Display panel and display device

Abstract

The invention provides a display panel and a display device. The display panel includes: a substrate; the first functional layer is positioned on one side of the substrate; the display panel comprises a first area and a second area, the thickness of a first functional layer corresponding to the first area is smaller than that of a first functional layer corresponding to the second area, or the first area is not provided with the first functional layer, or the light transmittance of the first functional layer corresponding to the first area is smaller than that of the first functional layer corresponding to the second area; and the shading structure is at least partially overlapped with the first region along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located. Visual defects caused by uneven thickness or abnormal brightness can be weakened or eliminated, and the display effect of the display panel is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of display technology, and more particularly to a display panel and display device. Background Technology

[0002] As display panel sizes continue to increase, in order to reduce production costs, existing manufacturing processes typically use smaller masks and fabricate large-size display panels by splicing and exposing them together.

[0003] However, in actual production, due to factors such as the precision of the exposure equipment, the precision of the baffle, the diffraction effect of its edge light, and repeated exposure during burning, the exposure amounts obtained in the splicing area and the non-splicing area differ, resulting in splicing defects (mura). On the one hand, insufficient exposure in the splicing area leads to inadequate curing of the optical adhesive layer (OC), resulting in a lower film thickness or the formation of gaps. On the other hand, repeated exposure in the splicing area can cause excessive local exposure, causing the color coordinates of the OC in the repeatedly exposed area at the seam to deviate from the normal area, increasing the yellowing value, and resulting in lower transmittance in the short-wavelength or full-wavelength bands than the normal area, thus affecting the display effect.

[0004] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this application, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a display panel and a display device that can weaken or eliminate visual defects caused by uneven thickness or abnormal brightness, thereby improving the display effect of the display panel.

[0006] According to some embodiments, this application provides a display panel, including...

[0007] Substrate; A first functional layer is located on one side of the substrate; the display panel includes a first area and a second area, wherein... The thickness of the first functional layer corresponding to the first region is less than the thickness of the first functional layer corresponding to the second region, or the first region does not have a first functional layer, or the light transmittance of the first functional layer corresponding to the first region is less than the light transmittance of the first functional layer corresponding to the second region. The light-shielding structure overlaps at least partially with the first region along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate.

[0008] According to some embodiments, this application also provides a display device, including the display panel provided in the foregoing embodiments.

[0009] 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.

[0010] The embodiments of this application may have, or at least have, the following advantages: This application defines a first region and a second region in a display panel, wherein the thickness of the first functional layer corresponding to the first region is less than that of the second region, or the first region does not have a first functional layer, or the light transmittance of the first functional layer corresponding to the first region is less than that of the first functional layer corresponding to the second region. In this application, by setting a light-shielding structure and simultaneously setting the light-shielding structure to at least partially overlap with the first region along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, the first region of the display panel is located within the coverage area of ​​the light-shielding structure. This utilizes the light-shielding structure to block the first region, weakening or eliminating visual defects in the first region caused by uneven thickness or abnormal brightness, thereby improving the display effect of the display panel.

[0011] Other advantages, objectives, and features of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following examination or study, or may be learned from practice of this application. The objectives and other advantages of this application can be realized and obtained through the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Other features, objects, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the display panel in one embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a top view of a light-shielding structure in one embodiment of this application; Figure 3 The following are top view structural diagrams of the first wiring section in the wiring layer in some embodiments of this application, wherein Figures (a) to (d) show the first wiring section with different polygonal outlines; Figure 4 The following are top view schematic diagrams of the first wiring section of the wiring layer in other embodiments of this application, wherein Figures (a) to (b) show the first wiring section with different arc shapes as the outline; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram comparing the widths of the second and third wiring portions in the display panel according to one embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the display panel in another embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a top view schematic diagram of a light-shielding structure including a redundant part in one embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This is a top view schematic diagram of a light-shielding structure including a redundant part in another embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel with redundant parts according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 10 This is a top view of a structure in one embodiment of the present application when the redundant part of the light-shielding structure overlaps with the first functional layer corresponding to the first region. Figure 11 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel including a first functional layer and a second functional layer in one embodiment of this application; Figure 12 This is a top view of the light-shielding structure in another embodiment of this application; Figure 13 This is a top view of a first and second photomask in one embodiment of this application; Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display device in one embodiment of this application.

