Display panel and display device

Abstract

The invention provides a display panel and a display device. The display panel comprises a substrate; the wiring layer is arranged on one side of the substrate and located in the non-display area; the pixel defining layer is arranged on the side, away from the substrate, of the wiring layer, the pixel defining layer comprises a pixel defining part located in the display area, and a pixel opening is defined by the pixel defining part; the protection layer is arranged on the side, away from the substrate, of the pixel definition layer, the protection layer is located in the non-display area, and the orthographic projection of the wiring layer on the substrate is located in the orthographic projection of the protection layer on the substrate. According to the display panel provided by the invention, the protection layer is arranged, and the protection layer completely covers the wiring layer to form a protection barrier, so that the damage of a subsequent etching process to the alignment marks in the wiring layer is avoided, and the accuracy of sleeving precision detection is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a display panel and a display device. Background Art

[0002] In the traditional display panel manufacturing process, pixel patterning is typically achieved through a fine metal mask (FMM). FMM technology is mature and has extensive mass production experience. However, FMM technology also has issues such as limited precision, high development costs, and long development cycles. Fine metal mask-free technology eliminates the limitations of traditional OLED processes on display size, resolution, and other screen performance, offering the advantages of high performance, full-area sizing, and agile delivery. Patents CN118251982A, CN115666161A, CN116648095A, CN117062489A, CN118678742A, CN118785761A, CN115224220A, CN118678729A, CN118660529A, and CN118660589A describe the fine metal mask-free technology for reference.

[0003] However, current OLED display products are prone to inter-layer alignment failure, and their process performance needs to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of the present application is to provide a display panel and a display device, which can reduce over-etching damage to alignment marks by using a protective layer, thereby improving the process performance of the display panel.

[0005] Based on the above objectives, an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application provides a display panel, the display panel comprising a display area and a non-display area located on at least one side of the display area; the display panel comprises:

[0006] substrate;

[0007] The wiring layer is provided on one side of the substrate and is located in the non-display area;

[0008] A pixel definition layer is provided on a side of the wiring layer away from the substrate, the pixel definition layer includes a pixel defining portion located in the display area, and the pixel defining portion encloses a pixel opening;

[0009] The protective layer is arranged on the side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate. The protective layer is located in the non-display area. The orthographic projection of the wiring layer on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the protective layer on the substrate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the thickness of the protective layer is greater than or equal to 1000 angstroms and less than or equal to 2000 angstroms.

[0011] In some embodiments, the protective layer comprises a metallic material;

[0012] The pixel definition layer includes a dielectric material;

[0013] Preferably, the material of the protective layer includes titanium;

[0014] Preferably, the material of the pixel definition layer includes silicon oxynitride.

[0015] In some embodiments, the routing layer includes an alignment mark, the non-display area includes an alignment region, and the alignment mark is located in the alignment region;

[0016] Preferably, the shape of the alignment area is the same as the shape of the alignment mark;

[0017] Preferably, the shape of the alignment mark includes a square, and the shape of the alignment area includes a square.

[0018] In some embodiments, the protection layer is located in the alignment area, and there is a gap between a boundary of the protection layer and the display area.

[0019] In some embodiments, the display panel further comprises:

[0020] An isolation structure is provided on a side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate, the isolation structure is located in the display area, and the isolation structure encloses an isolation opening, which is connected to the pixel opening;

[0021] Preferably, the isolation structure includes a supporting portion and a shielding portion, the shielding portion is located on a side of the supporting portion away from the substrate, and the orthographic projection of the supporting portion on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the shielding portion on the substrate;

[0022] Preferably, the isolation structure further comprises a lap portion, and the support portion and / or the lap portion comprises a conductive structure;

[0023] Preferably, the overlapping portion is located between the pixel defining portion and the supporting portion, and an orthographic projection of the supporting portion on the substrate is located within an orthographic projection of the overlapping portion on the substrate.

[0024] In some embodiments, the display panel further comprises:

[0025] A protective structure, the protective structure is located in the non-display area, the protective structure and the isolation structure are made of the same material and are arranged in the same layer; the protective structure includes a first protective structure and a second protective structure, the first protective structure is located on a side of the protective layer away from the substrate, and the second protective structure is located on a side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate, the orthographic projection of the first protective structure on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the protective layer on the substrate, and the orthographic projection of the second protective structure on the substrate does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the protective layer on the substrate;

[0026] Preferably, the distance between the surface of the first protective structure close to the substrate and the substrate is greater than the distance between the surface of the second protective structure close to the substrate and the substrate;

[0027] Preferably, the orthographic projection of the first protection structure on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the alignment mark on the substrate.

[0028] In some embodiments, the display panel further comprises:

[0029] A light-emitting unit is located in the display area, and the light-emitting unit includes a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode stacked in sequence in a direction away from the substrate;

[0030] Preferably, the pixel opening exposes at least a portion of the first electrode;

[0031] Preferably, the light emitting layer and the second electrode are at least partially located in the isolation opening.

