Display substrate and display device
By setting grooves in the barrier area of the display substrate and covering them with a metal layer and an inorganic insulating layer to form an undercut structure, the corrosion problem at the packaging edge of OLED display products is solved, the packaging strength and pressure resistance are improved, and defects such as black spots are prevented.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-31
AI Technical Summary
Existing OLED display products are susceptible to corrosion from moisture and oxygen at the edges of the encapsulation, leading to encapsulation failure and defects such as black spots, which are more pronounced under conditions of thinning and demanding testing.
A groove is set in the barrier area of the display substrate, and a metal layer and an inorganic insulating layer are overlapped on the side of the groove to form an undercut structure to block the conduction path of water vapor and oxygen. The packaging strength is enhanced by the combination design of multiple metal and encapsulation layers.
It effectively blocks the intrusion of moisture and oxygen, prevents encapsulation failure, reduces stress transmission, improves the reliability and pressure resistance of display products, and avoids adverse phenomena such as black spots.
Smart Images
Figure CN121772508A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure belongs to the field of display technology, specifically relating to a display substrate and a display device. Background Technology
[0002] Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are light-emitting devices that use organic solid-state semiconductors as light-emitting materials. Due to their advantages such as simple fabrication process, low cost, low power consumption, high brightness, and wide operating temperature range, they have broad application prospects.
[0003] With the continuous development of display technology, higher requirements have been placed on the reliability conditions and stringent testing requirements of OLED display products, such as pressure testing. During the testing process, corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen can enter the interior of the OLED display product (e.g., the display area) from the packaging edge (e.g., the opening area), causing corrosion to the light-emitting devices and other components inside the display product, leading to packaging failure and defects such as black spots. Summary of the Invention
[0004] This disclosure aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and to provide a display substrate and a display device.
[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a display substrate having an opening area, a display area surrounding the opening area, and a barrier area disposed between the opening area and the display area. The display substrate includes: a substrate substrate and an inorganic insulating layer located on the substrate substrate; the inorganic insulating layer has a groove disposed in the barrier area; the display substrate further includes: a first metal layer.
[0006] The first metal layer covers the side of the groove and overlaps with at least a portion of the bottom surface of the groove and a portion of the inorganic insulating layer facing away from the substrate.
[0007] In some embodiments, the display substrate further includes: a second metal layer located on the side of the first metal layer facing away from the substrate;
[0008] At the junction of the first metal layer and the inorganic insulating layer, the orthographic projection of the second metal layer on the substrate covers the orthographic projection of the first metal layer on the substrate.
[0009] In some embodiments, the first metal layer and the second metal layer are continuously disposed on the bottom surface of the groove, and the first metal layer completely covers the bottom surface of the groove.
[0010] In some embodiments, the first metal layer and the second metal layer are both disconnected on the bottom surface of the groove;
[0011] At the point where the first metal layer and the second metal layer are disconnected, the orthographic projection of the second metal layer on the substrate overlaps the orthographic projection of the first metal layer on the substrate.
[0012] In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the groove has a central region and an overlapping region surrounding the central region, and the first metal layer only covers the overlapping region of the bottom surface of the groove, exposing the central region of the bottom surface of the groove.
[0013] In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the groove has a central region and an overlapping region surrounding the central region, and the first metal layer covers the edge region and part of the central region of the bottom surface of the groove.
[0014] In some embodiments, the display substrate further includes: a plurality of isolation pillars and barrier dams located on the side of the inorganic insulating layer away from the substrate and disposed in the barrier region;
[0015] The groove is located between adjacent isolation columns, and is located on the side of the barrier dam closer to the opening area and / or away from the opening area.
[0016] In some embodiments, the isolation column includes: a first isolation layer and a second isolation layer stacked together;
[0017] The first isolation layer is disposed in the same layer as the first metal layer;
[0018] The second isolation layer is disposed in the same layer as the second metal layer.
[0019] In some embodiments, the display substrate further includes: a source / drain conductive layer and an anode conductive layer located on the substrate;
[0020] The source and drain conductive layers are disposed in the same layer as the first metal layer;
[0021] The anode conductive layer is disposed in the same layer as the second metal layer.
