Display panel and display device

Abstract

The invention relates to a display panel and a display device, the display panel comprises a display area and a non-display area, the non-display area surrounds the display area, and the non-display area is provided with a first retaining wall structure; the display panel further comprises a substrate and a metal layer. The metal layer is located on one side of the substrate and extends to the non-display area; the first retaining wall structure comprises a first protective layer and a second protective layer; the metal layer comprises a first metal layer, in the first retaining wall structure, the first protective layer and the first metal layer are overlapped, and the distances between the bottoms of at least part of the second protective layer and at least part of the first protective layer and the substrate are equal; in the thickness direction of the display panel, the area of the overlapped area of the first protection layer and the first metal layer is larger than that of the overlapped area of the first protection layer, the second protection layer and the first metal layer. According to the invention, the height of the first retaining wall structure is reduced, so that the segment difference of the metal wire crossing the position is reduced, and the risk of breakage of the metal wire is greatly avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of display technologies, and particularly to a display panel and a display device. Background Art

[0002] In an existing display panel, the encapsulation layer further includes an organic encapsulation layer. Due to the characteristics of the organic encapsulation material having a large amount of ink or strong capillary phenomenon fluidity, it is easy to overflow during printing or coating. Therefore, a long strip-shaped protrusion, similar to a dam structure, is usually formed in the non-display area, which is called a bank. However, if the height of the bank is too high, the subsequent wiring is prone to break when passing through the bank, affecting the display effect of the display panel. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides a display panel and a display device.

[0004] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a display panel. The display panel includes a display area and a non-display area. The non-display area surrounds the display area, and a first dam structure is provided in the non-display area. The display panel further includes a substrate and a metal layer. The metal layer is located on one side of the substrate, and the metal layer extends to the non-display area.

[0005] The first dam structure includes a first protective layer and a second protective layer. The metal layer includes a first metal layer. In the first dam structure, the first protective layer overlaps with the first metal layer, and the distances between at least a part of the second protective layer and at least a part of the bottom of the first protective layer and the substrate are equal.

[0006] In the thickness direction of the display panel, the area of the overlapping region between the first protective layer and the first metal layer is larger than the area of the overlapping region among the first protective layer, the second protective layer, and the first metal layer.

[0007] In a second aspect, a display device includes any of the display panels provided in the first aspect.

[0008] The technical solution provided by the present disclosure has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0009] For the display panel provided by the present disclosure, in the first barrier structure, the first protective layer and the first metal layer overlap. In the thickness direction of the display panel, the area of the overlapping region between the first protective layer and the first metal layer is larger than the area of the overlapping region among the first protective layer, the second protective layer, and the first metal layer. The present disclosure reduces the overlapping thickness among the first protective layer, the second protective layer, and the first metal layer. Therefore, in the thickness direction of the display panel, the height of the first barrier structure is reduced. When the metal trace passes through the first barrier structure, since the height of the first barrier structure is relatively decreased, the step difference when the metal trace crosses this position is smaller, greatly avoiding the risk of metal trace breakage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and constitute a part of this specification, showing embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and used together with the specification to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0011] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, for those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0012] Figure 1 Schematic structural diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 2 For the embodiment of the present disclosure along Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional structural diagram taken along BB' in;

[0014] Figure 3 For the embodiment of the present disclosure along Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional structural diagram taken along CC' in;

[0015] Figure 4 Schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 5 Schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 6 Schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 7 Schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 8 Schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 9 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 10 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 11 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 12 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 13 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 14 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 15 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 16 The cross-sectional structure schematic diagram taken along Figure 1 DD' in the middle provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 17 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram taken along Figure 1 BB' in the middle provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 18 Another structure schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 19 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 20 A structure schematic diagram of a display device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed implementation manners

[0032] In order to more clearly understand the above objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure, the solutions of the present disclosure will be further described below. It should be noted that, without conflict, the embodiments of the present disclosure and the features in the embodiments may be combined with each other.

[0033] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be practiced in other ways different from those described herein. Obviously, the embodiments in the specification are only a part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0034] During the manufacturing process of a display panel, in order to control the film-forming boundary of the planarization layer during the thin-film encapsulation process and block the flow of the planarization layer, a long strip-shaped protrusion is usually formed by a protective layer in the non-display area, similar to a dam structure, which is called a bank. And the display panel includes multiple metal layers in this area. In order to avoid the metal layers being corroded in subsequent processes, such as being corroded by a developer during the developing process, a protective layer is usually also used to protect the metal layers to prevent the metal layers from being corroded and affecting the quality of the display panel. However, the height of the bank formed by the superposition of each metal layer and each protective layer is too high, and the subsequent wiring is prone to breakage when passing through the bank, affecting the display effect of the display panel. For example, when preparing touch wiring, if the height of the bank is too high, the photoresist layer formed on the bank is relatively thin, and there is no photoresist layer to protect the metal layer after exposure, and the touch wiring is easily broken during etching, affecting the touch effect.

[0035] To solve the above problems, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display panel. Figure 1 FIG. [X] is a schematic structural diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 FIG. [X] is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram taken along Figure 1 BB' in FIG. [X] provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 FIG. [X] is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram taken along Figure 1 CC' in FIG. [X] provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 FIG. [X] is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figures 1 - 4 , the display panel includes a display area AA and a non-display area NA. The non-display area NA surrounds the display area AA, and a first dam structure 10 is provided in the non-display area NA; the display panel further includes a substrate 110 and a metal layer 120; the metal layer 120 is located on one side of the substrate 110, and the metal layer 120 extends to the non-display area NA.

[0036] The first dam structure 10 includes a first protective layer 101 and a second protective layer 102; the metal layer 120 includes a first metal layer 121. In the first dam structure 10, the first protective layer 101 and the first metal layer 121 overlap. In the thickness direction of the display panel, the area of the overlapping region of the first protective layer 101 and the first metal layer 121 is greater than the area of the overlapping region of the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, and the first metal layer 121.

[0037] Next, taking Figures 1 - 4As an example, the structure of the display panel will be specifically explained. It should be noted that Figure 2 The film layer diagram of the left and right borders 01 of the display panel is shown. Figure 3 A simple schematic of the lower step 02 area of the display panel is given. The solution provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure is also applicable to different areas of the display panel border. Among them, the left and right borders 01 and the lower step area 02 are both located in the non-display area. The left and right lower borders include peripheral circuits, such as VSR (Vertical Shift Register) circuits, etc., and also include signal lines, such as the negative power supply signal line PVEE, and also include some detection lines such as crack detection lines, etc. The lower step area 02 can be used to bond the control chip IC, and various signal lines are electrically connected to the control chip IC here, and also include peripheral circuits such as the Demux circuit (multiplexing circuit), etc.

[0038] The display panel includes a substrate 110. The substrate 110 can be a rigid substrate. For example, the material of the substrate 110 is glass. The substrate 110 can also be a flexible substrate. For example, the material of the substrate 110 can include one or a combination of polymer resins such as polyethersulfone, polyacrylate, polyetherimide, polyethylene naphthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyarylate, polyimide, polycarbonate, and cellulose acetate propionate. The embodiments of the present disclosure do not specifically limit the material of the substrate 110.

