Array substrate, preparation method thereof and display panel

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of display, and particularly relates to an array substrate, a preparation method thereof and a display panel. The array substrate comprises a substrate, a driving back plate, a reflection member, a patterning layer and an anode. The driving back plate comprises an insulating layer and a driving transistor. The insulating layer is provided with a via hole. The reflection member is arranged on the driving back plate and is electrically connected with the driving transistor through the via hole. The patterning layer is arranged on a side of the reflection member away from the substrate and comprises a light shielding member and a light filtering member. The light shielding member and the light filtering member are arranged in sequence and are spaced. The anode is arranged on a side of the patterning layer away from the substrate and is electrically connected with the reflection member through a conductive connecting part. The conductive connecting part is configured in that the anode directly contacts the reflection member or the anode contacts the reflection member through the light shielding member. The application can guarantee the color filtering function, improve the material reliability, and improve the light efficiency and the viewing angle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of display technology, specifically relating to an array substrate and its preparation method, and a display panel. Background Technology

[0002] Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panels are widely used due to their self-emissive properties. To improve display performance, a COE (Color Filter on Encapsulation) structure, which integrates color filtering functions on a thin-film encapsulation layer, has been proposed to replace traditional polarizers.

[0003] However, the curing temperature of color filter materials is limited, resulting in poor reliability of the display panel. In addition, the light-blocking structure blocks some light, causing damage to optical performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide an array substrate and its preparation method, as well as a display panel, which can improve material reliability and enhance light extraction efficiency and viewing angle while ensuring color filtering function.

[0005] A first aspect of this application provides an array substrate, including a substrate and a driving backplane disposed on the substrate. The driving backplane includes an insulating layer and a driving transistor. A via is formed in the insulating layer. The array substrate further includes: a reflector disposed on the driving backplane and electrically connected to the driving transistor through the via; a patterned layer disposed on the side of the reflector away from the substrate and including a light-shielding element and a light-filtering element, the light-shielding element and the light-filtering element being arranged sequentially at intervals; and an anode disposed on the side of the patterned layer away from the substrate and electrically connected to the reflector through a conductive connection portion, the conductive connection portion being configured such that: the anode directly contacts the reflector, or the anode contacts the reflector through the light-shielding element.

[0006] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the substrate has a display area and a non-display area, the non-display area is disposed around the display area, the light-shielding member is disposed in the non-display area, and the light-filtering member is disposed in the display area; a light guide structure is formed on the edge of the light-shielding member near the display area, the light guide structure extends obliquely from the surface of the light-shielding member away from the substrate towards the center of the display area, and the light-filtering member covers the light guide structure and extends to the display area.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment of this application, when the light guide structure is an angled structure, an angle is formed between the extended surface of the angled structure and the surface of the substrate, and the value of the angle ranges from 0.1° to 45°.

[0008] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the surface of the light-shielding member near the display area is provided with a reflective element.

[0009] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the light-shielding member includes a conductive material, and the anode is connected to the reflector through the light-shielding member.

[0010] A second aspect of this application provides a method for fabricating an array substrate, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate and forming a driving backplane on the substrate, the driving backplane including an insulating layer and a driving transistor, the insulating layer having vias; forming a reflective layer on the insulating layer, the reflective layer extending into the vias and electrically connected to the driving transistors; forming a patterned layer on the reflective layer, the patterned layer including light-shielding elements and light-filtering elements arranged sequentially at intervals; forming a transparent electrode layer on the patterned layer; patterning the transparent electrode layer and the reflective layer through a single patterning process to simultaneously form an anode and a reflective element; wherein, an opening is formed in the patterned layer corresponding to the position of the via, the opening exposing the reflective layer within the vias, the anode directly contacting the reflective element through the opening; or forming the light-shielding element using a conductive material, such that the light-shielding element extends into the vias and contacts the reflective layer, so that the anode is electrically connected to the light-shielding element.

[0011] In another exemplary embodiment of this application, the method for forming a patterned layer on the reflective layer further includes: coating a conductive material layer on the reflective layer and patterning it to form a light-shielding element and a plurality of spaced openings on the reflective layer, wherein the light-shielding element fills the openings and contacts the reflective layer; and forming the filter element within the plurality of openings.

[0012] In another exemplary embodiment of this application, in the step of forming a patterned layer on the reflective layer, the patterned layer including a light-shielding member and a light-filtering member arranged sequentially at intervals: the light-shielding member and the light-filtering member are formed by coating, exposure, development and baking processes, wherein the baking temperature is 180°C to 250°C.

[0013] In another exemplary embodiment of this application, the substrate is provided with a display area and a non-display area, and the light-shielding member is located in the non-display area; in the step of forming the light-shielding member, a light guide structure is formed on the edge of the light-shielding member near the display area by a patterning process.

[0014] A third aspect of this application provides a display panel, comprising: a pixel definition layer and an organic light-emitting layer; and an array substrate as described in any one of the above, wherein the pixel definition layer is disposed on the insulating layer and covers a portion of the anode, the pixel definition layer has a plurality of openings, the openings exposing a portion of the anode, and the organic light-emitting layer is disposed within the openings and in contact with the anode.

