Display device

Abstract

A display device is disclosed, including a substrate, a plurality of pixels disposed on the substrate, a plurality of touch electrodes disposed on a packaging portion, and a black matrix disposed on the plurality of touch electrodes, wherein the plurality of touch electrodes include a plurality of first open holes exposing each of the plurality of pixels, and a second open hole larger than the plurality of first open holes.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and benefit to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0200344, filed on December 30, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to display devices. Specific embodiments of this disclosure provide a display device including touch electrodes disposed on a display panel and a black matrix overlapping the touch electrodes. Background Technology

[0004] In order to provide users with a variety of functions, the display device recognizes the user's finger or pen touches on the display panel and performs input processing based on the recognized touches.

[0005] The display device may include a plurality of touch electrodes disposed on the display panel. The display device may drive the plurality of touch electrodes and detect the capacitance change that occurs when a user touches the display panel, thereby sensing the user's touch.

[0006] In display devices, increasing the area of ​​touch electrodes is necessary to improve touch sensing sensitivity. However, there are limitations, such as the external visibility of the touch electrodes and the limited area of ​​the touch electrodes within the manufacturing process. For example, with the development of high-resolution (e.g., 2K, 4K, and even 8K) and high pixel density (PPI) display devices, the physical space occupied by each pixel is becoming smaller and smaller. Touch electrodes typically need to be positioned between different pixels, which always limits the electrode size to the capabilities of the manufacturing process.

[0007] The descriptions provided in the Background section should not be assumed to be prior art simply because they are mentioned or associated with this section.

[0008] The background section may include information describing one or more aspects of the subject matter, but the description in this section does not limit the scope of this disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Due to the limitations and shortcomings of related technologies, there is a need to improve the touch sensing structure of display devices.

[0010] Therefore, this disclosure relates to a display device that substantially eliminates one or more problems caused by the limitations and disadvantages of related technologies.

[0011] One aspect of this disclosure relates to providing a display device including touch electrodes with increased area that are not visible from the outside.

[0012] Another aspect of this disclosure relates to providing a display device in which the area of ​​the touch electrodes can be adjusted according to a vacuum device.

[0013] The purpose of this disclosure is not limited to the foregoing, and other purposes not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0014] A display device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a substrate; a plurality of pixels disposed on the substrate; an encapsulation portion disposed on the plurality of pixels; a plurality of touch electrodes disposed on the encapsulation portion; and a black matrix disposed on the plurality of touch electrodes, wherein the plurality of touch electrodes includes: a plurality of first opening holes that expose the plurality of pixels respectively, and a second opening hole that is larger than the plurality of first opening holes.

[0015] Multiple touch electrodes can be configured to create a black-and-white matrix for transactions.

[0016] Each of the plurality of first apertures can expose one pixel, and the plurality of first apertures can have different sizes from each other.

[0017] The second aperture can expose more pixels than the first aperture.

[0018] The plurality of touch electrodes may include a plurality of first touch electrodes arranged along a first direction and a plurality of second touch electrodes arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a second opening may be provided in each of the plurality of first touch electrodes and the plurality of second touch electrodes.

[0019] The total area of ​​the second opening in the touch electrode can be smaller than the total area of ​​the plurality of first openings.

[0020] The display device may also include a grid pattern disposed in the second opening, and the grid pattern may be electrically connected to the touch electrode.

[0021] The display device may also include an auxiliary electrode with a second opening hole for stacking.

[0022] The display device may also include a bridging electrode connecting a plurality of second touch electrodes, and auxiliary electrodes may be disposed on the same layer as the bridging electrode.

[0023] The display device may further include: a first touch insulating layer disposed on the encapsulation portion; and a second touch insulating layer disposed on the bridging electrode and the auxiliary electrode, wherein the bridging electrode can electrically connect a plurality of second touch electrodes, and the auxiliary electrode can be electrically connected to the touch electrode having a second opening through a through hole disposed in the second touch insulating layer.

[0024] The auxiliary electrode can have a grid shape.

[0025] A display device according to another disclosure of the present disclosure includes: a substrate; a plurality of pixels disposed on the substrate; an encapsulation portion disposed on the plurality of pixels; an auxiliary electrode disposed on the encapsulation portion; a touch insulating layer disposed on the auxiliary electrode; a plurality of touch electrodes disposed on the touch insulating layer; and a black matrix disposed on the plurality of touch electrodes, wherein the plurality of touch electrodes includes a second opening hole exposing the auxiliary electrode.

[0026] The plurality of touch electrodes may also include a plurality of first openings exposing each of the plurality of pixels, and second openings may be larger than the plurality of first openings.

[0027] The auxiliary electrode may also include a plurality of third openings exposing each of the plurality of pixels, and the third openings may be larger than the first openings.

[0028] Each of the plurality of first apertures can expose one pixel, and the plurality of first apertures can have different sizes from each other.

[0029] In embodiments of this disclosure, exposure may refer to ensuring that the touch electrode does not cover the pixel or auxiliary electrode.