[0039] The display panel can be divided into a display area AA and a non-display area NA. The non-display area NA surrounds the display area AA. The non-display area NA is provided with a first barrier structure 10, and the first barrier structure 10 has a certain height. In order to describe the devices in the non-display area NA, Figure 1 The proportion of the non-display area NA in the entire display panel is enlarged. Figure 1 The proportion of the display area AA and the non-display area NA in the figure does not represent their proportion in the physical object.

[0040] The display panel includes a driving circuit layer 24, a first insulating layer 206 (PLN), and a pixel definition layer 208 (PDL). The driving circuit layer 24 includes a storage capacitor 21 and a transistor 22. Figure 2 Only one storage capacitor 21 and one transistor 22 are taken as examples. The transistor 22 is a thin-film transistor.

[0041] The display area AA includes a plurality of sub-pixels, and the display area AA can achieve full-color display. In the embodiments of the present invention, the display panel may also adopt a display panel with other self-luminous technologies, such as an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display panel, a Micro Light Emitting Diode (Micro-LED) display panel, or a Quantum Light Emitting Diode (QLED) display panel. The embodiments of the present invention do not limit this. Figure 2 This is only a schematic illustration taking the display panel as an OLED display panel as an example.

[0042] Among them, the sub-pixel includes a light-emitting device 23 and a pixel driving circuit that are electrically connected to each other. The light-emitting device 23 includes a first electrode 207, a light-emitting layer 209, and a second electrode 210 that are oppositely arranged. For example, the first electrode 207 is an anode, and the second electrode 210 is a cathode. Of course, the positions of the cathode and anode can also be interchanged according to the setting of the pixel circuit. The pixel driving circuit is arranged in the driving circuit layer 24 of the display panel. The pixel driving circuit includes a storage capacitor 21 and a transistor 22. Of course, the number of transistors can be increased according to the setting of the pixel circuit. The pixel driving circuit refers to the smallest repeating unit of the circuit structure that drives the corresponding light-emitting element. For example, a 2T1C circuit, a 7T1C circuit, a 7T2C circuit, etc. The specific working principle is well-known to those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated here.

[0043] The driving circuit layer 24 includes a plurality of sub-film layers. For example, display signal lines including a power supply voltage signal line, a scan line, and a data line, as well as different structures of thin film transistors and storage capacitors in the pixel driving circuit, and peripheral circuits located in the non-display area NA are all formed by different sub-film layers in the driving circuit layer 24.

[0044] The display panel further includes a packaging layer. The packaging layer includes a first inorganic packaging layer 212 (CVD1), an organic packaging layer 213 (IJP), and a second inorganic packaging layer 214 (CVD2), which are stacked to form a Thin Film Encapsulation (TFE) structure.

[0045] The display panel further includes a plurality of touch electrodes. The touch electrodes can be set as a single layer or a double layer. They can be formed by using transparent metal oxides such as indium tin oxide (ITO), or a metal mesh formed by metal wires. The embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit the setting manner of the touch electrodes.

[0046] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the setting of the touch electrodes is described by taking the mutual capacitance method as an example. Refer toFigure 1 and Figure 2 The display panel includes touch electrodes 2151 and touch traces 2152. Among them, the first direction is the X direction, the second direction is the Y direction, and the first direction intersects with the second direction. The touch electrodes 2151 include first touch electrodes 21511 and second touch electrodes 21512. The first touch electrodes 21511 extending along the X direction are arranged along the Y direction, and there are multiple first touch electrodes 21511 in the X direction. Adjacent first touch electrodes 21511 are interconnected by the same-layer metal. The second touch electrodes 21512 extending along the Y direction are arranged along the X direction, and there are multiple second touch electrodes 21512 in the Y direction. Adjacent second touch electrodes 21512 are connected by a cross-bridge structure. Based on this, two sets of intersecting touch electrodes form a mutual capacitance touch structure. The touch traces 2152 may be located in the same film layer as the touch electrodes 2151 or in the same film layer as the cross-bridge structure. The embodiments of the present disclosure do not make specific limitations on this. The touch electrodes 2151 and the touch traces 2152 in the display area AA are electrically connected. The touch traces 2152 in the display area AA extend along the first direction X and the second direction Y to the non-display area NA respectively. The non-display area includes a left and right frame 01 and a lower step area 02. The lower step area 02 includes a terminal connection area 03. The terminal connection area 03 is located on the side away from the first retaining wall structure 10 and away from the display area AA. The touch traces 2152 will change lines at the terminal connection area 03 and then be connected to the control chip IC of the display panel. The control chip can receive the touch signals transmitted by the touch traces 2152, perform arithmetic processing, and can also transmit the operation results to the devices in the display area AA for display, and provide the required signals for various signal lines.

[0047] The above-mentioned organic encapsulation layer 213 is located between the first inorganic encapsulation layer 212 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 214. Among them, the first inorganic encapsulation layer 212 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 214 can be prepared by processes such as chemical vapor deposition. During the thin film encapsulation process, the purpose of setting the organic encapsulation layer is to flatten the display panel. For example, the organic encapsulation layer is formed by ink jet printing (IJP). The organic encapsulation material can quickly spread and level. Due to the large amount of ink or strong fluidity caused by capillary action, the organic encapsulation material is likely to overflow from the edge of the display panel. Therefore, if the organic encapsulation layer overflows during the preparation process, the effect of thin film encapsulation will be greatly reduced, and the service life of the display panel will be shortened. Therefore, a first retaining wall structure 10 is provided in the non-display area NA to prevent the organic encapsulation material from overflowing outward. Usually, setting the first retaining wall structure 10 can prevent the organic encapsulation material from overflowing. However, in order to improve the encapsulation reliability, improve the encapsulation effect on the display panel, improve the performance of the display panel, and extend the service life of the display panel, a second retaining wall structure 20 can also be set to further prevent the organic encapsulation material from overflowing.

[0048] Optionally, the non-display area NA is provided with a second retaining wall structure 20, and the second retaining wall structure 20 is located on the side of the first retaining wall structure 10 close to the display area AA. The second retaining wall structure 20 also has a certain height, which can prevent the liquid organic encapsulation material from overflowing. It is worth noting that the number of the second retaining wall structures 20 can be multiple. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, only one second retaining wall structure 20 is provided as an example. In different application scenarios, the number of the second retaining wall structures 20 can be set according to actual needs. The embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit the number of the second retaining wall structures 20. Among them, the height of the first retaining wall structure 10 can be higher than the second retaining wall structure 20, or it can be equal to the height of the second retaining wall structure 20. In some optional embodiments, the height of the second retaining wall structure 20 can also be higher than the first retaining wall structure 10. The embodiment of the present disclosure does not impose too many restrictions on the second retaining wall structure 20, and it can be designed according to actual needs. The embodiment of the present disclosure mainly improves the first retaining wall structure 10.

[0049] The display panel further includes a metal layer, which is located on one side of the substrate 110. The display area AA includes multiple metal layers, such as a film layer where the first electrode 207 of the light-emitting device 23 is located, a film layer where the second electrode 210 is located, and multiple metal layers in the driving circuit layer 24. The metal layer in the driving circuit layer 24 includes a first source-drain metal layer 201 (gate metal layer) forming a gate, a storage capacitor layer MC forming a storage capacitor, a second source-drain metal layer M2 forming a source, a drain and a power signal wiring of the pixel circuit, and a third source-drain metal layer ( Figure 2 Since the metal layers of different circuit designs may be different, the examples given here are not intended to limit the metal layers in the display panel.

