A display panel and display device

Abstract

The application provides a display panel and a display device, wherein the display panel comprises a display area and a non-display area, the non-display area is arranged around the periphery of the display area; the non-display area of the display panel comprises a substrate, a buffer layer arranged on one side of the substrate, a planar layer arranged on the side of the buffer layer away from the substrate, an inorganic encapsulation layer arranged on the side of the planar layer away from the buffer layer, and a touch insulation layer arranged on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer away from the planar layer; wherein the buffer layer is provided with a convex area along a first direction, the convex area is located in the orthographic projection of the planar layer on the buffer layer; the first direction is the direction from the display area to the non-display area; the side of the buffer layer away from the convex area along the first direction is provided with an opening structure; the opening structure penetrates to the substrate along the thickness direction to deposit the inorganic encapsulation layer and the touch insulation layer.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the rapid development of smart terminals, automotive displays, and wearable devices, display panels are constantly improving in terms of resolution, brightness, and thinner and lighter structures, placing higher demands on manufacturing processes. Consequently, the importance of packaging technology is becoming increasingly prominent.

[0003] In the manufacturing process that integrates all steps of a display panel from cutting into cells to final modularization (MDL) (i.e., Cell / MDL integrated mass production process), the display panel needs to achieve high-density electrode interconnection in a multi-layer thin film stack structure and ensure high reliability of the overall package to guarantee stable performance and environmental tolerance under long-term operation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a display panel and a display device.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of this application provides a display panel, comprising: a display area and a non-display area, wherein the non-display area is disposed around the periphery of the display area; the non-display area of ​​the display panel includes:

[0006] Substrate; A buffer layer is disposed on one side of the substrate. A planarization layer is disposed on the side of the buffer layer away from the substrate. An inorganic encapsulation layer is disposed on the side of the flat layer away from the buffer layer; A touch-sensitive insulating layer is disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer away from the planarization layer; The buffer layer has a raised area along the first direction, and the raised area is located within the orthogonal projection of the flat layer onto the buffer layer. The first direction is the direction from the display area to the non-display area; the buffer layer has an opening structure on the side away from the protrusion area along the first direction; the opening structure extends through the substrate along the thickness direction to deposit an inorganic encapsulation layer and a touch insulating layer.

[0007] Optionally, the substrate includes a first flexible substrate, a first barrier layer, a second flexible substrate, and a second barrier layer stacked sequentially. The first flexible substrate, the first barrier layer, the second flexible substrate, the second barrier layer, and the buffer layer extend from the display area to the non-display area, and the end of the layer extending into the non-display area is located at the end of the substrate away from the protrusion area along the first direction.

[0008] Optionally, the orthographic projection of the opening structure on the first flexible substrate is located between the orthographic projection of the end of the inorganic encapsulation layer extending from the display area to the non-display area on the first flexible substrate and the orthographic projection of the protrusion area on the first flexible substrate.

[0009] Optionally, the opening structure starts from one side of the buffer layer away from the first flexible substrate and extends along the thickness direction toward the first flexible substrate until at least a portion of the second barrier layer is exposed.

[0010] Optionally, the opening structure starts from one side of the buffer layer away from the first flexible substrate and extends along the thickness direction toward the first flexible substrate until at least a portion of the second flexible substrate is exposed.

[0011] Optionally, the touch insulating layer extends from the display area to the non-display area, and the orthographic projection of its end extending into the non-display area on the first flexible substrate is located between the orthographic projection of the end of the inorganic encapsulation layer extending into the non-display area on the first flexible substrate and the orthographic projection of the opening structure on the first flexible substrate.

[0012] Optionally, the display panel further includes: A touch encapsulation layer is located on the side of the touch insulating layer away from the inorganic encapsulation layer; The touch encapsulation layer extends from the display area to the non-display area. In the non-display area, the orthographic projection of the inorganic encapsulation layer on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection range of the touch encapsulation layer on the substrate.

[0013] Optionally, the inorganic encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic encapsulation layer and a second inorganic encapsulation layer; A first inorganic encapsulation layer is disposed on the side of the planarization layer away from the substrate. The second inorganic encapsulation layer is disposed on the side of the first inorganic encapsulation layer away from the planarization layer.

[0014] Optionally, there are multiple opening structures; the opening structures include at least a groove structure and a hole structure.

[0015] Based on the same inventive concept, a second aspect of this application also provides a display device, comprising: The display panel as described above; An external circuit, electrically coupled to the display panel, is configured to provide a drive signal to the display panel.