[0015] The array substrate and its fabrication method, as well as the display panel described in this application, have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0016] The array substrate of this application includes a substrate, a driving backplane, a reflector, a patterned layer, and an anode. The driving backplane includes an insulating layer and a driving transistor. A via is formed in the insulating layer. The reflector is disposed on the driving backplane and electrically connected to the driving transistor through the via. The patterned layer is disposed on the side of the reflector away from the substrate and includes a light-shielding element and a light-filtering element, which are arranged sequentially at intervals. The anode is disposed on the side of the patterned layer away from the substrate and is electrically connected to the reflector through a conductive connection portion. The conductive connection portion is configured such that the anode directly contacts the reflector, or the anode contacts the reflector through the light-shielding element. In other words, by placing the patterned layer between the reflector and the anode, this application allows the light-shielding and filtering components to undergo high-temperature curing before the organic light-emitting layer is prepared. This reduces the dependence of the COE (Color Filter on Encapsulation) structure on low-temperature materials in related technologies, significantly improving material reliability and process compatibility. At the same time, the light-shielding component is located below the organic light-emitting layer, reducing its direct obstruction of emitted light, effectively improving light extraction efficiency and expanding the viewing angle. Furthermore, by configuring the conductive connection part so that the anode directly contacts the reflector or is indirectly connected through the light-shielding component, reliable electrical connection is achieved while providing a flexible and feasible implementation path for optimizing the light-shielding design and reducing reflection.

[0017] Other features and advantages of this application will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part from practice of this application.

[0018] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0020] Figure 1A cross-sectional structural diagram of a direct contact between the anode and the reflector is shown in some embodiments.

[0021] Figure 2 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of an anode contacting a reflector via a light-shielding element is shown in some embodiments.

[0022] Figure 3 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a light guide structure is shown in some embodiments of a direct contact structure between the anode and the reflector.

[0023] Figure 4 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a light guide structure is shown in some embodiments where the anode contacts the reflector through a light-shielding element.

[0024] Figure 5 A cross-sectional structural diagram of a reflective element provided in some embodiments is shown.

[0025] Figure 6 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a reflective element is shown in some embodiments of an anode contacting a reflective element through a light-shielding element.

[0026] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the fabrication method of the array substrate provided in some embodiments is shown.

[0027] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the process where the anode and reflector are in direct contact is shown in some embodiments.

[0028] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the process of contacting the anode with the reflector through a light-shielding element is shown in some embodiments.

[0029] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the process for forming a light guide structure with negative photoresist according to some embodiments is shown.

[0030] Figure 11 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a display panel in which the anode and reflector are in direct contact is shown in some embodiments.

[0031] Figure 12 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a display panel in some embodiments, wherein the anode contacts the reflector through a light-shielding element, is shown.

[0032] Figure 13 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a light guide structure for a display panel with a direct contact structure between the anode and the reflector, as shown in some embodiments, is illustrated.

[0033] Figure 14A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a light guide structure is shown in some embodiments where the anode contacts the reflector through a light shield.

[0034] Figure 15 A cross-sectional structural diagram of a display panel with a reflective element is shown in some embodiments with a direct contact structure between the anode and the reflector.

[0035] Figure 16 A cross-sectional structural diagram of a display panel with a reflective element is shown in some embodiments, where the anode contacts the reflective element through a light-shielding element.

[0036] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0037] 10. Display panel; 100. Array substrate; 110. Substrate; 110a. Display area; 110b. Non-display area; 120. Driving backplane; 121. Driving transistor; 1210. Active layer; 1211. Gate; 1212. First electrode; 1213. Second electrode; 1220. Buffer layer; 1221. Gate insulating layer; 1222. Interlayer dielectric layer; 1223. Planarization layer; 1224. Via; 130. Reflector; 140. Patterning layer; 141. Light shield; 1410. Light guide structure; 142. Filter; 150. Anode; 160. Reflector; 200. Pixel definition layer; 210. Definition hole; 300. Organic light-emitting layer; 400. Encapsulation layer. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this application more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0039] In this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0040] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "assembly," "connection," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0041] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this application.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] See Figure 1 or Figure 2 As shown, this application provides an array substrate 100, which may include a substrate 110, a driving backplate 120, a reflector 130, a patterning layer 140, and an anode 150.

[0044] In some embodiments, the substrate 110 can be a rigid substrate such as glass or quartz, or a flexible substrate such as transparent insulating materials such as polyimide (PI) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0045] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 or Figure 2 As shown, a driving backplate 120 is formed on the substrate 110. The driving backplate 120 may include multiple insulating layers and driving transistors 121.

