Display device and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

The invention relates to a display device and a method of manufacturing the same. The display device includes a cover panel; a display panel disposed on the cover panel; a polarizing layer disposed on the display panel; a cover glass disposed on the polarizing layer; and a conductive layer disposed continuously along a lower surface of the cover glass, a side surface of the polarization layer, an upper surface and a side surface of the display panel, and a lower surface and a side surface of the cover panel, in which a thickness of the conductive layer disposed on the lower surface of the cover panel is about 50 [mu] m or less.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2023 - 0197213, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) on December 29, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical field

[0003] One or more embodiments relate to a display device and a method of manufacturing the display device. Background art

[0004] A display device visually displays data. The display device may provide an image by using a light - emitting diode. The use of display devices has been diversified, and various designs have been attempted to improve the quality of the display device. Summary of the invention

[0005] One or more embodiments include a display device and a method of manufacturing the display device.

[0006] Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the following description, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0007] According to one or more embodiments, a display device includes a cover panel; a display panel disposed on the cover panel; a polarization layer disposed on the display panel; a cover glass disposed on the polarization layer; and a conductive layer disposed continuously along the lower surface of the cover glass, the side surfaces of the polarization layer, the upper surface and side surfaces of the display panel, and the lower surface and side surfaces of the cover panel, wherein the thickness of the conductive layer disposed on the lower surface of the cover panel is about 50 μm or less.

[0008] According to an embodiment, the ends of the cover glass, the ends of the polarization layer, and the ends of the display panel and the cover panel may be misaligned with each other.

[0009] According to an embodiment, the thickness of the conductive layer disposed on the lower surface of the cover glass may be about 50 μm or less.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the minimum length of the conductive layer disposed along the edge of the display device may be about 20 mm or greater.

[0011] According to an embodiment, the conductive layer may include poly(3,4 - ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS).

[0012] According to an embodiment, the display device may further include an adhesive layer disposed between the polarization layer and the cover glass.

[0013] According to an embodiment, the conductive layer may also be disposed on a side surface of the adhesive layer.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the display device may further include a mounting structure disposed under the cover glass and the cover panel.

[0015] According to one or more embodiments, a method of manufacturing a display device includes: disposing a material for forming a conductive polymer layer on a cover glass, a polarization layer, a display panel, and a cover panel; and forming the conductive polymer layer by naturally drying the material for forming the conductive polymer layer.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the conductive polymer layer may be continuously disposed along an upper surface of the cover glass, a side surface of the polarization layer, a lower surface and side surfaces of the display panel, and upper surfaces and side surfaces of the cover panel.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the material for forming the conductive polymer layer may include a conductive polymer and a solvent.

[0018] According to an embodiment, when drying the material for forming the conductive polymer layer, the solvent included in the material for forming the conductive polymer layer may evaporate to form the conductive polymer layer.

[0019] According to an embodiment, the conductive polymer may include poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS).

[0020] According to an embodiment, the solvent may include deionized water or ethanol.

[0021] According to an embodiment, the viscosity of the material for forming the conductive polymer layer may be at least about 100 cP·s but not more than about 500 cP·s.

[0022] According to an embodiment, the content of the conductive polymer in the material for forming the conductive polymer layer may be at least about 3% but not more than about 20%.

[0023] According to an embodiment, the thickness of the conductive polymer layer disposed on the upper surface of the cover panel may be about 50 μm or less.

[0024] According to an embodiment, the thickness of the conductive polymer layer disposed on the upper surface of the cover glass may be about 50 μm or less.

[0025] According to an embodiment, the minimum length of the conductive polymer layer disposed on at least a part of a side portion of the display device may be about 20 mm or more.

[0026] According to an embodiment, the method of manufacturing the display device may further include disposing a mounting structure on the cover panel and the cover glass.

[0027] According to an embodiment, the surface tension of the material for forming the conductive polymer layer may be at least about 25 mN / m, but not more than about 35 mN / m. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a display device; Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a side portion of the display device on which the conductive polymer layer is provided; Figure 3A and Figure 3B shows a schematic view illustrating the thickness of the conductive polymer layer provided on the upper surfaces of the cover glass and the cover panel; Figures 4 to 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a part during the manufacturing process of the display device; Figure 7 is a schematic view of an equivalent circuit of a pixel; and Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the display device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0029] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals always refer to like elements. At this point, the embodiments may have different forms and should not be construed as limited to the description set forth herein. Accordingly, the embodiments are described below only by referring to the drawings to explain the described aspects. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Throughout the present disclosure, the expression "at least one of a, b, and c" means only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, all of a, b, and c, or a variant thereof.