[0016] As can be seen from the above description, the display panel and display device provided in this application include: a display area and a non-display area, wherein the non-display area is disposed around the periphery of the display area; the non-display area of ​​the display panel includes: a substrate; a buffer layer disposed on one side of the substrate; a planarization layer disposed on the side of the buffer layer away from the substrate; an inorganic encapsulation layer disposed on the side of the planarization layer away from the buffer layer; and a touch insulating layer disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer away from the planarization layer; wherein the buffer layer has a raised area along a first direction, the raised area being located within the orthographic projection of the planarization layer onto the buffer layer; the first direction is the direction from the display area to the non-display area; the buffer layer has an opening structure along the first direction away from the raised area; the opening structure extends through the substrate along the thickness direction to deposit the inorganic encapsulation layer and the touch insulating layer. This application, through the interaction of raised areas, open structures, and inorganic encapsulation layers, disrupts the direct permeation path that might otherwise form along the membrane boundary. External water, oxygen, and corrosive substances must bypass the raised areas and encapsulation structures before entering the critical interface, thus significantly extending the permeation path in the first direction and increasing diffusion time, enhancing the barrier effect. Structurally, it also reduces the risk of corrosion failure in critical areas. Simultaneously, the material gradient structure formed between the planarization layer and the inorganic encapsulation layer creates a stable stress buffer zone around the raised areas, effectively dispersing thermal and mechanical stresses and reducing the risk of interface delamination. This significantly improves the bonding strength between the inorganic encapsulation layer and the buffer passivation layer, as well as the overall encapsulation reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this application or related technologies, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1A This is a top view of an exemplary display panel. Figure 1B A schematic diagram of cross-sectional analysis of the edge of the non-display area using a focused ion beam; Figure 1C This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the edge region of the non-display area of ​​a display panel in related technologies; Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the edge region of the non-display area of ​​the display panel according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the edge region of another non-display area according to an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100. Substrate; 101. First flexible substrate; 102. First barrier layer; 103. Second flexible substrate; 104. Second barrier layer; 200. Buffer layer; 201. Open structure; 202. Raised area; 300. Flat layer; 400, Inorganic encapsulation layer; 401, First inorganic encapsulation layer; 402, Second inorganic encapsulation layer; 500, Gate insulation layer; 600, Interlayer insulation layer; 700, Touch insulation layer; 800, Touch encapsulation layer; 900, Inkjet printing layer. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0021] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the embodiments of this application should have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in the embodiments of this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are only used to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0022] Figure 1A A top view of an exemplary display panel is shown.

[0023] like Figure 1AAs shown, exemplarily, the display panel may include a display area AA and a non-display area BB, with the non-display area BB surrounding the periphery of the display area AA. The display area AA includes multiple pixels arranged in an array, used to emit light under the control of a driving signal to complete the display. The non-display area BB is used to lay out peripheral wiring and other structures to provide the driving signal to the pixels of the display area AA. Furthermore, the edge area of ​​the non-display area BB also plays a crucial role in encapsulation and protection. By setting an inorganic / organic composite encapsulation layer or a barrier structure, the edge area of ​​the non-display area is sealed to prevent external moisture, oxygen, and other corrosive substances from seeping into the device from the edges, causing oxidation of the light-emitting layer or electrode layer, short circuits, and other failures, thereby ensuring the stability and reliability of the entire display panel during long-term operation.

[0024] As described in the background section, to achieve continuous breakthroughs in resolution, brightness, and thinner structure of flat panel displays, while also considering efficiency and yield, the industry widely adopts the Cell / MDL integrated process for mass production of display panels. This process completes the cutting, unit molding, and modular assembly of the display panel in the same production flow. This type of process requires high-density electrode interconnection and highly reliable encapsulation within a multi-layer thin-film stacked structure to ensure the stability and moisture and oxidation resistance of the display panel during long-term operation. However, with the continuous narrowing of display panel bezels and the increase in panel size, the edge areas of the non-display areas of the display panel have become weak points prone to reliability failures.

[0025] Figure 1B A schematic diagram of cross-sectional analysis of the edge of the non-display area by a focused ion beam is shown. Figure 1B for Figure 1A A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along section line A-A'.

[0026] Specifically, during reliability verification of products mass-produced using the aforementioned process, high-failure areas were found in the edge and corner regions (i.e., the non-display areas of the display panel, especially the outer edge areas near the display panel's blocking structure). (Reference) Figure 1BThe focused ion beam (FIB) cross-sectional analysis results show that the aforementioned failures mainly manifest as delamination between the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the buffer passivation (BP) layer, which includes the buffer layer 200 and a barrier layer. Further analysis revealed that corrosive components remaining from the second inkjet printing (2nd IJP) process, as well as trace amounts of gases such as moisture (H2O) and oxygen (O2) in the environment, penetrate along the boundary of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 into the bump structure, reacting chemically with the planarization layer 300 to generate gaseous byproducts. This locally accumulated gas causes volume expansion in stress concentration areas, exacerbating the delamination at the interface between the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the buffer passivation layer, severely impacting the long-term reliability and factory yield of the panel.

[0027] Figure 1C A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the edge region of the non-display area of ​​a display panel in the related art is shown. Figure 1C for Figure 1A A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along section line A-A'.

[0028] To address the aforementioned issues, current related technologies propose a display panel structure employing inorganic / organic multilayer encapsulation, as referenced above. Figure 1C The system includes: a substrate 100; a buffer layer 200 and a planarization layer 300 disposed on one side of the substrate 100; and an inorganic encapsulation layer 400 (which may include a first inorganic encapsulation layer 401 and a second inorganic encapsulation layer 402) sequentially stacked on the side of the planarization layer 300 away from the substrate 100. Further, a touch insulating layer 700 and a touch encapsulation layer 800 are disposed above the inorganic encapsulation layer 400. The buffer layer 200 has a raised area 202 formed along the direction from the display area to the non-display area, and this raised area 202 is located within the orthogonal projection range of the planarization layer 300 onto the buffer layer 200.

