Display panel, manufacturing method thereof and display device

Abstract

The invention provides a display panel, a manufacturing method thereof and a display device, relates to the technical field of display, and is used for optimizing the structure of a shielding structure. The display panel comprises a pixel area and a non-pixel area, a substrate; the display layer is located on one side of the substrate and comprises a light-emitting unit located in a pixel area; the first film layer is located on the side, opposite to the substrate, of the display layer, the first film layer is of an integrated structure, the first film layer is provided with a first shading area and a first light-transmitting area, the first shading area is located in the non-pixel area, and the first light-transmitting area is at least located in the pixel area; wherein the upper surfaces, far away from the substrate, of the first film layer in the first shading area and the first light-transmitting area are flush, and / or the included angle between the interface of the part, in the first shading area and the part, in the first light-transmitting area, of the first film layer and the plane where the substrate is located is larger than or equal to 80 degrees and smaller than or equal to 100 degrees.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a display panel, its manufacturing method, and a display device. Background Technology

[0002] Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panels are widely used in various electronic devices due to their advantages such as high brightness, high contrast, and wide viewing angle.

[0003] In this type of display panel, an overlay structure is typically placed above the OLED device to reduce reflection and prevent viewing angle distortion. However, due to factors such as current manufacturing processes, the overlay structure suffers from issues such as etching residue and poor morphological stability, leading to suboptimal performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a display panel and its manufacturing method, as well as a display device, for optimizing the structure of an obstruction structure.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a display panel, comprising:

[0006] Pixel area and non-pixel area;

[0007] Substrate;

[0008] The display layer is located on one side of the substrate and includes light-emitting units located in the pixel area;

[0009] A first film layer is located on the side of the display layer facing away from the substrate. The first film layer is an integral structure. The first film layer has a first light-shielding area and a first light-transmitting area. The first light-shielding area is located in the non-pixel area, and the first light-transmitting area is located at least in the pixel area.

[0010] Wherein, the first film layer is flush with the upper surface of the substrate away from the first light-shielding area and the first light-transmitting area, and / or, the angle between the interface of the portion of the first film layer in the first light-shielding area and the portion in the first light-transmitting area and the plane where the substrate is located is greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 100°.

[0011] Secondly, based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for manufacturing a display panel, used to form the aforementioned display panel, the method comprising:

[0012] A display layer is formed on one side of the substrate, the display layer including light-emitting units located in the pixel region;

[0013] A photochromic material for forming a first film layer is deposited on one side of the display layer, and the photochromic material is exposed to form a first light-shielding area located in a non-pixel area and a first light-transmitting area located at least in the pixel area in the first film layer; wherein the formed first film layer is flush with the upper surface away from the substrate in the first light-shielding area and the first light-transmitting area, and / or the angle between the interface of the portion of the formed first film layer in the first light-shielding area and the portion in the first light-transmitting area and the plane of the substrate is greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 100°.

[0014] Thirdly, based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide a display device, including the aforementioned display panel.

[0015] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0016] Unlike related technologies that use etching processes to form a masking structure, in this embodiment of the invention, the first film layer covers the entire display area, and the first film layer does not have openings in the pixel area, so there is no problem of etching residue.

[0017] Moreover, the sides of the etched shielding structure generally have a significant tilt angle. For example, in a high-film-thickness shielding structure, the sides of the etched shielding structure will tilt about 30° relative to the surface perpendicular to the substrate. The angle of light blocked by the shielding structure is closely related to the tilt angle of its sides. When the tilt angle of the sides of the shielding structure deviates due to unstable topography, that is, when the angle between the side and the bottom surface deviates, it is easy to cause poor privacy protection.

[0018] In this embodiment of the invention, when the photochromic material is exposed, the light used for exposure is perpendicular to the material. Therefore, in the first film layer that is finally formed, the interface between the light-shielding part and the light-transmitting part is almost perpendicular to the substrate. The angle between the interface and the plane where the substrate is located is not easily affected by process factors and fluctuates significantly. The morphology of the light-shielding part is stable, thus making the privacy protection performance more stable. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a display panel structure in related technologies;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a top view of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a process flow diagram of the first film layer provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating the transmittance of a photochromic material provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing a film thickness comparison of the shielding structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 11 Another top view of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 17This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] It should be understood that the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] The terminology used in the embodiments of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” as used in the embodiments of this invention and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0041] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0042] This invention relates to OLED display panels, in which a shielding structure for anti-reflection and privacy protection is further provided above the light-emitting unit. This invention provides a technical solution to improve the stability of the shielding structure. Before describing this technical solution, this invention first introduces the situation of shielding structures in related technologies and explains the problems existing in related technologies.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a display panel structure in related technologies, such as... Figure 1 As shown, in related technologies, a display panel includes a substrate 101, a plurality of light-emitting units 102 located on one side of the substrate 101, and a shielding layer 103 located on the side of the light-emitting units 102 away from the substrate 101. The shielding layer 103 includes a shielding structure 104 and an opening 105, the opening 105 exposing the light-emitting units 102, and the shielding structure 104 surrounding the opening 105.