[0050] The display panel also includes an active layer POLY, a gate insulating layer 203 located on the side of the active layer 201 away from the substrate 110, a capacitor insulating layer IMD located on the side of the gate metal layer 201 away from the substrate 110, an interlayer insulating layer 204 located on the side of the capacitor metal layer MC away from the substrate, an organic insulating layer 205 located on the side of the second source and drain metal layer M2 away from the substrate 110, and a first insulating layer 206 located on the side of the organic insulating layer 205 away from the substrate 110. Among them, both the organic insulating layer 205 and the first insulating layer 206 can play the role of a flat film layer. The display panel also includes a pixel definition layer 208 located on the side of the film layer where the first electrode 207 is located away from the substrate 110, a first inorganic encapsulation layer 212 located on the side of the film layer where the second electrode 210 is located away from the substrate 110, and also includes an organic encapsulation layer 213, a second inorganic encapsulation layer 214, a touch layer 215, etc. In addition, a buffer layer and an inorganic insulating layer are also provided between the second inorganic encapsulation layer and the touch layer 215, which are not shown in the figure.

[0051] The metal layer 120 extends from the display area AA to the non-display area NA, and a barrier structure is formed in the non-display area. The metal layer 120 here does not specifically refer to a certain metal layer, but refers to at least one of the metal layers 120 extending to the non-display area NA. When there are multiple metal layers extending from the display area AA to the non-display area NA, the metal layer includes multiple metal layers, such as the structure corresponding to the left and right borders of the display panel; when only one metal layer extends from the display area AA to the display area NA, the metal layer includes one metal layer, such as the structure corresponding to the lower step area 02 of the display panel. The number of metal layers and the corresponding film layers can be determined according to different embodiments.

[0052] In different application scenarios, for example, the second source-drain metal layer M2 in the driving circuit layer 24 extends to the non-display area NA, then the metal layer 120 includes the second source-drain metal layer M2. If the first electrode is an anode and the anode metal layer extends to the non-display area NA, then the metal layer 120 includes the anode metal layer. Therefore, the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit the specific functions and the number of the metal layer 120.

[0053] Thus, the first barrier structure 10 has a certain height to prevent the material for forming the organic encapsulation layer 213 from overflowing (in the figure, it includes the first barrier structure 10 and the second barrier structure 20. The second barrier structure 20 can basically prevent the material from overflowing. If only the first barrier structure 10 is provided, the first barrier structure 10 blocks the encapsulation material). Refer to Figure 4 , the first barrier structure 10 includes a first protective layer 101 and a second protective layer 102, and the metal layer 120 includes a first metal layer 121. In the first barrier structure 10, the first protective layer 101 overlaps with the first metal layer 121, which can not only protect the first metal layer 121 from being corroded during subsequent preparation processes, but also the overlap can increase the height of the first barrier structure 10 and play a better blocking role. In addition, refer to Figure 3 for the position of the second protective layer 102. The distance between at least part of the second protective layer and the bottom of at least part of the first protective layer and the substrate is equal. Under the influence of some preparation processes, the second protective layer 102 can also play a certain protective role for the first metal layer 121.

[0054] In the prior art, in the thickness direction of the display panel, the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102 and the first metal layer 121 all overlap, and the height of the formed first barrier structure 10 is too high. During subsequent preparation processes, the step difference generated when the metal trace passes through the first barrier structure 10 is large. Therefore, the metal trace is prone to breakage, affecting the display effect of the display panel. Exemplarily, such as Figure 3 , Figure 3Schematic diagram of the touch trace 2152 in the non-display area intercepted across the first barrier structure 10 and the second barrier structure 20. Figure 3 The touch trace 2152 in Figure 3 is located on the side of the second inorganic encapsulation layer 214 away from the substrate 110, and the touch trace 2152 is a metal trace. The touch trace 2152 needs to cross the first barrier structure 10 and the second barrier structure 20. At the position of the terminal connection area 03, it is electrically connected to the metal layer 120 below through a via and the wire is changed to the driving circuit layer. For example, this metal layer is the source-drain metal layer, so that the control chip IC can transmit data between the touch trace 2152 and the touch electrode.

[0055] When the touch trace 2152 needs to cross the first barrier structure 10, due to the excessive height of the first barrier structure 10, the step difference generated when the touch trace 2152 passes through the first barrier structure 10 is large. The touch trace 2152 on the surface of the first barrier structure 10 away from the substrate 110 will be thinner and more likely to break.

[0056] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, referring to Figure 4 , in the thickness direction of the display panel, the area of the overlapping region of the first protective layer 101 and the first metal layer 121 is larger than the area of the overlapping region of the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102 and the first metal layer 121. It can be understood that at the first barrier structure 10, there is no region where the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102 and the first metal layer 121 all overlap. The region with the highest height of the first barrier structure 10 is the overlapping region of the first protective layer 101 and the first metal layer 121. Therefore, by reducing the number of film layers overlapping the first barrier structure 10, the height of the first barrier structure 10 is reduced, the step difference from the non-first barrier structure 10 region is reduced, and the problem that the metal trace is likely to break due to the excessive step difference when passing through the first barrier structure 10 is avoided, improving the display effect and lifespan of the display panel.

[0057] It should be noted that the Figure 4 provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure is only an optional implementation manner. There are also various first barrier structures formed by different film layer combinations that meet the above requirements. The subsequent embodiments will be explained, which does not mean that there is only Figure 4 one structure that meets the requirements. The thickness, length, and proportional relationship of each film layer do not represent the dimensions in the actual product, but are only for illustration. In addition, the protective layers in the embodiment of the present disclosure protect the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102. In some scenarios, the first barrier structure 10 of the display panel can also be provided with only the first protective layer 101, and only the first protective layer 101 is used to protect the first metal layer 121.

[0058] It can be understood that the metal layer 120 mentioned in the above embodiments only includes the first metal layer 121, that is, there is no metal layer 120 between the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102. For example, when applied to the lower step area 02 of the display panel, the overall film layer is less and the dam structure is shorter. In some other application scenarios, a metal layer 120 is provided between the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102. For example, when applied to the left and right borders 01 of the display panel, the metal layer 120 extending into the non-display area NA includes the first metal layer 121 and the second metal layer 122. There is also a problem that the first dam structure 10 is too high, which easily causes the metal trace passing through it to break. Therefore, the height of the first dam structure can also be reduced by reducing the overlapping thickness of the first protective layer, the second protective layer, and the first metal layer, avoiding the risk of metal trace breakage. The specific content will be described in detail in the subsequent embodiments.

[0059] In some embodiments, with continued reference to Figure 4 , the first protective layer 101 covers the end of the first metal layer 121, and at least a part of the first protective layer 101 overlaps with the first metal layer 121.