[0046] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 or Figure 2As shown, the driving transistor 121 can adopt a top-gate structure. The driving transistor 121 may include an active layer 1210, a gate insulating layer 1211, a gate metal layer 1211, and source / drain metal layers. The active layer 1210 is formed on the buffer layer 1220 by chemical vapor deposition to form a polysilicon layer, and then formed into an island-like structure by photolithography and dry etching, including a channel region and lightly doped drain (LDD) structures on both sides. The gate insulating layer 1211 is a composite structure composed of silicon oxide and silicon nitride. The gate metal layer 1211 adopts a molybdenum / aluminum stacked structure and is formed by photolithography and wet etching. The first electrode 1212 and the second electrode 1213 metal layers can adopt a titanium / aluminum / titanium three-layer structure, which is connected to the heavily doped region of the active layer 1210 through contact holes.

[0047] It should be noted that the gate 1211 can also be made of metal materials such as aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and molybdenum (Mo), and the metal layers of the first electrode 1212 and the second electrode 1213 can also be made of metal materials such as aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and molybdenum (Mo).

[0048] In addition, the driving transistor 121 can also adopt a bottom gate structure, which will not be described in detail here.

[0049] In some embodiments, please continue to see Figure 1 or Figure 2 As shown, the insulating layer can adopt a multi-layer stacked structure, which consists of a buffer layer 1220, a gate insulating layer 1211, an interlayer dielectric layer 1222, and a planarization layer 1223 from bottom to top. A via 1224 is formed in the planarization layer 1223 to expose the first electrode 1212 (drain) of the driving transistor 121.

[0050] It should be noted that the buffer layer 1220, the gate 1211 insulating layer, and the interlayer dielectric layer 1222 can all adopt a composite structure of silicon nitride and silicon oxide; the planarization layer 1223 can be made of polyimide (PI).

[0051] In some embodiments, please continue to see Figure 1 or Figure 2 As shown, the reflector 130 is disposed on the driving backplate 120 and electrically connected to the driving transistor 121 through a via 1224. The reflector 130 can be a metallic reflective layer, and can be a single layer or multilayer structure of silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg), or their alloys. Indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO) can be disposed underneath as an adhesion layer and an optical matching layer. The thickness of the reflector 130 is 50-200 nm to ensure sufficient reflectivity and conductivity.

[0052] In some embodiments, please continue to see Figure 1 or Figure 2As shown, the patterned layer 140 is disposed on the side of the reflector 130 away from the substrate 110, and includes a light-shielding element 141 and a light-filtering element 142. The light-shielding element 141 can be a resin black matrix or a metallic black matrix, wherein the metallic black matrix can be chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), or their alloys. The light-filtering element 142 includes red, green, and blue color resists, which can be made of high-temperature curable color photoresist materials with a curing temperature of 180-250°C. The light-shielding element 141 and the light-filtering element 142 are arranged sequentially at intervals on a plane to form a pixel aperture region.

[0053] It is understandable that this application can use high-temperature curable color photoresist materials because the patterned layer 140 (including the light-shielding element 141 and the light-filtering element 142) is prepared before the organic light-emitting layer 300. At this time, the high-temperature sensitive organic device has not yet been formed, thereby reducing the limitation of low-temperature processes (<100°C) that must be used in the COE structure of related technologies due to the presence of the organic light-emitting layer 300. This high-temperature curing process makes the choice of materials no longer limited, and can use traditional high-temperature photoresist materials that are mature in the industry, have stable performance, have a variety of choices, and are more cost-effective. After high-temperature curing, these materials have a higher cross-linking density, and the film layer density, adhesion, and chemical resistance are significantly enhanced, thereby greatly improving the heat resistance, moisture resistance, and long-term optical stability (i.e., reliability) of the color filter. Ultimately, this ensures that the display panel 10 can maintain the long-term stability of color saturation and brightness under harsh environments, and significantly extends the product's service life.

[0054] In some embodiments, please continue to see Figure 1 or Figure 2 As shown, the anode 150 is disposed on the patterned layer 140, and it can be electrically connected to the reflector 130 through a conductive connection portion. The anode 150 can be made of transparent conductive oxides such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO), and its thickness can be 50-150 nm.

[0055] The conductive connection provides two connection paths: Path one involves the anode 150 directly contacting the reflector 130 through an opening in the patterned layer 140, such as... Figure 1 As shown; Path two involves the anode 150 being indirectly connected to the reflector 130 via a conductive light-shielding component 141, as shown. Figure 2 As shown. The first type is where the anode 150 is in direct contact with the reflector 130, and the second type is where the anode 150 is in indirect contact with the reflector 130 through the light-shielding member 141.

[0056] This application, by placing the patterned layer 140 between the reflector 130 and the anode 150, allows the light-shielding element 141 and the filter element 142 to undergo high-temperature curing before the organic light-emitting layer 300 is prepared. This reduces the dependence of the COE structure on low-temperature materials in related technologies and significantly improves material reliability and process compatibility. At the same time, the light-shielding element 141 is located below the organic light-emitting layer 300, reducing its direct obstruction of emitted light, effectively improving light extraction efficiency and expanding the viewing angle. In addition, by configuring the conductive connection part so that the anode 150 directly contacts the reflector 130 or is indirectly connected through the light-shielding element 141, reliable electrical connection is achieved while providing a flexible and feasible implementation path for optimizing the light-shielding design and reducing reflection.