[0044] Currently, the masking layer 103 includes a photosensitive material and is formed by an etching process. In the manufacturing process of the masking layer 103, a whole layer of photosensitive material is first coated, and then the material at the opening position is removed through processes such as exposure and development, thereby forming a patterned masking structure 104.

[0045] However, when the thickness of the shielding layer 103 is large, the etching process will cause a series of adverse problems.

[0046] For example, in the field of automotive displays, a high-thickness shielding structure 104 is needed to achieve privacy protection over a wider viewing angle. In this type of panel structure, the thickness of the shielding structure 104 is much greater than that of the traditional black matrix, resulting in a large step difference between the shielding layer 103 at the light-blocking and light-transmitting positions. During the etching process, this large step difference can lead to incomplete etching of the photosensitive material at the opening position, leaving residues that affect the light emission of the light-emitting unit 102. On the other hand, it can also lead to poor morphological stability of the formed shielding structure 104, such as causing deviations in the angle between the side and bottom surfaces of the shielding structure 104, which in turn leads to deviations in the control of the light emission angle by the shielding structure 104.

[0047] To address this issue, embodiments of the present invention provide a display panel that can overcome the aforementioned problems.

[0048] Figure 2 This is a top view of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the display panel includes a pixel area 1 and a non-pixel area 2.

[0049] The display panel also includes a substrate 3 and a display layer 4 located on one side of the substrate 3. The display layer 4 includes light-emitting units 5 located in the pixel area 1.

[0050] More specifically, the display layer 4 includes an anode 6, a pixel definition layer 7, a light-emitting layer 8, and a cathode 9. The pixel definition layer 7 is located on the side of the anode 6 away from the substrate 3, and the pixel definition layer 7 has a pixel opening 10 that exposes at least a portion of the anode 6. The light-emitting layer 8 is located within the pixel opening 10. The cathode 9 is located on the side of the pixel definition layer 7 and the light-emitting layer 8 away from the substrate 3.

[0051] In this context, the area defined by the pixel opening 10 in the pixel definition layer 7 is the aforementioned pixel area 1, and the light-emitting unit 5 refers to the light-emitting layer 8. The area where the light-emitting layer 8 is located, the area where the light-emitting unit 5 is located, the area defined by the pixel opening 10 in the pixel definition layer 7, and the pixel area 1 can be understood as being consistent.

[0052] The display panel also includes a first film layer 11 located on the side of the display layer 4 facing away from the substrate 3. The first film layer 11 is an integral structure, and the first film layer 11 has a first light-shielding area 12 and a first light-transmitting area 13. The first light-shielding area 12 is located in the non-pixel area 2, and the first light-transmitting area 13 is located at least in the pixel area 1.

[0053] Wherein, the upper surface of the first film layer 11 away from the substrate 3 in the first light-shielding area 12 and the first light-transmitting area 13 is flush with the surface of the substrate 3, and / or, the angle α between the interface of the portion of the first film layer 11 in the first light-shielding area 12 and the portion in the first light-transmitting area 13 and the plane where the substrate 3 is located is greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 100°, for example, α = 90°.

[0054] Hereinafter, the portion of the first film layer 11 in the first light-shielding area 12 will be referred to as the light-shielding portion of the first film layer 11, and the portion of the first film layer 11 in the first light-transmitting area 13 will be referred to as the light-transmitting portion of the first film layer 11.

[0055] In this embodiment of the invention, the first film layer 11 includes a photochromic material, which forms a structure of partial light blocking and partial light transmission through partial exposure.

[0056] Figure 4 This is a process flow diagram of the first film layer 11 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the transmittance of a photochromic material provided in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein... Figure 5 In the diagram, curve A represents the transmittance of the photochromic material to different wavelengths of light before illumination, and curve B represents the transmittance of the photochromic material to different wavelengths of light after illumination. For example... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in the process of manufacturing the first film layer 11, a photochromic material 14 is first coated on top of the display layer 4, and then the photochromic material 14 is exposed. The exposed area 15 corresponds to the first light-blocking area 12, and the non-exposed area 16 corresponds to the first light-transmitting area 13. During exposure, the molecular structure of the photochromic material 14 in the exposed area 15 undergoes a specific chemical change under light, turning the material black and exhibiting light absorption properties, thus achieving a light-blocking effect. The photochromic material 14 in the non-exposed area 16, not being exposed to light, maintains its original light-transmitting state. After exposure, the first film layer 11 is formed. The first film layer 11 partially blocks light in the first light-blocking area 12, serving as a shielding structure to achieve anti-reflection and privacy protection. The first film layer 11 partially transmits light in the first light-transmitting area 13, and this transmission does not affect the normal emission of light.