[0029] In short, the above structure involves depositing an inorganic encapsulation layer 400, a touch insulating layer 700 (essentially an inorganic material layer, such as SiNx, Al2O3, etc.), and an organic buffer layer 200 / touch encapsulation layer 800 (essentially an organic material layer, such as polyimide PI, epoxy resin, etc.) sequentially on the side of the buffer layer 200 away from the substrate 100 in the non-display area edge region. A terminal passivation layer or capping layer is then further superimposed. By forming an alternating inorganic / organic stacked structure, the water and oxygen barrier performance of the encapsulation area can be improved to a certain extent, thereby improving the environmental resistance and long-term reliability of the display panel.

[0030] Specifically, the inorganic layer has high density and low permeability, which can effectively block the diffusion and penetration of water vapor and oxygen; while the organic layer has excellent flexibility and stress buffering properties, which can absorb some stress under temperature changes or external forces, reducing the risk of cracking or peeling at the membrane interface.

[0031] However, although the multi-layer encapsulation structure in the above-mentioned related technologies has improved the overall encapsulation performance of the display panel to a certain extent, the inventors of this application have found that the structural design of the related technologies still follows the traditional edge encapsulation approach. The water and oxygen diffusion path at the encapsulation edge is still relatively short, and corrosive substances can easily penetrate to the critical interface along the shortest path. Even by increasing the thickness of the encapsulation layer, it is difficult to effectively block the diffusion of water and oxygen at the edge interface.

[0032] Therefore, simply increasing the film thickness or stacking the number of layers cannot fundamentally solve the problem.

[0033] To address the aforementioned problems to some extent, some embodiments of this application provide an alternative display panel structure that improves the layer structure of the edge region of the non-display area of ​​the display panel.

[0034] Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of the edge region of the non-display area of ​​the display panel according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 2 for Figure 1A A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along section line A-A'.

[0035] Specifically, in some embodiments, such as Figure 1A and Figure 2 As shown, a display panel includes: a display area and a non-display area, wherein the non-display area surrounds the periphery of the display area; the non-display area of ​​the display panel includes: Substrate 100; A buffer layer 200 is disposed on one side of the substrate 100; A planarization layer 300 is disposed on the side of the buffer layer 200 away from the substrate 100; An inorganic encapsulation layer 400 is disposed on the side of the planarization layer 300 away from the buffer layer 200; A touch insulating layer 700 is disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 away from the planarization layer 300; The buffer layer 200 has a raised area 202 along the first direction, and the raised area 202 is located within the orthographic projection of the flat layer 300 onto the buffer layer 200. The first direction is the direction from the display area to the non-display area; the buffer layer 200 has an opening structure 201 on the side away from the protrusion area 202 along the first direction; the opening structure 201 extends through the substrate 100 along the thickness direction to deposit the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the touch insulating layer 700.

[0036] Specifically, the display panel is divided into a display area (AA) and a surrounding non-display area (BB). The display area performs the core pixel display function, while the non-display area serves the dual purpose of electrical connection and encapsulation protection. To address the structural complexity and edge failure risk of the non-display area, this application proposes a spatial layout that combines a raised area 202, an opening structure 201, and layered encapsulation. This collaborative approach, using both planar and thickness dimensions, controls the penetration path and stress distribution of corrosive substances, thereby comprehensively improving the reliability and durability of the edge area.

[0037] It should be noted that a gate insulating layer 500 and an interlayer insulating layer 600 are further provided between the buffer layer 200 and the inorganic encapsulation layer 400, stacked along a direction perpendicular to the substrate 100. The gate insulating layer 500 and the interlayer insulating layer 600 extend from the display area to the non-display area, and their ends extending into the non-display area terminate in a first direction at the protrusion region 202 (which may be sequential or non-sequential termination), forming a highly protruding structural region on the buffer layer 200 within the protrusion region 202. This highly protruding structural region geometrically constitutes a raised step (or bump), which is at least partially located within the protrusion region 202 and is an important functional component of the protrusion region 202. In other words, the protrusion region 202 includes at least a portion of the raised step formed by the termination of the gate insulating layer 500 and the interlayer insulating layer 600.

[0038] For ease of subsequent description and structural distinction, and without causing ambiguity, the terms "protruding area 202" and "protruding step" used in this article may refer to the protruding structural area formed by the termination of multiple functional layers, either collectively or separately, in the context of the above.

[0039] It should also be noted that the substrate 100 is the basic support layer of the entire display panel. A buffer layer 200 and raised steps located in the raised area 202 of the buffer layer 200 are provided on one side. These raised steps are not random protrusions, but rather the terminating ends of lower functional layers (such as the gate insulating layer 500GI, interlayer insulating layer ILD, etc., and a gate, active layer, etc., may also be provided between the gate insulating layer 500 and the interlayer insulating layer, which are essentially also lower functional layers) in the first direction. Furthermore, the geometric height difference of the raised steps also creates a penetration barrier, forcing external water, oxygen, and chemical residues to bypass them to reach the critical interface. Optionally, the slope and height of the raised steps can be matched with subsequent thin film deposition processes, and stress concentration can be reduced by chamfering, rounding, or setting a flattening layer 300 to ensure the continuous coverage of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400.