[0032] In some embodiments, the display panel further comprises:

[0033] a first encapsulation layer, the first encapsulation layer comprising an encapsulation portion located within the isolation opening;

[0034] Preferably, the first encapsulation layer comprises an inorganic material;

[0035] Preferably, the display panel further comprises a second encapsulation layer located on a side of the first encapsulation layer away from the substrate, and the second encapsulation layer covers the plurality of encapsulation portions;

[0036] Preferably, the second encapsulation layer comprises an organic material;

[0037] Preferably, the display panel further comprises a third encapsulation layer located on a side of the second encapsulation layer away from the substrate;

[0038] Preferably, the third encapsulation layer comprises an inorganic material.

[0039] In some embodiments, the display panel further comprises:

[0040] The driving circuit layer is used to drive the light-emitting unit to emit light. The driving circuit layer includes multiple metal layers, and the metal layer closest to the first electrode in the multiple metal layers is the fourth metal layer; the wiring layer is arranged on the same layer as the fourth metal layer.

[0041] In some embodiments, the display panel further comprises:

[0042] The planarization layer is arranged on the side of the pixel definition layer close to the substrate. The planarization layer is at least partially located between the wiring layer and the pixel definition layer. The orthographic projection of the wiring layer on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the planarization layer on the substrate.

[0043] A second aspect of the present application provides a display panel having a display area and a non-display area. The display panel includes:

[0044] substrate;

[0045] An alignment mark is provided on one side of the substrate and is located in the non-display area;

[0046] a pixel definition layer disposed on one side of the substrate, the pixel definition layer comprising a pixel defining portion located in the display area and a protective portion located in the non-display area, the pixel defining portion enclosing a pixel opening, the protective portion located on a side of the alignment mark away from the substrate, and an orthographic projection of the alignment mark on the substrate located within an orthographic projection of the protective portion on the substrate;

[0047] A protective layer is provided on a side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate, the protective layer is located in the non-display area, and the orthographic projection of the alignment mark on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the protective layer on the substrate;

[0048] The protection structure is arranged on a side of the protection layer away from the substrate, and the orthographic projection of the alignment mark on the substrate partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the protection structure on the substrate.

[0049] In some embodiments, the display panel further comprises:

[0050] An isolation structure is provided on a side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate; the isolation structure is located in the display area; the isolation structure encloses an isolation opening, and the isolation opening is connected to the pixel opening;

[0051] Preferably, the protection structure and the isolation structure are made of the same material and are provided in the same layer.

[0052] In some embodiments, the protective layer has a higher etching resistance than the pixel definition layer;

[0053] Preferably, the material of the protective layer includes titanium, and the material of the pixel definition layer includes silicon oxynitride;

[0054] Preferably, the thickness of the protective layer is greater than or equal to 1000 angstroms and less than or equal to 2000 angstroms.

[0055] An embodiment of a third aspect of the present application provides a display device, comprising the display panel of any of the above embodiments.

[0056] The display panel provided in the present application sets a protective layer on the side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate. The protective layer completely covers the alignment mark to form a protective barrier, thereby preventing damage to the mark by subsequent etching processes, ensuring the accuracy of the fitting precision detection, and improving the process performance of the display panel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this application or related technologies, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or related technical descriptions. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of this application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0058] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a related display panel;

[0059] Figure 2 A schematic plan view of a display panel provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0060] Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view of a non-display area of a display panel provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0061] Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of a display area of a display panel provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0062] Figure 5 A schematic plan view of an alignment area of a display panel provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0063] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of an isolation structure in a display panel provided in another embodiment of the present application;

[0064] Figure 7 A partial cross-sectional view of a non-display area of a display panel provided by another embodiment of the present application;

[0065] Figure 8 A partial cross-sectional view of a display panel provided in another embodiment of the present application;

[0066] Figure 9 A partial cross-sectional view of a display area of a display panel provided in another embodiment of the present application.

[0067] Marking Description:

[0068] 100, display panel; 101, display area; 102, non-display area; 1021, alignment area;

[0069] 1. Substrate; 11. Planarization layer; 2. Routing layer; 21. Alignment mark; 3. Pixel definition layer; 30. Pixel opening; 31. Pixel defining portion; 32. Protection portion; 4. Protection layer; 5. Isolation structure; 50. Isolation opening; 51. Support portion; 52. Shielding portion; 53. Overlap portion; 55. Protection structure; 501. First protection structure; 502. Second protection structure; 6. Light-emitting unit; 601. First color light-emitting unit; 602. Second color light-emitting unit; 603. Third color light-emitting unit; 61. First electrode; 62. Light-emitting layer; 63. Second electrode; 7. Encapsulation layer; 71. First encapsulation layer; 72. Second encapsulation layer; 73. Third encapsulation layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clear, this application is further described in detail below in combination with specific embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0071] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used in the embodiments of the present application should have the usual meanings understood by people with ordinary skills in the field to which this application belongs. The "first", "second" and similar words used in the embodiments of the present application do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. "Include" or "comprise" and similar words mean that the elements or objects appearing before the word cover the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. "Connect" or "connected" and similar words are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. "Up", "down", "left", "right" and the like are only used to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0072] In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. It will be understood that when a structure is referred to as being "on or under" another structure, the structure may be directly above or below the other structure, or intervening structures may be present. Like reference numerals refer to like structures throughout. References to structures herein include any of layers, elements, devices, components, and assemblies.

[0073] When a structure is referred to as being "connected" to another structure, the structure can be directly connected to the other structure or indirectly connected to the other structure with one or more intervening structures interposed therebetween.

