the first dam 410, the second dam 420 may include a second lower dam 421 and a second upper dam 422.

[0082] In this case, a step difference may be formed in the boundary region between the display area DA and the peripheral area SA by the first dam 410. That is, the first encapsulation layer 161 disposed on the upper surface of the first dam 410 may be disposed at a position higher than the first encapsulation layer 161 disposed at the end of the display area DA. Accordingly, the second encapsulation layer 162 may be prevented from flowing into the hole region HA. In addition, by disposing the second dam 420 adjacent to the first dam 410, the second encapsulation layer 162 may be further prevented from flowing into the hole region HA.

[0083] The first encapsulation layer 161, the third encapsulation layer 163, the buffer layer 170, and the interlayer insulating layer 180 may be sequentially disposed on the first dam 410 and the second dam 420. In the region where the first dam 410 and the second dam 420 are not disposed in the peripheral area SA, the third encapsulation layer 163, the buffer layer 170, and the interlayer insulating layer 180 may be sequentially disposed on the substrate 100. That is, in the peripheral area SA adjacent to the central area CA, the third encapsulation layer 163, the buffer layer 170, and the interlayer insulating layer 180 may be sequentially disposed on the substrate 100.

[0084] The hole HH may be disposed in the central area CA. The hole HH may be formed by removing the substrate 100, the first encapsulation layer 161, the third encapsulation layer 163, the buffer layer 170, and the interlayer insulating layer 180 along the trimming line Trim. The trimming line Trim may be the boundary between the peripheral area SA and the central area CA. In addition, an electronic device may be disposed below the hole HH and may be disposed in an area overlapping the hole HH. For example, the electronic device may include an imaging device such as a camera or a detection sensor such as a proximity sensor or an illuminance sensor, but is not limited thereto.

[0085] Figures 5A to 5D It is a diagram showing a manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] Referring to Figure 5A , the thin film transistor 110, the passivation layer 120, the first planarization layer 130, the second planarization layer 140, and the plurality of dams 400 may be formed on the substrate 100.

[0087] Further, after depositing a conductive material on the entire surface of the substrate 100, a partial area of the deposited conductive material can be removed to form the first electrode 210. In this case, referring to Figure 5A , the dummy pattern 210a can be formed together in the peripheral area SA. That is, during the process of removing the deposited conductive material, the conductive material remaining in the display area DA can be used as the first electrode 210, while the conductive material remaining in the peripheral area SA can be used as the dummy pattern 210a.

[0088] The dummy pattern 210a can be formed in the peripheral area SA. Specifically, the dummy pattern 210a can be formed in the peripheral area SA adjacent to the display area DA. That is, the dummy pattern 210a can be formed between the bank 150 closest to the peripheral area SA and the first dam 410. In addition, the dummy pattern 210a can be formed in the area between the first dam 410 and the second dam 420. Referring to Figure 5A , one dummy pattern 210a is formed between the bank 150 and the first dam 410, and multiple dummy patterns 210a are formed between the first dam 410 and the second dam 420, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0089] The bank 150 can be formed after forming the first electrode 210 and the dummy pattern 210a. Further, after forming the bank 150, the organic material layer 220a and the conductive material layer 230a can be sequentially deposited on the entire surface of the substrate 100.

[0090] And, in order to pattern the organic material layer 220a and the conductive material layer 230a, a laser process can be performed. The laser can be irradiated to the peripheral area SA below the substrate 100. In particular, the laser can be irradiated to the position where the dummy pattern 210a is formed below the substrate 100. Since the dummy pattern 210a is made of a conductive material, heat is generated by the laser, and it can be separated from the insulating layer provided below the dummy pattern 210a. In addition, the heat generated from the dummy pattern 210a can be conducted to the conductive material layer 230a.

[0091] Therefore, referring to Figure 5B, together with the dummy pattern 210a, can remove partial regions of the organic material layer 220a and the conductive material layer 230a. Specifically, during the process of removing the dummy pattern 210a, partial regions of the organic material layer 220a and the conductive material layer 230a that are formed to overlap with the dummy pattern 210a can be removed together. In addition, since the heat generated in the dummy pattern 210a is conducted to the inside of the conductive material layer 230a, regions of the conductive material layer 230a adjacent to the dummy pattern 210a can be removed together. That is to say, the conductive material layer 230a overlapping with the top surface and side surfaces of the first dam 410 and the top surface and side surfaces of the second dam 420 can be removed together. Therefore, the conductive material layer 230a formed in the peripheral region SA can be completely removed by a laser process.

[0092] The organic material layer 220a remaining in the display region DA can be used as the light-emitting layer 220, and the conductive material layer 230a remaining in the display region DA can be used as the second electrode 230. Therefore, a light-emitting device 200 including the first electrode 210, the light-emitting layer 220, and the second electrode 230 can be formed.