[0040] The planarization layer 300, when projected onto the substrate 100, must at least completely cover the raised steps in the raised area 202 to reduce stress concentration and help prevent the penetration of external water and oxygen. Furthermore, the planarization layer 300, as a transition structure between the buffer layer 200 and the upper encapsulation layer, primarily functions to smooth the surface around the steps, fill in the unevenness of the lower layer, and provide a high-quality substrate for the inorganic encapsulation layer 400. Optionally, the planarization layer 300 can be made of low-modulus photosensitive resin or thin PI material to balance flatness and stress buffering capacity.

[0041] The inorganic encapsulation layer 400 is used to block water, oxygen, and corrosive substances. Its material can be high-density Al2O3, SiNx, or alternating thin layers of them, and ALD or PECVD processes can be further used to ensure the coverage and density of the opening structure 201 at the steps and edges of the non-display area. The touch insulating layer 700 is disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 away from the substrate 100, serving as a second barrier to increase the overall shielding redundancy.

[0042] Based on the above structure, an opening structure 201 is further provided to block external penetration interference. The opening structure 201 is located on the side of the buffer layer 200 away from the protrusion area 202 along the first direction, and is located in the non-display area near the edge of the display panel. It forms a spatial arrangement relationship of "display area - protrusion area 202 - opening structure 201 - edge of non-display area" from the display area to the non-display area. The opening structure 201 penetrates at least through the buffer layer 200 in the thickness direction and extends to the substrate 100, so that the subsequently deposited inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and touch insulating layer 700 can be deposited layer by layer from the opening structure 201, thereby further avoiding external water and oxygen penetration interference.

[0043] When external moisture or corrosive residues invade from the edge of the panel, they must first pass through the deposition coverage area at the opening structure 201, then bypass the stepped structure of the raised area 202, and finally approach the internal key interface. This series arrangement effectively disrupts the straight permeation path that might have formed along the membrane boundary, significantly extending the lateral (or first direction) diffusion distance and diffusion time, improving the barrier effect, and working in conjunction with the multilayer inorganic encapsulation structure to form a continuous and dense protective band.

[0044] For example, the raised steps of the raised area 202 and the opening structure 201 described in this embodiment are used to illustrate the multiple protections formed by the cooperation of the raised steps and the opening structure 201.

[0045] The raised steps in the raised area 202 form a spatial barrier that gradually rises from the display area to the non-display area. This prevents moisture, oxygen, or corrosive residues entering from the edge of the display panel from forming a straight diffusion channel along the original functional layer interface. Instead, they must detour around the sidewalls and top structure of the raised steps before continuing to diffuse inward, thus significantly extending the penetration distance and increasing the diffusion time constant in the spatial path. Simultaneously, since the raised steps are jointly formed by the termination of the gate insulating layer 500 and the interlayer insulating layer 600, their internal interface is dense and continuous, further reducing the possibility of corrosive substances forming penetration channels in this area.

[0046] In conjunction with this, the opening structure 201 is not intended to form a through hole or open channel, but rather to selectively set openings of different depths according to its location and geometry. This allows the subsequently deposited inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and touch insulating layer 700 to enter the opening structure 201 and sequentially cover the raised step, planarization layer 300, and their surrounding areas along the first direction, forming a continuous coverage structure spanning the raised step. Simultaneously, by introducing the opening structure 201 and controlling the deposition sequence of "sequential deposition and coverage," the direct permeation shortcuts that might otherwise form along the membrane boundary are blocked by the multi-layered inorganic and insulating structure. This forces corrosive substances to detour along longer and more complex tortuous paths, improving the barrier effect and further inhibiting their diffusion into key areas such as the raised area 202 and planarization layer 300.

[0047] In addition, while covering the raised steps, the planarization layer 300 can also form a material gradient buffer zone with the subsequently deposited inorganic encapsulation layer 400 structure, which is a transition zone from low-modulus organic material to high-modulus inorganic material. Within this buffer zone, local stress concentration caused by thermal cycling, humid and hot environment or mechanical external force can be effectively dispersed, further reducing the risk of interface peeling or film cracking between the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the buffer layer 200 and the substrate 100.

[0048] Through the synergistic effect of the protruding steps and the opening structure 201 in terms of permeation path control, material barrier enhancement and stress buffering mechanism, this embodiment can effectively eliminate the original straight permeation shortcut in the edge area without significantly increasing the overall film thickness or complex process steps. This significantly improves the long-term protection capability of the display panel edge area against water, oxygen and corrosive substances, thereby improving product reliability, service life and barrier properties.

[0049] This embodiment provides a display panel, including: a display area and a non-display area, wherein the non-display area surrounds the periphery of the display area; the non-display area of ​​the display panel includes: a substrate 100; a buffer layer 200 disposed on one side of the substrate 100; a planarization layer 300 disposed on the side of the buffer layer 200 away from the substrate 100; an inorganic encapsulation layer 400 disposed on the side of the planarization layer 300 away from the buffer layer 200; and a touch insulating layer 700 disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 away from the buffer layer 200. On one side away from the planarization layer 300; wherein, the buffer layer 200 is provided with a raised area 202 along a first direction, the raised area 202 being located within the orthographic projection of the planarization layer 300 onto the buffer layer 200; the first direction is the direction from the display area to the non-display area; the buffer layer 200 is provided with an opening structure 201 on the side away from the raised area 202 along the first direction; the opening structure 201 extends through the substrate 100 along the thickness direction to deposit the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the touch insulating layer 700. This embodiment, through the interaction of the raised area 202, the opening structure 201, and the inorganic encapsulation layer 400, disrupts the direct permeation path that might otherwise form along the membrane boundary. This forces external water, oxygen, and corrosive substances to bypass the raised area 202 and the encapsulation structure before entering the critical interface, thereby significantly extending the permeation path in the first direction and increasing the diffusion time, enhancing the barrier effect, and structurally reducing the risk of corrosion failure in the critical area. At the same time, the material gradient structure formed between the planarization layer 300 and the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 can also form a stable stress buffer zone around the raised area 202, effectively dispersing thermal and mechanical stress, reducing the risk of interface peeling, and thus significantly improving the bonding strength between the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the buffer passivation layer, as well as the overall encapsulation reliability.