[0030] Since the description allows for various variations and many embodiments, certain embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in the written description. The effects and features of one or more embodiments and the methods for achieving the effects and features will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments may have different forms and should not be construed as limited to the description set forth herein.

[0031] One or more embodiments will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Irrespective of the figure numbers, those elements that are the same or corresponding to each other are provided with the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0032] While terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various elements, these elements are not necessarily limited to the above terms. The above terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.

[0033] As used herein, the singular forms such as "a" and "an" are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0034] It will be understood that the terms "comprises", "comprising", "has" and their variants as used herein specify the presence of the stated features or elements, but do not preclude the addition of one or more other features or elements.

[0035] It will also be understood that when a layer, region or element is referred to as being on another layer, region or element, it can be directly or indirectly on the other layer, region or element. That is, for example, there can be intervening layers, regions or elements.

[0036] For ease of explanation, the sizes of the elements in the drawings may be enlarged or reduced. For example, since the sizes and thicknesses of the elements in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for ease of explanation, the following embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0037] When embodiments can be implemented differently, the order of performing a certain process can be different from the described order. For example, two consecutively described processes can be performed substantially simultaneously or in an order opposite to the described order.

[0038] The term "and / or" includes all combinations that one or more related configurations can define. For example, "A and / or B" can be understood to mean "A, B, or A and B".

[0039] For the purposes of this disclosure, the phrase "at least one of A and B" can be interpreted to mean only A, only B, or any combination of A and B. In addition, "at least one of X, Y, and Z" and "at least one selected from the group consisting of X, Y, and Z" can be interpreted to mean only X, only Y, only Z, or any combination of two or more of X, Y, and Z.

[0040] It will also be understood that when layers, regions or elements are referred to as being connected to each other, they can be directly connected to each other and / or can be indirectly connected to each other through intervening layers, regions or elements. For example, when layers, regions or elements are referred to as being electrically connected to each other, they can be directly electrically connected to each other and / or can be indirectly electrically connected to each other through intervening layers, regions or elements.

[0041] The x-axis, y-axis and z-axis are not limited to the three axes of a rectangular coordinate system and can be interpreted in a broader sense. For example, the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis can be perpendicular to each other or can represent different directions that are not perpendicular to each other.

[0042] Taking into account the measurements being discussed and the errors associated with the measurement of a particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system), as used herein, "about" or "approximate" includes the stated value and means within an acceptable range of deviation from the particular value determined by a person of ordinary skill in the art. For example, "about" can mean within one or more standard deviations, or within ±30%, ±20%, ±10%, ±5% of the stated value.

[0043] Unless otherwise defined or implied herein, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It will also be understood that terms such as those defined in a commonly used dictionary should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the disclosure, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless clearly so defined herein.

[0044] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of the display device 1.

[0045] Reference Figure 1 , a conductive layer or a conductive polymer layer 800 (hereinafter referred to as "conductive polymer layer 800") can be disposed at the edge of the display device 1. In other words, the conductive polymer layer 800 can be provided on at least a part of the side portion of the display device 1. In the case where the conductive polymer layer 800 is not provided on at least a part of the side portion of the display device 1, when static electricity is generated in the cover glass 700 (reference Figure 2 ) by, for example, human touch, electrons may accumulate between the display panel 10 (reference Figure 2 ) and the cover panel 600 (reference Figure 2 ), and thus, the quality and reliability of the display device 1 may be reduced. In the case where the conductive polymer layer 800 is provided on at least a part of the side portion of the display device 1, when static electricity is generated in the cover glass 700 by, for example, human touch, the electrons can move along the conductive polymer layer 800, and since the electrons do not accumulate between the display panel 10 and the cover panel 600, the quality and reliability of the display device 1 can be improved.

[0046] The minimum length d1 of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on at least a part of the side portion of the display device 1 can be about 20 mm or greater. In the process of manufacturing the display device 1, the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer 800 (reference Figure 4The viscosity of ( ) can be at least about 100 cP.s, but not more than about 500 cP.s, and thus, the spreadability of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on the cover glass 700 and the cover panel 600 can be controlled, and thus, the minimum length d1 of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on at least a part of the side of the display device 1 can be about 20 mm or greater.

[0047] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the side of the display device 1 on which the conductive polymer layer 800 is provided. More specifically, Figure 2 is along Figure 1 the line I-I' of Figure 1 a schematic cross-sectional view of at least a part of the side of the display device 1.