[0057] It should be noted that in this embodiment of the invention, the part of the photochromic material 14 that has been exposed to the light turns black and is irreversible. In the first film layer 11 that is finally formed, the part of the first film layer 11 located in the first light-shielding area 12 will remain in a dark state and have a continuous and stable light-shielding performance. Similarly, the part of the first film layer 11 located in the first light-transmitting area 13 will remain in a light-transmitting state and have a continuous and stable light-transmitting performance.

[0058] Furthermore, it should be noted that the materials in the first film layer 11 within the first light-shielding area 12 and the first light-transmitting area 13 are essentially the same photochromic material. The difference between these two parts lies only in the molecular structure caused by localized exposure of the photochromic material. The light-shielding and light-transmitting portions of the first film layer 11 are not physically separated from each other; they form a single structure, and their interface is not a physically separated interface.

[0059] Unlike related technologies that use etching processes to form a shielding structure, in this embodiment of the invention, the first film layer 11 covers the entire display area, and the first film layer 11 does not have an opening in the pixel area 1, so there is no problem of etching residue.

[0060] Moreover, the sides of the etched shielding structure generally have a significant tilt angle. For example, in a high-film-thickness shielding structure, the sides of the etched shielding structure will tilt about 30° relative to the surface perpendicular to the substrate. The angle of light blocked by the shielding structure is closely related to the tilt angle of its sides. When the tilt angle of the sides of the shielding structure deviates due to unstable topography, that is, when the angle between the side and the bottom surface deviates, it is easy to cause poor privacy protection.

[0061] In this embodiment of the invention, when the photochromic material 14 is exposed, the light used for exposure enters the material perpendicularly. Therefore, in the first film layer 11 that is finally formed, the interface between the light-shielding part and the light-transmitting part is almost perpendicular to the substrate 3. The angle between the interface and the plane where the substrate 3 is located is not easily affected by process factors and does not fluctuate significantly. The morphology of the light-shielding part is stable, thus making the privacy protection performance more stable.

[0062] In an embodiment of the present invention, see Figure 3 The display panel also includes an array layer 17 located between the substrate 3 and the display layer 4 and an encapsulation layer 19 located between the display layer 4 and the first film layer 11, wherein the array layer 17 includes pixel circuits 18.

[0063] In one feasible implementation, the thickness of the first film layer 11 in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 3 is greater than or equal to 5 μm, that is, the thickness of the light-shielding portion of the first film layer 11 is greater than or equal to 5 μm.

[0064] The thickness of a conventional black matrix is ​​approximately 1μm to 1.5μm. Compared to a conventional black matrix, the shielding structure in this embodiment of the invention has a greater film thickness, allowing more light rays at larger angles to enter the shielding structure and be absorbed by it, preventing them from escaping. This structure can narrow the light emission angle to a greater extent, making it more suitable for electronic devices with high privacy requirements, such as automotive displays. Moreover, as analyzed above, the first film layer 11 in this embodiment of the invention can avoid problems such as poor etching caused by high step differences in related technologies, resulting in superior privacy performance.

[0065] In addition, while ensuring the privacy function works properly, the thickness of the first film layer 11 in the plane perpendicular to the substrate 3 can be further limited to less than or equal to 12 μm to avoid the first film layer 11 being too thick and affecting the overall thickness of the module.

[0066] Figure 6 This is another structural schematic diagram of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In one feasible implementation, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the distance between the surface of the first film layer 11 away from the substrate 3 and the light-emitting unit 5 is d1.

[0067] In the overlapping first light-transmitting area 13 and pixel area 1, the distance between the orthographic projection of the edge of the first light-transmitting area 13 on the substrate 3 and the orthographic projection of the edge of the pixel area 1 on the substrate 3 in the first direction x is d2, and the width of the pixel area 1 in the first direction x is d3. The first direction x is parallel to the plane where the substrate 3 is located.

[0068] in,

[0069] Understandable, Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing a film thickness comparison of the shielding structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 7 As shown, under the condition of achieving the same privacy viewing angle, when the width d3 of the pixel area 1 in the first direction x is constant, the distance d2 of the first light-transmitting area 13 extending outward from the pixel area 1 is related to the longitudinal distance d1 between the upper surface of the first film layer 11 and the light-emitting unit 5. That is, the distance d2 of the first light-transmitting area 13 extending outward from the pixel area 1 is related to the film thickness of the first film layer 11.