[0057] In some embodiments, please continue to see Figure 1 or Figure 2 As shown, the substrate 110 has a display area 110a and a non-display area 110b. The display area 110a contains a densely arranged pixel array, with each pixel containing a filter 142 and an anode 150, responsible for normal image display and light emission. The non-display area 110b surrounds the display area 110a, and its main function is to house the driving circuit, signal lines, and light-shielding element 141, without participating in direct light emission. This partitioned design ensures the purity and integrity of the displayed content. The non-display area 110b effectively blocks light leakage and reflection through its light-shielding element 141, preventing interference from surrounding circuit structures on the display effect, while providing stable electrical drive and mechanical support for the display area 110a, which is a key foundation for achieving high contrast and high-quality display.

[0058] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 or Figure 4 As shown, a light guide structure 1410 is formed on the edge of the light shield 141 near the display area 110a. The light guide structure 1410 extends from the top surface of the light shield 141 (i.e., the surface facing away from the substrate 110) toward the center of the display area 110a, and a filter 142 covers the light guide structure 1410 and extends to the display area 110a. The light guide structure 1410 can be a straight-line angled structure, a smooth arc structure, a stepped structure, or a composite curved surface structure.

[0059] Understandably, when the light emitted from the organic light-emitting layer 300 shines on the reflector 130, some of the light will be directed at a large angle towards the sidewall of the light-shielding member 141. The light guide structure 1410, through its specific inclined or curved surface, redirects this portion of light that would otherwise be absorbed or ineffectively reflected by the light-shielding member 141 back to the effective light emission angle range. This not only directly reduces light loss and improves the overall light emission efficiency, but also changes the spatial distribution of light, effectively expanding the viewing angle of the display panel 10, thereby achieving a significant improvement in optical performance at the structural level.

[0060] In some alternative embodiments, see Figure 3 or Figure 4 As shown, when the light guide structure 1410 is an angled structure, its extended surface forms an angle with the surface of the substrate 110. The value of this angle ranges from 0.1° to 45°, for example, it can be 5°, 20°, or 45°. It can be understood that this angle range can ensure that the reflected light is effectively guided to the observation side, significantly improving the light extraction efficiency and expanding the viewing angle, while also matching the semi-transparent photomask process capability, ensuring the forming accuracy and yield of the angled structure, and providing a smooth transition substrate for the filter 142 to reduce coverage defects, thereby achieving the best balance between optical gain and manufacturing reliability.

[0061] In some alternative embodiments, the light guide structure 1410 may also be an arc-shaped structure, which is bent toward the organic light-emitting layer 300, and the light shield 141 is formed into a smooth arc-shaped surface near the edge of the display area 110a.

[0062] In other alternative embodiments, the light guide structure 1410 may also be a stepped structure consisting of 2-5 vertical or inclined small sides, with a height difference of 0.5-2 μm between each step.

[0063] It is worth mentioning that the light guide structure 1410 can also be a composite structure, such as a combination of an arc-shaped upper part and an oblique lower part. Regardless of its specific shape, as long as the structure can make the thickness of the light shield 141 gradually change from the non-display area 110b to the display area 110a, thereby achieving the beneficial effects of expanding the light emission angle and improving the light emission efficiency, it is acceptable.

[0064] In some embodiments, see Figure 5 or Figure 6 As shown, to further improve light extraction efficiency, a reflector 160 can be provided on the surface of the light guide structure 1410 of the light shield 141 near the display area 110a. The reflector 160 can be a magnesium silver alloy (Mg:Ag) reflector 160. The reflector 160 can be formed by physical vapor deposition (PVD) process.

[0065] In some embodiments, when the light-shielding member 141 is made of a conductive material, such as metallic chromium, the anode 150 is connected to the reflector 130 through the conductive light-shielding member 141. In this case, the light-shielding member 141 not only performs the function of light shielding but also acts as a conductive bridge.

[0066] It is understandable that, in addition to metallic materials, the light-shielding component 141 can also be made of other functional conductive materials, such as conductive polymer composites doped with carbon black or carbon nanotubes (e.g., dark-colored PEDOT:PSS), carbon-based nanomaterials with intrinsic light absorption properties (e.g., graphene and carbon nanotube films), or metal oxide semiconductors composited with black pigments (e.g., heavily doped AZO). By controlling the composition and microstructure, these materials can synergistically achieve low surface resistivity and high light-shielding properties. While meeting the dual requirements of conductivity and light shielding, they may also possess unique advantages such as better flexibility, compatibility with solution processing methods, or lower material costs.

[0067] In addition to the two methods described above, namely, the anode 150 directly contacting the reflector 130 and the anode 150 being connected to the reflector 130 through the light-shielding member 141, the conductive connection part can also achieve a reliable electrical connection between the anode 150 and the reflector 130 through a variety of other methods.