[0050] The following continues in conjunction with the appendix Figure 2-3 The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the substrate 100 includes a first flexible substrate 101, a first barrier layer 102, a second flexible substrate 103, and a second barrier layer 104 stacked sequentially. The first flexible substrate 101, the first barrier layer 102, the second flexible substrate 103, the second barrier layer 104, and the buffer layer 200 extend from the display area to the non-display area, and the end of the layer extending into the non-display area is located at the end of the substrate 100 away from the protrusion area 202 along the first direction.

[0052] Specifically, in this embodiment, the substrate 100 is composed of a first flexible substrate 101, a first barrier layer 102, a second flexible substrate 103, and a second barrier layer 104 stacked sequentially. These layers, along with the buffer layer 200, extend continuously from the display area to the non-display area, and their ends in the non-display area uniformly terminate at the end of the substrate 100 away from the protrusion area 202 along a first direction. The core objective of this structural design is to form a continuous, stable, and redundant barrier system in the non-display area, and to avoid discontinuous termination interfaces of the multilayer film structure in the protrusion area 202 and its adjacent areas, thereby eliminating potential penetration weaknesses.

[0053] Furthermore, by alternately stacking flexible substrates and barrier layers, a multi-level water and oxygen barrier structure is formed not only in the thickness direction, but also a composite layer system with alternating flexibility and rigidity is constructed in terms of material mechanical properties. This allows the substrate 100 to maintain overall flexibility while significantly improving its impermeability and structural stability. When this composite substrate structure extends continuously to the non-display area and terminates uniformly at an end away from the protrusion area 202, a complete encapsulation structure can be formed around the protrusion area 202 and its surrounding area. This avoids abrupt termination of the layer structure near the protrusion area 202, thereby providing a stable and uniform support foundation for subsequent packaging structures.

[0054] For example, since the first flexible substrate 101, the first barrier layer 102, the second flexible substrate 103, the second barrier layer 104, and the buffer layer 200 continuously cover the non-display area away from the protrusion area 202 in space, the protrusion area 202 is located in the internal region of the multilayer structure rather than the termination boundary region. Therefore, at the protrusion area 202 and its surrounding area, the substrate structure is complete and continuous, and the upper planarization layer 300, the inorganic encapsulation layer 400, and the touch insulating layer 700 can form a stable covering interface, avoiding stress concentration, film warping, or interface peeling problems caused by the superposition of multiple termination layers near the protrusion area 202.

[0055] Meanwhile, the continuous extension structure, in conjunction with the aforementioned opening structure 201 and raised area 202 design, ensures that even if corrosive substances intrude from the edge of the panel, they must pass through multiple layers of blocking structure, bypass the opening structure 201, raised area 202 and encapsulation structure before approaching the critical interface. This collaboratively suppresses penetration behavior from both spatial path and material barrier dimensions.

[0056] Through the above structural design, this embodiment achieves continuous, stable, and multi-layered redundant barrier in the non-display area, preventing the protrusion area 202 and its adjacent areas from becoming weak points in the structural termination and stacking, and significantly improving the long-term barrier capability of the substrate 100 against water, oxygen, and corrosive substances. At the same time, through the alternating combination of flexible and rigid material layers and the continuous extension layout, the local stress concentration caused by thermal cycling and mechanical bending is effectively alleviated, reducing the risk of interface peeling and film failure, thereby comprehensively improving the packaging reliability, structural stability, and service life of the display panel.

[0057] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the orthographic projection of the opening structure 201 on the first flexible substrate 101 is located between the orthographic projection of the end of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 extending from the display area to the non-display area on the first flexible substrate 101 and the orthographic projection of the protrusion area 202 on the first flexible substrate 101.

[0058] Specifically, the orthographic projection of the opening structure 201 on the first flexible substrate 101 is positioned between the orthographic projection of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 extending from the display area to the end of the non-display area and the orthographic projection of the raised area 202. This arrangement aims to ensure that the portion of the buffer layer 200 with the opening structure 201 can also serve as a transition area, preventing the deposition termination boundary of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 from directly coinciding with or being adjacent to the raised area 202. This avoids structural abrupt changes caused by the superposition of multiple termination interfaces at the edge of the non-display area, ensuring encapsulation continuity and stability.

[0059] At the same time, the above arrangement can also work in conjunction with the raised area 202, so that when external corrosive substances invade from the edge of the panel, they must pass through the inorganic encapsulation termination area and the opening structure 201 coverage area in sequence, and bypass the raised area 202 to reach the critical interface, thereby destroying the straight permeation channel that may originally exist along the membrane boundary and blocking the permeation path.