[0048] Figure 3A and Figure 3B show schematic views showing the thickness of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on the upper surfaces of the cover glass 700 and the cover panel 600. More specifically, Figure 3A shows the thickness of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on the upper surface of the cover glass 700, and Figure 3B shows the thickness of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on the upper surface of the cover panel 600. Figure 3A and Figure 3B are different from the cross-sectional view showing at least a part of the side of the display device 1 at least in the top and bottom directions. More specifically, Figure 2 the top of Figure 2 and Figure 3A and Figure 3B the bottom of Figure 2 represent the direction z, and Figure 3A and Figure 3B the bottom of

[0049] Referring to Figure 2 , the polarization layer 500 can be provided on the display panel 10. The cover glass 700 can be provided above the polarization layer 500. The adhesive layer 20 can be provided between the cover glass 700 and the polarization layer 500. The cover panel 600 can be provided below the display panel 10. A set structure 30 can be provided below the cover glass 700 and the cover panel 600. The ends of the cover glass 700, the ends of the polarization layer 500, and the ends of the display panel 10 and the cover panel 600 may not be aligned with each other.

[0050] The conductive polymer layer 800 may be continuously disposed along the lower surface of the cover glass 700, the side surfaces of the polarization layer 500, the upper surface and side surfaces of the display panel 10, and the side surfaces and lower surface of the cover panel 600. In the case where the display device 1 further includes an adhesive layer 20 disposed between the polarization layer 500 and the cover glass 700, the conductive polymer layer 800 may be continuously disposed along the lower surface of the cover glass 700, the side surfaces of the polarization layer 500 and the adhesive layer 20, the upper surface and side surfaces of the display panel 10, and the side surfaces and lower surface of the cover panel 600. The conductive polymer layer 800 may include, for example, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). The thickness t1 of the conductive polymer layer 800 disposed on the lower surface of the cover glass 700 may be about 50 μm or less. The thickness t2 of the conductive polymer layer 800 disposed on the lower surface of the cover panel 600 may be about 50 μm or less.

[0051] Reference Figure 3A and Figure 3B , Figure 3A and Figure 3B the direction z in Figure 2 is different from the direction z in Figure 3A and Figure 3B and thus, in Figure 3A and Figure 3B showing cross-sectional views of the display device 1, the conductive polymer layer 800 may be disposed on the upper surfaces of the cover glass 700 and the cover panel 600. More specifically, referring to

[0052] Referring again to Figure 2 , the mounting structure 30 may be disposed below the cover glass 700 and the cover panel 600. In the case where the thickness t1 of the conductive polymer layer 800 disposed on the lower surface of the cover glass 700 and the thickness t2 of the conductive polymer layer 800 disposed on the lower surface of the cover panel 600 are greater than about 50 μm, interference with the mounting structure 30 may occur when the mounting structure 30 is attached to the lower portions of the cover panel 600 and the cover glass 700, and structural changes may occur in the mounting structure 30. In an embodiment, the thickness t1 of the conductive polymer layer 800 disposed on the lower surface of the cover glass 700 and the thickness t2 of the conductive polymer layer 800 disposed on the lower surface of the cover panel 600 may be about 50 μm or less, and thus, when the mounting structure 30 is attached to the lower surface of the cover panel 600, interference with the mounting structure 30 and structural changes in the mounting structure 30 due to the conductive polymer layer 800 can be prevented.

[0053] Figures 4 to 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view that is part of the manufacturing process of the display device 1. More specifically, Figures 4 to 6 schematically shows the process of forming the conductive polymer layer 800.

[0054] Referring to Figure 4 , materials 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer can be provided on the cover glass 700, the polarization layer 500, the display panel 10, and the cover panel 600. The materials 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer can include a conductive polymer 800a and a solvent 800b. The conductive polymer 800a can include poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). The solvent 800b can include deionized water or ethanol that can be evaporated or naturally dried.

[0055] Referring to Figure 5 and Figure 6 , since the materials 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer can include deionized water or ethanol (which is the solvent 800b that can be evaporated), the conductive polymer layer 800 including the conductive polymer 800a can be formed by naturally drying the materials 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer. The conductive polymer layer 800 can be continuously arranged along the upper surface of the cover glass 700, the side surfaces of the polarization layer 500 and the adhesive layer 20, the lower surface and side surfaces of the display panel 10, and the upper surface and side surfaces of the cover panel 600. Figure 5 shows that the solvent 800b included in the materials 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer can be reduced by partial evaporation, and Figure 6 shows that the solvent 800b included in the materials 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer can be completely removed by evaporation to form the conductive polymer layer 800 including the conductive polymer 800a.