[0068] For example, in an alternative embodiment, the conductive connection can be a separate conductive pillar. This conductive pillar is formed simultaneously with the patterned layer 140 and can be made of the same conductive material as the light-shielding element 141 (e.g., metallic chromium), the same transparent conductive oxide as the anode 150 (e.g., ITO), or a different metal (e.g., aluminum). The conductive pillar penetrates the patterned layer 140, with its lower end contacting the reflector 130 and its upper end contacting the anode 150, thereby establishing an electrical connection between the two. This approach is suitable for scenarios where the light-shielding element 141 itself is made of a non-conductive material.

[0069] In another embodiment, the conductive connection portion may be made of a conductive paste or conductive adhesive. This material is filled into the pre-reserved connection holes in the patterned layer 140 by printing or dispensing processes, and after curing, a conductive path is formed connecting the anode 150 and the reflector 130.

[0070] Furthermore, the conductive connection can also be a composite structure. For example, a thin seed metal layer is first formed on the inner wall of the via 1224 by chemical plating or physical vapor deposition, and then the via 1224 is filled by electroplating to form a solid metal pillar. Finally, an anode 150 is formed on the patterned layer 140 and connected to the metal pillar.

[0071] Another approach is to extend the conductive connection laterally using the reflector 130 itself. During patterning, a portion of the reflective layer is intentionally extended laterally from the via 1224 to an adjacent area directly below the light-emitting region. Then, the anode 150 directly contacts this laterally extended reflector 130 through an opening in the patterned layer 140. In this way, electrical signals are transmitted through the reflector 130 from the via 1224 to below the light-emitting region, and then to the anode 150.

[0072] In addition to the above-described embodiments, this application can be further improved and extended in the following ways: The reflector 130 can use a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) instead of a metal reflective layer, and achieve high reflectivity by alternately depositing high and low refractive index dielectric layers; the filter 142 can use a quantum dot color conversion layer instead of a traditional color filter to improve color gamut and light efficiency.

[0073] In other embodiments, the light guide structure 1410 may be designed as an asymmetrical shape, with its geometric parameters optimized for different color sub-pixels; micro- and nano-structures, such as microlens arrays or grating structures, may also be fabricated on the surface of the light guide structure 1410 to further enhance light extraction efficiency.

[0074] In other embodiments, an optical functional layer, such as a circular polarization layer to eliminate ambient light reflection or a scattering layer to improve viewing angle characteristics, is added between the patterned layer 140 and the anode 150; a touch sensor can also be integrated into the patterned layer 140 to achieve embedded touch functionality.

[0075] In other embodiments, the driving backplane 120 may use oxide semiconductors (such as IGZO) to achieve high mobility and low leakage current, or low temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) to achieve high integration, or a flexible substrate to achieve a bendable display.

[0076] This application achieves this by placing the patterned layer 140 between the reflector 130 and the anode 150, allowing the light-shielding element 141 and the filter element 142 to undergo high-temperature curing before the organic light-emitting layer 300 is fabricated. This reduces the dependence of the COE structure on low-temperature materials in related technologies, significantly improving material reliability and process compatibility. Simultaneously, the light-shielding element 141 is located below the organic light-emitting layer 300, reducing its direct obstruction of emitted light, effectively improving light extraction efficiency and expanding the viewing angle. Furthermore, by configuring the conductive connection so that the anode 150 directly contacts the reflector 130 or is indirectly connected through the light-shielding element 141, reliable electrical connection is achieved while providing a flexible and feasible implementation path for optimizing the light-shielding design and reducing reflection.

[0077] Example 2

[0078] See Figure 7 as well as Figure 8 or Figure 9 As shown, Embodiment 2 of this application provides a method for fabricating an array substrate 100, which may include the following steps:

[0079] Step S100: A substrate 110 is provided, and a driving backplate 120 is formed on the substrate 110. The driving backplate 120 includes an insulating layer and a driving transistor 121. A via 1224 is provided on the insulating layer.

[0080] In step S200, a reflective layer is formed on the insulating layer, the reflective layer extends into the via 1224 and is electrically connected to the driving transistor 121.

[0081] In step S300, a patterned layer 140 is formed on the reflective layer. The patterned layer 140 includes a light-shielding member 141 and a light-filtering member 142 arranged sequentially at intervals.

[0082] In step S400, a transparent electrode layer is formed on the patterned layer 140.

[0083] In step S500, the transparent electrode layer and the reflective layer are patterned simultaneously through a single patterning process to form the anode 150 and the reflector 130.

[0084] The electrical connection is achieved in any of the following ways: an opening is formed in the patterned layer 140 at the position corresponding to the via 1224, allowing the anode 150 to directly contact the reflector 130 through the opening, such as... Figure 8 As shown; or a conductive material can be used to form a light-shielding member 141, extending it to the via 1224 and contacting the reflective layer material layer, so that the anode 150 can be electrically connected through the light-shielding member 141, such as Figure 9 As shown.

[0085] Understandably, after forming the transparent electrode material layer on the patterning layer 140, the transparent electrode material layer and the reflective layer are patterned simultaneously through a single patterning process to form the anode 150 and the reflector 130. This single patterning process uses the same photomask and achieves selective etching of different material layers by adjusting the etching conditions. That is, by controlling the etching parameters, this single patterning process simultaneously completes the patterning of the anode 150 and the reflector 130 using only a single photomask, significantly simplifying the process and reducing production costs while ensuring precise alignment between the two.