[0070] Under the condition of achieving the same privacy viewing angle, the thicker the first film layer 11, that is, the greater the film thickness of the shielding structure, the greater the distance by which the first light-transmitting area 13 extends outward from the pixel area 1. In other words, when a high-film-thickness shielding structure is used for privacy protection in this case, the first light-transmitting area 13 will extend outward from the pixel area 1 by a larger distance, and the light-transmitting area in the first film layer 11 will be larger, thereby increasing the transmittance. For example, in some display panels, a light sensor is needed to sense the ambient light intensity to enable the display panel to achieve automatic brightness adjustment. A larger light-transmitting area in the first film layer 11 allows more ambient light to enter the light sensor, optimizing the light sensor's acquisition of ambient light.

[0071] That is, compared with the traditional thickness of the black matrix, in the embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the orthographic projection of the shielding structure (the light-shielding part in the first film layer 11) on the substrate 3 and the orthographic projection of the light-emitting unit 5 on the substrate 3 will be larger.

[0072] In one feasible implementation, such as Figure 8 As shown, Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The pixel area 1 includes a first pixel area 20 and a second pixel area 21, and the emitted light colors of the first pixel area 20 and the second pixel area 21 are different.

[0073] The first light-transmitting area 13 includes a first sub-light-transmitting area 22 and a second sub-light-transmitting area 23. The first sub-light-transmitting area 22 is located at least in the first pixel area 20, and the second sub-light-transmitting area 23 is located at least in the second pixel area 21.

[0074] The distance between the orthographic projection of the edge of the first sub-transparent area 22 onto the substrate 3 and the orthographic projection of the edge of the first pixel area 20 onto the substrate 3 is the first distance, and the distance between the orthographic projection of the edge of the second sub-transparent area 23 onto the substrate 3 and the orthographic projection of the edge of the second pixel area 21 onto the substrate 3 is the second distance. The first distance and the second distance are different.

[0075] That is, the distance d2 by which the first sub-transparent area 22 extends outward from the first pixel area 20 is different from the distance d2 by which the second sub-transparent area 23 extends outward from the second pixel area 21. In this way, the light-blocking portion in the first film layer 11 can absorb light from the first pixel area 20 and the second pixel area 21 within different large angle ranges, thereby finely adjusting the light emission angles of the first pixel area 20 and the second pixel area 21, and thus improving problems such as color cast.

[0076] In one feasible implementation, see Figures 9-12 The display panel also includes a color resist 24, which is located on the side of the display layer 4 facing away from the substrate 3 and at least in the pixel area 1. The color of the color resist 24 is the same as the light emitted from the pixel area 1 where it is located, and is used to optimize the color gamut and reduce reflection.

[0077] When the blocking structure has a high film thickness, the difference in film thickness between the first film layer 11 and the color resist 24 is significant. For example, if the film thickness of the color resist 24 is h1 and the film thickness of the first film layer 11 is h2, h1 and h2 can satisfy: 2μm≤h1≤4μm, 5μm≤h2≤12μm.

[0078] Figure 9 This is another structural schematic diagram of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In one feasible implementation, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the color resist 24 is located on the side of the first film layer 11 away from the substrate 3.

[0079] In related technologies, the shielding layer has a large step difference at the shielding structure and the opening position. If the color resist is formed after the shielding layer, this high step difference will affect the coating and flow of the color resist material, resulting in poor film thickness uniformity of the color resist 24, and the color resist is also prone to film breakage.

[0080] However, in this embodiment of the invention, the first film layer 11 is a whole layer covering the display area, and there is no step difference problem in the first film layer 11. Therefore, even if the color resist 24 is formed on the first film layer 11, the coating and flow of the color resist material will not be affected. Thus, the uniformity of the film thickness of the color resist 24 can be effectively optimized, and the film quality of the color resist 24 can be improved.

[0081] Furthermore, the display panel also includes a protective layer 25, which is a light-transmitting film layer located on the side of the color resist 24 away from the substrate 3 and covering the color resist 24.

[0082] On the one hand, the protective layer 25 covers the color resist 24 and protects the color resist 24. On the other hand, part of the protective layer 25 fills the gap between adjacent color resists 24, and the protective layer 25 can act as a leveling layer to achieve film flatness.

[0083] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 This is another top view of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In one feasible implementation, such as... Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the color resist 24 is located on the side of the first film layer 11 away from the substrate 3.

[0084] Pixel region 1 includes a first pixel region 20, a second pixel region 21, and a third pixel region 26. Color resist 24 includes a first color resist 27 located at least in the first pixel region 20, a second color resist 28 located at least in the second pixel region 21, and a third color resist 29 located at least in the third pixel region 26.

[0085] The first color resist 27 surrounds at least the second color resist 28 and the third color resist 29, and the sidewalls of the first color resist 27 are in contact with the sidewalls of the second color resist 28 and the third color resist 29, respectively.

[0086] In the manufacturing process of color resist 24, different colors of color resist 24 are formed in stages. For example, the second color resist 28 is formed first, then the third color resist 29, and finally the first color resist 27.