[0060] Through the above arrangement, this embodiment forms a continuous, stable, and multi-level redundant encapsulation protection in the non-display area, which not only extends the penetration path of corrosive substances and increases the diffusion time, but also further reduces the risk of interface failure, thereby significantly improving the long-term reliability and production yield of the display panel.

[0061] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the opening structure 201 starts from one side of the buffer layer 200 away from the first flexible substrate 101 and extends along the thickness direction toward the first flexible substrate 101 until at least part of the second barrier layer 104 is exposed.

[0062] Specifically, the opening structure 201 extends along the thickness direction from one side of the buffer layer 200 away from the first flexible substrate 101 until at least a portion of the second barrier layer 104 is exposed. Optionally, the depth of the opening structure 201 can be designed as needed to ensure that the subsequently deposited inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and touch insulating layer 700 not only form a continuous cover layer in the thickness direction, but also, through this extension in the thickness direction, prevent the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and other film layers from forming thin areas near the protrusion area 202, thereby improving the integrity and barrier capability of the encapsulation structure.

[0063] Meanwhile, the thickness extension of the opening structure 201, in coordination with the layout of the raised area 202 and the planarization layer 300, forces external water, oxygen, and corrosive substances to bypass the entire raised area 202, the opening structure 201, and the multi-layer encapsulation structure before reaching the critical interface. By blocking the permeation path and increasing the diffusion time, the direct permeation channels that might otherwise form along the membrane boundary are effectively disrupted, thereby significantly improving the barrier performance of the non-display area.

[0064] In this embodiment, by extending the thickness direction of the opening structure 201, the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the touch insulating layer 700 further block external interference at the edge of the non-display area, block or extend the penetration path of corrosive substances, and improve the uniformity and density of the film thickness.

[0065] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the opening structure 201 starts from one side of the buffer layer 200 away from the first flexible substrate 101 and extends along the thickness direction toward the first flexible substrate 101 until at least a portion of the second flexible substrate 103 is exposed.

[0066] Specifically, the design in this embodiment ensures that the subsequent inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and touch insulating layer 700 can form a continuous cover layer along the thickness direction, forming a dense film from the bottom of the opening structure 201 to the raised area 202 and the top of the flat layer 300, avoiding the formation of a thin area in the film near the raised area 202, and improving the encapsulation integrity and barrier performance.

[0067] When the opening structure 201 extends only to the second flexible substrate 103, the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the touch insulating layer 700 can form a multilayer barrier structure from the second flexible substrate 103. Compared with extending only to the second barrier layer 104, this can more effectively extend the lateral penetration path of corrosive substances and destroy the straight channels that may be formed at the film layer boundary.

[0068] Furthermore, the opening structure 201 can extend to the exposed portion of the first flexible substrate 101, resulting in a larger coverage area in the thickness direction. The film layer can extend from the bottom of the opening all the way to near the buffer layer 200, forming a deeper continuous cover layer. This arrangement not only further extends the penetration path and improves the lateral barrier capability, but also enhances the bonding strength between the film layer and the substrate interface, improving the stability and durability of the entire packaging system under thermal cycling, damp heat, and mechanical loads, making it particularly suitable for panel applications with high reliability requirements.

[0069] In this embodiment, by adjusting the extension depth of the opening structure 201, graded barrier and stress optimization can be achieved. For example, when it extends to the second barrier layer 104, a shallower multilayer barrier is formed and the lateral permeation path is extended, reducing the film stress; when it extends to the second flexible substrate 103, a deeper cover layer in the thickness direction is formed, further enhancing the barrier capability and interface bonding strength.

[0070] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the touch insulating layer 700 extends from the display area to the non-display area, and the orthographic projection of its end extending into the non-display area on the first flexible substrate 101 is located between the orthographic projection of the end of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 extending into the non-display area on the first flexible substrate 101 and the orthographic projection of the opening structure 201 on the first flexible substrate 101.

[0071] Specifically, the touch insulating layer 700 extends from the display area to the non-display area, with its end projection onto the first flexible substrate 101 exceeding the opening structure 201 but not extending beyond the end of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400. This design ensures that the touch insulating layer 700 can cover the opening structure 201 in the first direction, thereby enhancing the barrier capability of this area and preventing the opening from becoming a potential weak point. Simultaneously, by maintaining coordination with the end of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400, the touch insulating layer 700 can effectively overlap with the lower inorganic encapsulation layer 400, allowing the two layers to work synergistically in both thickness and lateral directions.

[0072] In addition, the multi-layer material gradient that can be formed by the touch insulating layer 700, the lower inorganic encapsulation layer 400, and the planarization layer 300 constitutes a stress buffer zone around the raised area 202, effectively dispersing the local stress caused by thermal cycling and mechanical loads, reducing the risk of film peeling and interface cracking, and improving the stability and durability of the encapsulation structure.

[0073] In this embodiment, the touch insulating layer 700 extends beyond the opening structure 201 in the first direction but does not exceed the end of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400, thus avoiding the opening from becoming a potential weak point, blocking or extending the penetration path of corrosive substances, while optimizing stress distribution and reducing the risk of film peeling and cracking.

[0074] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the display panel further includes: The touch encapsulation layer 800 is located on the side of the touch insulating layer 700 away from the inorganic encapsulation layer 400; The touch encapsulation layer 800 extends from the display area to the non-display area. In the non-display area, the orthographic projection of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 on the substrate 100 is located within the orthographic projection range of the touch encapsulation layer 800 on the substrate 100.