[0022] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a display device, the display device including the display substrate as described above. Attached Figure Description
[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of an exemplary display substrate.
[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional structure of the display substrate along the C-C' direction.
[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of a display substrate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The diagram shows a cross-sectional structure of a display substrate along the D-D' direction.
[0027] Figure 5 for Figure 3 The diagram shows another cross-sectional structure of the display substrate along the D-D' direction.
[0028] Figure 6 for Figure 3 The diagram shows another cross-sectional structure of the display substrate along the D-D' direction.
[0029] Figure 7 for Figure 3 The diagram shows a cross-sectional structure of a display substrate along the E-E' direction.
[0030] Figure 8 for Figure 3 The diagram shows another cross-sectional structure of the display substrate along the E-E' direction.
[0031] Figure 9 for Figure 3 The diagram shows another cross-sectional structure of the display substrate along the E-E' direction.
[0032] Figure 10 A schematic flowchart illustrating a method for fabricating a display substrate according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation
[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. The components of the embodiments of this disclosure described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this disclosure provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed disclosure, but merely represents selected embodiments of this disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this disclosure without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.
[0034] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms “an,” “a,” or “the,” and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms “comprising,” “including,” or “including,” and similar terms mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects.
[0035] In this disclosure, "multiple or several" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.
[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of an exemplary display substrate, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the display substrate includes: an opening area AA-hole, a display area AA surrounding the opening area AA-hole, and a barrier area BB disposed between the opening area AA-hole and the display area AA. Sensing devices such as cameras are disposed in the opening area AA-hole, enabling functions such as image capture. Pixel units are disposed in the display area AA, and each pixel unit may include structures such as a pixel driving circuit and a light-emitting device. The light-emitting device emits light under the driving voltage provided by the pixel driving circuit, enabling display functions. Both the pixel driving circuit and the light-emitting device are provided with organic material films; for example, the light-emitting device can be an OLED, which contains an organic light-emitting layer. The organic material film extends from the display area AA to the edge of the opening area AA-hole and then stops. Because the organic material film has good conductivity for corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen, a conduction path for corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen can be formed along the extension direction of the organic material film. Therefore, a barrier area BB is disposed between the opening area AA-hole and the display area AA to block corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen. The specific structure of the barrier area BB can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 2 .
[0037] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the display substrate along the C-C' direction is shown below. Figure 2As shown, the display substrate includes: a substrate 101, an inorganic insulating layer 102 located on the substrate 101, a plurality of isolation pillars 103 and a barrier dam 104 located on the side of the inorganic insulating layer 102 away from the substrate 101 and disposed in the barrier area BB.
[0038] The isolation pillar 103 can be made with a double-layer structure, namely a first isolation layer 1031 and a second isolation layer 1032 stacked together. The first isolation layer 1031 is closer to the substrate 101 than the second isolation layer 1032. Furthermore, the area of the first isolation layer 1031 is smaller than the area of the second isolation layer 1032, forming an undercut structure that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom. During the subsequent fabrication of organic material films (such as the organic light-emitting layer in a light-emitting device), due to the presence of the undercut structure, the organic material film will naturally fracture at the edge of the second isolation layer 1032, thus interrupting the conduction path of corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen. Simultaneously, in conjunction with the barrier dam 104, corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen can be blocked, preventing them from penetrating the display area AA along the organic material film and damaging the light-emitting devices therein.
[0039] However, due to the increasing demands for thinner and lighter display products, the height of the isolation pillar 103 is relatively low. This means that the organic material film layer is less likely to spontaneously fracture at the edge of the second isolation layer 1032. Furthermore, with the continuous development of display technology, higher requirements are being placed on the reliability conditions and stringent testing requirements for OLED display products, such as pressure testing. Currently, during testing, corrosive media such as moisture and oxygen can enter the interior of the OLED display product (e.g., the display area AA) through the encapsulation edge (e.g., the opening area AA-hole), causing corrosion to internal components such as light-emitting devices, leading to encapsulation failure and defects such as black spots.