[0014] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Display device; 10. Display panel; 100. Substrate; 210, First functional layer; 210A, First functional layer located in the first area; 210B, Second opening; 210B', Opening pattern; 220, Second functional layer; 300, Light-shielding structure; 300A, First opening; 300B, Redundancy section; 400, wiring layer; 400A, first wiring section; 400B, second wiring section; 400C, third wiring section; 400D, fourth wiring section; 400E, fifth wiring section; 500. Light-emitting element. Detailed Implementation

[0015] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the application. However, this application may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of this application will be thorough and complete.

[0016] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application.

[0017] It should be understood that when a component or layer is referred to as "on," it may be directly located on other components or layers, or there may be intervening components or layers. It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used to describe various components, parts, areas, layers, traces, and / or portions, these components, parts, areas, layers, traces, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component, part, area, layer, trace, or portion from another component, part, area, layer, trace, or portion. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of this application, the first component, part, area, layer, trace, or portion discussed below may be referred to as a second component, part, area, layer, or portion; for example, a first trace may be referred to as a second trace, and similarly, a second trace may be referred to as a first trace; the first trace and the second trace are different traces.

[0018] Spatial relation terms such as “on” can be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature shown in the figure to other elements or features. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figure, spatial relation terms also include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, the element or feature described as “on” will be oriented “below” other elements or features. Therefore, the exemplary term “on” can include both upper and lower orientations. Furthermore, the device may also include other orientations (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatial descriptive terms used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0019] When used herein, the singular forms of “a,” “an,” and “the” may also include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that when the terms “composes” and / or “comprises” are used in this specification, the presence of the stated feature, integer, element, and / or part is established, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, elements, parts, and / or groups is not excluded. Meanwhile, when used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items.

[0020] Currently, existing manufacturing processes typically use smaller masks to fabricate large-size display panels through splicing exposure. However, due to factors such as the precision of the exposure equipment, the precision of the baffle, edge light diffraction effects, and repeated exposure during burning, the exposure amounts obtained in the splicing area and the non-splicing area differ, resulting in splicing defects (mura). On the one hand, insufficient exposure in the splicing area leads to inadequate curing of the optical adhesive layer (OC), resulting in a lower film thickness or the formation of gaps. On the other hand, repeated exposure in the splicing area can cause excessive local exposure, causing the color coordinates of the OC in the repeatedly exposed area at the seam to deviate from the normal area, increasing the yellowing value, and resulting in lower transmittance in the short-wavelength or full-wavelength bands than the normal area, thus affecting the display effect.

[0021] Based on this, this application provides a solution that can address the aforementioned technical problems, thereby mitigating or eliminating visual defects caused by uneven thickness or abnormal brightness, and improving the display effect of the display panel. Details will be elaborated in subsequent embodiments.

[0022] According to some embodiments, this application provides a display panel.

[0023] Please see Figure 1 The display panel provided in this application includes a first area and a second area. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the display panel includes a substrate 100, a first functional layer 210, and a light-shielding structure 300. The first functional layer 210 is located on one side of the substrate 100. For ease of explanation, the first functional layer 210 located in the first region will be labeled as 210A; while the first functional layer 210 located in the second region will still be referred to as the first functional layer 210. The two belong to the same first functional layer 210 in terms of hierarchical structure.

[0024] In this configuration, the thickness of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region is less than the thickness of the first functional layer 210 corresponding to the second region; or, the first region does not have a first functional layer 210; or, the light transmittance of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region is less than the light transmittance of the first functional layer 210 corresponding to the second region. The light-shielding structure 300 overlaps at least partially with the first region along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 100.

[0025] The aforementioned display panel defines a first region and a second region, wherein the thickness of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region is less than that of the second region, or the first region does not have a first functional layer 210, or the light transmittance of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region is less than the light transmittance of the first functional layer 210 corresponding to the second region. In the aforementioned display panel, by providing a light-shielding structure 300, and simultaneously setting the light-shielding structure 300 to at least partially overlap with the first region along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 100, the first region of the display panel is located within the coverage area of ​​the light-shielding structure 300. This utilizes the light-shielding structure 300 to block the first region, weakening or eliminating visual defects in the first region caused by uneven thickness or abnormal brightness, thereby improving the display effect of the display panel.