[0056] The viscosity of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer can be at least about 100 cP.s, but not more than about 500 cP.s. In the case where the viscosity of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer is less than about 100 cPa.s, the spreadability of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer may increase, and thus, even when applying the desired amount, it may not be possible to effectively control the length or thickness of the conductive polymer layer 800. In fact, it is difficult to achieve a viscosity of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer greater than about 500 cP.s. The viscosity of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer can be ensured to be at least about 100 cp.s, but not more than about 500 cp.s, and thus, the spreadability of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer on the upper surface of the cover glass 700 and the upper surface of the cover panel 600 can be controlled, and the minimum length d1 (refer to Figure 1 ) of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on at least a part of the side of the display device 1 can be about 20 mm or greater.

[0057] The surface tension of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer can be at least about 25 mN / m, but not more than about 35 mN / m. In the case where the surface tension of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer is less than about 25 mN / m, the spreadability of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer may increase, and thus, even when applying the desired amount, it may not be possible to effectively control the length or thickness of the conductive polymer layer 800. In the case where the surface tension of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer is greater than about 35 mN / m, the spreadability of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer may decrease, and thus, the conductive polymer layer 800 may have an undesired thickness, which may weaken the reliability and quality of the display device 1.

[0058] The content of the conductive polymer 800a in the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer can be at least about 3%, but not more than about 20%. In the case where the content of the conductive polymer 800a in the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer is less than about 3%, the content of the conductive polymer 800a may be small, and thus, it may be difficult to achieve the characteristics of the conductive polymer layer 800. In the case where the content of the conductive polymer 800a in the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer is greater than about 20%, the balance between the materials may be disrupted, and thus, the dispersibility or its uniformity of the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer may not be guaranteed during coating.

[0059] The thickness t1 of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on the upper surface of the cover glass 700 and the thickness t2 of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on the upper surface of the cover panel 600 may be about 50 μm or less. Since the content of the conductive polymer 800a included in the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer can be ensured to be at least about 3% but not more than about 20%, the thickness t1 of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on the upper surface of the cover glass 700 and the thickness t2 of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on the upper surface of the cover panel 600 can be ensured to be about 50 μm or less, and the robustness and reliability of the display device 1 can be improved. The thickness t1 of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on the upper surface of the cover glass 700 and the thickness t2 of the conductive polymer layer 800 provided on the upper surface of the cover panel 600 may be about 50 μm or less, and thus, in the case where the mounting structure 30 is attached to the cover panel 600, interference to the mounting structure 30 and structural changes in the mounting structure 30 due to the conductive polymer layer 800 can be prevented.

[0060] In an embodiment, since the material 800s for forming the conductive polymer layer may include the conductive polymer 800a and the solvent 800b that can be naturally dried, the conductive polymer layer 800 can be formed by evaporating the solvent 800b, and thus, the thickness of the conductive polymer layer 800 can be ensured to be about 50 μm or less. Therefore, in the case where the mounting structure 30 is attached to the upper portions of the cover panel 600 and the cover glass 700, interference to the mounting structure 30 can be prevented, and defects in the mounting structure 30 can be prevented. Since the thickness of the conductive polymer layer 800 can be ensured to be about 50 μm or less, the conductive polymer layer 800 can even be formed (e.g., freely formed) on a part of the side of the display device 1 to which the mounting structure 30 is attached, and the quality and reliability of the display device 1 can be improved.

[0061] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the equivalent circuit of the pixel P.

[0062] Reference Figure 7 , the pixel P may include an organic light-emitting diode OLED as a display element connected to the pixel circuit PC as shown in Figure 7 . The pixel circuit PC may include a first thin-film transistor T1, a second thin-film transistor T2, and a storage capacitor Cst. Each pixel P can emit light such as red, green, or blue light or red, green, blue, or white light through the organic light-emitting diode OLED.

[0063] The second thin film transistor T2, which is a switching thin film transistor, may be connected to the scan line SL and the data line DL, and may be configured to transmit the data voltage input from the data line DL to the first thin film transistor T1 based on the switching voltage input from the scan line SL. The storage capacitor Cst may be connected to the second thin film transistor T2 and the driving voltage line PL, and may store a voltage corresponding to the difference between the voltage received from the second thin film transistor T2 and the first power supply voltage ELVDD supplied to the driving voltage line PL.

[0064] The first thin film transistor T1, which is a driving thin film transistor, may be connected to the driving voltage line PL and the storage capacitor Cst, and may be configured to control the driving current flowing through the organic light emitting diode OLED from the driving voltage line PL in response to the voltage value stored in the storage capacitor Cst. The organic light emitting diode OLED may emit light with a certain brightness according to the driving current. The opposite electrode (e.g., the cathode) of the organic light emitting diode OLED may receive the second power supply voltage ELVSS.