[0030] The black matrix covers the top and side surfaces of the touch electrodes.

[0031] In another aspect, this disclosure may provide a display device comprising: a substrate; a plurality of pixels disposed on the substrate; a plurality of touch electrodes disposed above the plurality of pixels; and a black matrix disposed on the plurality of touch electrodes, wherein the plurality of touch electrodes comprises: a first region having a first touch electrode and a second touch electrode; and a second region not having the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode; wherein the area of ​​the second region is different from the area of ​​the first region.

[0032] In some embodiments, the first touch electrode is disposed along a first direction, and the second touch electrode is disposed along a second direction different from the first direction, and the first touch electrode is disposed on the same layer or a different layer as the second touch electrode.

[0033] The first region includes a plurality of first openings, and the plurality of first openings overlap a plurality of pixels respectively; the second region includes a second opening, and the second opening overlaps a greater number of pixels than the first opening; and the area of ​​the second region is smaller than the area of ​​the first region.

[0034] The second region may also be provided with an auxiliary electrode, which is disposed on a different layer than the touch electrode.

[0035] In another embodiment, the plurality of pixels includes red pixels, green pixels, and blue pixels, and one of the plurality of first openings overlaps one of the red pixels, green pixels, and blue pixels, while the second opening overlaps a plurality of the red pixels, green pixels, and blue pixels.

[0036] The inventors of this disclosure have recognized the limitations of conventional display devices in which touch electrodes are visible and their area is limited by manufacturing constraints, and have conducted various experiments on touch electrodes disposed under a black matrix, which can allow for increased electrode area while maintaining low visibility and meeting the metal density requirements of vacuum devices.

[0037] The display device according to this disclosure can increase the touch sensing area while suppressing the external visibility of the touch electrodes, thereby simultaneously improving touch sensitivity and display quality.

[0038] Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a display device in which the area of ​​the touch electrode can be adjusted during manufacturing according to the metal density of the vacuum equipment used when forming the electrode.

[0039] Additional features and aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from this description, or may be learned by practicing the inventive concepts provided herein.

[0040] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, and are intended to provide further illustration of the claimed inventive concept. Other systems, methods, features, and advantages will be or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following figures and detailed description.

[0041] All such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages are intended to be included within this specification, within the scope of this disclosure, and protected by the appended claims. Attached Figure Description

[0042] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the exemplary disclosure described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0043] Figure 1 This is a conceptual diagram of a display device based on the content of this disclosure;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a concept diagram of a touch panel based on the content of this disclosure;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a conceptual diagram of a touch electrode based on one of the contents of this disclosure;

[0046] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of part of the image;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing a grid-type touch electrode;

[0048] Figure 6 It is along Figure 4 A cross-sectional view taken by line A-A' in the diagram;

[0049] Figures 7 to 9 The figure illustrates various modified examples of the second opening formed in the touch electrode according to each embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0050] Figure 10 This is a conceptual diagram of a touch electrode based on another disclosure of this disclosure;

[0051] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 Enlarged view of part of the image;

[0052] Figure 12 It is along Figure 11 A cross-sectional view taken by line B-B' in the diagram;

[0053] Figure 13 It is along Figure 11 A cross-sectional view taken by line C-C' in the diagram;

[0054] Figure 14 This is a diagram showing the connection structure of the touch electrode and the auxiliary electrode; and

[0055] Figure 15 and Figure 16 This is a diagram illustrating various modified examples of auxiliary electrodes disposed in touch electrodes according to another disclosure of this disclosure.

[0056] Throughout the accompanying drawings and detailed description, unless otherwise described, the same reference numerals should be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. For clarity, illustration, and convenience, the relative dimensions and depictions of these elements may be exaggerated. Detailed Implementation

[0057] The advantages and features of this disclosure, as well as methods for implementing them, will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and the detailed description thereof below. However, this disclosure is not limited to what is described below and can be implemented in a wide variety of different forms. This disclosure is provided merely to fully disclose the disclosure and to adequately communicate its scope to those skilled in the art.

[0058] Since the shapes, dimensions, scales, angles, quantities, etc., disclosed in the accompanying drawings used to describe the contents of this disclosure are merely exemplary, this disclosure is not limited to the items shown in the drawings. The names of the various elements used in the following description are chosen for ease of description only and may differ from the names used in actual products. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals indicate the same components. Furthermore, in describing this disclosure, detailed descriptions of relevant known art will be omitted or may be briefly discussed when it is determined that such detailed descriptions may unnecessarily obscure the main points of this disclosure.

[0059] In the description of the implementation scheme, when using terms such as "provides," "comprises," "has," "composes of," etc., as mentioned in this specification, other parts may be added unless "only" is used. Unless otherwise expressly stated, components referred to in the singular may include the plural form.

[0060] When interpreting components, even if the error range is not explicitly described separately, the components are interpreted as including the error range.