[0026] This application does not specifically limit the implementation of the light-shielding structure 300. As an example, the light-shielding structure 300 may specifically include a black matrix (BM).

[0027] Next, we will take the first functional layer 210, which includes an optical adhesive (OC) layer, as an example. By using the OC layer as an example, we will specifically illustrate the technical solution of this application and its application advantages in the field of display technology.

[0028] In actual manufacturing processes, when fabricating large-size display panels using splicing exposure, the splicing and non-splicing areas are prone to splicing mura due to differences in exposure levels. For example, insufficient exposure in the splicing area leads to inadequate OC curing, which can result in lower film thickness or gaps. Conversely, repeated exposure in the splicing area can cause excessive local exposure, causing the color coordinates of the OC in the splicing area to deviate from the normal range, increasing the yellowing value, and resulting in lower transmittance in the short-wavelength or full-wavelength range compared to the normal area.

[0029] Based on the formation characteristics of the splicing mura described above, in some embodiments of this application, the first region can correspond to the splicing area formed by splicing exposure, and the second region can correspond to the non-splicing area (also referred to as the normal area). Therefore, by setting the light-shielding structure 300, and simultaneously setting the light-shielding structure 300 to at least partially overlap with the first region along a direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate 100 is located, the light-shielding structure 300 can block the splicing area of ​​the display panel, weakening or eliminating the splicing mura caused by splicing exposure, and reducing the impact of the splicing area on the display effect.

[0030] As can be seen from the above embodiments, this application can utilize the light-shielding structure 300 to block the splicing area formed by splicing exposure, thereby solving the problem that the first functional layer 210 is prone to uneven thickness or light transmittance in the splicing area due to insufficient exposure or repeated exposure, and reducing the adverse effects of splicing mura on the display effect of the display panel.

[0031] It should be noted that the description of the display panel in conjunction with the splicing exposure process in this application is only for illustrating exemplary application scenarios of the structure defined in the claims in practical applications, and does not constitute a limitation on the type of display panel. Whether the display panel described in this application is a panel formed by splicing exposure, or whether it is a transparent display panel, does not affect the technical features defined in the claims. As long as the display panel has the aforementioned relative positional relationship between the first area and the light-shielding structure 300, it falls within the protection scope of this application.

[0032] For example, in low-reflection display panels, during the BM (mura) process, the BM material in the splicing area is difficult to completely remove, easily leaving residues that form black lines, severely affecting the display effect. The display panel provided in this application may include a low-reflection display panel, and by setting a light-shielding structure 300, the light-shielding structure 300 can block the splicing area of ​​the display panel. Thus, even if residual BM material exists in the splicing area, its impact is mainly manifested as an increase in the thickness of the local light-shielding material, without introducing additional interference. It is evident that in low-reflection display panel applications, this application can still effectively mitigate the impact of splicing mura on the display effect.

[0033] In some embodiments, the first functional layer 210 may be located on the side of the light-shielding structure 300 closer to the substrate 100; in some embodiments, the first functional layer 210 may also be located on the side of the light-shielding structure 300 away from the substrate 100. That is, the first functional layer 210 may be disposed below or above the light-shielding structure 300, and its specific positional relationship may be selected according to the actual display panel structure.

[0034] It should be noted that, Figure 1 The first functional layer 210 shown is configured to be located on the side of the light-shielding structure 300 closest to the substrate 100 and on the side furthest from the substrate 100, respectively. That is, the first functional layer 210 is located on... Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, they are simultaneously disposed on the upper and lower sides of the light-shielding structure 300. However, it should be understood that... Figure 1 The diagram shown is merely an exemplary structure and does not constitute a limitation on the specific arrangement of the first functional layer 210. In other embodiments and figures, the first functional layer 210 may be disposed on only one side of the light-shielding structure 300, and its specific positional relationship will be further explained in subsequent embodiments in conjunction with specific structures.

[0035] In some embodiments, the first functional layer 210 may include a single-layer optical adhesive layer or multiple-layer optical adhesive layers. For example, the first functional layer 210 may include a first optical adhesive layer OC1; or it may be as follows: Figure 1 As shown, it includes both a first optical adhesive layer OC1 and a second optical adhesive layer OC2. It should be noted that different arrangements of optical adhesive layers with different numbers of layers are all optional embodiments of the first functional layer 210 of this application.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 1 It is understood that in some embodiments, the first optical adhesive layer OC1 is located on the side of the light-shielding structure 300 closer to the substrate 100, and the second optical adhesive layer OC2 is located on the side of the light-shielding structure 300 away from the substrate 100.