[0065] Although Figure 7 a pixel circuit PC including two thin film transistors and one storage capacitor is shown, one or more embodiments are not limited thereto. The number of thin film transistors and the number of storage capacitors may be modified differently according to the design of the pixel circuit PC. For example, in addition to the two thin film transistors described above, the pixel circuit PC may further include four or five or more thin film transistors.

[0066] Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the display device 1. More specifically, Figure 8 is taken along Figure 1 the line II-II' of Figure 1 the schematic cross-sectional view of the display device 1 shown in

[0067] Referring to Figure 8 , the substrate 100 may include a first base layer 100a, a first barrier layer 100b, a second base layer 100c, and a second barrier layer 100d. In an embodiment, the first base layer 100a, the first barrier layer 100b, the second base layer 100c, and the second barrier layer 100d may be stacked on top of each other in the thickness direction of the substrate 100 in sequence.

[0068] At least one of the first base layer 100a and the second base layer 100c may include a polymer resin such as polyethersulfone, polyarylate, polyetherimide, polyethylene naphthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyimide, polycarbonate, triacetyl cellulose, or cellulose acetate propionate.

[0069] The first barrier layer 100b and the second barrier layer 100d are barrier layers that prevent the intrusion of external foreign substances, and each may have a single-layer or multi-layer structure including an inorganic material such as silicon nitride (SiN X ), silicon oxide (SiO2), and / or silicon oxynitride (SiON).

[0070] The buffer layer 111 may be disposed on the substrate 100. For example, the buffer layer 111 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride (SiN X ), silicon oxynitride (SiON), and silicon oxide (SiO2), and may have a single-layer or multi-layer structure including the above-described inorganic insulating materials.

[0071] The inorganic insulating layer IIL may be disposed on the buffer layer 111. The inorganic insulating layer IIL may include a first gate insulating layer 112, a second gate insulating layer 113, and an interlayer insulating layer 114.

[0072] The pixel circuit PC may be arranged in the display area DA. The pixel circuit PC may include a thin film transistor TFT and a storage capacitor Cst. The thin film transistor TFT may include a semiconductor layer Act, a gate electrode GE, a source electrode SE, and a drain electrode DE.

[0073] The semiconductor layer Act may be disposed on the buffer layer 111. The semiconductor layer Act may include polysilicon. As another example, the semiconductor layer Act may include amorphous silicon, an oxide semiconductor, or an organic semiconductor. The semiconductor layer Act may include a channel region and a drain region and a source region respectively disposed on both sides of the channel region.

[0074] The gate electrode GE may be disposed above the semiconductor layer Act. The gate electrode GE may overlap with the channel region. The gate electrode GE may include a low-resistance metal material. For example, the gate electrode GE may include a conductive material containing molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), etc., and may have a multi-layer or single-layer structure including the above-described materials.

[0075] The first gate insulating layer 112 may be disposed between the semiconductor layer Act and the gate electrode GE. The first gate insulating layer 112 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (SiN X ), silicon oxynitride (SiON), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), titanium oxide (TiO2), tantalum oxide (Ta2O5), hafnium oxide (HfO2), or zinc oxide (ZnO x ), where ZnO x may be ZnO or ZnO2.

[0076] The second gate insulating layer 113 may be disposed on the gate electrode GE. The second gate insulating layer 113 may cover the gate electrode GE (or overlap with the gate electrode GE). The second gate insulating layer 113 may include inorganic insulating materials such as silicon oxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (SiN X ), silicon oxynitride (SiON), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), titanium oxide (TiO2), tantalum oxide (Ta2O5), hafnium oxide (HfO2), or zinc oxide (ZnO x ), where ZnO x may be ZnO or ZnO2.

[0077] The second capacitor plate CE2 of the storage capacitor Cst may be disposed on the second gate insulating layer 113. The second capacitor plate CE2 may overlap with the gate electrode GE disposed therebelow. In this regard, the gate electrode GE and the second capacitor plate CE2 overlapping each other and the second gate insulating layer 113 therebetween may form or constitute the storage capacitor Cst. For example, the gate electrode GE may serve as the first capacitor plate CE1 of the storage capacitor Cst.

[0078] As described above, the storage capacitor Cst and the thin film transistor TFT may overlap each other. However, one or more embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the storage capacitor Cst may not overlap with the thin film transistor TFT. For example, the first capacitor plate CE1 of the storage capacitor Cst may be separated from the gate electrode GE of the thin film transistor TFT and be an element independent of the gate electrode GE of the thin film transistor TFT.