[0061] When describing the positional and interconnected relationships between two components, such as "on top of," "above," "below," "adjacent to," "connected or coupled," "crossing or intersecting," one or more additional components may be inserted between the components unless otherwise specified, such as "immediately adjacent" or "directly." Directional terms such as "left," "right," "up," and "down" are used for convenience only and are interchangeable.

[0062] When a temporal relationship is described as “after,” “following,” “then,” “before,” etc., it may not be continuous on the timeline unless “immediately following” or “directly” is used.

[0063] The components can be distinguished by terms such as first, second, etc., but the function or structure of these components is not limited by the ordinal number preceding the component or component name.

[0064] The following disclosures can be combined with each other, in whole or in part, and various interconnections and operations are technically possible. The disclosures can be implemented independently of each other or together in a related relationship. Each disclosed embodiment can be implemented independently, and components and items from different embodiments can be combined with each other as alternative examples, if desired.

[0065] The various disclosures of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0066] Figure 1This is a conceptual diagram of a display device based on the content of this disclosure. Figure 2 This is a concept diagram of a touch panel based on the content of this disclosure.

[0067] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The display device according to this disclosure can provide an image display function for displaying images and a touch sensing function for sensing the user's touch.

[0068] The display device according to this disclosure may include a display panel 100 having data lines and gate lines disposed thereon and a data driver 300 for driving the display panel 100.

[0069] The data driver 300 may include data driver circuitry for driving data lines, gate driver circuitry for driving gate lines, and a controller for controlling the data driver circuitry and the gate driver circuitry. The data driver 300 may be implemented using one or more integrated circuits.

[0070] The display device according to this disclosure may further include: a touch panel 200 having a plurality of touch electrodes TE thereon and a plurality of touch lines TL1 and TL2 electrically connected to all or some of the plurality of touch electrodes TE; and a touch circuit section 400 for driving the touch panel 200 to sense the presence or absence of a touch or the touch position.

[0071] The touch circuit section 400 can supply touch drive signals to the first touch electrode TE1 to drive the touch panel 200 and detect touch sensing signals from the second touch electrode TE2 to sense the presence or absence of a touch and / or the touch position (touch coordinates).

[0072] The touch circuit section 400 may include a touch drive circuit that supplies touch drive signals and receives touch sensing signals, a touch controller that calculates touch coordinates, etc. The touch drive signal may be a DC signal with a constant voltage value, or it may be an AC signal that oscillates between high and low levels with a predetermined amplitude and is formed by a plurality of pulses.

[0073] The touch circuit section 400 can be implemented using one or more components (e.g., integrated circuits) and can be implemented separately from the data driver 300. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. All or part of the touch circuit section 400 can be implemented as integrated with the data driver 300. For example, the touch driving circuit of the touch circuit section 400 can be implemented as an integrated circuit together with the data driving circuit of the data driver 300.

[0074] The touch panel 200 can sense touch using a mutual capacitance-based touch sensing method (which is a type of capacitance-based touch sensing method). In the case of a mutual capacitance-based touch sensing method, the presence or absence of a touch and / or touch coordinates can be detected based on the change in capacitance (mutual capacitance) between the driving electrode and the sensing electrode, according to the presence or absence of an indicator such as a finger, pen, etc. However, this disclosure is not limited to this, and a self-capacitance-based touch sensing method can also be used to sense touch.

[0075] In the case of a touch sensing method based on self-capacitance, each touch electrode TE can be used as both a driving electrode and a sensing electrode.

[0076] That is, a touch driving signal can be applied to each touch electrode TE, and a touch sensing signal can be received through the touch electrode TE to which the touch driving signal is applied. Therefore, in the self-capacitance-based touch sensing method, there is no distinction between the driving electrode and the sensing electrode.

[0077] In self-capacitance-based touch sensing methods, the presence or absence of a touch and / or touch coordinates can be detected based on the capacitance change between an indicator such as a finger or pen and the touch electrode TE.

[0078] The following section describes a touch sensing method based on mutual capacitance.

[0079] The plurality of touch electrodes TE may include a first touch electrode TE1 to which a touch driving signal is applied and a second touch electrode TE2 to which a touch sensing signal is sensed. The first touch electrode TE1 may be defined as a driving electrode, a touch driving electrode, a driving touch electrode, etc., and the second touch electrode TE2 may be defined as a sensing electrode, a touch sensing electrode, a sensing touch electrode, etc.

[0080] A plurality of first touch electrodes TE1 can be connected to each other along a second direction (Y-axis direction) to form a drive electrode line TEL1, and a plurality of second touch electrodes TE2 can be connected to each other along a first direction (X-axis direction) to form a sensing electrode line TEL2. The plurality of second touch electrodes TE2 can be connected to each other via a bridging electrode BE. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the plurality of first touch electrodes TE1 can be connected to each other via the bridging electrode BE.

[0081] In this disclosure, a plurality of first touch electrodes TE1 are described as being connected along a second direction, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, a plurality of first touch electrodes TE1 may be connected to each other along a first direction to form a drive electrode line, and a plurality of second touch electrodes TE2 may be connected to each other along a second direction to form a sensing electrode line.