[0040] In order to at least solve one of the above-mentioned technical problems, the present disclosure provides a display substrate and a display device. The display substrate and display device provided in the present disclosure will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0041] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a display substrate, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of a display substrate provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the display substrate includes: an opening area AA-hole, a display area AA surrounding the opening area AA-hole, and a barrier area BB disposed between the opening area AA-hole and the display area AA. Figure 4 for Figure 3 The diagram shown is a cross-sectional structure of a display substrate along the D-D' direction. Figure 4 As shown, the display substrate includes: a substrate 101 and an inorganic insulating layer 102 located on the substrate 101; the inorganic insulating layer 102 has a groove in the barrier region BB; the display substrate also includes: a first metal layer 105; the first metal layer 105 covers the side of the groove and overlaps with at least a portion of the bottom surface of the groove and a portion of the surface of the inorganic insulating layer 102 facing away from the substrate 101.
[0042] The substrate 101 can be made of rigid materials such as glass, which can improve its load-bearing capacity for other film layers. Alternatively, the substrate 101 can be made of flexible materials such as polyimide (PI), which can improve the overall bending and tensile resistance of the display substrate and prevent stress generated during bending, stretching, and torsion from causing the substrate 101 to break and resulting in poor open circuits. In practical applications, the material of the substrate 101 can be rationally selected according to actual needs to ensure that the display substrate has good performance.
[0043] The inorganic insulating layer 102 can be made of at least one material selected from silicon nitride (SiN) and silicon oxide (SiO2). It can form a single-layer structure made of a single material or a multi-layer structure made of multiple different materials, which can prevent short circuits between adjacent conductive layers. The pixel driving circuit in the display substrate can be a 4T2C (i.e., 4 transistors and 2 capacitors) structure, a 7T1C (i.e., 7 transistors and 1 capacitor) structure, a 5T1C (i.e., 5 transistors and 1 capacitor) structure, an 8T1C (i.e., 8 transistors and 1 capacitor) structure, or an 8T2C (i.e., 8 transistors and 2 capacitors) structure, etc. The transistors can specifically be thin-film transistors, which can include: a gate, a gate insulating layer, an active layer, an interlayer insulating layer, and a source / drain electrode layer sequentially disposed along the direction of the substrate 101. The source / drain electrode layer can include a source and a drain. The source and drain are respectively connected to the two ends of the active layer through vias penetrating the interlayer insulation. The inorganic insulating layer 102 can specifically be the gate insulating layer and the interlayer insulating layer in a thin-film transistor. The gate insulating layer covers the gate to prevent short circuits between the gate and the active layer above it, while the interlayer insulating layer covers the active layer to prevent short circuits between the active layer and the source / drain electrode layers above it. The gate insulating layer and the interlayer insulating layer extend from the display area AA to the barrier area BB.
[0044] The inorganic insulating layer 102 (gate insulating layer and interlayer insulating layer) can extend from the display area AA to the barrier area BB, and a groove is provided in the barrier area BB. The groove can penetrate the entire inorganic insulating layer 102, or it can only penetrate a part of the inorganic insulating layer 102. Its depth can be from 1.0 micrometer to 2.0 micrometers, for example, about 1.3 micrometers. Its width can be from 8 micrometers to 10 micrometers, for example, about 8 micrometers. In practical applications, the width and depth of the groove can be reasonably set according to actual needs, and are not limited here.
[0045] The first metal layer 105 can be made of at least one of molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), and titanium (Ti), and can be a single element of the above materials or an alloy of two or more of the above materials. It has good ductility and a certain strength. The first metal layer 105 can cover the sides of the groove and overlap with at least a portion of the bottom surface of the groove and a portion of the inorganic insulating layer 102 facing away from the substrate 101. The overlap width between the first metal layer 105 and the inorganic insulating layer 102 can be 3 to 5 micrometers, for example, 3 micrometers. The overlap width between the first metal layer 105 and the bottom surface of the groove can be at least 2 micrometers to ensure that the first metal layer 105 can completely cover the sides of the groove.