[0079] For example, the second capacitor plate CE2 may include aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), silver (Ag), magnesium (Mg), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), iridium (Ir), chromium (Cr), calcium (Ca), molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), and / or copper (Cu), and may have a single-layer or multi-layer structure including the materials described above.

[0080] The interlayer insulating layer 114 may be disposed on the second capacitor plate CE2. The interlayer insulating layer 114 may cover the second capacitor plate CE2 (or overlap with the second capacitor plate CE2). The interlayer insulating layer 114 may include inorganic insulating materials such as silicon oxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (SiN X ), silicon oxynitride (SiON), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), titanium oxide (TiO2), tantalum oxide (Ta2O5), hafnium oxide (HfO2), or zinc oxide (ZnO x ), where ZnO xIt can be ZnO or ZnO2. The interlayer insulating layer 114 can have a single-layer or multi-layer structure including the inorganic insulating materials described above.

[0081] Each of the drain electrode DE and the source electrode SE can be on the interlayer insulating layer 114. Each of the drain electrode DE and the source electrode SE can be connected to the semiconductor layer Act through contact holes defined in the first gate insulating layer 112, the second gate insulating layer 113, and the interlayer insulating layer 114. The drain electrode DE and the source electrode SE can include highly conductive materials. For example, the drain electrode DE and the source electrode SE can include conductive materials containing molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), etc., and can have a multi-layer or single-layer structure including the materials described above. For example, the drain electrode DE and the source electrode SE can have a multi-layer structure of titanium (Ti) / aluminum (Al) / titanium (Ti).

[0082] The organic insulating layer OIL can be provided on the inorganic insulating layer IIL. The organic insulating layer OIL can include a first organic insulating layer 115 and a second organic insulating layer 116. Although Figure 8 the organic insulating layer OIL including two layers is shown, one or more embodiments are not limited thereto. The organic insulating layer OIL can include three or four layers.

[0083] The first organic insulating layer 115 can cover the drain electrode DE and the source electrode SE. The first organic insulating layer 115 can include organic insulating materials such as conventional commercial polymers (such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or polystyrene (PS), polymer derivatives having phenol-based groups, acrylate-based polymers, imide-based polymers, aryl ether-based polymers, amide-based polymers, fluorine-based polymers, parylene-based polymers, vinyl alcohol-based polymers, and mixtures thereof).

[0084] The connection electrode CM can be provided on the first organic insulating layer 115. In this regard, the connection electrode CM can be connected to the drain electrode DE or the source electrode SE through a contact hole in the first organic insulating layer 115. The connection electrode CM can include highly conductive materials. The connection electrode CM can include conductive materials containing molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), etc., and can have a multi-layer or single-layer structure including the materials described above. For example, the connection electrode CM can have a multi-layer structure of titanium (Ti) / aluminum (Al) / titanium (Ti).

[0085] The second organic insulating layer 116 can be provided on the connection electrode CM. The second organic insulating layer 116 can cover the connection electrode CM. The second organic insulating layer 116 and the first organic insulating layer 115 can include the same material or different materials.

[0086] The light-emitting diode may be disposed on the second organic insulating layer 116. For example, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) may be disposed on the second organic insulating layer 116. As another example, although not shown, an inorganic light-emitting diode may be disposed on the second organic insulating layer 116.

[0087] In an embodiment, the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) may emit red, green, or blue light or may emit red, green, blue, or white light. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) may include a first electrode 211, an emission layer 212b, a functional layer 212f, a second electrode 213, and a capping layer 215. The first electrode 211 may be a pixel electrode (e.g., an anode) of the organic light-emitting diode (OLED), and the second electrode 213 may be a counter electrode (e.g., a cathode) of the organic light-emitting diode (OLED).

[0088] The first electrode 211 may be disposed on the second organic insulating layer 116. The first electrode 211 may be electrically connected to the connection electrode CM through a contact hole defined in the second organic insulating layer 116. The first electrode 211 may include a conductive oxide such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO x ), indium oxide (In2O3), indium gallium oxide (IGO), or aluminum zinc oxide (AZO). In an embodiment, the first electrode 211 may include a reflective layer including silver (Ag), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), iridium (Ir), chromium (Cr), or a mixture thereof. In an embodiment, the first electrode 211 may further include a layer formed of ITO, IZO, ZnO, or In2O3 on / under the above-described reflective layer. For example, the first electrode 211 may have a multilayer structure of ITO / Ag / ITO.

[0089] A pixel defining layer 118 defining an opening exposing at least a portion of the first electrode 211 may be disposed on the first electrode 211. The emission region of the light emitted from the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) may be defined by an opening defined in the pixel defining layer 118. For example, the width of the opening may correspond to the width of the emission region.