[0082] The touch panel 200 may include touch lines TL1 and TL2 connected to the touch circuit section 400 to electrically connect the touch electrode TE and the touch circuit section 400. The touch electrode TE and the touch lines TL1 and TL2 may be disposed on the same layer or on different layers.

[0083] The touch panel 200 according to this disclosure can be disposed within the display panel 100, but is not limited thereto. For example, the touch panel 200 can be disposed outside the display panel 100. When the touch panel 200 is external, the touch panel 200 and the display panel 100 can be manufactured separately using different panel manufacturing processes and then combined. When the touch panel 200 is internal, the touch panel 200 and the display panel 100 can be manufactured together using a single panel manufacturing process.

[0084] Figure 3 This is a conceptual diagram of a touch electrode based on the contents of this disclosure. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of the image. Figure 5 This is a diagram showing a grid-type touch electrode.

[0085] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The touch electrode TE may include a first touch electrode TE1 disposed along a second direction (e.g., the Y direction) and a second touch electrode TE2 disposed along a first direction (e.g., the X direction). This disclosure is not limited thereto; the first touch electrode TE1 may be disposed along the first direction, and the second touch electrode TE2 may be disposed along the second direction. The first touch electrode TE1 may be a driving electrode, and the second touch electrode TE2 may be a sensing electrode, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the first touch electrode TE1 may be a sensing electrode, and the second touch electrode TE2 may be a driving electrode.

[0086] The touch electrode TE can be quadrilateral in shape, but is not limited to this. For example, the touch electrode TE can have a polygonal shape, such as an octagonal shape.

[0087] The touch electrode TE may include a first opening hole H1 and a second opening hole H2 exposing a plurality of pixels. The first opening hole H1 may have a size sufficient to expose each pixel P. The first opening hole H1 may have different diameters according to the size of the pixel P. The first opening hole H1 may include a 1-1 opening hole H11 exposing the first pixel P1, a 1-2 opening hole H12 exposing the second pixel P2, and a 1-3 opening hole H13 exposing the third pixel P3. For example, when the sizes of the pixels increase in the order of the second pixel P2, the third pixel P3, and the first pixel P1 (P2 < P3 < P1), the size of the first opening hole H1 may also increase in the order of the 1-2 opening hole H12, the 1-3 opening hole H13, and the 1-1 opening hole H11. That is, the diameter of the first opening hole H1 may vary according to the size of the pixel. The first pixel P1 may be a red sub-pixel R, the second pixel P2 may be a blue sub-pixel B, and the third pixel P3 may be a green sub-pixel G, but the sizes of the respective pixels may vary. When the pixels further include a white sub-pixel, the first opening hole H1 may further include a 1-4 opening hole exposing the white sub-pixel. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the term "exposing" may mean ensuring that the touch electrode does not cover the pixel or the auxiliary electrode so that light from the pixel can be emitted to the outside. The plurality of first opening holes H1 may respectively expose the red sub-pixel R, the blue sub-pixel B, and the green sub-pixel G, while the second opening hole H2 may expose more pixels among the red sub-pixel R, the blue sub-pixel B, and the green sub-pixel G.

[0088] According to the present disclosure, since the touch electrode TE is disposed under the black matrix 170, the touch electrode TE may be invisible from the outside. Therefore, the touch electrode TE may be disposed as widely as possible in the area where the black matrix 170 is provided to improve the sensing sensitivity. The black matrix 170 may overlap the top of the touch electrode. In some embodiments, the black matrix 170 may overlap the top surface and the side surface of the touch electrode.

[0089] The touch electrode TE may be formed on the touch panel using a vacuum device having a set metal density allowable limit under which the process can be performed. For process window control, it is necessary to set a range for the local metal pattern density, where it is generally not allowed to completely cover the metal pattern, which does not conform to the process design rules. In the present disclosure, the set metal density allowable limit in the vacuum device may mean the density of the metal in the vacuum device. However, it is not necessarily limited thereto, and it may also refer to the allowable metal density of the vacuum device. Each vacuum device may have a set allowable metal density according to the vacuum level.

[0090] Therefore, when the metal density limit is high, a large amount of metal can be injected into the vacuum device, and thus a large area of ​​touch electrodes (TE) can be formed. However, when the metal density limit is low, the metal density in the vacuum device is low, and it is therefore difficult to form a large area of ​​touch electrodes (TE).

[0091] The permissible metal density can vary depending on the vacuum equipment. Therefore, in order to meet the permissible limit of metal density in the vacuum equipment to be used, the area of ​​the touch electrode TE needs to be adjusted.

[0092] According to this disclosure, a second opening H2 can be formed in the touch electrode TE. The second opening H2 can be located at the center of the touch electrode TE, but is not limited thereto. For example, the second opening H2 can be located at the edge of the touch electrode TE. The second opening H2 can be divided into a plurality of second opening holes H2. The total area of ​​the second opening holes H2 in the touch electrode TE can be less than the total area of ​​the plurality of first opening holes H1. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the total area of ​​the second opening holes H2 in the touch electrode TE can be greater than or equal to the total area of ​​the plurality of first opening holes H1.