[0087] In the above structure, the first color resist 27 is formed later than the second color resist 28 and the third color resist 29. The first color resist 27 fills the gap between the second color resist 28 and the third color resist 29. The first color resist 27 can further act as a leveling layer to achieve film flatness. In this way, it is not necessary to form an additional leveling layer above the color resist 24, saving a film layer process.

[0088] Further, see Figure 10 In the direction perpendicular to the plane of substrate 3, the first color resist 27 does not overlap with the second color resist 28 and the third color resist 29. Thus, the first color resist 27 only fills the gap between the second and third color resists 28 and 29, without covering them, thereby ensuring that the second pixel area 21 and the third pixel area 26 can normally emit light of the corresponding color. For example, if the first color group is red and the second color group is green, if the first color resist 27 covers the second color resist 28, the green light emitted from the second pixel area 21 will be unable to escape when it passes through the second color resist 28 and enters the first color resist 27, thus affecting the normal light emission of the second pixel area 21.

[0089] In one feasible implementation, the first pixel area 20 is used to emit red light, and the first color resist 27 includes a red color resist material.

[0090] Due to its material properties, red resist material has better leveling properties, resulting in a smoother surface after coating. Therefore, the first resist 27 can be set as red resist 24 to achieve a better leveling effect. Moreover, red resist is usually the last resist produced, which also meets the production sequence requirements of the first resist 27.

[0091] Figure 12 This is another structural schematic diagram of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In one feasible implementation, such as... Figure 12 As shown, the color resist 24 is located between the first film layer 11 and the display layer 4. At this time, the first film layer 11 is located above the color resist 24. The first film layer 11 can fill the gap between the color resist 24 and take into account the leveling effect, so there is no need to form an additional leveling layer.

[0092] Figure 13This is another structural schematic diagram of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In one feasible implementation, such as... Figure 13 As shown, the display panel also includes a second film layer 32, which is located on the side of the first film layer 11 away from the substrate 3.

[0093] The second film layer 32 is an integral structure. The second film layer 32 has a second light-shielding area 33 and a second light-transmitting area 34. The second light-shielding area 33 is located in the non-pixel area 2, and the second light-transmitting area 34 is located at least in the pixel area 1.

[0094] Wherein, the upper surface of the second film layer 32 away from the substrate 3 in the second light-shielding area 33 and the second light-transmitting area 34 is flush with the surface of the substrate 3, and / or, the angle β between the interface of the second film layer 32 in the second light-shielding area 33 and the second light-transmitting area 34 and the plane where the substrate 3 is located is greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 100°, for example, β = 90°.

[0095] The structure and manufacturing process of the second film layer 32 are similar to those of the first film layer 11. The second film layer 32 also includes a photochromic material. After the first film layer 11 is formed, a photochromic material is coated on top of it. Then, the photochromic material is subjected to local exposure treatment to form the second film layer 32 with a second light-shielding area 33 and a second light-transmitting area 34.

[0096] Similarly, the part of the photochromic material 14 used to form the second film layer 32 that has been exposed turns black and is irreversible. In the final second film layer 32, the part located in the second light-blocking area 33 of the second film layer 32 will remain dark and have a continuous and stable light-blocking performance, and the part located in the second light-transmitting area 34 of the second film layer 32 will remain light-transmitting and have a continuous and stable light-transmitting performance.

[0097] Furthermore, the light-shielding portion and the light-transmitting portion in the second film layer 32 are not physically separated by material components; these two portions form a single structure, and their interface is not a physically separated interface.

[0098] When the display panel needs to use a high-film-thickness shielding structure to achieve the privacy function, in the above structure, the film thickness of the shielding structure can be borne by the light-shielding part in the first film layer 11 and the light-shielding part in the second film layer 32. In this way, the thickness of the first film layer 11 and the second film layer 32 does not need to be too large. Correspondingly, the coating thickness of the photochromic material does not need to be too large, thereby preventing incomplete exposure due to excessive material thickness.

[0099] In other words, the overlapping of the light-shielding portion in the first film layer 11 and the light-shielding portion in the second film layer 32 can achieve a greater film thickness in the shielding structure, thereby enabling the shielding structure to absorb light at a smaller angle and increasing the range of the privacy viewing angle.

[0100] In one feasible implementation, see Figure 14 The thickness of the second film layer 32 in the plane perpendicular to the substrate 3 is different from the thickness of the first film layer 11 in the plane perpendicular to the substrate 3. That is, the thicknesses of the second film layer 32 and the first film layer 11 are different.

[0101] And / or, the coverage area of ​​the second light-shielding area 33 in the second film layer 32 is different from the coverage area of ​​the first light-shielding area 12 in the first film layer 11. That is, the areas of the light-shielding areas in the second film layer 32 and the first film layer 11 are different.

[0102] And / or, the optical density value (OD value) of the second film layer 32 in the second shading area 33 is different from the optical density value of the first film layer 11 in the first shading area 12. That is, the degree of shading in the shading portions of the second film layer 32 and the first film layer 11 is different.