[0093] Both the light-emitting layer 220 and the second electrode 230 can be spaced apart from the first dam 410 and the second dam 420. Additionally, by the laser process, in the upper region of the dummy pattern 210a, the area of the conductive material layer 230a removed can be larger than the area of the organic material layer 220a removed. Therefore, the end of the light-emitting layer 220 can be closer to the first dam 410 than the end of the second electrode 230. That is to say, in the peripheral region SA adjacent to the display region DA, the second electrode 230 can expose a partial region of the light-emitting layer 220 without covering the end of the light-emitting layer 220. Moreover, the ends of the light-emitting layer 220 and the second electrode 230 can be located between the bank 150 closest to the peripheral region SA and the first dam 410.

[0094] Meanwhile, unlike the conductive material layer 230a, the organic material layer 220a may be less affected by the laser. Therefore, the organic material layer 220a can be retained in the peripheral region SA. In particular, the organic material layer 220a can be retained on the upper surfaces of the dams 410 and 420 (which are positions that do not overlap with the dummy pattern 210a), and can be the first dummy light-emitting layer 220b and the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c. Specifically, the first dummy light-emitting layer 220b can be formed on the first dam 410, and the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c can be formed on the second dam 420. However, through the laser process, the first dummy light-emitting layer 220b and the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c can be completely separated from the light-emitting layer 220 in the display region DA. Therefore, even if external moisture penetrates into the first dummy light-emitting layer 220b and the second dummy light-emitting layer 220c, it can prevent external moisture from penetrating into the light-emitting layer 220. Therefore, damage to the light-emitting layer 220 due to external moisture can be minimized.

[0095] Referring to Figure 5C , a plurality of encapsulation layers 160, buffer layers 170, interlayer insulating layers 180, protective layers 190, and touch sensors 300 can be formed on the light-emitting device 200.

[0096] As described above, the plurality of encapsulation layers 160 can include a first encapsulation layer 161, a second encapsulation layer 162, and a third encapsulation layer 163. The first encapsulation layer 161 can be disposed in the display region DA and the peripheral region SA. The first encapsulation layer 161 can cover the light-emitting device 200 in the display region DA and the dam 400 in the peripheral region SA.

[0097] After forming the first encapsulation layer 161, the second encapsulation layer 162 can be formed. In this case, the second encapsulation layer 162 can be prevented from flowing into the hole region HA by the first dam 410 and the second dam 420. In addition, the second encapsulation layer 162 can overlap with the ends of the light-emitting layer 220 and the second electrode 230. And, the third encapsulation layer 163 can be formed to cover the entire surface of the substrate 100.

[0098] Referring to Figure 5D , the substrate 100 can be removed along the trimming line Trim. Therefore, a hole HH can be formed.

[0099] Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, the boundary between the display region DA and the peripheral region SA is shown.

[0100] Referring to Figure 6 , the second electrode 230 of the light-emitting device 200 can have a protrusion 230a. Specifically, as for Figures 5A to 5DAs described, the second electrode 230 can be formed by removing the conductive material layer 230a with a laser and a dummy pattern 210a. In this case, in the process of forming the second electrode 230, the end portion of the second electrode 230 may not be stably deposited on the light-emitting layer 220, but may be spaced apart from the light-emitting layer 220. That is, a peeling phenomenon occurs at the end portion of the second electrode 230, and thus the second electrode 230 may have an unnecessary protrusion 230a. In addition, since the protrusion 230a is spaced apart from the light-emitting layer 220, a part of the upper surface of the light-emitting layer 220 may be exposed.

[0101] As described above, the first encapsulation layer 161, the second encapsulation layer 162, and the third encapsulation layer 163 can be formed on the second electrode 230. In this case, since the first encapsulation layer 161 is deposited with a thin inorganic insulating material, the protrusion 230a of the second electrode 230 and the exposed end portion of the light-emitting layer 220 may not be covered. Alternatively, compared with the region where the second electrode 230 is planarized, the first encapsulation layer 161 can be formed to have a relatively thin thickness on the protrusion 230a of the second electrode 230. Therefore, the moisture barrier performance of the first encapsulation layer 161 may be reduced. That is, the possibility of external moisture penetrating into the light-emitting device 200 may increase.

[0102] In this case, the second encapsulation layer 162 can cover the end portion of the second electrode 230. Specifically, the second encapsulation layer 162 can be formed by depositing an organic insulating material thicker than the first encapsulation layer 161. Therefore, even if the protrusion 230a is formed at the end portion of the second electrode 230, the second encapsulation layer 162 can cover the protrusion 230a. In addition, the second encapsulation layer 162 can also be disposed in the space between the protrusion 230a and the light-emitting layer 220 spaced apart from the protrusion 230a. That is, the second encapsulation layer 162 can fill the space between the protrusion 230a and the light-emitting layer 220 spaced apart from the protrusion 230a. Therefore, the light-emitting device 200 can be protected by the second encapsulation layer 162. In addition, even if the protrusion 230a is formed at the end portion of the second electrode 230, the upper surface of the light-emitting device 200 can be planarized by the second encapsulation layer 162, and thus the third encapsulation layer 163 can be stably deposited.