[0060] Exemplarily, the metal layer 120 generally extends from the display area AA to the non-display area NA and terminates in the non-display area NA. Therefore, the end of the metal layer 120 will be exposed. During the subsequent process of fabricating other film layers, the exposed metal layer is easily corroded, affecting the yield of the display panel. The embodiment of the present disclosure provides the first metal layer 121, and the first metal layer 121 terminates at the position of the first dam structure 10, so that the first protective layer 101 covers the exposed end of the first metal layer 121, avoiding corrosion of the end. And at least a part of the first protective layer 101 overlaps with the first metal layer 121, which can improve the structural stability between the first protective layer 101 and the first metal layer 121, avoiding the situation where the first protective layer 101 cannot effectively cover the end of the first metal layer 121. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, in the thickness direction of the display panel, the first protective layer 101 and the first metal layer 121 overlap, and there is no area where the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, and the first metal layer 121 all overlap. Therefore, the area of the first protective layer 101 and the first metal layer 121 is larger than the area where the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, and the first metal layer 121 overlap, reducing the height of the first dam structure 10, reducing the step difference with the area other than the first dam structure 10, avoiding the problem that the metal trace is easily broken due to too large a step difference when passing through the first dam structure 10, and improving the display effect and lifespan of the display panel.

[0061] Among them, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first protective layer 101 may be the first insulating layer 206, such as PLN, and the second protective layer 102 may be the pixel definition layer 208, such as PDL, both of which can play a role in protecting the end of the first metal layer 121. When there is a second metal layer 122, the protective layer can also protect the end of the second metal layer 122.

[0062] It should be noted that the specific materials of the first protective layer and the second protective layer in the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited, and can be selected according to actual needs.

[0063] As mentioned above, a second metal layer may be provided between the first protective layer and the second protective layer. The structure of the second metal layer will be described in detail below. Optionally, in some embodiments, Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another display panel provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure. Refer to Figure 5 , the metal layer 120 further includes a second metal layer 122. The second metal layer 122 is located on the side of the first metal layer 121 and the first protective layer 101 away from the substrate 110; in the direction parallel to the display panel, the second metal layer 122 extends in the direction away from the display area AA, and in the direction perpendicular to the display panel, it overlaps with the first protective layer 101.

[0064] Exemplarily, the second metal layer 122 is located on the side of the first metal layer 121 and the first protective layer 101 away from the substrate 110. As Figure 5 shown, in the direction parallel to the display panel, the second metal layer 122 extends in the direction away from the display area AA and extends into the non-display area NA, and forms an overlap with the first protective layer 101 in the direction perpendicular to the panel. Among them, the first metal layer 121 is electrically connected to the second metal layer 122 and together serves as a signal trace, reducing the resistance in the signal trace and facilitating the reduction of the problem of excessive voltage drop in the signal trace. In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 5 , the second protective layer 102 covers the end of the second metal layer 122, and the second protective layer 102 has no overlap with the first protective layer 101 and / or the first metal layer 121.

[0065] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second metal layer 122 stops at the position of the first barrier structure 10. Therefore, in order to prevent the end of the second metal layer 122 from being exposed, the second protective layer 102 covers the end of the second metal layer 122 to prevent the end from being corroded. In the thickness direction of the display panel, the second protective layer 102 does not overlap with the first protective layer 101, or the second protective layer 102 does not overlap with the first metal layer 121, or the second protective layer 102 does not overlap with both the first protective layer 101 and the first metal layer 121. Compared with the prior art in which the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, the first metal layer 121, and the second metal layer 122 all overlap in the direction perpendicular to the display panel, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one film layer does not overlap with the other three film layers. The film layers mentioned here refer to the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, the first metal layer 121, and the second metal layer 122. That is, the second protective layer 102 does not overlap with the first protective layer 101 and / or the first metal layer 121. Thereby, the height of the first barrier structure 10 is reduced, the step difference between the first barrier structure 10 and the non-first barrier structure 10 region is reduced, and the problem that the metal trace is easily broken due to the excessive step difference when passing through the first barrier structure 10 is avoided, improving the display effect and lifespan of the display panel.

[0066] In addition, in the above embodiment, the first protective layer extends relatively short and the overall structure occupies a relatively small area. In some other embodiments, there is also a case where the first protective layer extends relatively long, which is also applicable to the method provided in this application. For example, in the left and right border regions of the display panel, there are various signal traces arranged, such as the negative power supply signal line PVEE, and there are also some detection lines such as crack detection lines, etc. The above signal traces are also formed by metal structures, and the first protective layer extends relatively long to cover the metal structures forming the signal traces. Optionally, in some embodiments, Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another display panel provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure. Refer to Figure 6 , the second protective layer 102 covers the end of the second metal layer 122, and the first protective layer 101 includes a first region S1 extending in a direction away from the first metal layer 121. In the first region S1, the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102 at least partially overlap.

[0067] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first protective layer 101 extends relatively long to the side away from the display area AA. In addition to covering the end of the first metal layer 121 and partially overlapping with the first metal layer 121, the first protective layer 101 also extends in a direction away from the first metal layer 121 to form a first area S1. In the first area S1, the first protective layer 101 has covered the metal structure away from the first metal layer 121. For example, the covered metal structure is a signal wiring 1211 for transmitting other signals. The embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit the specific type of the signal wiring 1211. The second metal layer 122 at least covers part of the first protective layer 101 in the direction away from the display area AA. If, according to the prior art, a second protective layer is provided on the second metal layer 122 and the second protective layer is used to protect the second metal layer 122, there will be an area where the first metal layer 121, the first protective layer 101, the second metal layer 122 and the second protective layer 102 all overlap, resulting in the problem of a higher first retaining wall structure 10. However, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second protective layer covers the end of the second metal layer 122, see Figure 6 The above-mentioned film layers, the first metal layer 121, the first protective layer 101 and the second metal layer 122 overlap, the first protective layer 101, the second metal layer 122 and the second protective layer 102 overlap, and there is no position where the above-mentioned four film layers overlap each other. Therefore, the height of the first retaining wall structure 10 is reduced to a certain extent, and the step difference between the first retaining wall structure 10 and the non-first retaining wall structure 10 area is reduced, avoiding the problem that the metal routing is easy to break due to the large step difference when passing through the first retaining wall structure 10. In addition, the above scheme is also applicable to other embodiments. For example, Figure 7 A cross-sectional structural diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Figure 7 , Figure 7 The second metal layer 122 also extends in a direction away from the first metal layer 121 to form a first region S1, but does not cover the signal wiring 1211, but ends before the signal wiring 1211, and the second protective layer 102 covers the end of the second metal layer 122. The same is applicable to the above solution and can bring the same beneficial effect, avoiding the position where the above four film layers overlap each other, and reducing the height of the first retaining wall structure 10.

[0068] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 4 , the maximum thickness of the second protection layer 102 is less than or equal to the sum of the maximum thicknesses of the first protection layer 101 and the second metal layer 122 .

[0069] Exemplarily, the purpose of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to reduce the height of the first barrier structure 10 and avoid the overlapping of each metal layer and the protective layer, which may cause the metal wiring to break easily when passing through the first barrier structure 10 due to the excessive step difference in this area compared with the area without the first barrier structure 10. Therefore, the embodiments of the present disclosure limit the highest point of the first barrier structure 10, that is, the sum of the maximum thicknesses of the first protective layer 101 and the second metal layer 122 is the highest height of the first barrier structure 10. The thicknesses of the remaining film layers in the first barrier structure 10 are all less than or equal to the sum of the maximum thicknesses of the first protective layer 101 and the second metal layer 122. For example, the maximum thickness of the second protective layer 102 is less than or equal to the sum of the maximum thicknesses of the first protective layer 101 and the second metal layer 122, so as to avoid the excessive thickness of the second protective layer 102 resulting in too high a height of the first barrier structure 10.