[0103] By differentiating the thickness, shielding area, and shielding degree of the second membrane layer 32 and the first membrane layer 11, the structural differences between the two can be utilized to achieve a better overall structure.

[0104] For example, Figure 14 This is another structural schematic diagram of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In one feasible implementation, such as... Figure 14 As shown, the thickness of the second film layer 32 in the plane direction perpendicular to the substrate 3 is less than the thickness of the first film layer 11 in the plane direction perpendicular to the substrate 3.

[0105] In this structure, the second film layer 32 is thinner than the first film layer 11. Correspondingly, when forming the second film layer 32, the photochromic material coated is thinner. When exposing the photochromic material, the exposure intensity can be set lower to achieve the same light-blocking ability in the local area, thereby preventing the exposure process from affecting the underlying first film layer 11.

[0106] In one feasible implementation, see Figure 14 On the plane where the substrate 3 is located, the orthographic projection of the second light-shielding area 33 is located within the orthographic projection of the first light-shielding area 12, and there is a gap between the edge of the orthographic projection of the second light-shielding area 33 and the edge of the orthographic projection of the first light-shielding area 12.

[0107] In this structure, the area of ​​the light-shielding region in the second film layer 32 is smaller than the area of ​​the light-shielding region in the first film layer 11. Correspondingly, when forming the second film layer 32, the area of ​​the exposure region of its photochromic material is smaller, and the exposure region will not overlap with the light-transmitting part in the first film layer 11. This prevents the exposure process from affecting the light-transmitting part in the underlying first film layer 11, thus maintaining a high transmittance in the light-transmitting part of the first film layer 11.

[0108] In one feasible implementation, the optical density value of the second film layer 32 in the second shading area 33 is greater than the optical density value of the second film layer 32 in the first shading area 12.

[0109] In this structure, compared to the first film layer 11, the light-blocking portion of the second film layer 32 has a stronger blocking ability and a stronger ability to absorb light, which can prevent large-angle light from passing through the blocking structure to a greater extent.

[0110] Figure 15 This is another structural schematic diagram of a display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. When the display panel includes a first film layer 11 and a second film layer 32, in a feasible implementation, such as... Figure 15 As shown, the display panel also includes a color resist 24, which is located at least in the pixel area 1, and the color resist 24 may be located between the first film layer 11 and the second film layer 32.

[0111] At this time, the second film layer 32 is located above the color resist 24. The second film layer 32 can fill the gap between adjacent color resists 24, and also has a leveling effect, so there is no need to set an additional leveling layer for the color resist 24.

[0112] Figure 16 This is another structural schematic diagram of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In one feasible implementation, such as... Figure 16 As shown, the display panel also includes a third film layer 35, which is located on one side of the first film layer 11, specifically on the side of the display layer 4 facing away from the substrate 3. The third film layer 35 includes a light-shielding portion 36 and an opening 37, the light-shielding portion 36 being located in the non-pixel area 2, and the opening 37 being located at least in the pixel area 1.

[0113] The display panel also includes a color resist 24, which is located at least in the pixel area 1 and at least within the opening 37 of the third film layer 35.

[0114] When the display panel needs to use a high-film-thickness shielding structure to achieve the privacy function, in the above structure, the film thickness of the shielding structure can be borne by the light-shielding part and the light-shielding part 36 in the first film layer 11. In this way, the thickness of the first film layer 11 does not need to be too large, and correspondingly, the coating thickness of the photochromic material does not need to be too large, thereby preventing incomplete exposure due to excessive material thickness.

[0115] In other words, the stacking of the light-shielding portion and the light-shielding part 36 in the first film layer 11 can achieve a greater film thickness in the shielding structure, thereby enabling the shielding structure to absorb light at a smaller angle and increasing the range of the privacy viewing angle.

[0116] Furthermore, the thickness of the light-shielding portion 36 in the plane direction perpendicular to the substrate 3 can be less than the thickness of the first film layer 11 in the plane direction perpendicular to the substrate 3.

[0117] Unlike the first film layer 11, the third film layer 35 is formed by an etching process, and the third film layer 35 has an opening design at the pixel area 1. The third film layer 35 is relatively thin, so there will not be a large step difference during its etching process, which can reduce the risk of etching residue and unstable morphology of the light-shielding part 36, and will not have a significant impact on the coating and flow of the color resist material.

[0118] Further, see Figure 16 The thickness of the light-shielding part 36 in the plane direction perpendicular to the substrate 3 is less than or equal to the thickness of the color resist 24 in the plane direction perpendicular to the substrate 3.

[0119] With this configuration, the step difference between the light-shielding and light-transmitting areas of the third film layer 35 is less than the film thickness of the color resist. This step difference will not affect the coating and film formation of the color resist material, which can further optimize the film thickness uniformity of the color resist 24 and reduce the risk of the color resist 24 breaking.