[0037] When the second optical adhesive layer OC2 is formed using a splicing exposure method, if the film thickness in the splicing area is too low, the splicing area of ​​the second optical adhesive layer OC2 may be filled by the subsequent layer (such as optically transparent adhesive) during the subsequent bonding process, thus forming an interface between the two and exhibiting a noticeable splicing mura during the display process. Therefore, regardless of whether the first functional layer 210 is positioned above or below the light-shielding structure 300, as long as it is prepared using a splicing exposure method, a splicing mura may occur in the splicing area, which falls under the applicable scenarios for the display panel described in this application.

[0038] It should be noted that when the first functional layer 210 includes both the first optical adhesive layer OC1 and the second optical adhesive layer OC2, if both the first optical adhesive layer OC1 and the second optical adhesive layer OC2 generate splicing muras in their corresponding splicing areas, then the splicing muras of the two may overlap in the same area. In this embodiment, the splicing area of ​​the first optical adhesive layer OC1 and the splicing area of ​​the second optical adhesive layer OC2 together constitute the first region in the above embodiment, that is, the area corresponding to the first region simultaneously includes the splicing area of ​​the first optical adhesive layer OC1 and the splicing area of ​​the second optical adhesive layer OC2.

[0039] Please combine Figure 1 and Figure 2 It is understood that in some embodiments, the orthogonal projection of the light-shielding structure 300 on the substrate 100 covers the orthogonal projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region on the substrate 100. That is, in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 100, the light-shielding structure 300 can completely cover the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region.

[0040] In the above embodiments, by making the orthogonal projection of the light-shielding structure 300 on the substrate 100 completely cover the orthogonal projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region, the visual defects caused by uneven thickness or abnormal light transmittance of the first functional layer 210 can be further reduced, which helps the display panel to achieve better display effects.

[0041] For example, the display panel may include transparent and non-transparent areas. The non-transparent areas are at least partially surrounding the transparent areas, and the non-transparent areas may be used to arrange light-emitting elements, wiring layers, and other functional layers.

[0042] Please continue reading. Figure 1 In some embodiments, the display panel may further include a wiring layer 400 disposed on the side of the light-shielding structure 300 near the substrate 100.

[0043] As an example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the wiring layer 400 may include a gate metal layer M1, a capacitor metal layer MC, a source / drain metal layer M2, a first wiring metal layer M3, and a second wiring metal layer M4 stacked in a direction away from the substrate 100. A semiconductor layer b is disposed between the gate metal layer M1 and the substrate 100. The semiconductor layer b is the semiconductor layer containing the active layer of the thin-film transistor (TFT). The gate metal layer M1 is the metal conductive layer containing the gate of the thin-film transistor (TFT). The source / drain metal layer M2 is the metal conductive layer containing the source and drain of the thin-film transistor (TFT). Signal wiring can be disposed in the first wiring metal layer M3 and the second wiring metal layer M4.

[0044] Please continue reading. Figure 1As an example, a buffer layer Buffer is provided between the substrate 100 and the gate metal layer M1, a gate insulating layer GI is provided between the gate metal layer M1 and the semiconductor layer b, a capacitor insulating layer IMD is provided between the capacitor metal layer MC and the gate metal layer M1, an interlayer dielectric layer ILD is provided between the source / drain metal layer M2 and the capacitor metal layer MC, a first passivation layer PV1 and a first planarization layer PLN1 are sequentially provided between the first wiring metal layer M3 and the source / drain metal layer M2, and a second planarization layer PLN2 and a second passivation layer PV2 are sequentially provided between the second wiring metal layer M4 and the first wiring metal layer M3.

[0045] The relative positional relationship between the wiring layer 400 and the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first area will be further explained below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0046] In some embodiments, the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region on the substrate 100 coincides with the orthographic projection of the wiring layer 400 on the substrate 100, or the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region on the substrate 100 is located within the orthographic projection of the wiring layer 400 on the substrate 100.