[0074] In the related technology, the isolation structure can separate the functional film layers of adjacent light-emitting units. In this way, in the evaporation process of the functional film layer, it is only necessary to perform evaporation on the entire surface of the display panel, without the need to use a metal mask to prepare the functional film layer of each light-emitting unit separately. This technology is a maskless self-alignment pixelation technology, which can make the gap between the light-emitting units designed to be smaller.

[0075] In the maskless self-alignment pixelation technology, the light-emitting unit adopts an independent manufacturing and packaging process, and its photolithography process overlay accuracy (OverLay, referred to as OVL) directly affects the alignment effect between pixel layers.

[0076] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a related display panel. Figure 1As shown, in the related art, an alignment mark 21 is usually provided in the display panel. The alignment mark 21 is located in the wiring layer 2 of the non-display area and can be used for device identification, facilitating positioning, and improving the production efficiency and manufacturing accuracy of the display panel. The alignment mark 21 is covered with a pixel definition layer 3 and a protective structure 55. The protective structure 55 is prepared on the same layer as the isolation structure located in the display area for isolating the light-emitting unit. Among them, the alignment mark 21 is a fit alignment mark (OVL Mark), which achieves fit accuracy measurement by matching with the protective structure 55.

[0077] Through research, the inventors of this application have found that the alignment mark 21 is usually formed of a conductive material, and after the alignment mark is formed, there are usually multiple etching processes. The existence of multiple etching processes can easily cause the alignment mark to be etched and damaged, affecting the identification and positioning of the contrast mark in subsequent processes. Specifically, during the pixel graphic process, the protective structure 55 is only coated with photoresist in the area corresponding to the alignment mark 21. During the development process after photolithography exposure, the photoresist in the exposed area is removed, resulting in the graphics of the alignment mark 21 and the pixel definition layer 3 being exposed. In the subsequent process of forming the encapsulation layer, dry etching is usually used to remove part of the first encapsulation layer. The pixel definition layer 3 is highly sensitive to the dry etching process. In the dry etching process, the exposed area of the pixel definition layer 3 is easily damaged during the etching process, such as Figure 1 This can cause the alignment mark 21 to have an abnormal shape, invalidating the registration accuracy data and affecting product yield and performance consistency. Furthermore, abnormal data makes process debugging difficult, increasing production costs and development cycles.

[0078] Based on this, an embodiment of the present application provides a display panel solution to solve the above problems.

[0079] Figure 2 A schematic plan view of a display panel provided in one embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view of a non-display area of a display panel provided in one embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of a display area of a display panel provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0080] like Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4As shown, an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application provides a display panel 100, which includes a display area 101 and a non-display area 102. The display area 101 is an area in the display panel 100 for realizing a display function. The non-display area 102 is an area in the display panel 100 that does not realize a display function. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the size and shape of the display area 101 and the non-display area 102. The non-display area 102 is located on at least one side of the display area 101. That is, the non-display area 102 can be a border area set around the display area 101, or it can be an area where the non-display area 102 is located on one side or multiple sides of the display area 101. Optionally, the shape of the display area 101 is adapted to the shape of the non-display area 102. For example, the shape of the display area 101 is rectangular, and the non-display area 102 is a rectangular ring.

[0081] Display panel 100 includes a substrate 1, a routing layer 2, a pixel definition layer 3, and a protective layer 4. The routing layer 2 is disposed on one side of the substrate 1, with an alignment mark 21 located in the non-display area 102. The pixel definition layer 3 is disposed on the side of the routing layer 2 away from the substrate 1. The pixel definition layer 3 includes a pixel defining portion 31 located in the display area 101, and the pixel defining portion 31 encloses a pixel opening 30. The protective layer 4 is disposed on the side of the pixel definition layer 3 away from the substrate 1. The protective layer 4 is located in the non-display area 102, and the orthographic projection of the routing layer 2 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the protective layer 4 on the substrate 1.

[0082] Specifically, substrate 1 primarily serves as a support and bearing structure, and other film layers are sequentially stacked on substrate 1. Stacking refers to the sequential arrangement of other film layers along the thickness direction of substrate 1. The thickness direction of other film layers on substrate 1 is typically consistent with the thickness direction of substrate 1 itself. Therefore, for ease of presentation, the thickness direction of substrate 1 or other film layers mentioned later in this application are illustrated using the same direction. Furthermore, the orthographic projection of other film layers on substrate 1 refers to the projection of the other film layers onto substrate 1 along the thickness direction.

[0083] For example, the alignment mark 21 in the wiring layer 2 is an overlay precision mark (OVL Mark), which is used for overlay precision control in the photolithography process. During the preparation of the display panel 100, the setting of the alignment mark 21 can facilitate the alignment of the display panel 100. For example, during the preparation of the display panel 100, the preparation equipment can identify and confirm the position of the display panel 100 through the alignment mark 21 to achieve the alignment of the display panel 100 by the preparation equipment. Exemplarily, during the preparation of the display panel 100, the alignment mark 21 can be used to achieve the alignment of the mask. The pixel definition layer 3 covers the top of the wiring layer 2, and its part located in the display area 101 includes a pixel defining portion 31, which is enclosed to form a pixel opening 30 for defining the position of the light-emitting unit. The protective layer 4 is arranged on the side of the pixel definition layer 3 away from the substrate 1 and is located in the non-display area. Its projection range needs to completely cover the projection area of the alignment mark 21. The protection layer 4 can form a physical protection barrier for the pixel definition layer 3 and the alignment mark 21 covered thereunder, thereby preventing them from being damaged in a subsequent etching process.