[0120] Figure 17 This is another structural schematic diagram of the display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In one feasible implementation, such as... Figure 17 As shown, the third film layer 35 and the color resist 24 are located between the first film layer 11 and the display layer 4. At this time, the first film layer 11 is located above the color resist 24, and the first film layer 11 fills the gap between adjacent color resists 24, thus also serving a leveling function.

[0121] In one feasible implementation, in order to ensure that the light-shielding portion of the first film layer 11 has a strong light absorption capacity and achieve a good privacy protection effect, the optical density value of the portion of the first film layer 11 in the first light-shielding area 12 can be set to be greater than or equal to 1.5.

[0122] And / or, in order to ensure that the light-transmitting portion of the first film layer 11 has a high transmittance and reduce light loss, the transmittance of the portion of the first film layer 11 in the first light-transmitting area 13 can be set to be greater than or equal to 90%.

[0123] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for manufacturing a display panel, which is used to form the aforementioned display panel.

[0124] Combination Figure 2-Figure 4 The manufacturing method includes:

[0125] S1: A display layer 4 is formed on one side of the substrate 3. The display layer 4 includes a light-emitting unit 5 located in the pixel area 1.

[0126] S2: A photochromic material 14 for forming the first film layer 11 is deposited on one side of the display layer 4, and the photochromic material 14 is exposed to form a first light-shielding area 12 located in the non-pixel area 2 and a first light-transmitting area 13 located at least in the pixel area 1 in the first film layer 11. The formed first film layer 11 is flush with the upper surface of the substrate 3 in the first light-shielding area 12 and the first light-transmitting area 13, and / or the angle between the interface of the portion of the formed first film layer 11 in the first light-shielding area 12 and the portion in the first light-transmitting area 13 and the plane of the substrate 3 is greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 100°.

[0127] Based on the previous analysis of the display panel, it can be seen that the display panel formed by this manufacturing method does not have the problem of etching residue in the shielding structure, and its morphological stability is better, which makes the privacy protection performance more stable.

[0128] In one feasible implementation, see Figure 9 and Figure 12 After forming the display layer 4, the fabrication method also includes forming a color resist 24, which is located at least in the pixel area 1. The color resist 24 is used to optimize the color gamut and filter ambient light.

[0129] For example, see Figure 9 Color resist 24 can be formed after the first film layer 11 is formed. At this time, the color resist 24 is located on the side of the first film layer 11 away from the substrate 3.

[0130] In this embodiment of the invention, the first film layer 11 covers the entire display area. The first film layer 11 does not have a step difference problem. Therefore, even if the color resist 24 is formed on the first film layer 11, the coating and flow of the color resist material will not be affected. This can effectively optimize the uniformity of the film thickness of the color resist 24 and improve the film quality of the color resist 24.

[0131] Or see Figure 12 Alternatively, the color resist 24 can be formed before the first film layer 11 is formed. In this case, the first film layer 11 is located on the side of the color resist 24 away from the substrate.

[0132] In this structure, the first film layer 11 can fill the gaps between the color resists 24, while also serving a leveling function, eliminating the need to form an additional leveling layer.

[0133] In one feasible implementation, the photochromic material includes organic photochromic materials, such as polyimide-based materials, acrylic systems, etc.

[0134] Compared to inorganic photochromic materials, organic materials have better color-changing properties. Therefore, when organic photochromic materials are used to form the first film layer 11, the performance of the first film layer 11 will be more stable.

[0135] Of course, the first film layer 11 can also be formed using inorganic photochromic materials.

[0136] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide a display device, such as... Figure 18 As shown, Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention, the display device including the aforementioned display panel 100. Of course, Figure 18 The display device shown is for illustrative purposes only. The display device can be any electronic device with display function, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, e-reader or television.

[0137] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0138] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that, include: Pixel area and non-pixel area; Substrate; The display layer is located on one side of the substrate and includes light-emitting units located in the pixel area; A first film layer is located on the side of the display layer facing away from the substrate. The first film layer is an integral structure. The first film layer has a first light-shielding area and a first light-transmitting area. The first light-shielding area is located in the non-pixel area, and the first light-transmitting area is located at least in the pixel area. Wherein, the first film layer is flush with the upper surface of the substrate away from the first light-shielding area and the first light-transmitting area, and / or, the angle between the interface of the portion of the first film layer in the first light-shielding area and the portion in the first light-transmitting area and the plane where the substrate is located is greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 100°.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the first film layer in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate is greater than or equal to 5 μm.

3. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance between the surface of the first film layer away from the substrate and the light-emitting unit is d1; In the overlapping first light-transmitting area and the pixel area, the distance between the orthographic projection of the edge of the first light-transmitting area on the substrate and the orthographic projection of the edge of the pixel area on the substrate in a first direction is d2, the width of the pixel area in the first direction is d3, and the first direction is parallel to the plane where the substrate is located. in, 4. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pixel region includes a first pixel region and a second pixel region. The first light-transmitting region includes a first sub-light-transmitting region and a second sub-light-transmitting region. The first sub-light-transmitting region is located at least in the first pixel region, and the second sub-light-transmitting region is located at least in the second pixel region. The distance between the orthographic projection of the edge of the first sub-transparent area on the substrate and the orthographic projection of the edge of the first pixel area on the substrate is the first distance, and the distance between the orthographic projection of the edge of the second sub-transparent area on the substrate and the orthographic projection of the edge of the second pixel area on the substrate is the second distance. The first distance and the second distance are different.

5. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel also includes a color resist, which is located on the side of the display layer opposite to the substrate and at least in the pixel area.

6. The display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The color resist is located on the side of the first film layer away from the substrate; The display panel further includes a protective layer located on the side of the color resist away from the substrate and covering the color resist.

7. The display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The color resist is located on the side of the first film layer away from the substrate; The pixel region includes a first pixel region, a second pixel region, and a third pixel region; The color resist includes a first color resist located at least in the first pixel region, a second color resist located at least in the second pixel region, and a third color resist located at least in the third pixel region; The first color resist is at least surrounding the second and third color resists, and the sidewalls of the first color resist are in contact with the sidewalls of the second and third color resists, respectively.

8. The display panel according to claim 7, characterized in that, In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, the first color resist does not overlap with the second color resist or the third color resist.

9. The display panel according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first pixel area is used to emit red light, and the first color resist includes a red color resist material.

10. The display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The color resist is located between the first film layer and the display layer.

11. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a second film layer, which is located on the side of the first film layer away from the substrate; The second film layer is an integral structure, having a second light-shielding area and a second light-transmitting area. The second light-shielding area is located in the non-pixel area, and the second light-transmitting area is located at least in the pixel area. The second film layer is flush with the upper surface of the substrate in the second light-shielding area and the second light-transmitting area, and / or the angle between the interface of the portion of the second film layer in the second light-shielding area and the portion in the second light-transmitting area and the plane of the substrate is greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 100°.

12. The display panel according to claim 11, characterized in that, The thickness of the second film layer in the plane perpendicular to the substrate is different from the thickness of the first film layer in the plane perpendicular to the substrate. And / or, the coverage area of ​​the second light-shielding area in the second film layer is different from the coverage area of ​​the first light-shielding area in the first film layer; And / or, the optical density value of the second film layer in the second light-shielding area is different from the optical density value of the first film layer in the first light-shielding area.

13. The display panel according to claim 11, characterized in that, The thickness of the second film layer in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate is less than the thickness of the first film layer in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate.

14. The display panel according to claim 11, characterized in that, On the plane where the substrate is located, the orthographic projection of the second light-shielding area is located within the orthographic projection of the first light-shielding area, and there is a gap between the edge of the orthographic projection of the second light-shielding area and the edge of the orthographic projection of the first light-shielding area.

15. The display panel according to claim 11, characterized in that, The optical density value of the second film layer in the second shading area is greater than the optical density value of the second film layer in the first shading area.

16. The display panel according to claim 11, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a color resist, which is located at least in the pixel area and between the first film layer and the second film layer.

17. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a third film layer, which is located on one side of the first film layer. The third film layer includes a light-shielding portion located in the non-pixel area and an opening at least located in the pixel area. The display panel also includes a color resist, which is located at least in the pixel area and at least within the opening of the third film layer.

18. The display panel according to claim 17, characterized in that, The thickness of the light-shielding portion in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate is less than or equal to the thickness of the color resist in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate.

19. The display panel according to claim 17, characterized in that, The third film layer and the color resist are located between the first film layer and the display layer.

20. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical density value of the first film layer in the first light-shielding area is greater than or equal to 1.5, and / or the transmittance of the first film layer in the first light-transmitting area is greater than or equal to 90%.

21. A method for manufacturing a display panel, used to form a display panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that, include: A display layer is formed on one side of the substrate, the display layer including light-emitting units located in the pixel region; A photochromic material for forming a first film layer is deposited on one side of the display layer, and the photochromic material is exposed to form a first light-shielding area located in a non-pixel area and a first light-transmitting area located at least in the pixel area in the first film layer; wherein the formed first film layer is flush with the upper surface away from the substrate in the first light-shielding area and the first light-transmitting area, and / or the angle between the interface of the portion of the formed first film layer in the first light-shielding area and the portion in the first light-transmitting area and the plane of the substrate is greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 100°.

22. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 21, characterized in that, After forming the display layer, the fabrication method further includes forming a color resist, which is located at least in the pixel area.

23. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 21, characterized in that, The photochromic material includes organic photochromic materials.

24. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the display panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 20.

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