[0047] Next, for ease of explanation, in this application, the width of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region in the direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 100 is defined as L1, and the width of the portion of the wiring layer 400 that overlaps with the first region is defined as L2. It should be noted that, as... Figure 1 As shown, in the display panel, the light-shielding structure 300 and the wiring layer 400 are usually arranged correspondingly in the plan view, therefore in the top view (e.g., Figure 2 Only the light-shielding structure 300 is shown in the diagram. Figure 2 The width L2 marked on the light-shielding structure 300 is used to characterize the width of the wiring layer 400 located below it.

[0048] Specifically, please combine Figure 2 Understanding this, when the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region onto the substrate 100 coincides with the orthographic projection of the wiring layer 400 onto the substrate 100, it indicates that the width L1 of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region is equal to or approximately equal to the width L2 of the wiring layer 400 below it; when the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region onto the substrate 100 lies within the orthographic projection of the wiring layer 400 onto the substrate 100, it indicates that the width L2 of the corresponding position in the wiring layer 400 is greater than the width L1 of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region, for example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown.

[0049] Since the trace layer 400 (e.g., metal trace) is opaque, the above embodiment makes the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region on the substrate 100 coincide with the orthographic projection of the trace layer 400 on the substrate 100, or the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region on the substrate 100 is located within the orthographic projection of the trace layer 400 on the substrate 100. By utilizing the opacity of the trace layer 400, the visibility of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region during the display process is reduced, making it less perceptible to visual defects caused by uneven thickness or abnormal light transmittance of the first functional layer 210 in the first region, thereby improving the display effect of the display panel.

[0050] In this embodiment of the application, the width L1 of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region is not specifically limited. For example, the width L1 of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region can be determined by the size of the overlapping area and the process bias (CD bias). For example, the size of L1 can be the sum of the size of the overlapping area and the process bias (CD bias).

[0051] In some embodiments, the wiring layer 400 includes a first wiring portion that at least partially overlaps with the first region in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 100. Furthermore, the profile of the first wiring portion on a cross-sectional profile parallel to the plane of the substrate 100 includes a broken line, an arc, and / or a wavy line.

[0052] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 4 It is understood that, Figure 3 and Figure 4 The diagram shows a top view of the portion of the wiring layer 400 that at least partially overlaps with the first region in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 100. For clarity, in... Figure 3 and Figure 4 Only a portion of the structure of the routing layer 400 corresponding to the first zone is shown, while the rest of the structure is not shown.

[0053] like Figure 3 As shown in Figures (a), (b), (c), and (d), the profile of the first trace portion 400A on the plane parallel to the substrate 100 includes a broken line. Figure 4 As shown in Figures (a) and (b), the profile of the first trace portion 400A on the plane parallel to the substrate 100 includes an arc.

[0054] Since the human eye is more sensitive to continuous straight line boundaries than to broken lines, polygonal boundaries, or arc boundaries, the above embodiment makes the cross-sectional outline of the first trace portion 400A on the plane parallel to the substrate 100 in the form of broken lines, arcs, and / or wavy lines, so that the effect of the line width change of the first trace portion 400A on the display effect is not easily perceived, thereby helping to weaken the visual defects caused by the widening of the trace.

[0055] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 2 It is understood that in some embodiments, the wiring layer 400 may include a second wiring portion 400B and a third wiring portion 400C, wherein the second wiring portion 400B at least partially overlaps with the first region in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 100, and the third wiring portion 400C does not overlap with the first region in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 100. That is, the orthographic projection of the second wiring portion 400B on the substrate 100 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A located in the first region on the substrate 100.

[0056] It should be noted that, in different embodiments, to facilitate the distinction of different structural forms, the corresponding portions of the wiring layer 400 that at least partially overlap with the first region in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 100 are respectively defined as the first wiring portion 400A or the second wiring portion 400B. The above different definitions are only used to describe the width relationship between the structures in each embodiment. The first wiring portion 400A and the second wiring portion 400B will not exist simultaneously in the same embodiment. Structurally, both correspond to the portion of the wiring layer 400 that at least partially overlaps with the first region.

[0057] Furthermore, due to Figure 2 The width L2 marked on the light-shielding structure 300 is used to characterize the width of the wiring layer 400 located in the first region. Therefore, in the above embodiment, the width of the second wiring portion 400B at the corresponding position can be characterized by the width L2.