[0046] In the display substrate provided in this embodiment, the inorganic insulating layer 102 has a groove in the barrier area BB. The depth of the groove can be about 1.3 micrometers. When the organic material film layer is subsequently prepared, the thickness of the organic material film layer on the side of the groove will be significantly reduced. The thickness of the organic material film layer can be reduced by the structure of the groove itself, which is beneficial to the barrier against corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen. This prevents corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen from entering the interior of the display substrate (e.g., display area AA) from the packaging edge of the display substrate (e.g., the opening area AA-hole) and causing corrosion to the light-emitting devices and other components inside the display substrate, thereby avoiding defects such as black spots. Meanwhile, since the first metal layer 105 covers the side of the groove and overlaps with at least part of the bottom surface of the groove and part of the inorganic insulating layer 102 away from the substrate 101, when the opening area AA-hole of the display substrate is subjected to external stress, the first metal layer 105 can block the external stress and prevent the external stress from being further conducted to the display area AA, thereby preventing the external stress from damaging other devices in the display area AA, and thus further avoiding defects such as black spots.
[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, the display substrate further includes: a second metal layer 106 located on the side of the first metal layer 105 facing away from the substrate 101; at the junction of the first metal layer 105 and the inorganic insulating layer 102, the orthographic projection of the second metal layer 106 on the substrate 101 covers the orthographic projection of the first metal layer 105 on the substrate 101.
[0048] At the junction of the first metal layer 105 and the inorganic insulating layer 102, the orthographic projection of the second metal layer 106 onto the substrate 101 overlaps the orthographic projection of the first metal layer 105 onto the substrate 101. That is, the area of the second metal layer 106 is larger than the area of the first metal layer 105, forming an undercut structure that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom. During the subsequent fabrication of the organic material film, due to the presence of the undercut structure, the organic material film will naturally break at the edge of the second metal layer 106, further blocking corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen.
[0049] like Figure 4 As shown, the first metal layer 105 and the second metal layer 106 are continuously disposed on the bottom surface of the groove, and the first metal layer 105 completely covers the bottom surface of the groove. The continuous disposal of the first metal layer 105 and the second metal layer 106 on the bottom surface of the groove, with the first metal layer 105 completely covering the bottom surface of the groove, reduces the number of photomasks, lowers the process difficulty, and saves on manufacturing costs during the fabrication process.
[0050] Figure 5 for Figure 3 The diagram shows another cross-sectional structure of the display substrate along the D-D' direction. Figure 6 for Figure 3 The diagram shows another cross-sectional structure of the display substrate along the D-D' direction, as shown below. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the first metal layer 105 and the second metal layer 106 are both disconnected on the bottom surface of the groove; at the disconnection point of the first metal layer 105 and the second metal layer 106, the orthogonal projection of the second metal layer 106 on the substrate 101 covers the orthogonal projection of the first metal layer 105 on the substrate 101.
[0051] The first metal layer 105 is discontinuously disposed on the bottom surface of the groove. During fabrication, the entire first metal layer 105 can be etched so that it only covers a portion of the bottom surface of the groove, exposing a portion of the bottom surface. Correspondingly, the second metal layer 106 is also discontinuously disposed on the bottom surface of the groove. At the discontinuity, the orthographic projection of the second metal layer 106 onto the substrate 101 overlaps the orthographic projection of the first metal layer 105 onto the substrate 101, meaning the area of the second metal layer 106 is larger than the area of the first metal layer 105, forming an undercut structure that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom. During subsequent fabrication of the organic material film, due to the presence of the undercut structure, the organic material film will naturally break at the edge of the second metal layer 106, further blocking corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen.
[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the bottom surface of the groove has a central region and an overlapping region surrounding the central region. The first metal layer 105 only covers the overlapping region of the bottom surface of the groove, exposing the central region of the bottom surface of the groove.
[0053] The first metal layer 105 only covers the overlapping area of the bottom surface of the groove, exposing the central area of the bottom surface of the groove. The second metal layer 106 is configured in the same way as the first metal layer 105. At the point where they separate, the orthographic projection of the second metal layer 106 onto the substrate 101 overlaps the orthographic projection of the first metal layer 105 onto the substrate 101, meaning the area of the second metal layer 106 is larger than the area of the first metal layer 105, forming an undercut structure that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom. During the subsequent fabrication of the organic material film, due to the presence of the undercut structure, the organic material film will naturally break at the edge of the second metal layer 106, further blocking corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen.