[0086] In step S100, the formation of the driving backplane 120 includes: sequentially depositing a buffer layer 1220, an active layer 1210, and a gate 1211 insulating layer by chemical vapor deposition (CVD); forming a gate 1211 metal layer by physical vapor deposition (PVD); patterning each functional layer by dry etching or wet etching; finally coating polyimide to form a planarization layer 1223 and forming vias 1224 by photolithography.

[0087] In step S200, the reflective layer can adopt an ITO / Ag or IZO / Ag two-layer structure, continuously deposited through a PVD process. It is understood that using an ITO / Ag or IZO / Ag two-layer structure and continuously depositing it through a PVD process can synergistically achieve advantages such as high reflectivity, excellent conductivity, and stable interface contact. The metallic silver layer, as the core functional layer, provides extremely high visible light reflectivity and a low-resistance path; while the IZO / ITO layer not only serves as an optical matching and adhesion layer between the silver layer and the upper and lower film layers, effectively reducing silver diffusion and sulfidation, but also, through its homogeneity or compatibility with the anode 150 material, achieves excellent ohmic contact and process compatibility in subsequent synchronous patterning etching, thereby improving light extraction efficiency while ensuring the reliability of electrical connections.

[0088] In step S300, the light-shielding member 141 can be formed in two different ways depending on the material properties.

[0089] In some embodiments, a negative black photoresist (organic material) is used to form the light-shielding element 141. Using an organic insulating negative black photoresist material, patterning can be achieved through a coating, exposure, and development photolithography process. The light-shielding element 141 formed by this process is non-conductive, and its patterning process does not require an etching step. In this implementation, since the light-shielding element 141 is an insulator, the subsequent anode 150 needs to establish an electrical connection with the underlying reflector 130 through a direct contact by creating an opening in the light-shielding element 141. Figure 8 As shown.

[0090] In other embodiments, a conductive material is used to form the light-shielding element 141. This conductive material can be a metallic material (such as chromium, molybdenum, or their alloys). The process, in addition to coating, exposure, and development, requires an additional etching step, i.e., patterning the metal layer using a wet or dry etching process to form the light-shielding element 141. The light-shielding element 141 formed in this way has both light-shielding and conductive functions, and can actively extend into the via 1224 and contact the reflector 130. It acts as a conductive bridge, allowing the anode 150 to be indirectly connected to the reflector 130 through contact with it, such as... Figure 9 As shown.

[0091] It is understandable that, in addition to metallic materials, the light-shielding component 141 can also be made of other functional conductive materials, such as conductive polymer composites doped with carbon black or carbon nanotubes (e.g., dark-colored PEDOT:PSS), carbon-based nanomaterials with intrinsic light absorption properties (e.g., graphene and carbon nanotube films), or metal oxide semiconductors composited with black pigments (e.g., heavily doped AZO). By controlling the composition and microstructure, these materials can synergistically achieve low surface resistivity and high light-shielding properties. While meeting the dual requirements of conductivity and light shielding, they may also possess unique advantages such as better flexibility, compatibility with solution processing methods, or lower material costs.

[0092] When the light-shielding element 141 is formed using a conductive material, the preparation method in step S300 above further includes: coating a conductive material layer on the reflective layer and patterning it to form the light-shielding element 141 and a plurality of openings spaced apart on the reflective layer, wherein the light-shielding element 141 extends into the via 1224 and contacts the reflective layer; subsequently, an R, G, B three-color filter element 142 is formed in the plurality of openings through a process of coating, exposure, and development.

[0093] In step S300 above, the following step is also included: forming a light guide structure 1410 on the edge of the light shield 141 near the display area 110a using a patterning process. The light guide structure 1410 is manufactured using different fabrication methods depending on the material of the light shield 141.

[0094] When the light-shielding component 141 is formed using an organic insulating negative black photoresist material, the light guide structure 1410 is formed through a single photolithography process using a semi-transparent photomask: utilizing the exposure energy gradient generated by the gradient transparent area of ​​the photomask, three-dimensional light guide structures 1410, such as those with bevels and arcs, are directly formed during the development process. This method combines patterning and morphology shaping into a single process, offering advantages such as simple process and low cost.

[0095] For example, when a beveled light guide structure 1410 needs to be formed, a semi-transparent mask is used for exposure. The mask is a light-blocking area in the region corresponding to the display area 110a, a light-transmitting area in the region corresponding to the non-display area 110b, and a gradient light-transmitting area connecting the two. The transmittance of the gradient light-transmitting area gradually increases from the display area 110a towards the non-display area 110b, forming a beveled structure after exposure and development. For other shapes of light guide structures 1410, this can be achieved by adjusting the transmittance distribution of the mask or by using a multiple exposure process. For example, an arc-shaped structure can be achieved by adjusting the transmittance curve of the gradient area to be a non-linear change, and a stepped structure can be achieved by exposing two or more different patterns, such as... Figure 10 As shown.