[0058] Similarly, since the light-shielding structure 300 and the wiring layer 400 are correspondingly set in the display panel, and Figure 2 Only the light-shielding structure 300 is shown in the diagram. For ease of explanation, in... Figure 2 The positions of the second wiring section 400B and the third wiring section 400C are indicated by dashed boxes to facilitate the explanation of their width relationship later. It can be understood that in the actual structure, the second wiring section 400B and the third wiring section 400C are located at... Figure 2 Below the corresponding portion of the light-shielding structure 300 shown.

[0059] Please combine Figure 2 and Figure 5It is understood that in some embodiments, in a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 100, the width L2 of the second trace portion 400B is greater than the width L0 of the third trace portion 400C. That is, the trace layer 400 is provided with unequal widths in different areas of the display panel.

[0060] The above embodiment widens the second trace portion 400B corresponding to the first area, so that the second trace portion 400B corresponding to the first area has a relatively larger line width than the third trace portion 400C corresponding to the second area. This makes it more difficult to perceive visual defects caused by uneven thickness or abnormal light transmittance of the first functional layer 210 in the first area, thereby further improving the display effect of the display panel.

[0061] For example, when the increase in the line width of the trace corresponding to the first area has little impact on the overall display effect, a direct widening design can be adopted, such as the second trace 400B in the aforementioned embodiment; while when the increase in the line width of the trace corresponding to the first area may have a more significant impact on the display effect, the boundary shape of the trace on the plane parallel to the substrate 100 can be optimized, such as the first trace 400A in the aforementioned embodiment, in order to reduce the impact of the trace boundary change on the display effect.

[0062] Furthermore, in some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the display panel may also include a light-emitting element 500, which is disposed on the side of the wiring layer 400 away from the substrate 100.

[0063] For example, the light-emitting element 500 can be a light-emitting diode (LED), such as a micro-LED or mini-LED. Multiple light-emitting elements 500 can include light-emitting elements 500 with different emitting colors. For example, in a row of light-emitting elements, red light-emitting element R, green light-emitting element G, and blue light-emitting element B can be arranged periodically.

[0064] Please continue reading. Figure 6 In some embodiments, the wiring layer 400 includes a fourth wiring portion 400D and a fifth wiring portion 400E. The orthographic projection of the fourth wiring portion 400D onto the substrate 100 coincides with the orthographic projection of the light-emitting element 500 onto the substrate 100, and the fifth wiring portion 400E is located on at least one side of the fourth wiring portion 400D. Figure 6 As shown, the fourth wiring section 400D can be understood as the wiring layer 400 portion located below the light-emitting element 500, and the fifth wiring section 400E can be understood as the remaining portion of the wiring layer 400 excluding the fourth wiring section 400D.

[0065] In the above embodiments, such as Figure 6As shown, the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region on the substrate 100 coincides with the orthographic projection of the fifth trace portion 400E on the substrate 100, or the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region on the substrate 100 is located within the orthographic projection of the fifth trace portion 400E on the substrate 100.

[0066] When the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region is located above the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting element 500, it can easily directly affect the light emission uniformity of the light-emitting element 500, thereby adversely affecting the normal display of the display panel. The above embodiment avoids the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region appearing above the light-emitting element 500 by setting its orthographic projection on the substrate 100 to coincide with or be located within the orthographic projection of the fifth wiring portion 400E. Simultaneously, combined with the opacity of the wiring layer 400, the visibility of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region during the display process is reduced, making visual defects caused by uneven thickness or abnormal light transmittance of the first functional layer 210 in the first region less perceptible, thereby improving the display effect of the display panel.

[0067] It is understood that, since the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region on the substrate 100 overlaps with the orthographic projection of the fifth trace portion 400E on the substrate 100 in the above embodiment, L2 represents the width of the fifth trace portion 400E in the direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 100 in the above embodiment.

[0068] As an example, in the display panel, the light-emitting element 500 can be arranged as close as possible to the boundary of the transparent area along the edge direction of the transparent area to ensure that in the first area of ​​the display panel, the width L2 of the fifth trace portion 400E is greater than or equal to the width L1 of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first area. That is, it ensures that the projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first area is within the coverage area of ​​the trace layer 400, effectively reducing the visibility of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first area during the display process, making it more difficult to perceive visual defects caused by uneven thickness or abnormal light transmittance of the first functional layer 210 in the first area, and further improving the display effect of the display panel.