[0093] A second opening H2 can be formed to adjust the area of ​​the touch electrode TE according to the metal density limits set in the vacuum equipment. In conventional touch structures, a dummy metal is left floating to maintain a constant reflectivity; however, according to this disclosure, the dummy metal is removed and a second opening H2 is formed to allow for vacuum processing in the device design. Furthermore, in this disclosure, since the touch electrode TE is positioned below the black matrix, there are no visibility issues even when the dummy metal is removed.

[0094] The second opening H2 can be formed in a shape corresponding to the touch electrode TE. For example, when the touch electrode TE has a quadrilateral shape, the second opening H2 can also have a quadrilateral shape. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the touch electrode TE can have an octagonal shape, and the second opening H2 can have a quadrilateral shape.

[0095] Reference Figure 5 For visibility, touch electrodes TE with a grid structure are conventionally used, but this has the problem that the resistance increases relatively due to the increased opening area S1 of the fine grid lines, resulting in low sensing sensitivity. However, according to this disclosure, since the touch electrodes TE are completely disposed below the black matrix 170, it has the advantage of distributing the touch electrodes TE as widely as possible to reduce resistance.

[0096] Figure 6 It is along Figure 4 The cross-sectional view taken by line A-A' in the diagram.

[0097] Reference Figure 6 The display device according to this disclosure may include a substrate 110, a plurality of pixels P disposed on the substrate 110, an encapsulation portion 150 disposed on the plurality of pixels, a plurality of touch electrodes TE disposed on the encapsulation portion 150, and a black matrix 170 disposed on the plurality of touch electrodes TE. Each of the plurality of pixels P may include a light-emitting element 130 and a driving circuit including a thin-film transistor (TFT).

[0098] The substrate 110 may contain an insulating material. For example, the substrate 110 may contain glass or plastic. A buffer layer may be provided on the substrate 110. The buffer layer can reduce or prevent contamination caused by the substrate during the formation process of the drive circuit.

[0099] A driving circuit including a plurality of thin-film transistors (TFTs) can be disposed on the substrate 110. The thin-film transistors (TFTs) can generate a driving current corresponding to a data signal. The thin-film transistors can be oxide thin-film transistors or low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors.

[0100] The planarization layer 120 can remove the steps caused by the driving circuitry of each pixel. For example, the upper surface of the planarization layer 120 facing the substrate 110 can be a flat plane. The planarization layer 120 may contain an organic insulating material. A plurality of insulating layers may also be provided between the planarization layer 120 and the substrate 110.

[0101] The light-emitting element 130 can emit light of a specific color. For example, the light-emitting element 130 of each pixel may include a first electrode 131, a light-emitting layer 132, and a second electrode 133 stacked sequentially on the substrate 110.

[0102] The first electrode 131 may comprise a conductive material. The first electrode 131 may comprise a material with high reflectivity. For example, the first electrode 131 may comprise a metal such as aluminum (Al) or silver (Ag). In an alternative embodiment, the first electrode 131 may also be formed of aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), or combinations thereof. The first electrode 131 may have a multilayer structure. For example, the first electrode 131 may have a structure in which reflective electrodes made of metal are positioned between transparent electrodes made of transparent conductive materials such as ITO or IZO. In another embodiment, the first electrode 131 may also be formed of an Ag / Pd / Cu (APC) alloy.

[0103] The light-emitting layer 132 can generate light with a brightness corresponding to the voltage difference between the first electrode 131 and the second electrode 133. For example, the light-emitting layer 132 may include a light-emitting material layer (EML) containing a light-emitting material. The light-emitting material may include organic materials, inorganic materials, or hybrid materials. For example, the display device according to the disclosure of this specification may be an organic light-emitting display device containing an organic light-emitting material.

[0104] The light-emitting layer 132 may have a multilayer structure. For example, the light-emitting layer 132 may include a hole injection layer HIL, a hole transport layer HTL, an electron transport layer ETL, and an electron injection layer EIL.

[0105] However, the disclosure is not limited thereto. The light-emitting element 130 may include a light-emitting layer 132 comprising an inorganic material. In this case, the light-emitting layer 132 may include a micron-sized inorganic light-emitting layer.

[0106] The second electrode 133 may comprise a conductive material. The second electrode 133 may comprise a different material than the first electrode 131. The transmittance of the second electrode 133 may be greater than that of the first electrode 131. For example, the second electrode 133 may be a transparent electrode made of a transparent conductive material such as ITO or IZO. Therefore, in the display device according to the disclosure of this specification, light generated by the light-emitting layer 132 can be emitted to the outside through the second electrode 133.

[0107] The dam layer 140 may be located on the planarization layer 120. The dam layer 140 may define the light-emitting region in each pixel. For example, the dam layer 140 may cover the edge of the first electrode 131. The light-emitting layer 132 and the second electrode 133 may be sequentially stacked on the portion of the first electrode 131 exposed through the dam layer 140. The dam layer 140 may contain an insulating material. For example, the dam layer 140 may contain an organic insulating material.