[0054] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the bottom surface of the groove has a central region and an overlapping region surrounding the central region, and the first metal layer 105 covers the edge region and part of the central region of the bottom surface of the groove.
[0055] The first metal layer 105 covers the edge region and part of the central region of the bottom surface of the groove, and the second metal layer 106 is arranged in the same manner as the first metal layer 105. At the point where they separate, the orthographic projection of the second metal layer 106 onto the substrate 101 overlaps the orthographic projection of the first metal layer 105 onto the substrate 101, that is, the area of the second metal layer 106 is larger than the area of the first metal layer 105, and the two can form an undercut structure with a larger top and a smaller bottom. During the subsequent fabrication of the organic material film, due to the presence of the undercut structure, the organic material film will naturally break at the edge of the second metal layer 106, which can further block corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen.
[0056] It should be noted here that... Figure 5 and Figure 6 The difference in the structure shown is that, Figure 5 In the structure shown, the first metal layer 105 only covers the overlapping area of the bottom surface of the groove, exposing the central area of the bottom surface of the groove. At the break between the first metal layer 105 and the second metal layer 106, two "large at the top and small at the bottom" undercut structures can be formed. Figure 6 In the structure shown, the first metal layer 105 covers the edge area and part of the central area of the bottom surface of the groove. At the break between the first metal layer 105 and the second metal layer 106, four "large at the top and small at the bottom" undercut structures can be formed, which can further block corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen.
[0057] like Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the display substrate further includes: an organic light-emitting layer 107, a first inorganic encapsulation layer 108, an organic encapsulation layer 109, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer 110; the organic light-emitting layer 107 is located on the side of the second metal layer 106 facing away from the substrate 101; the first inorganic encapsulation layer 108 is located on the side of the organic light-emitting layer 107 facing away from the substrate 101, and extends recessedly at the position corresponding to the groove; the organic encapsulation layer 109 is located on the side of the first inorganic encapsulation layer 108 facing away from the substrate 101, and fills the position corresponding to the groove; the second inorganic encapsulation layer 110 is located on the side of the organic encapsulation layer 109 facing away from the substrate 101.
[0058] The organic light-emitting layer 107 can be formed using organic light-emitting materials through inkjet printing, and excitons can be formed under the drive of an electric field to emit light.
[0059] Both the first inorganic encapsulation layer 108 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 110 can be made of at least one of silicon nitride (SiN) and silicon oxide (SiO2), which can encapsulate the organic light-emitting layer 107 and prevent corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen from entering and causing damage to the organic light-emitting layer 107.
[0060] The organic insulating layer 109 can be made of organic materials such as epoxy resin. It has a large thickness and high elasticity, which can buffer external stress and prevent the first inorganic encapsulation layer 108 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 110 from breaking.
[0061] The first inorganic encapsulation layer 108 extends recessedly at the position corresponding to the groove. On the side of the groove, the first inorganic encapsulation layer 108 is prone to stress concentration, which can cause fractures caused by external stress to occur on the side of the groove. At the same time, due to the presence of the organic encapsulation layer 109, the external stress can be buffered, thus preventing the external stress from being further conducted to the display area AA. This can prevent the external stress from damaging other devices in the display area AA, thereby further avoiding defects such as black spots.
[0062] Meanwhile, due to the presence of the groove, the encapsulation structure consisting of the first inorganic encapsulation layer 108, the organic encapsulation layer 109, and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 110 forms an undulating shape. Even when peeling occurs between adjacent film layers, the undulating shape changes the direction of force, which can interrupt the peeling phenomenon at the side of the groove, preventing the film peeling phenomenon from being further transmitted to the display area AA, thereby further avoiding defects such as black spots.
[0063] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the angle between the side and bottom of the groove is 90 to 110 degrees.