[0084] In the display panel 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the protective layer 4 covering the wiring layer 2 completely covers the alignment mark 21, forming a physical protective barrier to prevent damage to the mark during subsequent processes (such as dry etching) and ensure the accuracy of the alignment precision test. Furthermore, the protective layer 4 is located in the non-display area 102 and does not affect the display function of the display area 101, thereby balancing the compatibility of the display function with the process auxiliary structure.

[0085] In some embodiments of the present application, the thickness of the protective layer 4 is greater than or equal to (angstroms), less than or equal to 2000 angstroms. For example, the thickness of the protective layer 4 can be wait.

[0086] Among them, the thickness of the protective layer 4 needs to be controlled within If the thickness is less than The protective layer 4 may not be able to effectively prevent the etching from damaging the pixel definition layer 3. The stress accumulation may cause the structure to crack or delaminate from other layers.

[0087] Optionally, the protective layer 4 comprises a metal material, which can form a metal protective layer with a certain anti-etching effect. The pixel definition layer 3 comprises a dielectric material, which can include at least one of silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride or silicon oxide.

[0088] For example, the material of the protective layer 4 includes titanium (Ti), and the material of the pixel definition layer 3 includes silicon oxynitride (SiNO).

[0089] Among them, the thickness range of the protective layer 4 is Titanium is the material of choice, which has high dry etching resistance and wet etching inertness, meaning it has excellent dry etching resistance and is undamaged by wet etching. Specifically, titanium has good resistance to fluorine-based plasma etching and stability to sulfuric acid or hydrofluoric acid mixtures. Pixel definition layer 3 is made of silicon oxynitride, which can be formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD). In addition, titanium has strong adhesion to the photoresist and silicon oxynitride layer.

[0090] Specifically, during the manufacturing process, after the pixel definition layer 3 is deposited, the pattern of the alignment area (OVL Mark area) can be defined by photolithography. A Ti layer is deposited using a deposition device, and then the Ti layer in the non-target area is etched away, leaving only the protective layer 4 above the alignment mark 21.

[0091] Figure 5 This is a schematic plan view of an alignment area of a display panel provided in one embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments of the present application, the routing layer 2 includes an alignment mark 21 , the non-display area 102 includes an alignment area 1021 , and the alignment mark 21 is located in the alignment area 1021 .

[0092] Optionally, the shape of the alignment area 1021 is the same as the shape of the alignment mark 21; for example, if the alignment mark 21 is square, the shape of the alignment area 1021 is also square. Of course, the shape of the alignment mark 21 can be L-shaped, cross-shaped, or other special shapes. The alignment area 1021 matches the shape of the alignment mark 21, and accordingly, the shape of the alignment area 1021 can be L-shaped, cross-shaped, or other special shapes.

[0093] The alignment area 1021 houses alignment marks 21, a protective layer 4, and other process-aiding structures to minimize impact on the optical performance of the display area 101. The square outline facilitates the design and alignment of photolithography masks, improving production efficiency and reducing uneven edge etching caused by irregularly shaped areas.

[0094] In some embodiments, the protective layer 4 is located in the alignment area 1021 , and a gap exists between the boundary of the protective layer 4 and the display area 101 . Optionally, a surface of the protective layer 4 close to the substrate 1 contacts the pixel definition layer 3 .

[0095] Specifically, during the manufacturing process, the protective layer 4 can be completely avoided from the display area 101 through mask design, ensuring that the metal protective layer 4 is only present in the alignment area 1021. This can avoid the introduction of metal residues or photoresist anomalies (such as mura), ensuring the electrical performance stability of the light-emitting devices in the display area 101.

[0096] The protective layer 4 can be directly deposited on the surface of the pixel definition layer 3 to form an etching-resistant composite structure, while the original film layer stack is retained in the display area 101 to ensure the independence of the device function.

[0097] In some embodiments of the present application, the display panel 100 further includes an isolation structure 5 located in the display area 101. The isolation structure 5 is disposed on a side of the pixel definition layer 3 that is away from the substrate 1. Optionally, a surface of the isolation structure 5 that is closer to the substrate 1 contacts the pixel defining portion 31. The isolation structure 5 encloses an isolation opening 50, which communicates with the pixel opening 30. Optionally, the orthographic projection of the pixel opening 30 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the corresponding isolation opening 50 on the substrate 1.

[0098] Specifically, the isolation structure 5 is a partition structure in the display panel 100 for forming a plurality of spaced-apart parts of a partial film structure without the need for a fine metal mask. The isolation structure 5 is divided into an isolation structure 5 for the display area and a protective structure 55 for the non-display area. The isolation structure 5 forms an isolation opening 50 through a photolithography and etching process, which is connected to the pixel opening 30 and is used to accommodate the light-emitting unit. The separation of the isolation structure 5 enables independent control of the light-emitting unit to prevent optical crosstalk and electrical interference between adjacent pixels. The pixel opening 30 is connected to the corresponding isolation opening 50 to ensure that the light-emitting unit is aligned with the isolation structure 5. The position of the light-emitting unit can be precisely defined by the pixel opening 30 and the isolation opening 50.