[0096] When the light-shielding component 141 is made of conductive material, the formation of the light guide structure 1410 requires a pattern transfer process: first, the required light guide structure 1410 morphology is formed on the photoresist layer by using a semi-transparent mask or photoresist ashing process, and then the three-dimensional morphology of the photoresist layer is transferred to the underlying metal layer by precisely controlling the etching parameters.

[0097] Understandably, when the light-shielding element 141 is an organic insulating negative black photoresist material, the light-shielding element 141 and the filter element 142 can be formed by coating, exposure, development and baking processes. The baking temperature is 180℃ to 250℃, and this high-temperature process significantly improves the material reliability. The baking process can be carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere for 30-60 minutes.

[0098] This application liberates the process temperature limitation by forming a patterned layer 140 before fabricating the organic light-emitting layer 300, allowing the light-shielding element 141 and the light-filtering element 142 to be baked at a high temperature of 180°C to 250°C for 30-60 minutes in a nitrogen atmosphere. This process promotes full cross-linking and curing of the material, significantly improving its density, adhesion and chemical resistance, thereby reducing the problems of poor thermal stability and insufficient reliability caused by low-temperature materials in the COE structure in related technologies, and laying a solid material foundation for the long-term working stability of subsequent OLED devices.

[0099] Example 3

[0100] See Figures 11 to 14 As shown, Embodiment 3 of this application also provides a display panel 10, including any of the above-described array substrate 100, pixel definition layer 200 and organic light-emitting layer 300.

[0101] A pixel definition layer 200 is disposed on the planarization layer 1223 and covers a portion of the anode 150. The pixel definition layer 200 can be made of polyimide or acrylic resin material, and it has multiple definition holes 210 to expose the top surface of the anode 150. An organic light-emitting layer 300 is disposed within the definition holes 210 and in contact with the anode 150. It includes a multilayer structure comprising a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer, and is formed by a vacuum evaporation process.

[0102] Subsequently, a cathode is formed on the organic light-emitting layer 300 by a low-temperature vacuum evaporation process. The cathode can adopt a semi-transparent composite structure, which is usually composed of an ultra-thin metal functional layer and a transparent conductive oxide stack. This ensures both low work function characteristics to achieve efficient electron injection and high transmittance required by the top-emitting device, thereby forming an electric field that drives light emission together with the anode 150 and optimizing the light emission efficiency.

[0103] Finally, encapsulation is completed through the encapsulation layer 400. The encapsulation layer 400 can be a thin-film encapsulation structure with alternating inorganic and organic materials, or a glass / metal cover encapsulation. This encapsulation layer 400 forms a highly dense and stable physical barrier, effectively blocking the penetration of external moisture and oxygen, preventing the aging and failure of the internal organic light-emitting materials, and providing reliable mechanical support and stress buffering for the fragile organic functional layer. This significantly extends the working life of the display panel 10 and ensures its display stability in complex environments.

[0104] It should be noted that the color (R / G / B) of the filter 142 is consistent with the emission color of the organic light-emitting layer 300 of the corresponding sub-pixel directly above it. The target color light emitted by the organic light-emitting layer 300 can pass through the same-color filter 142 with minimal loss (significantly improving light transmittance). At the same time, the filter 142 can efficiently filter out stray wavelengths from the emission spectrum of the white OLED or complementary color light from ambient light. Thus, at the optical level, it synergistically achieves improved color purity, reduced ambient light reflectivity, and optimized overall light efficiency, ultimately achieving both high color saturation display and low power consumption characteristics at the system level.

[0105] The components in this application work together based on the following principles: See [link to application] Figure 15 or Figure 16 As shown, the driving transistor 121 is turned on under the control of the scanning signal and data signal of the gate 1211. The driving current output from its first electrode 1212 (source / drain) is first transmitted to the reflector 130 through the insulating layer via 1224. The reflector 130 plays the role of a key current transmission bus in this process, and the current converges and diverges in the subsequent transmission path. When a direct contact conductive connection is used, the current is injected directly into the anode 150 above from the reflector 130 through a preset opening in the patterned layer 140. When a bridge conductive connection is used with the light-shielding member 141, the current is first conducted laterally from the reflector 130 to the light-shielding member 141 filled in the via 1224, and then vertically transmitted through the light-shielding member 141 to the anode 150 in contact with it.

[0106] After receiving holes, the anode 150 recombines with electrons injected from the cathode in the organic light-emitting layer 300 to generate photons. At this time, the reflector 130 efficiently reflects the photons initially directed towards the backplane to the light-emitting side, thus doubling the overall light output. The patterned layer 140 located below the organic light-emitting layer 300 simultaneously performs optical control. The light-shielding element 141 absorbs stray light between pixels to ensure contrast; the light filter 142 performs wavelength selection on the transmitted light to achieve color reproduction; and the light guide structure 1410 at the edge of the light-shielding element 141 redirects large-angle scattered light to the effective viewing angle area through its specific bevel angle (0.1°-45°), further improving edge brightness and viewing angle.