[0064] The angle between the side and bottom surfaces of the groove is 90 to 110 degrees, which allows for a relatively large angle between the sides and bottom surfaces, providing a deposition platform for the first metal layer 105. This ensures that the first metal layer 105 can be deposited on the side surfaces of the groove. Simultaneously, during the subsequent fabrication of the organic material film, the thickness of the organic material film deposited on the side surfaces of the groove is significantly reduced. This helps to block corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen, preventing them from entering the interior of the display substrate (e.g., the display area AA) through the packaging edge (e.g., the opening area AA) and corroding the light-emitting devices and other components inside the display substrate. This avoids defects such as black spots. Furthermore, since the first metal layer 105 covers the side of the groove and overlaps with at least part of the bottom surface of the groove and part of the inorganic insulating layer 102 away from the substrate 101, when the opening area AA-hole of the display substrate is subjected to external stress, the first metal layer 105 can block the external stress and prevent the external stress from being further conducted to the display area AA, thereby preventing the external stress from damaging other devices in the display area AA, and thus further avoiding defects such as black spots.
[0065] Figure 7 for Figure 3 The diagram shows a cross-sectional structure of a display substrate along the E-E' direction. Figure 8 for Figure 3 The diagram shows another cross-sectional structure of the display substrate along the E-E' direction. Figure 9 for Figure 3 The diagram shows another cross-sectional structure of the display substrate along the E-E' direction, as shown below. Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the display substrate also includes: a plurality of isolation pillars 103 and a barrier dam 104 located on the side of the inorganic insulating layer 102 away from the substrate 101 and disposed in the barrier region BB; the groove is located between adjacent isolation pillars 103 and is located on the side of the barrier dam 104 near the opening region AA-hole and / or away from the opening region AA-hole.
[0066] like Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the groove is located between adjacent isolation pillars 103. The groove and the isolation pillar 103 serve the same purpose of isolating the organic material film layer on it to prevent corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen from entering the interior of the display substrate (e.g., display area AA) from the packaging edge (e.g., the opening area AA-hole). In practical applications, the position of the groove of the inorganic insulating layer 102 can be reasonably set according to actual needs. For example, the groove can be set on the side of the barrier dam 104 close to the opening area AA-hole and / or on the side far away from the opening area AA-hole.
[0067] like Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the isolation column 103 includes: a first isolation layer 1031 and a second isolation layer 1032 stacked together; the first isolation layer 1031 is disposed in the same layer as the first metal layer 105; the second isolation layer 1032 is disposed in the same layer as the second metal layer 106.
[0068] The first isolation layer 1031 and the first metal layer 105 can be formed using the same material and the same process, and the second isolation layer 1032 and the second metal layer 106 can be formed using the same material and the same process. This can reduce the number of process steps and save on preparation costs.
[0069] In some embodiments, the display substrate further includes: a source / drain conductive layer 111 and an anode conductive layer 112 located on the substrate; the source / drain conductive layer 111 is disposed in the same layer as the first metal layer 105; and the anode conductive layer 112 is disposed in the same layer as the second metal layer 106.
[0070] Specifically, the first metal layer 105 can be formed using the source / drain conductive layer 111 in the display substrate, and the second metal layer 106 can be formed using the anode conductive layer 112 in the display substrate. This eliminates the need to increase the number of film layers in the display substrate, which is beneficial for making the display substrate thinner and lighter.
[0071] It should be noted here that... Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 The cutting grooves in the display substrate shown are formed by cutting the motherboard during the manufacturing process. Grooves are also needed to form the openings in the AA-hole area. For ease of illustration, the cutting grooves in the figure represent the openings in the AA-hole area.
[0072] Figure 10 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for fabricating a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown below. Figure 10 As shown, the method for preparing a display substrate provided in this embodiment includes the following steps S101 to S105, which can be used to prepare a display substrate as provided in any of the above embodiments.
[0073] S101 provides a substrate.
[0074] S102, an inorganic insulating layer is formed on the substrate, and a groove is formed in the barrier region.