[0099] Furthermore, the isolation structure 5 includes a supporting portion 51 and a shielding portion 52 . The shielding portion 52 is located on a side of the supporting portion 51 away from the substrate 1 , and the orthographic projection of the supporting portion 51 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the shielding portion 52 on the substrate 1 .

[0100] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an isolation structure in a display panel provided by another embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 As shown, in an optional embodiment, the isolation structure 5 further includes a lap portion 53 , and at least one of the support portion 51 and the lap portion 53 includes a conductive structure.

[0101] Optionally, the overlapping portion 53 is located between the pixel defining portion 31 and the supporting portion 51 , and the orthographic projection of the supporting portion 51 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the overlapping portion 53 on the substrate 1 .

[0102] Figure 7 A partial cross-sectional view of a non-display area of a display panel provided in another embodiment of the present application. Figure 8 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a display panel provided in another embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 、 Figure 8As shown, further, the display panel 100 also includes a protective structure 55 located in the non-display area 102, and the protective structure 55 is at least partially located on the side of the protective layer 4 away from the substrate 1, and the orthographic projection of the protective structure 55 on the substrate 1 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the alignment mark 21 on the substrate 1.

[0103] Specifically, the protective structure 55 covers the protective layer 4 but does not completely cover it. The projection of the protective structure 55 overlaps with the alignment mark 21. A portion of the orthographic projection of the alignment mark 21 on the substrate 1 is located inside the orthographic projection of the protective structure 55 on the substrate 1, while another portion of the orthographic projection of the alignment mark 21 on the substrate 1 is located outside the orthographic projection of the protective structure 55 on the substrate 1.

[0104] The protective structure 55 is made of the same material as the isolation structure 5 and is disposed on the same layer as the isolation structure 5. By disposing the protective structure 55 and the isolation structure 5 on the same layer and with the same material, the protective structure 55 and the isolation structure 5 can be manufactured using the same manufacturing equipment and in the same manufacturing process, thereby significantly improving the manufacturing efficiency of the display panel 100.

[0105] like Figure 7 As shown, the protective structure 55 includes a first protective structure 501 and a second protective structure 502. The first protective structure 501 is located on the side of the protective layer 4 away from the substrate 1, and the second protective structure 502 is located on the side of the pixel definition layer 3 away from the substrate 1. The orthographic projection of the first protective structure 501 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the protective layer 4 on the substrate 1, and the orthographic projection of the second protective structure 502 on the substrate 1 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the protective layer 4 on the substrate 1.

[0106] Optionally, a distance H1 between the surface of the first protection structure 501 close to the substrate 1 and the substrate 1 is greater than a distance H2 between the surface of the second protection structure 502 close to the substrate 1 and the substrate 1 .

[0107] Optionally, the orthographic projection of the first protective structure 501 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the alignment mark 21 on the substrate 1. Specifically, a portion of the orthographic projection of the alignment mark 21 on the substrate 1 overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first protective structure 501 on the substrate 1, and another portion is located outside the orthographic projection of the first protective structure 501 on the substrate 1. Specifically, due to the addition of the protective layer 4 above the alignment mark 21, the height of the first protective structure 501 is greater than the height of the second protective structure 502.

[0108] The first protective structure 501 does not cover the portion of the marking area above the alignment mark 21, allowing optical or electronic inspection equipment to directly read the complete information on the alignment mark 21, avoiding misjudgments of the registration accuracy caused by complete obstruction. The protective structure 55 strikes a balance between protection (covering a portion of the alignment mark 21) and detection (exposing a portion of the alignment mark 21), preventing excessive protection from impacting process inspection efficiency.

[0109] like Figure 8 As shown, in one embodiment, the display panel 100 further includes a light-emitting unit 6 , which is located in the display area 101 . The light-emitting unit 6 includes a first electrode 61 , a light-emitting layer 62 , and a second electrode 63 , which are sequentially stacked in a direction away from the substrate 1 .

[0110] Among them, at least the portion of the isolation structure 5 away from the substrate 1 is set to be wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, so that the isolation structure 5 can block the light-emitting layer of the adjacent light-emitting unit 6 to reduce the current crosstalk problem of the adjacent light-emitting unit 6.

[0111] Optionally, the pixel opening 30 exposes at least a portion of the first electrode 61. The orthographic projection of the pixel defining portion 31 on the substrate 1 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first electrode 61 on the substrate 1.

[0112] Optionally, the light emitting layer 62 and the second electrode 63 are at least partially located in the isolation opening 50 .

[0113] The second electrode 63 is electrically connected to the overlapping portion 53 .

[0114] In one embodiment, the display panel 100 further includes a first encapsulation layer 71 , and the first encapsulation layer 71 includes an encapsulation portion located in the isolation opening 50 .

[0115] Optionally, the first encapsulation layer 71 includes an inorganic material.

[0116] Optionally, the display panel further includes a second encapsulation layer 72 located on a side of the first encapsulation layer 71 away from the substrate 1 , and the second encapsulation layer 72 covers a plurality of encapsulation portions. Specifically, the encapsulation portions are disposed in the isolation opening 50 and cover the second electrode 63 .