[0070] In some embodiments, Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another display panel provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure. Refer to Figure 8 , the first barrier structure 10 further includes a third protective layer 103; the third protective layer 103 is located on the side of the second protective layer 102 and the second metal layer 122 away from the substrate 110. In the thickness direction of the display panel, the third protective layer 103 overlaps with the second protective layer 102 and / or the first protective layer 101.

[0071] Exemplarily, the first barrier structure 10 further includes a third protective layer 103, and the third protective layer 103 is located on the side of the second protective layer 102 and the second metal layer 122 away from the substrate 110. By providing the third protective layer 103, the height of the first barrier structure 10 can be adjusted. Considering the function of the first barrier structure 10, in order to prevent the organic encapsulation material in the display area AA from overflowing outward and affecting the service life of the display panel, a first barrier structure 10 with a certain height is provided. An encapsulation layer needs to be provided on the side of the first barrier structure 10 away from the substrate. Providing the third protective layer 103 can play a planarizing role and make the film layers in the display panel closer to each other.

[0072] In Figure 8 the shown embodiment, the third protective layer 103 overlaps with the second protective layer 102 and the third protective layer 103 overlaps with the first protective layer 101, but there is no area where the three intersect, which reduces the height of the first barrier structure 10 to a certain extent. The height of the first barrier structure 10 can be adjusted by the third protective layer 103 itself. Thus, the embodiments of the present disclosure can not only play the original role of blocking the overflow of the organic encapsulation material, but also avoid the excessive height of the first barrier structure 10 and the situation of metal wiring breakage.

[0073] Optionally, the third protective layer 103 can also adopt the following structure,Figure 9 Another schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in reference to Figure 9 . The third protective layer 103 overlaps with the second protective layer 102, but does not overlap with the first protective layer 101, further reducing the height of the first barrier structure 10. There is no area where the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, and the third protective layer 103 all overlap, and it can also play a planarizing role. Optionally, the third protective layer 103 can overlap with the first protective layer 101 and not overlap with the second protective layer 102. The positions of the protective layers can be adjusted according to actual requirements.

[0074] In some embodiments, Figure 10 Another schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in reference to Figure 10 . The metal layer 120 further includes a third metal layer 123. The third metal layer 123 is located on the side of the second metal layer 122 away from the substrate 110. The third protective layer 103 covers the end of the third metal layer 123.

[0075] Exemplarily, the metal layer 120 further includes a third metal layer 123. The third metal layer 123 is located on the side of the second metal layer 122 away from the substrate 110. As shown in Figure 10 , in the direction parallel to the display panel, the third metal layer 123 extends towards the non-display area NA in a direction away from the display area AA to meet the requirements of the display panel for the third metal layer 123. For example, in some usage scenarios, the third metal layer 123 can be arranged on the same layer as the anode metal layer. In the non-display area of the display panel, such as the left and right border areas, the cathode metal layer needs to be overlapped with other metal layers below through the anode metal layer to enable the negative power supply signal line PVEE to provide a cathode power supply signal for the cathode metal layer. The third metal layer 123 stops at the position of the first barrier structure 10. Therefore, covering the end of the third metal layer 123 with the third protective layer 103 can prevent the end of the third metal layer 123 from being exposed and avoid corrosion of the end. In the thickness direction of the display panel, the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102 do not overlap. Compared with the prior art where the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, and the third protective layer 103 all overlap to form a too-high first barrier structure 10, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the height of the first barrier structure 10 is reduced to a certain extent. Therefore, the possibility of the metal trace breaking when passing through the first barrier structure 10 can be reduced.

[0076] It should be noted that the Figure 10 provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure is only an optional implementation manner. There are also various first barrier structures formed by different film layers that meet the above requirements, which will be explained in subsequent embodiments and do not mean that there is only Figure 10A structure meets the requirements. The thickness, length, and proportional relationship of each film layer do not represent the dimensions in the actual product, but are only for illustration.

[0077] In different embodiments, there are also various optional setting schemes for the third protective layer and the third metal layer. Optionally, in some embodiments, Figure 11 This is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Refer to Figure 11 , the first barrier structure 10 further includes a third protective layer 103; the metal layer 120 further includes a third metal layer 123.

[0078] The third metal layer 123 is located on the side of the second metal layer 122 and the second protective layer 102 away from the substrate 110. In the direction parallel to the display panel, the third metal layer 123 extends along the direction away from the display area AA to cover the second protective layer 102. The third protective layer 103 covers the end of the third metal layer 123, and the third protective layer 103 does not overlap with the first protective layer 101 and / or the second protective layer 102.

[0079] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the third metal layer 123 is located on the side of the second metal layer 122 and the second protective layer 102 away from the substrate 110. As Figure 11 shown, in the direction parallel to the display panel, the third metal layer 123 extends along the direction away from the display area AA into the non-display area NA and covers the second protective layer 102. The third metal layer 123 stops at the position of the first barrier structure 10. The position where the third metal layer 123 stops does not overlap with the second protective layer 102. To prevent the end of the third metal layer 123 from being exposed and corroded, the end is covered by the third protective layer 103. Thus, in the thickness direction of the display panel, the third protective layer 103 does not overlap with the first protective layer 101, or the third protective layer 103 does not overlap with the second protective layer 102, or the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, and the third protective layer 103 do not overlap with each other, that is, the third protective layer 103 does not overlap with the first protective layer 101 and / or the second protective layer 102. Compared with the prior art where the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, and the third protective layer 103 all overlap to form a too-high first barrier structure 10, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the height of the first barrier structure 10 is greatly reduced. Therefore, the possibility of the metal trace breaking when passing through the first barrier structure 10 can be reduced.

[0080] It should be noted that the Figure 11 provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure is only an optional implementation manner. There are also various first barrier structures formed by different film layers that meet the above requirements, which will be explained in subsequent embodiments and do not mean that there is only Figure 11A structure meets the requirements. The thickness, length, and proportional relationships of each film layer do not represent the dimensions in the actual product and are only for illustration.

[0081] In some embodiments, continuing to refer to Figure 10 , the first damascene structure 10 further includes a fourth protective layer 104, and the fourth protective layer 104 overlaps with the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, and the third protective layer 103.

[0082] Exemplarily, the first damascene structure 10 further includes a fourth protective layer 104. The fourth protective layer 104 can both protect the film layers on the side close to the substrate 110 and play a role in adjusting the height of the first damascene structure 10. Referring to Figure 10 , the fourth protective layer 104 is located on the side of the third protective layer 103 away from the substrate 110. The fourth protective layer 104 overlaps with the first protective layer 101, the fourth protective layer 104 overlaps with the second protective layer 102, and the fourth protective layer 104 overlaps with the third protective layer 103. However, there is no area where the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, the third protective layer 103, and the fourth protective layer 104 overlap in the first damascene structure 10.