[0103] In summary, the present invention discloses that the second encapsulation layer 162 is formed to cover the end portion of the second electrode 230. Specifically, in the process of patterning the conductive material layer 230a by a laser process, the laser can be irradiated such that the end portion of the second electrode 230 is disposed at a position overlapping with the second encapsulation layer 162. Therefore, even if a peeling phenomenon occurs at the end portion of the second electrode 230 through the laser process, the light-emitting device 200 can be stably protected by the second encapsulation layer 162. Accordingly, the penetration of external moisture into the light-emitting device 200 can be minimized. In addition, even if the second electrode 230 has a protrusion 230a, the upper region of the light-emitting device 200 can be flattened by the second encapsulation layer 162, and thus the insulating layer and the metal layer can be stably formed on the light-emitting device 200.

[0104] According to the present disclosure, the following beneficial effects can be obtained.

[0105] According to the present disclosure, a plurality of light conversion layers can be formed, whereby the light efficiency can be improved and the reflectance caused by external light can be reduced.

[0106] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and various substitutions, modifications, and changes can be made to the present disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning, scope, and equivalent concepts of the claims are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising: a substrate including a hole region and a display region surrounding the hole region; a light emitting device disposed in the display area on the substrate; a plurality of encapsulation layers disposed on the light emitting device; as well as a first dam and a second dam provided in the hole region on the substrate, the first dam and the second dam being spaced apart from each other, The light emitting device comprises a first electrode disposed on the substrate, a light emitting layer disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the light emitting layer, and An end portion of the second electrode overlaps the encapsulation layer and is spaced apart from the first dam and the second dam.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: The display area includes a light emitting area where the light emitting device is disposed and a non-light emitting area surrounding the light emitting area. In the non-light emitting region, a bank portion is further included which is arranged on the first electrode, and An end portion of the light emitting layer and an end portion of the second electrode are disposed between the bank and the first dam.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein: An end portion of the light emitting layer is closer to the first dam than an end portion of the second electrode.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of encapsulation layers include: A first encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting device and comprising an inorganic insulating material; a second encapsulation layer disposed on the first encapsulation layer and comprising an organic insulating material; and A third encapsulation layer is disposed on the second encapsulation layer and includes an inorganic insulating material.

5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein: An end portion of the second electrode overlaps the second encapsulation layer.

6. The display device according to claim 4, wherein: The second electrode includes a protrusion protruding from an end portion of the second electrode, the protrusion being spaced apart from the light emitting layer.

7. The display device according to claim 5, wherein: The second encapsulation layer covers the protrusion.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein: The second encapsulation layer fills a space between the protrusion and the light emitting layer.

9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: The hole region includes a first dummy light emitting layer and a second dummy light emitting layer, and The first dummy light emitting layer and the second dummy light emitting layer are made of the same material as the light emitting layer.

10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein: The first dummy light emitting layer is disposed on an upper portion of the first dam, The second dummy light emitting layer is disposed on an upper portion of the second dam, and The first dummy light emitting layer and the second dummy light emitting layer are spaced apart from each other.

11. The display device according to claim 10, wherein: The light emitting layer is spaced apart from the first dummy light emitting layer and the second dummy light emitting layer.

12. The display device according to claim 4, wherein: The hole region includes a central region having a hole and a peripheral region surrounding the central region, The hole is an area where a portion of the substrate is removed, and The first dam and the second dam are provided in the peripheral area.

13. The display device according to claim 12, wherein: The first dam is closer to the display area than the second dam.

14. The display device according to claim 12, wherein: The first encapsulation layer and the third encapsulation layer are disposed in the peripheral region and cover the first dam and the second dam.

15. A display device, comprising: hole area; a display area surrounding the hole area; as well as a central region having a hole and a peripheral region surrounding the central region in the hole region, wherein the peripheral region includes a first dam and a second dam disposed on the substrate, the first dam and the second dam surrounding the hole, a first dummy light-emitting layer disposed on the first dam; as well as A second dummy light emitting layer is disposed on the second dam.

16. The display device according to claim 15, wherein: The first dam and the second dam have a closed curve shape surrounding the central area and are spaced apart from each other.

17. The display device according to claim 16, wherein: The first dam is closer to the display area than the second dam.

18. The display device according to claim 16, wherein: The first dummy light emitting layer has a shape corresponding to that of the first dam, and The second dummy light emitting layer has a shape corresponding to a shape of the second dam.

19. The display device according to claim 18, wherein: The second dummy light emitting layer extends to the peripheral area adjacent to the central area.

20. The display device according to claim 19, wherein: The display area includes a light emitting layer disposed on the substrate, A partial area of ​​the light emitting layer is disposed in the peripheral area, and The light emitting layer is spaced apart from the first dummy light emitting layer and the second dummy light emitting layer.

21. The display device according to claim 15, further comprising a plurality of encapsulation layers disposed in the display area and the hole area, in, The plurality of encapsulation layers include a first encapsulation layer and a third encapsulation layer disposed in the display region and the peripheral region, and a second encapsulation layer disposed in the display region and a boundary region between the display region and the peripheral region, and Wherein, the third encapsulation layer covers the first encapsulation layer and the second encapsulation layer.

22. The display device according to claim 21, wherein: In the boundary region, the third encapsulation layer covers the entire top surface and side surfaces of the second encapsulation layer.

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