[0117] Optionally, the second encapsulation layer 72 includes an organic material.

[0118] Optionally, the display panel 100 further includes a third encapsulation layer 73 located on a side of the second encapsulation layer 72 away from the substrate 1. Optionally, the third encapsulation layer 73 includes an inorganic material.

[0119] Optionally, the encapsulation layer further includes a second encapsulation layer 72 and a third encapsulation layer 73 , the second encapsulation layer 72 covers the first encapsulation layer 71 and the isolation structure 5 , and the third encapsulation layer 73 covers the second encapsulation layer 72 .

[0120] The second encapsulation layer 72 covers the first encapsulation layer 71 and the isolation structure 5, and the third encapsulation layer 73 covers the second encapsulation layer 72. The first encapsulation layer 71 and the third encapsulation layer 73 are inorganic layers with high density to isolate water and oxygen. The second encapsulation layer 72 is an organic layer with a large thickness to flatten the surface of the display panel, thus achieving inorganic-organic-inorganic three-layer encapsulation.

[0121] like Figure 4 、 Figure 8 As shown, in one embodiment, the display panel 100 further includes a driving circuit layer for driving the light-emitting unit 6 to emit light. The driving circuit layer includes multiple metal layers, wherein the metal layer closest to the first electrode 61 is the fourth metal layer. The routing layer 2 is provided on the same layer as the fourth metal layer to simplify the manufacturing process.

[0122] like Figure 8 As shown, in one embodiment, the display panel 100 further includes a planarization layer 11, which is disposed on a side of the pixel definition layer 3 close to the substrate 1. The planarization layer 11 is at least partially located between the wiring layer 2 and the pixel definition layer 3, and the orthographic projection of the wiring layer 2 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the planarization layer 11 on the substrate 1.

[0123] Among them, the planarization layer 11 eliminates possible process defects or bottom circuit protrusions in the film layer on the substrate 1, avoids uneven thickness of the protective layer 4 due to uneven substrate, such as local excessive thinness causing etching penetration, and can further protect the integrity of the wiring layer 2.

[0124] Figure 9 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a display area of a display panel provided in another embodiment of the present application. Figure 9 As shown, in one embodiment, the light emitting unit 6 includes a first color light emitting unit 601 , a second color light emitting unit 602 and a third color light emitting unit 603 for emitting light of different colors.

[0125] Illustratively, the first color light emitting unit 601 , the second color light emitting unit 602 , and the third color light emitting unit 603 are configured to emit red light, green light, and blue light, respectively.

[0126] The multi-color light-emitting units are physically separated by the isolation structure 5 to achieve independent color control, avoid color crosstalk, and improve the color gamut coverage and color reproduction of the display panel.

[0127] In the process of forming the light-emitting unit 6, first, full-surface evaporation is performed to complete the deposition of the first-color light-emitting layer and functional layer. Then, thin-film encapsulation is performed on the entire surface. Then, through patterning, unnecessary portions of the substrate are selectively removed to form the first-color light-emitting unit 601. This process is then repeated twice to form the second-color light-emitting unit 602 and the third-color light-emitting unit 603, thus completing full-color red, green, and blue (RGB) patterning.

[0128] It should also be noted that the provision of protective layer 4 does not cause attenuation or distortion of the detection signal. This is because the ultra-thin design and high reflectivity of the titanium layer have a negligible impact on the detection signal (optical / electrical). Supporting structures such as a planarization layer and a square alignment area further optimize the signal transmission environment. Furthermore, the isolation structure above the protective layer only partially covers the mark, leaving a detection window.

[0129] Figure 7 A partial cross-sectional view of a non-display area of a display panel provided in another embodiment of the present application. Figure 8 A partial cross-sectional view of a display panel provided in another embodiment of the present application.

[0130] like Figure 7 、 Figure 8 As shown, an embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides a display panel 100, which includes a display area 101 and a non-display area 102. The display area 101 is an area of the display panel 100 used to implement a display function. The non-display area 102 is an area of the display panel 100 that does not implement a display function.

[0131] The display panel 100 includes a substrate 1, an alignment mark 21, a pixel definition layer 3, a protective layer 4, and a protective structure 55. The alignment mark 21 is provided on one side of the substrate 1, and the alignment mark 21 is located in the non-display area 102. The pixel definition layer 3 is provided on the side of the alignment mark 21 away from the substrate 1, and the pixel definition layer 3 includes a pixel defining portion 31 located in the display area 101 and a protective portion 32 located in the non-display area, and the pixel defining portion 31 encloses a pixel opening 30. The protective portion 32 is located on the side of the alignment mark 21 away from the substrate 1, and the orthographic projection of the alignment mark 21 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the protective portion 32 on the substrate 1. The protective layer 4 is provided on the side of the pixel definition layer 3 away from the substrate 1, and the protective layer 4 is located in the non-display area 102. The orthographic projection of the alignment mark 21 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the protective layer 4 on the substrate 1. The protection structure 55 is located on a side of the protection layer 4 away from the substrate 1 , and the orthographic projection of the protection structure 55 on the substrate 1 partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the alignment mark 21 on the substrate 1 .