[0075] For example, in this embodiment, by placing the touch encapsulation layer 800 outside the touch insulating layer 700, it can form a multi-layer composite encapsulation structure with the lower inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the touch insulating layer 700, thereby providing additional environmental protection for the panel edge area while maintaining the stability of the touch function.

[0076] Optionally, an inkjet printing layer 900 (or active layer) may be provided on the side of the touch encapsulation layer 800 away from the substrate 100. The inkjet printing layer 900 extends from the display area to the non-display area. In the non-display area, the orthographic projection of the touch encapsulation layer 800 on the substrate 100 is located within the orthographic projection range of the inkjet printing layer 900 on the substrate 100.

[0077] Furthermore, in the non-display area, the orthographic projection of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 onto the substrate 100 lies entirely within the orthographic projection range of the touch encapsulation layer 800. This spatial arrangement ensures that the touch encapsulation layer 800 covers and surrounds the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the touch insulating layer 700 in the lateral direction, preventing the edges of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the touch insulating layer 700 from being directly exposed to the external environment. Structurally, this avoids the formation of weak penetration areas at the edges of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400. Consequently, when external moisture, oxygen, and corrosive substances attempt to enter the critical area, they must first pass through the touch encapsulation layer 800, then through the inorganic encapsulation layer 400, and so on—multiple membrane structures—significantly extending the penetration path and increasing the difficulty of blocking them.

[0078] This embodiment ensures that the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 is completely covered by the orthographic projection range of the touch encapsulation layer 800 in the non-display area, so that the edges of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the touch insulating layer 700 are not directly exposed to the external environment. Structurally, this avoids the formation of weak penetration areas at the edges of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and other layer structures, and significantly extends or blocks the penetration path of external corrosive substances.

[0079] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 includes a first inorganic encapsulation layer 401 and a second inorganic encapsulation layer 402. The first inorganic encapsulation layer 401 is disposed on the side of the planarization layer 300 away from the substrate 100; The second inorganic encapsulation layer 402 is disposed on the side of the first inorganic encapsulation layer 401 away from the planarization layer 300.

[0080] Specifically, the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 adopts a layered structure design, including a first inorganic encapsulation layer 401 and a second inorganic encapsulation layer 402 arranged sequentially. The first inorganic encapsulation layer 401 is located on the side of the planarization layer 300 away from the substrate 100, and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 402 is located on the side of the first inorganic encapsulation layer 401 away from the planarization layer 300. By splitting the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 into a two-level structure, a progressive barrier layout can be formed in the thickness direction of the encapsulation structure, thereby achieving a higher level of water and oxygen barrier performance without significantly increasing the thickness of a single layer.

[0081] Furthermore, the first inorganic encapsulation layer 401 is disposed in close contact with the planarization layer 300, which can fully utilize the low-roughness substrate conditions provided by the planarization layer 300 to obtain a dense and continuous film structure, preferentially forming a first stable barrier against water vapor, oxygen, and corrosive substances from the first direction and edge direction. The second inorganic encapsulation layer 402 is located above the first inorganic encapsulation layer 401, and its film-forming environment is more stable. It can further repair any micro-defects or pinholes that may exist in the first inorganic encapsulation layer 401, thereby forming a superposition of defect misalignment and barrier paths in the structure, significantly improving the density and reliability of the overall encapsulation structure. Optionally, an organic encapsulation layer can also be disposed between the first inorganic encapsulation layer 401 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 402. Its size can be the same as that of the planarization layer 300, further enhancing the barrier effect of the display panel.

[0082] In addition, the interface between the two inorganic encapsulation layers 400 can disperse thermal and mechanical stress to a certain extent, preventing the single inorganic layer from cracking or peeling due to internal stress concentration. Thus, together with the lower planarization layer 300 and the upper touch-related structure, it forms a material gradient buffer, improving the stability of the encapsulation structure during thermal cycling, bending and long-term use.

[0083] This embodiment effectively extends or blocks the penetration path of water, oxygen and corrosive substances by adopting a layered arrangement of the first inorganic encapsulation layer 401 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 402, while significantly reducing the risk of film failure and interface peeling, thereby improving the long-term reliability and product yield of the display panel.

[0084] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, there are multiple opening structures 201; each opening structure 201 includes at least a groove structure and a hole structure.

[0085] Specifically, multiple opening structures 201 are provided, and each opening structure 201 can be a groove structure, a hole structure, or other shaped structure, and different shapes can be combined in multiple opening structures 201. By designing the opening structure 201 with multiple geometric forms, rather than a single opening shape, the subsequent inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and touch-related layers can achieve more sufficient and stable coverage and filling at different spatial scales during the deposition process, thereby improving the continuity and reliability of the encapsulation structure in the edge region.

[0086] Furthermore, the multiple opening structures 201 can be continuously or spaced along the first direction. For example, a continuous trench structure can be used near the display area to form a longer guiding deposition region, while multiple spaced hole structures can be set near the edge of the non-display area to form local anchoring points and stress relief areas. The trench structure easily forms a significant deposition region in the first direction, which is beneficial for the simultaneous deposition of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 along the thickness direction and the first direction, achieving coverage of the steps and edge areas; the hole structure easily forms a deeper coverage space in local locations, allowing the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the touch insulating layer 700 to form multi-faceted contact with the inner wall of the opening structure 201 in the thickness direction, thereby enhancing the interface bonding strength and improving the film adhesion performance.