[0090] The pixel defining layer 118 may include an organic insulating material. As another example, the pixel defining layer 118 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or silicon oxide. As yet another example, the pixel defining layer 118 may include an organic insulating material and an inorganic insulating material. In an embodiment, the pixel defining layer 118 may include a light blocking material. The light blocking material may include carbon black, carbon nanotubes, a resin or paste including a black dye, metal particles (e.g., nickel, aluminum, molybdenum, and their alloys), metal oxide particles (e.g., chromium oxide), or metal nitride particles (e.g., chromium nitride). In the case where the pixel defining layer 118 includes a light blocking material, reflection of external light caused by a metal structure disposed below the pixel defining layer 118 may be reduced.

[0091] The spacer 119 may be disposed on the pixel defining layer 118. The spacer 119 may include an organic insulating material such as polyimide. As another example, the spacer 119 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride (SiN X ), or silicon oxide (SiO2), or may include an organic insulating material and an inorganic insulating material.

[0092] In an embodiment, the spacer 119 and the pixel defining layer 118 may include the same material. In this case, the pixel defining layer 118 and the spacer 119 may be formed together during a mask process using a halftone mask or the like. As another example, the spacer 119 and the pixel defining layer 118 may respectively include different materials.

[0093] The emission layer 212b may be disposed in an opening defined in the pixel defining layer 118. The emission layer 212b may include a high molecular weight or low molecular weight organic material that emits light of a certain color.

[0094] The functional layer 212f may include a first functional layer 212a and a second functional layer 212c. The first functional layer 212a may be disposed between the first electrode 211 and the emission layer 212b, and the second functional layer 212c may be disposed between the emission layer 212b and the second electrode 213. However, at least one of the first functional layer 212a and the second functional layer 212c may be omitted. Hereinafter, the case where each of the first functional layer 212a and the second functional layer 212c is disposed will be mainly described.

[0095] The first functional layer 212a may include a hole transport layer (HTL) and / or a hole injection layer (HIL). The second functional layer 212c may include an electron transport layer (ETL) and / or an electron injection layer (EIL). The first functional layer 212a and / or the second functional layer 212c may be a common layer that completely covers the substrate 100 like the second electrode 213 described below.

[0096] The second electrode 213 may be disposed on the functional layer 212f. The second electrode 213 may include a conductive material having a low work function. For example, the second electrode 213 may include a (semi)transparent layer including silver (Ag), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), iridium (Ir), chromium (Cr), lithium (Li), calcium (Ca), or an alloy thereof. As another example, the second electrode 213 may further include a layer on the (semi)transparent layer including the materials described above, such as ITO, IZO, ZnO, or In2O3.

[0097] In an embodiment, the capping layer 215 may be disposed on the second electrode 213. The capping layer 215 may include an organic material and / or an inorganic material such as lithium fluoride (LiF).

[0098] The encapsulation layer 300 may be disposed on the organic light-emitting diode OLED. The encapsulation layer 300 may cover the organic light-emitting diode OLED (or overlap with the organic light-emitting diode OLED). The encapsulation layer 300 may be disposed on the second electrode 213 and / or the capping layer 215. In an embodiment, the encapsulation layer 300 may include at least one inorganic encapsulation layer and at least one organic encapsulation layer. Figure 8 The encapsulation layer 300 including a first inorganic encapsulation layer 310, an organic encapsulation layer 320, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer 330 stacked on one another in sequence is shown.

[0099] In an embodiment, the first inorganic encapsulation layer 310 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 330 may include one or more inorganic materials among aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, tantalum oxide, hafnium oxide, zinc oxide, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride. The first inorganic encapsulation layer 310 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 330 may have a single-layer or multi-layer structure including the materials described above. The organic encapsulation layer 320 may include a polymer-based material. Examples of the polymer-based material may include an acrolein-based resin, an epoxy-based resin, polyimide, and polyethylene. In an embodiment, the organic encapsulation layer 320 may include acrylate.

[0100] The input sensing layer 400 may be disposed on the encapsulation layer 300. The input sensing layer 400 may include a first touch insulating layer 410, a second touch insulating layer 420, a first conductive layer 430, a third touch insulating layer 440, a second conductive layer 450, and / or a planarization layer 460.

[0101] In an embodiment, the first touch insulating layer 410 may be disposed on the second inorganic encapsulation layer 330, and the second touch insulating layer 420 may be disposed on the first touch insulating layer 410. In an embodiment, the first touch insulating layer 410 and the second touch insulating layer 420 may include an inorganic insulating material and / or an organic insulating material. For example, the first touch insulating layer 410 and the second touch insulating layer 420 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and / or silicon oxynitride.