[0069] Next, for ease of explanation, the width of the light-shielding structure 300 that overlaps with the first region in the direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 100 is defined as L3.

[0070] For low-reflection display panels, to ensure that the light-shielding structure 300 has a sufficient blocking effect on the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first area, the opening size of the light-shielding structure 300 can be adjusted accordingly. For example, such as... Figure 6As shown, in the direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 100, the width L3 of the portion of the light-shielding structure 300 corresponding to the first region is greater than or equal to the width L1 of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region. By adjusting the opening size of the light-shielding structure 300, it can be ensured that the light-shielding structure 300 can effectively cover the first region.

[0071] In some embodiments, the display panel may also be provided with redundant bits so that, in the event of a failure of some light-emitting elements 500, normal display can be maintained by adding new light-emitting elements 500 to the redundant bits.

[0072] Please see Figure 7 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the light-shielding structure 300 may include a first opening 300A and a redundant portion 300B. The first opening 300A corresponds one-to-one with the light-emitting element 500 and at least partially overlaps with it in the thickness direction of the display panel. The first opening 300A exposes the light-emitting element 500, and the redundant portion 300B is located on at least one side of the first opening 300A.

[0073] It should be noted that, Figure 7 and Figure 8 The different arrangements of the light-emitting elements 500 are only shown. There is no substantial difference between the two in terms of the principle of using the light-shielding structure 300 to achieve the technical effect.

[0074] In the manufacturing process of the display panel, while the light-shielding structure 300 forms a first opening 300A to expose the light-emitting element 500, a redundant portion 300B can be reserved around its periphery. The redundant portion 300B can be set to correspond to the redundant position of the light-emitting element 500. The redundant portion 300B is not required to have a complete light-shielding function, but is a reserved area of ​​the light-shielding structure 300. In subsequent processes, it can be effectively light-shielded by filling with light-shielding material (such as BM).

[0075] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 100, the redundant portion 300B at least partially overlaps with the first region. That is, the orthographic projection of the redundant portion 300B onto the substrate 100 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A located in the first region onto the substrate 100. In other words, the first functional layer 210A in the first region is located above the redundant position of the light-emitting element 500, and the first functional layer 210A in the first region can be effectively shielded subsequently by the redundant portion 300B and the light-shielding material filling the redundant portion 300B.

[0076] As an example, in the direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 100, the width L2 of the wiring layer 400 corresponding to the redundant part 300B should be greater than or equal to the width L1 of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the first region. This is similar to the relative positional relationship between the first region and the wiring layer 400 in the previous embodiment, so it will not be described again here.

[0077] In some embodiments, the light-emitting element 500 overlaps at least partially with the first region in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 100.

[0078] Please see Figure 11 In the above embodiment, the first functional layer 210 is located on the side of the light-shielding structure 300 near the substrate 100, and the first functional layer 210 may have a second opening 210B, which at least partially overlaps with the first region in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 100. The display panel further includes a second functional layer 220, which is disposed on the side of the first functional layer 210 away from the substrate 100, and the second functional layer 220 fills the second opening 210B of the first functional layer 210.

[0079] Based on this, the above embodiment provides a second opening 210B in the first functional layer 210, forming an opening structure in the splicing area, and the second opening 210B is filled by the second functional layer 220 disposed thereon. Thus, by covering the splicing area with the second functional layer 220, the splicing area located in the area corresponding to the light-emitting element 500 is less likely to be observed during display, reducing the impact of the splicing area on the display effect.

[0080] For example, such as Figure 12 As shown, the first region corresponds to the splicing area formed by splicing exposure, and this splicing area overlaps with the corresponding area of ​​the light-emitting element 500. Figure 12 In the shown display panel, the light-shielding structure 300 may have an opening surrounding the light-emitting element 500, which corresponds to a transparent area in the display panel. For example... Figure 12 As shown, the opening can be circular or approximately circular.

[0081] Please see Figures 11 to 13 It is understood that in some embodiments, the first functional layer 210 and the second functional layer 220 may be fabricated using different photomasks. For example, the first functional layer 210 may be exposed and developed using a first photomask Mask1, and the second functional layer 220 may be exposed and developed using a second photomask Mask2.