[0083] Similarly, referring to Figure 11 , the fourth protective layer 104 is located on the side of the third metal layer 123 and the third protective layer 103 away from the substrate 110. The fourth protective layer 104 overlaps with the first protective layer 101, the fourth protective layer 104 overlaps with the second protective layer 102, and the fourth protective layer 104 overlaps with the third protective layer 103. However, there is also no area where the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, the third protective layer 103, and the fourth protective layer 104 overlap in the first damascene structure 10. Therefore, the height of the first damascene structure 10 is reduced, the possibility of the metal wiring breaking when passing through the first damascene structure 10 can be reduced, and the service life of the display panel can be improved.

[0084] As mentioned above, there are differences in the film layer structures in different regions of the non-display area of the display panel. For example, in the lower step area, the touch wiring needs to be rewired to be electrically connected to the driving circuit layer. In this case, there is less metal layer extending to the lower step area, such as only the first metal layer. And there are more metal layers extending to the left and right borders, such as including the first metal layer and the second metal layer. The first protective layer is required to protect the end of the first metal layer, and the second protective layer is required to protect the end of the second metal layer. When preparing the protective layer, it needs to be prepared in a whole layer and then etched. Therefore, there is a possibility that there are only two film layers, the first protective layer and the second protective layer, at the position of the first metal layer. Optionally, in some embodiments, referring to Figure 4 , the second protective layer 102 is in contact with the first protective layer 101, and the second protective layer 102 is located on the side of the first protective layer 101 away from the display area AA.

[0085] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first protective layer 101 is in contact with the second protective layer 102. The second protective layer 102 is located on the side of the first protective layer 101 away from the display area AA. In the width direction of the display panel, the width of the first barrier structure 10 can be increased to improve the blocking ability. Moreover, it can be seen therefrom that in the thickness direction of the display panel, the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102 do not overlap, so that the thickness of the first barrier structure 10 is reduced. This avoids the situation where each metal layer and protective layer overlap with each other, resulting in a large step difference in the area where the metal trace passes through the first barrier structure 10 compared to the area that is not the first barrier structure 10, which may cause the metal trace to break easily. And in the width direction of the display panel, the width of the first barrier structure 10 can be increased to improve the blocking ability.

[0086] Optionally, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the positional relationship between the first protective layer, the second protective layer and the first metal layer is not limited. The drawings are only for illustrative purposes and can be specifically set according to actual requirements.

[0087] In some embodiments, with continued reference to Figure 4 , the farthest distance between the side of the second protective layer 102 facing away from the substrate 110 and the substrate 110 is equal to the farthest distance between the side of the first protective layer 101 facing away from the substrate 110 and the substrate 110.

[0088] Exemplarily, since the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102 are in the same plane, when preparing the above-mentioned film layers, the farthest distance h1 between the side of the second protective layer 102 facing away from the substrate 110 and the substrate 110 is equal to the farthest distance h2 between the side of the first protective layer 101 facing away from the substrate 110 and the substrate 110. At this time, the surface of the first protective layer 101 facing away from the substrate 110 is flush with the surface of the second protective layer 102 facing away from the substrate 110, which is equivalent to the surface of the first barrier structure 10 facing away from the substrate 110 being relatively flat. When the metal trace passes through here, there is no step difference on the surface of the first barrier structure 10, reducing the possibility of the metal trace breaking.

[0089] In some embodiments, with continued reference to Figure 4 , the first barrier structure 10 further includes a third protective layer 103; the third protective layer 103 covers the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102 and covers at least part of the first metal layer 121.

[0090] Exemplarily, the first barrier structure 10 further includes a third protective layer 103. The third protective layer 103 is located on the side of the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, and the second metal layer 122 facing away from the substrate 110. The third protective layer 103 covers the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102 and covers at least part of the first metal layer 121. By providing the third protective layer 103, the height of the first barrier structure 10 can be adjusted, and the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102 can be protected. Considering the function of the first barrier structure 10, in order to prevent the organic encapsulation material in the display area AA from overflowing outward and affecting the service life of the display panel, the first barrier structure 10 with a certain height is provided. Therefore, the height of the first barrier structure 10 can also be adjusted by the third protective layer 103. The third protective layer 103 can also play a planarizing role, making the contact between the film layers of the display panel closer, and can also coat the underlying metal layer and protective layer, playing a role in protecting the underlying film layers.

[0091] In Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the third protective layer 103 overlaps with the second protective layer 102, and the third protective layer 103 overlaps with the first protective layer 101, but there is no region where the three intersect. To a certain extent, the height of the first barrier structure 10 is reduced, which can effectively prevent the organic encapsulation material from overflowing, and can also avoid the height of the first barrier structure 10 being too high and avoid the situation of metal trace breakage, and can also protect other film layers.

[0092] In some embodiments, Figure 12 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 13 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Refer to Figure 12 and Figure 13 , the metal layer 120 further includes a second metal layer 122; the second metal layer 122 is located on the side of the first metal layer 121, the first protective layer 101, and the second protective layer 102 facing away from the substrate 110, and the third protective layer 103 covers at least part of the second metal layer 122.

[0093] Exemplarily, the metal layer further includes a second metal layer 122. The second metal layer 122 is located on the side of the first metal layer 121, the first protective layer 101, and the second protective layer 102 facing away from the substrate 110, as Figure 12As shown, in the direction parallel to the display panel, the second metal layer 122 extends in the direction away from the display area AA towards the non-display area NA to meet the requirements of the display panel for the second metal layer 122. The third protective layer 103 can cover the end of the second metal layer 122, which can prevent the end of the second metal layer 122 from being exposed and avoid corrosion of the end during subsequent manufacturing processes. Moreover, the third protective layer 103 covers at least part of the second metal layer 122, which can play a flattening role, and the thickness of the first barrier structure 10 can be adjusted by adjusting its thickness.

[0094] It can be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure do not specifically limit the structure at the second barrier structure 20, and it can be as Figure 12 shown. The second barrier structure 20 is higher than the first barrier structure 10, and the second barrier structure 20 includes a first protective layer 101, a first metal layer 121, a second metal layer 122, and a third protective layer 103. In some other embodiments, the second barrier structure 20 can also be lower than the first barrier structure, and the second barrier structure 20 includes a first metal layer 121, a second metal layer 122, and a third protective layer 103. As already described in the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure, the height relationship between the first barrier structure and the second barrier structure is not specifically limited, and it only needs to meet the actual requirements. Therefore, there are various different structures for the second barrier structure, which will not be listed one by one here.

[0095] In some embodiments, Figure 14 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another display panel provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 14 , the first metal layer 121 is located on the side of the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102 away from the substrate 110, and the third protective layer 103 covers the end of the first metal layer 121.

[0096] Exemplarily, the first metal layer 121 is located on the side of the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102 away from the substrate 110, and the first metal layer 121 stops at the position of the first barrier structure 10. Therefore, covering the end of the first metal layer 121 with the third protective layer 103 can prevent the end of the first metal layer 121 from being exposed and avoid corrosion of the end. In the thickness direction of the display panel, there is no overlap between the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102. Therefore, there is no area where the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, the third protective layer 103, and the first metal layer 121 all overlap in the prior art. Therefore, compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present disclosure reduce the height of the first barrier structure 10, reduce the step difference between the first barrier structure 10 and the non-first barrier structure 10 area, avoid the problem that metal traces are prone to breakage due to excessive step difference when passing through the first barrier structure 10, and improve the display effect and lifespan of the display panel.