[0108] At least a portion of the light-emitting layer 132 of each pixel may extend outside the pixel. For example, at least one of the hole injection layer HIL, hole transport layer HTL, electron transport layer ETL, and electron injection layer EIL located in each pixel may extend onto the embankment layer 140. At least one of the hole injection layer HIL, hole transport layer HTL, electron transport layer ETL, and electron injection layer EIL located in each pixel may be formed simultaneously with the corresponding layer located in adjacent pixels. For example, at least one of the hole injection layer HIL, hole transport layer HTL, electron transport layer ETL, and electron injection layer EIL may be formed on the entire surface of the substrate 110.

[0109] The encapsulation portion 150 can be located on the light-emitting element of each pixel. The encapsulation portion 150 can reduce or prevent damage to the light-emitting element caused by external moisture and impact. For example, the light-emitting element 130 of each pixel can be completely covered by the encapsulation portion 150.

[0110] The encapsulation portion 150 may have a multi-layer structure. For example, the encapsulation portion 150 may include a first encapsulation layer 151, a second encapsulation layer 152, and a third encapsulation layer 153. The first encapsulation layer 151, the second encapsulation layer 152, and the third encapsulation layer 153 may contain insulating material.

[0111] The second encapsulation layer 152 may contain a different material than the first encapsulation layer 151 and the third encapsulation layer 153. For example, the first encapsulation layer 151 and the third encapsulation layer 153 may contain inorganic insulating materials, while the second encapsulation layer 152 may contain organic insulating materials. Therefore, damage to the light-emitting element caused by external moisture and impact can be effectively reduced or prevented.

[0112] Because the second encapsulation layer 152 is relatively thick, steps caused by the light-emitting element can be removed by the second encapsulation layer 152. For example, the upper surface of the encapsulation portion 150 facing the substrate 110 can be a flat plane. Furthermore, the parasitic capacitance between the second electrode 133 of the light-emitting element and the touch electrode TE can be reduced due to the second encapsulation layer 152. The thickness of the second encapsulation layer 152 can be 5 μm or greater, but is not limited thereto.

[0113] The first touch insulating layer 161 may be disposed on the package portion 150. The first touch insulating layer 161 can prevent chemical solutions (such as developers or etchants used in the manufacturing process of the touch electrode TE) or external moisture or foreign matter from penetrating into the light-emitting element.

[0114] The bridging electrode BE can be disposed on the first touch insulating layer 161. The bridging electrode BE can be disposed at the location connecting the plurality of second touch electrodes TE2 in the touch electrodes TE. The bridging electrode BE can contain the same material as the touch electrodes TE, or it can contain a different material.

[0115] A second touch insulating layer 162 can be disposed on the first touch insulating layer 161 to cover the bridging electrode BE and insulate the bridging electrode BE and the touch electrode TE. The second touch insulating layer 162 can be disposed between the bridging electrodes BE and can insulate the bridging electrodes BE from each other. Some second touch electrodes TE2 can be connected to the bridging electrode BE through through-holes.

[0116] The first touch insulating layer 161 and / or the second touch insulating layer 162 may be made of inorganic insulating materials such as silicon nitride (SiN). x ) or silicon oxide (SiO)x Made from ( ).

[0117] The black matrix 170 can be located on the touch electrode TE. According to this disclosure, since the black matrix 170 is provided on the touch electrode TE, the reflection of external light by the touch electrode TE can be reduced or prevented. Therefore, the touch electrode TE can be provided as extensively as possible.

[0118] The black matrix 170 may include a plurality of opening regions OA1, and the plurality of opening regions OA1 may be disposed at the location of the first opening hole H1 of the overlapping touch electrode TE. Therefore, light emitted from the light-emitting element 130 can be emitted to the outside through the first opening hole H1 and the opening regions OA1. Figure 6 As can be seen, the area of ​​the first opening H1 can correspond to the gap between two adjacent first touch electrodes TE1 and second touch electrodes TE2. The opening region OA1 can correspond to the distance between two adjacent black matrices 170. The first opening H1 of the touch electrode TE can have a wider diameter than the opening region OA1 of the black matrix 170. In this embodiment, the black matrix 170 can cover the upper and side surfaces of the touch electrode, which is beneficial to the invisibility of the touch electrode TE. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. The black matrix 170 can overlap with the touch electrode in other ways.

[0119] In the second opening H2 of the touch electrode TE, a black matrix 170 can be disposed on the second touch insulating layer 162. The second opening H2 can overlap a plurality of opening regions OA1 of the black matrix 170. That is, one first opening H1 overlaps one opening region OA1, but one second opening H2 can overlap a plurality of opening regions OA1. (Refer to...) Figure 6 It can also be seen that the second opening H2 can be a region where no touch electrodes are present. In this case, the first touch electrode TE1 and the second touch electrode TE2 are not arranged in the region of the second opening H2. The black matrix 170 is disposed on the touch insulating layer without covering the touch electrodes. In some embodiments, the region where touch electrodes are provided can be referred to as the first region, while the region where no touch electrodes are provided can be referred to as the second region.