[0087] Furthermore, when multiple opening structures 201 are arranged in a mixed manner of continuous and intermittent patterns, a distributed barrier network can be formed in the non-display area. When external water vapor, oxygen, or corrosive substances attempt to diffuse along the membrane boundary, they will repeatedly encounter obstacles formed by the groove and pore structures, forcing them to change their permeation direction and lengthen the diffusion path. At the same time, multiple covering interfaces can effectively disperse thermal and mechanical stress, reducing the risk of local cracking and peeling.

[0088] This embodiment sets multiple opening structures 201, and the opening structure 201 includes at least a groove structure and a hole structure, which significantly extends or blocks the penetration path of corrosive substances, and effectively improves the adhesion strength and stress resistance of the inorganic encapsulation layer 400 and the touch-related film layer.

[0089] Based on the same inventive concept, a second aspect of this application also provides a display device, comprising: The aforementioned display panel; An external circuit, electrically coupled to the display panel, is configured to provide a drive signal to the display panel.

[0090] The beneficial effects of this display device are the same as those of the display panel in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0091] Those skilled in the art should understand that the discussion of any of the above embodiments is merely exemplary and is not intended to imply that the scope of this application (including the claims) is limited to these examples; within the framework of this application, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of different aspects of the embodiments of this application as described above, which are not provided in the details for the sake of brevity.

[0092] Additionally, to simplify the description and discussion, and to avoid obscuring the embodiments of this application, the well-known power / ground connections to integrated circuit (IC) chips and other components may or may not be shown in the provided drawings. Furthermore, the apparatus may be shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the embodiments of this application, and this also takes into account the fact that the details of the implementation of these block diagram apparatuses are highly dependent on the platform on which the embodiments of this application will be implemented (i.e., these details should be fully understood by those skilled in the art). While specific details (e.g., circuits) have been set forth to describe exemplary embodiments of this application, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments of this application can be implemented without these specific details or with variations thereof. Therefore, these descriptions should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0093] Although this application has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, many substitutions, modifications, and variations of these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. For example, other memory architectures (e.g., dynamic RAM (DRAM)) may be used with the embodiments discussed.

[0094] The embodiments of this application are intended to cover all such substitutions, modifications, and variations that fall within the broad scope of the appended claims. Therefore, any omissions, modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the embodiments of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that, include: A display area and a non-display area, wherein the non-display area surrounds the periphery of the display area; The non-display area of ​​the display panel includes: Substrate; A buffer layer is disposed on one side of the substrate. A planarization layer is disposed on the side of the buffer layer away from the substrate. An inorganic encapsulation layer is disposed on the side of the flat layer away from the buffer layer; A touch-sensitive insulating layer is disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer away from the planarization layer; The buffer layer has a raised area along the first direction, and the raised area is located within the orthogonal projection of the flat layer onto the buffer layer. The first direction is the direction from the display area to the non-display area; the buffer layer has an opening structure on the side away from the protrusion area along the first direction; the opening structure extends through the substrate along the thickness direction to deposit an inorganic encapsulation layer and a touch insulating layer.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate includes a first flexible substrate, a first barrier layer, a second flexible substrate, and a second barrier layer stacked sequentially. The first flexible substrate, the first barrier layer, the second flexible substrate, the second barrier layer, and the buffer layer extend from the display area to the non-display area, and their ends extending into the non-display area are located on the side of the substrate away from the protrusion area along the first direction.

3. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the opening structure on the first flexible substrate is located between the orthographic projection of the end of the inorganic encapsulation layer extending from the display area to the non-display area on the first flexible substrate and the orthographic projection of the protrusion area on the first flexible substrate.

4. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The opening structure starts from the side of the buffer layer away from the first flexible substrate and extends along the thickness direction toward the first flexible substrate until at least a portion of the second barrier layer is exposed.

5. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The opening structure starts from the side of the buffer layer away from the first flexible substrate and extends along the thickness direction toward the first flexible substrate until at least a portion of the second flexible substrate is exposed.

6. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The touch insulating layer extends from the display area to the non-display area, and the orthographic projection of its end extending into the non-display area on the first flexible substrate is located between the orthographic projection of the end of the inorganic encapsulation layer extending into the non-display area on the first flexible substrate and the orthographic projection of the opening structure on the first flexible substrate.

7. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel also includes: A touch encapsulation layer is located on the side of the touch insulating layer away from the inorganic encapsulation layer; The touch encapsulation layer extends from the display area to the non-display area. In the non-display area, the orthographic projection of the inorganic encapsulation layer on the substrate is located within the orthographic projection range of the touch encapsulation layer on the substrate.

8. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inorganic encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic encapsulation layer and a second inorganic encapsulation layer; A first inorganic encapsulation layer is disposed on the side of the planarization layer away from the substrate. The second inorganic encapsulation layer is disposed on the side of the first inorganic encapsulation layer away from the planarization layer.

9. The display panel according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The opening structure is multiple; the opening structure includes at least a groove structure and a hole structure.

10. A display device, characterized in that, include: The display panel as described in any one of claims 1-9; An external circuit, electrically coupled to the display panel, is configured to provide a drive signal to the display panel.

Images