[0097] In some embodiments, referring further to Figure 14 , the first metal layer 121 is located on the side of the first protective layer 101 facing the substrate 110, and the first protective layer 101 covers the end of the first metal layer 121.

[0098] Exemplarily, the first metal layer 121 is located on the side of the first protective layer 101 facing the substrate 110. The first metal layer 121 stops at the position of the first barrier structure 10, and the first protective layer 101 covers the end of the first metal layer 121, which can prevent the end of the first metal layer 121 from being exposed and avoid corrosion of the end. Although the first metal layer 121 overlaps with the first protective layer 101, neither of them overlaps with the second protective layer 102, which reduces the height of the first barrier structure 10 to a certain extent, reduces the step difference between the first barrier structure 10 and the non-first barrier structure 10 area, and avoids the problem that the metal trace is easily broken due to excessive step difference when passing through the first barrier structure 10, improving the display effect and service life of the display panel.

[0099] In some embodiments, Figure 15 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 15 , the first barrier structure 10 further includes a fourth protective layer 104. The fourth protective layer 104 is located on the side of the third protective layer 103 away from the substrate 110, and the fourth protective layer 104 covers at least a part of the third protective layer 103.

[0100] Exemplarily, the first barrier structure 10 further includes a fourth protective layer 104. The fourth protective layer 104 can not only protect the film layers on its side close to the substrate 110, but also play a role in adjusting the height of the first barrier structure 10. Referring to Figure 15 , the fourth protective layer 104 is located on the side of the third protective layer 103 facing away from the substrate 110, and the fourth protective layer 104 covers at least a part of the third protective layer 103. In the first barrier structure 10 provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, there is no overlapping area among the first protective layer 101, the second protective layer 102, the third protective layer 103, and the fourth protective layer 104. Therefore, the height of the first barrier structure 10 is reduced, the possibility of the metal trace breaking when passing through the first barrier structure 10 can be reduced, and the service life of the display panel is improved. And the height of the first barrier structure 10 can also be adjusted through the fourth protective layer 104 to prevent the height of the first barrier structure 10 from being unable to effectively block the overflow of the liquid organic encapsulation material in the display area.

[0101] In some embodiments, the metal layer includes an anode metal layer and / or at least one source-drain metal layer.

[0102] The anode metal layer is located on the side of the source-drain metal layer away from the substrate.

[0103] Exemplarily, Figure 16The cross-sectional structure schematic diagram taken along Figure 1 DD' in Figure 17 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram taken along Figure 1 BB' in Figure 16 and Figure 17 are cross-sections taken from a display panel provided by the same embodiment, and the respective film layers correspond to each other. Referring to the accompanying drawings, the metal layer 120 extending from the display area AA to the non-display area NA of the display panel includes a first metal layer 121, a second metal layer 122, and a third metal layer 123. Among them, the first metal layer 121 is the second source-drain metal layer M2, the second metal layer 122 is the third source-drain metal layer M3, the third metal layer 123 is provided on the same layer as the anode metal layer, and the anode metal layer is located on the side of each source-drain metal layer away from the substrate 110. Among them, the second source-drain metal layer M2 can be used to prepare the source electrode, drain electrode, and power signal trace of the pixel circuit, etc., and the third source-drain electrode layer M3 can also be used to prepare the signal trace of the pixel circuit. In some scenarios, the cathode metal layer needs to be overlapped with the underlying anode metal layer through a via hole, and then overlapped with other underlying metal layers through the anode metal layer, so as to achieve the purpose of providing a cathode power signal for the cathode metal layer by the negative power signal line PVEE.

[0104] In addition, the display area of the embodiment of the present disclosure further includes a first source-drain metal layer 202 for preparing the gate of the pixel circuit; it also includes an active layer 201, a gate insulating layer 203, an interlayer insulating layer 204, an organic insulating layer 205 (BPL), a first insulating layer 206 (PLN), a pixel definition layer 208 (PDL), a light-emitting layer 209, a cathode metal layer 210 (cathode), a first inorganic encapsulation layer 212 (CVD1), an organic encapsulation layer 203 (IJP), a second inorganic encapsulation layer 214 (CVD2), a touch layer 215, an optical adhesive layer 216, and a support layer 217. In some alternative embodiments, the display panel further includes other film layer structures. For example, a buffer layer and an inorganic insulating layer are further provided between the second inorganic encapsulation layer and the touch layer, which are not all shown in the figure. The above embodiments are only for illustration, and only the partial structure or partial film layer related to the embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Other omitted structures or film layers are not described in detail here, and the specific film layers can be set according to actual situations.

[0105] Refer to Figure 17, in the non-display area provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, the metal layer 120 includes a first metal layer 121, a second metal layer 122, and a third metal layer 123. That is, the first metal layer 121 is the second source / drain metal layer M2, the second metal layer 122 is the third source / drain metal layer M3, and the third metal layer 123 is the anode metal layer. The first protective layer 101 is the organic insulating layer 205, the second protective layer 102 is the first insulating layer 206, and the third protective layer 103 is the pixel definition layer 208. In the non-display area, the end of the second source / drain metal layer M2 is covered by the organic insulating layer 205, and the end of the third source / drain metal layer M3 is covered by the first insulating layer 206. The anode metal layer is located on the side of the second source / drain metal layer M2 and the third source / drain metal layer M3 away from the substrate 110. The end of the anode metal layer is covered by the pixel definition layer 208. Among them, the organic insulating layer 205 does not overlap with the first insulating layer 206, reducing the number of overlapping film layers of the first barrier structure, so as to reduce the height of the first barrier structure, reduce the step difference between the first barrier structure and the non-first barrier structure area, avoid the problem that the metal trace is easily broken due to excessive step difference when passing through the first barrier structure, and improve the display effect and service life of the display panel.

[0106] Among them, Figure 17 The position shown belongs to the left and right borders, and no punching design will be carried out at this position of this structure, so that the touch trace is electrically connected to the lower metal layer by changing the line. However, in some other application scenarios, such as Figure 18 the structure shown, Figure 18 is a schematic structural diagram of another display panel provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure. At the left and right borders of the display panel, punching can also be carried out so that the touch trace is lapped with the lower metal layer through the via hole. It should be noted that the film layer thickness provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure does not represent the film layer thickness of the actual display panel, and the drawings only schematically show the positions of the film layers.

[0107] Exemplarily, Figure 19 is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of another display panel provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 19 , it shows a schematic structural diagram of the touch trace wire-changing area of the display panel, including a first barrier structure 10 and a second barrier structure 20. In this area, the touch trace 2152 needs to be electrically connected to the metal layer M3 through the via hole here, so that the control chip IC can transmit data between the touch trace 2152 and the touch electrode. Figure 19 It can not only schematically show that the touch trace in the lower step area of the display panel is punched and wire-changed to the metal layer M3, but also conform to Figure 18 the punching and wire-changing of the touch trace to M3 at the left and right borders.

[0108] It should be noted that the embodiment of the present disclosure is only an optional membrane layer design scheme, and there are a variety of different membrane layers formed by the first retaining wall structure to meet the above requirements. The thickness, length, and proportional relationship of each membrane layer do not represent the size of the actual product. It is only for illustration. The specific meaning of each membrane layer can be referred to Figure 16 The explanation of each film layer can be designed according to actual needs.