[0102] In an embodiment, at least one of the first touch insulating layer 410 and the second touch insulating layer 420 may be omitted. For example, the first touch insulating layer 410 may be omitted. In this case, the second touch insulating layer 420 may be disposed on the second inorganic encapsulation layer 330, and the first conductive layer 430 may be disposed on the second touch insulating layer 420.

[0103] The first conductive layer 430 may be disposed on the second touch insulating layer 420, and the third touch insulating layer 440 may be disposed on the first conductive layer 430. In an embodiment, the third touch insulating layer 440 may include an inorganic insulating material and / or an organic insulating material. For example, the third touch insulating layer 440 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and / or silicon oxynitride.

[0104] The second conductive layer 450 may be disposed on the third touch insulating layer 440. The touch electrode TE of the input sensing layer 400 may have a structure in which the first conductive layer 430 and the second conductive layer 450 are connected to each other. As another example, the touch electrode TE may be formed in one of the first conductive layer 430 and the second conductive layer 450 and may include a metal wire included in the corresponding conductive layer. Each of the first conductive layer 430 and the second conductive layer 450 may include at least one of aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), molybdenum (Mo), and indium tin oxide (ITO), and may have a single-layer or multi-layer structure including the materials described above. For example, each of the first conductive layer 430 and the second conductive layer 450 may have a three-layer structure of a titanium layer / an aluminum layer / a titanium layer.

[0105] In an embodiment, the planarization layer 460 may cover the second conductive layer 450. The planarization layer 460 may include an organic insulating material.

[0106] The above description is an example of the technical features of the present disclosure, and those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will be able to make various modifications and changes. Therefore, the described embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented alone or in combination with each other.

[0107] The embodiments disclosed in this disclosure are not intended to limit the technical spirit of this disclosure, but rather to describe the technical spirit of this disclosure, and the scope of the technical spirit of this disclosure is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of this disclosure should be interpreted by the appended claims and should be interpreted to include all technical spirits within the equivalent scope in the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising: Cover panels; A display panel, arranged on the cover panel; a polarizing layer, arranged on the display panel; a cover glass disposed on the polarizing layer; as well as a conductive layer continuously arranged along the lower surface of the cover glass, the side surface of the polarizing layer, the upper surface and the side surface of the display panel, and the lower surface and the side surface of the cover panel, Wherein, the thickness of the conductive layer disposed on the lower surface of the cover panel is 50 μm or less.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: An end portion of the cover glass, an end portion of the polarizing layer, and ends of the display panel and the cover panel are not aligned with each other.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: The thickness of the conductive layer disposed on the lower surface of the cover glass is 50 μm or less.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: A minimum length of the conductive layer disposed on at least a portion of a side of the display device is 20 mm or more.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: The conductive layer includes poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate.

6. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising: An adhesive layer is disposed between the polarizing layer and the cover glass.

7. The display device according to claim 6, wherein: The conductive layer is also disposed on a side surface of the adhesive layer.

8. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising: The placement structure is arranged below the cover glass and the cover panel.

9. A method for manufacturing a display device, the method comprising: disposing a material for forming a conductive polymer layer on the cover glass, the polarizing layer, the display panel, and the cover panel; as well as The conductive polymer layer is formed by naturally drying the material for forming the conductive polymer layer.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The conductive polymer layer is continuously disposed along an upper surface of the cover glass, a side surface of the polarizing layer, a lower surface and a side surface of the display panel, and an upper surface and a side surface of the cover panel.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The material for forming the conductive polymer layer includes a conductive polymer and a solvent.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: When the material for forming the conductive polymer layer is dried, the solvent included in the material for forming the conductive polymer layer evaporates to form the conductive polymer layer.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The conductive polymer includes poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The solvent includes deionized water or ethanol.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The viscosity of the material used to form the conductive polymer layer is at least 100 cP.s but not more than 500 cP.s.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The content of the conductive polymer in the material for forming the conductive polymer layer is at least 3% but not more than 20%.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The thickness of the conductive polymer layer disposed on the upper surface of the cover panel is 50 μm or less.

18. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The thickness of the conductive polymer layer disposed on the upper surface of the cover glass is 50 μm or less.

19. The method according to claim 9, wherein: A minimum length of the conductive polymer layer disposed on at least a portion of a side of the display device is 20 mm or more.

20. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: A mounting structure is disposed on the cover panel and the cover glass.

21. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The surface tension of the material used to form the conductive polymer layer is at least 25 mN / m but not more than 35 mN / m.

Images