[0120] According to this disclosure, the black matrix 170 can be directly disposed on the touch electrode TE, but is not limited thereto. For example, a separate touch protection layer can be disposed between the touch electrode TE and the black matrix 170.

[0121] A touch protection layer can be applied to the touch electrode TE. This layer reduces or prevents oxidation, corrosion, or damage to the touch electrode TE and the touch wire. The touch protection layer can be made of an inorganic insulating material (such as silicon nitride (SiN)). x ) and silicon oxide (SiO)x It is made of at least one of the following materials: acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin and polyimide resin, but not limited thereto.

[0122] Color filters CF1, CF2, and CF3 can be disposed in the opening region OA1 of the black matrix 170. Color filters having the same color as the light emitted from each light-emitting element 130 can be respectively disposed as color filters CF1, CF2, and CF3. According to this disclosure, since a plurality of color filters CF1, CF2, and CF3 can be located at positions corresponding to a plurality of opening regions, excellent light-emitting performance can be achieved.

[0123] Figures 7 to 9 The diagram shows various examples of modifications to the touch electrodes.

[0124] Reference Figure 7 The touch electrode TE may include a plurality of first openings H1 and a plurality of second openings H2. According to this disclosure, the second openings H2 may be divided into a plurality of second openings H2 and arranged to be spaced apart from each other. When the second openings H2 are arranged at predetermined intervals, the sensing sensitivity can be improved because the resistance distribution in the touch electrode TE becomes more uniform. Figure 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the second opening H2 is arranged symmetrically around the central region of the touch electrode. Symmetrical arrangement can be advantageous in some embodiments for improving sensing sensitivity. However, in other embodiments, the arrangement of the second opening H2 may not be perfectly symmetrical (e.g., Figure 3 (As shown).

[0125] Reference Figure 8 A plurality of conductive lines TMS1 can be formed in the second opening H2 of the touch electrode TE. According to this configuration, sensing sensitivity can be improved by forming a plurality of conductive lines TMS1 in the second opening H2 while maintaining metal density. In other words, one or more conductive lines TMS1 are inserted in areas where the touch electrode TE is not present to improve sensing sensitivity. The density of one or more conductive lines TMS1 can be lower than the arrangement density of the touch electrode TE.

[0126] Reference Figure 9, the second opening hole H2 can be provided at the edge of the touch electrode TE. In this case, the second opening hole H2 can be formed by connecting a plurality of first opening holes H1. The second opening hole H2 extends along the edge of the touch electrode TE and covers a plurality of first opening holes H1. The shape of one or more second opening holes H2 can be substantially the same as the shape of the touch electrode TE. For example, if the touch electrode TE is quadrilateral, one or more second opening holes H2 can also be quadrilateral and surround the central portion of the touch electrode TE. The width of the second opening hole H2 can be greater than or equal to the diameter of the first opening hole H1. In this way, the position and shape of the second opening hole H2 can be variously modified within the range that satisfies the metal density.

[0127] Figure 10 is a conceptual diagram of a touch electrode according to another disclosure of the present disclosure. Figure 11 is Figure 10 a partially enlarged view of.

[0128] Referring to Figure 10 and Figure 11 , the touch electrode TE can include a first opening hole H1 and a second opening hole H2 that exposes a plurality of pixels. The first opening hole H1 can have a size sufficient to expose one pixel P. The first opening hole H1 can have different diameters according to the size of the pixel P.

[0129] The first opening hole H1 can include a 1-1 opening hole H11 that exposes the first pixel P1, a 1-2 opening hole H12 that exposes the second pixel P2, and a 1-3 opening hole H13 that exposes the third pixel P3.

[0130] For example, when the size of the pixels increases in the order of the second pixel P2, the third pixel P3, and the first pixel P1 (P2 < P3 < P1), the size of the first opening hole H1 can also increase in the order of the 1-2 opening hole H12, the 1-3 opening hole H13, and the 1-1 opening hole H11. That is, the diameter of the first opening hole H1 can vary according to the size of the pixel P.

[0131] According to the present disclosure, a second opening hole H2 can be formed in the touch electrode TE. The second opening hole H2 can be provided at the center of the touch electrode TE, but is not limited thereto. For example, the second opening hole H2 can be provided at the edge of the touch electrode TE. The second opening hole H2 can be formed to adjust the metal density of the touch electrode TE.

[0132] The touch electrode TE may include an auxiliary electrode SE exposed through a second opening H2. The auxiliary electrode SE may be disposed on the same layer as the bridging electrode BE. The auxiliary electrode SE may be fabricated simultaneously with the bridging electrode BE. Due to the auxiliary electrode SE, the touch sensing area may have a substantially the same area as the black matrix 170. In this embodiment, the auxiliary electrode SE fills the area corresponding to the second opening H2 on a different layer than the touch electrode TE. The auxiliary electrode SE and the touch electrode TE may be spaced apart from each other by a second touch insulating layer 162. In such a structure, the touch electrode TE, the bridging electrode BE, and the auxiliary electrode SE satisfy the limitations on metal occupancy per layer in semiconductor design. Furthermore, sensing sensitivity can be improved.