[0107] When the light generated by the organic light-emitting layer 300 is reflected by the reflector 130 or directly irradiates the light guide structure 1410 of the light shield 141, the reflector 160 disposed on the inclined surface of the light guide structure 1410 can guide the side-scattered light and large-angle reflected light that would originally be absorbed by the light shield 141 back to the light output direction. This process effectively reduces light loss and expands the viewing angle of the light guide structure 1410, thereby further improving the light output efficiency and viewing angle at the system level.

[0108] This application places the patterned layer 140 before the organic light-emitting layer 300, effectively reducing the limitations of the process temperature and allowing for a high-temperature curing process of 180-250℃, which improves the cross-linking degree of the material and significantly enhances the reliability of the device. Finally, the thin-film encapsulation layer 400 forms a water and oxygen barrier through an alternating inorganic / organic structure, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the entire system in complex environments.

[0109] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "some embodiments," "exemplarily," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. The illustrative expressions of the above terms in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0110] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application. Therefore, any changes or modifications made in accordance with the claims and description of this application should fall within the scope of this patent application.

Claims

1. An array substrate, comprising a substrate and a driving backplane disposed on the substrate, the driving backplane comprising an insulating layer and driving transistors, wherein vias are formed in the insulating layer, characterized in that, The array substrate further includes: A reflector is disposed on the drive backplate and electrically connected to the drive transistor through the via; A patterned layer is disposed on the side of the reflector away from the substrate, and includes a light-shielding element and a light-filtering element, which are arranged sequentially at intervals. The substrate has a display area and a non-display area, the non-display area surrounding the display area, the light-shielding element being disposed within the non-display area, and the light-filtering element being disposed within the display area. A light guide structure is formed on the edge of the light-shielding element near the display area. The light guide structure extends obliquely from the surface of the light-shielding element on the side away from the substrate towards the center of the display area, and the light-filtering element covers the light guide structure and extends to the display area. An anode is disposed on the side of the patterned layer away from the substrate and is electrically connected to the reflector through a conductive connection portion. The conductive connection portion is configured such that the anode directly contacts the reflector, or the anode contacts the reflector through the light-shielding member. A reflector is disposed between the light guide structure and the filter, and the reflector can guide the light emitted by the organic light-emitting layer to the light-emitting direction.

2. The array substrate according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the light guide structure is an angled structure, an angle is formed between the extended surface of the angled structure and the surface of the substrate, and the value of the angle ranges from 0.1° to 45°.

3. The array substrate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light-shielding element includes a conductive material, and the anode is connected to the reflector through the light-shielding element.

4. A method for fabricating an array substrate, characterized in that, Including the following steps: A substrate is provided, the substrate having a display area and a non-display area, and a driving backplane is formed on the substrate, the driving backplane including an insulating layer and driving transistors, and vias being provided on the insulating layer; A reflective layer is formed on the insulating layer, the reflective layer extends into the via and is electrically connected to the driving transistor; A patterned layer is formed on the reflective layer. The patterned layer includes light-shielding members arranged at intervals in sequence. The light-shielding members are located in the non-display area. In the step of forming the light-shielding members, a light guide structure is formed on the edge of the light-shielding members near the display area by a patterning process. After the light-shielding element is formed, a reflector is formed on the surface of the light-guiding structure of the light-shielding element. The reflector can guide the light emitted by the organic light-emitting layer to the light-emitting direction. Then, a filter is formed on the reflector and the light-shielding element, so that the filter covers the reflector and the light-guiding structure and extends to the display area. A transparent electrode layer is formed on the patterned layer; The transparent electrode layer and the reflective layer are patterned using a single patterning process to simultaneously form the anode and the reflector. In this configuration, an opening is formed in the patterned layer corresponding to the position of the via, the opening exposing the reflective layer inside the via, and the anode directly contacts the reflector through the opening; or a conductive material is used to form the light-shielding element, so that the light-shielding element extends into the via and contacts the reflective layer, thereby electrically connecting the anode to the light-shielding element.

5. The preparation method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The method for fabricating a patterned layer on the reflective layer further includes: A conductive material layer is coated on the reflective layer and patterned to form a light-shielding element and a plurality of spaced openings on the reflective layer. The light-shielding element fills the openings and contacts the reflective layer. The filter element is formed within the plurality of openings.

6. The preparation method according to claim 4, characterized in that, In the step of forming a patterned layer on the reflective layer, the patterned layer comprising light-shielding elements and light-filtering elements arranged at intervals in sequence: The light-shielding element and the light-filtering element are formed by coating, exposure, development and baking processes, and the baking temperature is 180°C to 250°C.

7. A display panel, characterized in that, include: Pixel definition layer and organic light-emitting layer; as well as The array substrate as described in any one of claims 1-3, wherein the pixel definition layer is disposed on the insulating layer and covers a portion of the anode, the pixel definition layer has a plurality of openings, the openings expose a portion of the anode, and the organic light-emitting layer is disposed within the openings and in contact with the anode.

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