[0075] In step S102 above, the inorganic insulating layer 102 can be made of at least one material selected from silicon nitride (SiN) and silicon oxide (SiO2). It can form a single-layer structure made of a single material or a multilayer structure made of multiple different materials, which can prevent short circuits between adjacent conductive layers. The pixel driving circuit in the display substrate can be a 4T2C (i.e., 4 transistors and 2 capacitors) structure, a 7T1C (i.e., 7 transistors and 1 capacitor) structure, a 5T1C (i.e., 5 transistors and 1 capacitor) structure, an 8T1C (i.e., 8 transistors and 1 capacitor) structure, or an 8T2C (i.e., 8 transistors and 2 capacitors) structure, etc. The transistors can specifically be thin-film transistors, which can include: a gate, a gate insulating layer, an active layer, an interlayer insulating layer, and a source / drain electrode layer sequentially disposed along the direction of the substrate 101. The source / drain electrode layer can include a source and a drain. The source and drain are respectively connected to the two ends of the active layer through vias penetrating the interlayer insulation. The inorganic insulating layer 102 can specifically be the gate insulating layer and the interlayer insulating layer in a thin-film transistor. The gate insulating layer covers the gate to prevent short circuits between the gate and the active layer above it, while the interlayer insulating layer covers the active layer to prevent short circuits between the active layer and the source / drain electrode layers above it. The gate insulating layer and the interlayer insulating layer extend from the display area AA to the barrier area BB.
[0076] The inorganic insulating layer 102 (gate insulating layer and interlayer insulating layer) can extend from the display area AA to the barrier area BB, and a groove is provided in the barrier area BB. The groove can penetrate the entire inorganic insulating layer 102, or it can only penetrate a part of the inorganic insulating layer 102. Its depth can be from 1.0 micrometer to 2.0 micrometers, for example, about 1.3 micrometers. Its width can be from 8 micrometers to 10 micrometers, for example, about 8 micrometers. In practical applications, the width and depth of the groove can be reasonably set according to actual needs, and are not limited here.
[0077] S103, a first metal layer is formed on the side of the inorganic insulating layer away from the substrate. The first metal layer covers the side of the groove and overlaps with at least a portion of the bottom surface of the groove and a portion of the surface of the inorganic insulating layer away from the substrate.
[0078] In step S103 above, the first metal layer 105 can be made of at least one of molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), and titanium (Ti). It can be a single element of these materials or an alloy of two or more of them. It has good ductility and a certain strength. The first metal layer 105 can cover the sides of the groove and overlap with at least a portion of the bottom surface of the groove and a portion of the inorganic insulating layer 102 facing away from the substrate 101. The overlap width between the first metal layer 105 and the inorganic insulating layer 102 can be 3 to 5 micrometers, for example, 3 micrometers. The overlap width between the first metal layer 105 and the bottom surface of the groove can be at least 2 micrometers to ensure that the first metal layer 105 can completely cover the sides of the groove.
[0079] It is understood that the thin-film transistor of the display substrate can be provided with multiple source and drain electrode layers. The first metal layer 105 can be the first source and drain electrode layer in the thin-film transistor, or it can be the second source and drain electrode layer, or other source and drain electrode layers.
[0080] S104, a planarization layer is formed on the side of the first metal layer away from the substrate; the planarization layer ends at the junction of the display area and the barrier area.
[0081] In step S104 above, the planarization layer (not shown in the figure) can be made of one or more resin materials such as acrylic, polyimide, epoxy resin, polyester, photoresist, polyacrylate, polyamide, and siloxane; or it can be made of one or more elastic materials such as urethane and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The planarization layer ends at the junction of the display area AA and the barrier area BB, and therefore is not shown in the above structural diagram of the display substrate.
[0082] It is understandable that when the source and drain electrode layers in the thin-film transistor of the display substrate are multi-layered, the planarization layer can also be multi-layered. The planarization layer can not only cover the source and drain electrode layers, but can also be disposed between adjacent source and drain electrode layers.
[0083] S105, a second metal layer is formed on the side of the planarization layer away from the substrate; at the junction of the first metal layer and the inorganic insulating layer, the orthogonal projection of the second metal layer on the substrate covers the orthogonal projection of the first metal layer on the substrate.