[0082] As an example, Mask1 can provide an opening pattern 210B' for the splicing area formed by splicing exposure, so that the first functional layer 210 forms a second opening 210B above the light-emitting element 500. Optionally, the size of the second opening 210B is not less than the minimum resolvable size of the light-shielding structure 300 (e.g., the black matrix).

[0083] It should be noted that, except for the area where the second opening 210B is located, the orthographic projection of the first functional layer 210A corresponding to the other first regions on the substrate 100 still coincides with the orthographic projection of the wiring layer 400 on the substrate 100. This is a similar setting to the relative positional relationship between the first region and the wiring layer 400 in the aforementioned embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0084] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a display device according to some embodiments. Please refer to... Figure 14 The display device 1 includes the display panel 10 in the above embodiments. It is understood that the display device 1 can also achieve the technical effects that the aforementioned display panel 10 can achieve, and will not be described in detail here.

[0085] It is understood that the display device 1 in the embodiments of this application can be any product or component with display function, such as electronic paper, mobile phone, tablet computer, television, monitor, laptop computer, digital photo frame, navigator, in-vehicle display device, wearable device, Internet of Things device, etc., and the embodiments disclosed in this application do not limit this.

[0086] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "some embodiments," "as an example," "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 the invention. In this specification, the illustrative descriptions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0087] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features of the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0088] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that, include Substrate; A first functional layer is located on one side of the substrate; the display panel includes a first area and a second area, wherein... The thickness of the first functional layer corresponding to the first region is less than the thickness of the first functional layer corresponding to the second region, or the first region does not have a first functional layer, or the light transmittance of the first functional layer corresponding to the first region is less than the light transmittance of the first functional layer corresponding to the second region. The light-shielding structure overlaps at least partially with the first region along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first functional layer is located on the side of the light-shielding structure closer to the substrate, and / or the first functional layer is located on the side of the light-shielding structure farther from the substrate.

3. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first functional layer includes a first optical adhesive layer and / or a second optical adhesive layer.

4. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The orthogonal projection of the light-shielding structure onto the substrate covers the orthogonal projection of the first functional layer corresponding to the first region onto the substrate.

5. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a wiring layer, which is disposed on the side of the light-shielding structure close to the substrate; The orthographic projection of the first functional layer corresponding to the first region on the substrate coincides with the orthographic projection of the wiring layer on the substrate, or the orthographic projection of the first functional layer corresponding to the first region on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the wiring layer on the substrate.

6. The display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The wiring layer includes a first wiring portion, which at least partially overlaps with the first region in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate. The profile of the first trace portion on the plane parallel to the substrate includes a broken line, an arc, and / or a wavy line.

7. The display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The wiring layer includes a second wiring portion and a third wiring portion. The second wiring portion overlaps at least partially with the first region in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, and the third wiring portion does not overlap with the first region in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate. In a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate, the width of the second trace is greater than the width of the third trace.

8. The display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a light-emitting element, which is disposed on the side of the wiring layer away from the substrate; The wiring layer includes a fourth wiring section and a fifth wiring section. The orthographic projection of the fourth wiring section on the substrate coincides with the orthographic projection of the light-emitting element on the substrate. The fifth wiring section is located on at least one side of the fourth wiring section. The orthographic projection of the first functional layer corresponding to the first region on the substrate coincides with the orthographic projection of the fifth trace portion on the substrate, or the orthographic projection of the first functional layer corresponding to the first region on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection of the fifth trace portion on the substrate.

9. The display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a light-emitting element, which is disposed on the side of the wiring layer away from the substrate; The light-shielding structure includes a first opening and a redundant portion. The first opening corresponds one-to-one with the light-emitting element and overlaps at least partially in the thickness direction of the display panel. The first opening exposes the light-emitting element, and the redundant portion is located on at least one side of the first opening. In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, the redundant portion at least partially overlaps with the first region.

10. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a light-emitting element, which at least partially overlaps with the first region in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate; The first functional layer is located on the side of the light-shielding structure closer to the substrate, and the first functional layer has a second opening, which at least partially overlaps with the first region in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate. The display panel further includes a second functional layer, which is disposed on the side of the first functional layer away from the substrate, and the second functional layer fills the second opening of the first functional layer.

11. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the display panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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