[0132] Specifically, the protective structure 55 covers the protective layer 4 but does not completely cover it. The projection of the protective structure 55 overlaps with the alignment mark 21. A portion of the orthographic projection of the alignment mark 21 on the substrate 1 is located inside the orthographic projection of the protective structure 55 on the substrate 1, while another portion of the orthographic projection of the alignment mark 21 on the substrate 1 is located outside the orthographic projection of the protective structure 55 on the substrate 1.

[0133] The protective layer 4 is the core protective layer, and its material is titanium (Ti) with a thickness of It has high resistance to dry etching and wet etching inertness. The Ti layer is deposited only in the OVL Mark area through a mask process, which not only blocks the damage of the dry etching process to the underlying pixel definition layer 3 (SiNO layer), but also avoids the introduction of materials to the display area 101 causing Mura or a decrease in transmittance. The protective structure 55 is located above the protective layer 4, and its projection partially overlaps with the alignment mark 21, which can further disperse the etching stress or mechanical impact. Combined with the protective portion 32 of the pixel definition layer 3 located in the non-display area, a triple protection system of "protection portion 32 + protective layer 4 + protective structure 55" is formed, which can greatly reduce the etching damage rate of the alignment mark 21.

[0134] The display panel 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application forms a multi-layer protection design by stacking a protection part 32, a protective layer 4 and a protective structure 55 above the alignment mark 21, wherein the protective layer 4 completely covers the alignment mark 21 to form a physical protection barrier, thereby preventing damage to the mark by subsequent processes (such as dry engraving), solving the problem of over-engraving of the alignment mark 21, and ensuring the accuracy of the fitting precision detection.

[0135] In some embodiments of the present application, the display panel 100 further includes an isolation structure 5 located in the display area 101. The isolation structure 5 is disposed on a side of the pixel definition layer 3 away from the substrate 1. The isolation structure 5 encloses an isolation opening 50, which communicates with the pixel opening 30. Optionally, the orthographic projection of the pixel opening 30 on the substrate 1 is located within the orthographic projection of the corresponding isolation opening 50 on the substrate 1.

[0136] Specifically, the isolation structure 5 is a partition structure in the display panel 100 for forming a plurality of spaced-apart parts of a partial film structure without the need for a fine metal mask. The isolation structure 5 is divided into an isolation structure 5 for the display area and a protective structure 55 for the non-display area. The isolation structure 5 forms an isolation opening 50 through a photolithography and etching process, which is connected to the pixel opening 30 and is used to accommodate the light-emitting unit. The separation of the isolation structure 5 enables independent control of the light-emitting unit to prevent optical crosstalk and electrical interference between adjacent pixels. The pixel opening 30 is connected to the corresponding isolation opening 50 to ensure that the light-emitting unit is aligned with the isolation structure 5. The position of the light-emitting unit can be precisely defined by the pixel opening 30 and the isolation opening 50.

[0137] Optionally, the protective structure 55 is made of the same material as the isolation structure 5, and the protective structure 55 and the isolation structure 5 are arranged on the same layer, so that the protective structure 55 and the isolation structure 5 can be prepared using the same preparation equipment and the same preparation process, thereby better improving the preparation efficiency of the display panel 100.

[0138] Furthermore, the etching resistance of the protection layer 4 is greater than that of the pixel definition layer 3. The difference in etching resistance ensures that when the pixel definition layer 3 is etched, the protection layer 4 is only slightly damaged, and can effectively protect the alignment mark 21 underneath.

[0139] Optionally, the protective layer 4 is made of titanium (Ti). The pixel definition layer 3 is made of silicon oxynitride (SiNO). Titanium has significantly better chemical stability (such as resistance to fluorine ion etching) than silicon oxynitride, making it particularly suitable for the plasma environment used in dry etching processes.

[0140] Optionally, the thickness of the protective layer 4 is greater than or equal to 1000 angstroms and less than or equal to 2000 angstroms. For example, the thickness of the protective layer 4 can be wait.

[0141] Specifically, the material of the protective layer 4 is Ti, and the thickness is Its etching resistance is higher than that of the SiNO material of the pixel definition layer 3.

[0142] An embodiment of the third aspect of the present application further provides a display device, which includes a display panel according to any embodiment of the first aspect and a display panel according to any embodiment of the second aspect.

[0143] The display device in the embodiment of the present application can be any product or component with a display function, such as a television, a digital camera, a mobile phone, a watch, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a navigator, etc.

[0144] While the present application has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, many alternatives, modifications and variations of these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description.

[0145] It should be noted that the above description is limited to some embodiments of the present application. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recited in the claims may be performed in an order different from that described in the above embodiments and still achieve the desired results. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the accompanying drawings do not necessarily require the specific order or sequential order shown to achieve the desired results. In certain embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0146] The embodiments of the present application are intended to cover all such substitutions, modifications, and variations that fall within the broad scope of the appended claims. Therefore, any omissions, modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the embodiments of the present application should be included in the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that: The display panel includes a display area and a non-display area located on at least one side of the display area; The display panel includes: substrate; a wiring layer, disposed on one side of the substrate and located in the non-display area; A pixel definition layer is provided on a side of the wiring layer away from the substrate, the pixel definition layer comprising a pixel defining portion located in the display area, the pixel defining portion enclosing a pixel opening; A protective layer is provided on a side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate. The protective layer is located in the non-display area. The orthographic projection of the routing layer on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the protective layer on the substrate.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein The thickness of the protective layer is greater than or equal to 1000 angstroms and less than or equal to 2000 angstroms.

3. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein The protective layer comprises a metal material; The pixel definition layer includes a dielectric material; Preferably, the material of the protective layer includes titanium; Preferably, the material of the pixel definition layer includes silicon oxynitride.

4. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein: The routing layer includes an alignment mark, the non-display area includes an alignment area, and the alignment mark is located in the alignment area; Preferably, the shape of the alignment area is the same as the shape of the alignment mark; Preferably, the alignment mark has a square shape, and the alignment area has a square shape.

5. The display panel according to claim 4, wherein: The protection layer is located in the alignment area, and there is a gap between the boundary of the protection layer and the display area.

6. The display panel according to claim 4, wherein: The display panel further includes: an isolation structure, disposed on a side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate, the isolation structure being located in the display area and enclosing an isolation opening, the isolation opening being in communication with the pixel opening; Preferably, the isolation structure includes a supporting portion and a shielding portion, the shielding portion is located on a side of the supporting portion away from the substrate, and an orthographic projection of the supporting portion on the substrate is located within an orthographic projection of the shielding portion on the substrate; Preferably, the isolation structure further comprises a lap portion, and the support portion and / or the lap portion comprises a conductive structure; Preferably, the overlapping portion is located between the pixel defining portion and the supporting portion, and the orthographic projection of the supporting portion on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the overlapping portion on the substrate.

7. The display panel according to claim 6, wherein: The display panel further includes: a protective structure, the protective structure being located in the non-display area, the protective structure being made of the same material as the isolation structure and being disposed in the same layer; the protective structure comprising a first protective structure and a second protective structure, the first protective structure being located on a side of the protective layer away from the substrate, the second protective structure being located on a side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate, the orthographic projection of the first protective structure on the substrate being within the orthographic projection of the protective layer on the substrate, and the orthographic projection of the second protective structure on the substrate not overlapping the orthographic projection of the protective layer on the substrate; Preferably, the distance between the surface of the first protective structure close to the substrate and the substrate is greater than the distance between the surface of the second protective structure close to the substrate and the substrate; Preferably, the orthographic projection of the first protective structure on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the alignment mark on the substrate.

8. The display panel according to claim 6, wherein: The display panel further includes: a light-emitting unit located in the display area, the light-emitting unit comprising a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode stacked sequentially in a direction away from the substrate; Preferably, the pixel opening exposes at least a portion of the first electrode; Preferably, the light emitting layer and the second electrode are at least partially located in the isolation opening.

9. The display panel according to claim 6, wherein: The display panel further includes: a first encapsulation layer, the first encapsulation layer comprising an encapsulation portion located within the isolation opening; Preferably, the first encapsulation layer comprises an inorganic material; Preferably, the display panel further comprises a second encapsulation layer located on a side of the first encapsulation layer away from the substrate, and the second encapsulation layer covers the plurality of encapsulation portions; Preferably, the second encapsulation layer comprises an organic material; Preferably, the display panel further comprises a third encapsulation layer located on a side of the second encapsulation layer away from the substrate; Preferably, the third encapsulation layer comprises an inorganic material.

10. The display panel according to claim 8, wherein The display panel further includes: The driving circuit layer is used to drive the light-emitting unit to emit light. The driving circuit layer includes multiple metal layers, and the metal layer closest to the first electrode among the multiple metal layers is the fourth metal layer; the routing layer is arranged on the same layer as the fourth metal layer.

11. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein: The display panel further includes: A planarization layer is arranged on a side of the pixel definition layer close to the substrate. The planarization layer is at least partially located between the routing layer and the pixel definition layer. The orthographic projection of the routing layer on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the planarization layer on the substrate.

12. A display panel, characterized in that: The display panel has a display area and a non-display area; the display panel includes: substrate; an alignment mark, provided on one side of the substrate and located in the non-display area; a pixel definition layer disposed on one side of the substrate, the pixel definition layer comprising a pixel defining portion located in the display area and a protective portion located in the non-display area, the pixel defining portion enclosing a pixel opening, the protective portion located on a side of the alignment mark away from the substrate, and an orthographic projection of the alignment mark on the substrate located within an orthographic projection of the protective portion on the substrate; a protective layer, disposed on a side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate, the protective layer being located in the non-display area, and the orthographic projection of the alignment mark on the substrate being located within the orthographic projection of the protective layer on the substrate; The protection structure is arranged on a side of the protection layer away from the substrate, and the orthographic projection of the alignment mark on the substrate partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the protection structure on the substrate.

13. The display panel according to claim 12, wherein: The display panel further includes: An isolation structure is provided on a side of the pixel definition layer away from the substrate; the isolation structure is located in the display area; the isolation structure encloses an isolation opening, and the isolation opening is connected to the pixel opening; Preferably, the protection structure and the isolation structure are made of the same material and are provided in the same layer.

14. The display panel according to claim 12, wherein: The etching resistance of the protective layer is higher than that of the pixel definition layer; Preferably, the material of the protective layer includes titanium, and the material of the pixel definition layer includes silicon oxynitride; Preferably, the thickness of the protective layer is greater than or equal to 1000 angstroms and less than or equal to 2000 angstroms.

15. A display device, characterized in that: The display panel comprises the display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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