[0109] In some embodiments, at least one of the first protective layer and the second protective layer is an organic film layer.

[0110] For example, continue to refer to Figure 16 and Figure 17 The first protective layer 101 can be an organic film layer, such as an organic insulating layer 205, which plays the role of insulation and protection of the display panel. It can be prepared by an organic film layer. The organic material has a certain toughness and resistance to stress cracking, and can effectively protect the display panel. The second protective layer 102 can also be an organic film layer, such as a first insulating layer 206, which can flatten the film layer, make the display panel smoother, reduce the step difference everywhere, and play a protective role. The first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102 can also be organic film layers, which together flatten the film layer and protect the panel. Among them, the first protective layer 101 and the second protective layer 102 may include acrylic-based polymers, silicon-based polymers, etc., and can be formed by inkjet printing, spraying, etc.

[0111] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 15 The first retaining wall structure 10 further includes a support column 140. The support column 140 is located on a side of the fourth protection layer 104 away from the substrate 110.

[0112] For example, the first retaining wall structure 10 is further provided with a support column 140 to support the film layer in the panel and enhance the strength of the display panel. The support column 140 may include an acrylic polymer, a silicon polymer, etc., and may also be formed on the side of the fourth protective layer 104 away from the substrate 110 by inkjet printing, spraying, etc.

[0113] The present disclosure also provides a display device, including a display panel as in any one of the above display panel embodiments. Therefore, the display device has the technical features of the display panel provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and can achieve the beneficial effects of the display panel provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure. For the similarities, reference can be made to the above description of the display panel provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and no further description is given here.

[0114] For example, Figure 19 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 19 As shown, the display device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure includes the display panel 100 provided by any of the above embodiments of the present disclosure.Figure 19 The provided embodiments only take mobile phones as an example to illustrate the display device. It can be understood that the display device provided by the embodiments of the present application can be any electronic product with a display function, including but not limited to the following categories: mobile phones, televisions, laptop computers, desktop monitors, tablet computers, digital cameras, smart bracelets, smart glasses, vehicle-mounted displays, medical devices, industrial control devices, touch interaction terminals, etc. The embodiments of the present invention do not make special limitations on this.

[0115] The display device provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure includes the above-mentioned display panel. Therefore, it can also solve the same technical problems as the embodiments of the above-mentioned display panel and achieve the same technical effects, which will not be elaborated here.

[0116] It should be noted that in this article, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the term "comprising", "including" or any other variant thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device comprising a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not expressly listed, or further includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by the statement "comprising one..." does not exclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article or device comprising the said element.

[0117] The above are only specific embodiments of the present disclosure, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement the present disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure will not be limited to these embodiments described herein, but will be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that: The display panel comprises a display area and a non-display area, the non-display area surrounds the display area, and the non-display area is provided with a first retaining wall structure; the display panel further comprises a substrate and a metal layer; the metal layer is located on one side of the substrate, and the metal layer extends to the non-display area; The first retaining wall structure includes a first protective layer and a second protective layer; the metal layer includes a first metal layer, in the first retaining wall structure, the first protective layer overlaps with the first metal layer, and the distance between the bottom of at least part of the second protective layer and at least part of the first protective layer and the substrate is equal; In the thickness direction of the display panel, the area of ​​an overlapping region of the first protective layer and the first metal layer is greater than the area of ​​an overlapping region of the first protective layer, the second protective layer and the first metal layer.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first protection layer covers an end portion of the first metal layer, and at least a portion of the first protection layer overlaps with the first metal layer.

3. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that: The metal layer further includes a second metal layer; The second metal layer is located on the side of the first metal layer and the first protective layer away from the substrate; in a direction parallel to the display panel, the second metal layer extends in a direction away from the display area and overlaps with the first protective layer in a direction perpendicular to the display panel.

4. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second protective layer covers an end portion of the second metal layer, and the second protective layer does not overlap with the first protective layer and / or the first metal layer.

5. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second protective layer covers an end portion of the second metal layer. The first protective layer includes a first region extending in a direction away from the first metal layer. In the first region, the first protective layer at least partially overlaps with the second protective layer.

6. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first retaining wall structure also includes a third protective layer; The third protection layer is located on a side of the second protection layer and the second metal layer facing away from the substrate; In the thickness direction of the display panel, the third protection layer overlaps with the second protection layer and / or the first protection layer.

7. The display panel according to claim 6, characterized in that: The metal layer further includes a third metal layer; The third metal layer is located on a side of the second metal layer away from the substrate; and the third protective layer covers an end portion of the third metal layer.

8. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that: The maximum thickness of the second protective layer is less than or equal to the sum of the maximum thicknesses of the first protective layer and the second metal layer.

9. The display panel according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first retaining wall structure further includes a third protective layer; the metal layer further includes a third metal layer; The third metal layer is located on the side of the second metal layer and the second protective layer facing away from the substrate; in a direction parallel to the display panel, the third metal layer extends and covers the second protective layer in a direction away from the display area, and the third protective layer covers the end of the third metal layer, and the third protective layer has no overlap with the first protective layer and / or the second protective layer.

10. The display panel according to claim 6 or 9, characterized in that: The first retaining wall structure further includes a fourth protective layer, and the fourth protective layer overlaps with the first protective layer, the second protective layer and the third protective layer.

11. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second protective layer contacts the first protective layer, and the second protective layer is located on a side of the first protective layer away from the display area.

12. The display panel according to claim 11, characterized in that: The farthest distance between the side of the second protective layer facing away from the substrate and the substrate is equal to the farthest distance between the side of the first protective layer facing away from the substrate and the substrate.

13. The display panel according to claim 11, characterized in that: The first retaining wall structure further includes a third protective layer; the third protective layer covers the first protective layer and the second protective layer and covers at least a portion of the first metal layer.

14. The display panel according to claim 13, characterized in that: The metal layer further includes a second metal layer; the second metal layer is located on a side of the first metal layer, the first protective layer and the second protective layer away from the substrate, and the third protective layer covers at least a portion of the second metal layer.

15. The display panel according to claim 13, characterized in that: The first metal layer is located on a side of the first protection layer and the second protection layer facing away from the substrate, and the third protection layer covers an end portion of the first metal layer.

16. The display panel according to claim 13, characterized in that: The first metal layer is located on a side of the first protection layer facing the substrate, and the first protection layer covers an end portion of the first metal layer.

17. The display panel according to claim 13, characterized in that: The first retaining wall structure further includes a fourth protective layer, the fourth protective layer is located on a side of the third protective layer away from the substrate, and the fourth protective layer covers at least a portion of the third protective layer.

18. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The metal layer includes an anode metal layer and / or at least one source / drain metal layer; The anode metal layer is located on a side of the source / drain metal layer facing away from the substrate.

19. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one of the first protective layer and the second protective layer is an organic film layer.

20. The display panel according to claim 17, characterized in that: The first retaining wall structure also includes support columns; The supporting column is located on a side of the fourth protection layer away from the substrate.

21. A display device, characterized in that: Comprising a display panel as described in any one of claims 1-20.

Images