[0084] In step S105 above, the second metal layer 106 can be made of at least one of molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), and titanium (Ti). It can be a single element of these materials or an alloy of two or more of them. Specifically, the second metal layer 106 can be the anode conductive layer of the light-emitting device. At the junction of the first metal layer 103 and the inorganic insulating layer 102, the orthogonal projection of the second metal layer 106 onto the substrate 101 covers the orthogonal projection of the first metal layer 105 onto the substrate 101. That is, the area of the second metal layer 106 is larger than the area of the first metal layer 105, forming an undercut structure. During the subsequent fabrication of the organic material film, due to the presence of the undercut structure, the organic material film will naturally break at the edge of the second metal layer 106, further blocking corrosive media such as water vapor and oxygen.
[0085] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a display device, which includes a display substrate as provided in any of the above embodiments. The display device can be, for example, any product with a display function such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, television, monitor, laptop computer, digital photo frame, or in-vehicle device. Other essential components of this display device are readily understood by those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here, nor should they be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.
[0086] It should be noted that the dimensions of layers and regions may be exaggerated in the accompanying drawings for clarity. Furthermore, it is understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on" another element or layer, it can be directly on the other element, or there may be intermediate layers. Additionally, it is understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "below" another element or layer, it can be directly below the other element, or there may be more than one intermediate layer or element. Furthermore, it is also understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being "between" two layers or two elements, it can be the only layer between the two layers or two elements, or there may be more than one intermediate layer or element. Similar reference numerals throughout indicate similar elements.
[0087] In the several embodiments provided in this disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the positions of the components shown are only logical functional positions, and in actual implementation, they may be arranged in other positions.
[0088] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments used to illustrate the principles of this disclosure, and this disclosure is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and substance of this disclosure, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of this disclosure.
Claims
1. A display substrate, having an aperture region, a display region surrounding the aperture region, and a barrier region disposed between the aperture region and the display region, characterized in that, The display substrate comprises a substrate, an inorganic insulating layer on the substrate, a groove in the inorganic insulating layer in the barrier region, a first metal layer, and a second metal layer on the side of the first metal layer away from the substrate. The first metal layer covers the side of the groove and overlaps at least part of the bottom of the groove and part of the surface of the inorganic insulating layer away from the substrate.
2. The display substrate of claim 1, wherein, The display substrate further comprises a second metal layer on the side of the first metal layer away from the substrate. The second metal layer covers the first metal layer on the substrate. 3.The display substrate of claim 2, wherein, The first metal layer and the second metal layer are continuously arranged on the bottom of the groove, and the first metal layer completely covers the bottom of the groove. 4.The display substrate of claim 2, wherein, The first metal layer and the second metal layer are discontinuously arranged on the bottom of the groove. The second metal layer covers the first metal layer on the substrate at the discontinuous part of the first metal layer and the second metal layer.
5. The display substrate of claim 4, wherein, The bottom of the groove has a central region and an overlapping region around the central region, and the first metal layer only covers the overlapping region of the bottom of the groove, exposing the central region of the bottom of the groove. 6.The display substrate of claim 4, wherein, The bottom of the groove has a central region and an overlapping region around the central region, and the first metal layer covers the edge region and part of the central region of the bottom of the groove. 7.The display substrate of claim 2, wherein, The display substrate further comprises a plurality of isolation columns and a blocking dam on the side of the inorganic insulating layer away from the substrate and arranged in the barrier region. The groove is located between adjacent isolation columns and on the side of the blocking dam close to and / or away from the aperture region. 8.The display substrate of claim 7, wherein, The isolation column comprises a first isolation layer and a second isolation layer arranged in layers. The first isolation layer is arranged in the same layer as the first metal layer. The second isolation layer is arranged in the same layer as the second metal layer. 9.The display substrate of claim 8, wherein, The display substrate further comprises a source-drain conductive layer and an anode conductive layer on the substrate. The source-drain conductive layer is arranged in the same layer as the first metal layer. The anode conductive layer is arranged in the same layer as the second metal layer.
10. A display device, characterized by comprising: The display device comprises the display substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 9.