[0133] The auxiliary electrode SE can be formed in a shape corresponding to the touch electrode TE. For example, when the touch electrode TE has a quadrilateral shape, the auxiliary electrode SE can also have a quadrilateral shape. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the touch electrode TE can have an octagonal shape, and the auxiliary electrode SE can have a quadrilateral shape.

[0134] The area of ​​the auxiliary electrode SE can be smaller than the area of ​​the touch electrode TE. Since the auxiliary electrode SE can be formed to correspond to the region in which the second opening H2 is formed to adjust the electrode density, the auxiliary electrode SE can have a smaller area than the touch electrode TE. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, when the size of the touch electrode TE is reduced, the area of ​​the auxiliary electrode SE can be greater than or equal to the area of ​​the touch electrode TE.

[0135] The auxiliary electrode SE can have a shape corresponding to the second opening H2. For example, when the second opening H2 has a quadrilateral shape, the auxiliary electrode SE can also have a quadrilateral shape. However, this disclosure is not limited to this, and the auxiliary electrode SE can have a different shape from the second opening H2. For example, the second opening H2 can have a quadrilateral shape, while the auxiliary electrode SE can have an octagonal shape.

[0136] The auxiliary electrode SE can have a smaller area than the second opening H2. When the area of ​​the auxiliary electrode SE is larger than the area of ​​the second opening H2, it overlaps with the touch electrode TE, generating parasitic capacitance. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the area of ​​the auxiliary electrode SE can be greater than or equal to the area of ​​the second opening H2.

[0137] The auxiliary electrode SE may include a third aperture H3 exposing a plurality of pixels P. The third aperture H3 may have the same diameter as the first aperture H1. Therefore, the third aperture H3 may include a 3-1 aperture H31 exposing the first pixel P1, a 3-2 aperture H32 exposing the second pixel P2, and a 3-3 aperture H33 exposing the third pixel P3. The diameter of the 3-1 aperture H31 may be the same as the diameter of the 1-1 aperture H11. The diameter of the 3-2 aperture H32 may be the same as the diameter of the 1-2 aperture H12. The diameter of the 3-3 aperture H33 may be the same as the diameter of the 1-3 aperture H13.

[0138] Figure 12 It is along Figure 11 The cross-sectional view taken by line B-B' in the diagram. Figure 13 It is along Figure 11 The cross-sectional view taken from line C-C' in the diagram. Figure 14 This is a diagram showing the connection structure of the touch electrode and the auxiliary electrode.

[0139] Reference Figure 12 The bridging electrode BE and the auxiliary electrode SE can be disposed on the first touch insulating layer 161. A second touch insulating layer 162 can be disposed on the bridging electrode BE and the auxiliary electrode SE. The first touch insulating layer 161 and / or the second touch insulating layer 162 can be made of an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride (SiN). x ) or silicon oxide (SiO) x Made from ( ).

[0140] The bridging electrode BE and the auxiliary electrode SE are manufactured in the same process and therefore can be made of the same material and have the same thickness. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the bridging electrode and the auxiliary electrode SE can have different thicknesses. The thickness of the auxiliary electrode SE can be manufactured to be the same as the thickness of the touch electrode TE to make the sensing sensitivity consistent.

[0141] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, since the touch electrode TE is formed after the second touch insulating layer 162 is formed on the auxiliary electrode SE, the auxiliary electrode SE can be formed without affecting the metal electrode density required by the vacuum device. Therefore, according to this disclosure, since the auxiliary electrode SE is formed first and then the touch electrode TE is formed, the sensing area can be improved or the sensing area can be maximized while meeting the metal density limitations set by the vacuum device.

[0142] In the region where the second opening H2 is formed, only the auxiliary electrode SE can be provided without the touch electrode TE. Therefore, in the region where the second opening H2 is formed, the auxiliary electrode SE can be used as the touch electrode TE.

[0143] The black matrix 170 can be located on the touch electrode TE. According to this disclosure, since the black matrix 170 is provided on the touch electrode TE and the auxiliary electrode SE, the reflection of external light by the touch electrode TE and the auxiliary electrode SE can be reduced or prevented. Therefore, the touch electrode TE and the auxiliary electrode SE can be provided as extensively as possible.

[0144] In the second opening H2, the black matrix 170 can be disposed on the auxiliary electrode SE. In this case, the second touch insulating layer 162 can be disposed between the black matrix 170 and the auxiliary electrode SE. The black matrix 170 can overlap the top of the auxiliary electrode SE, and the side portion of the black matrix 170 can laterally overlap the side surface of the auxiliary electrode SE.

[0145] According to this disclosure, the opening region OA1 of the black matrix 170 can be disposed at the location of the first opening hole H1 of the overlapping touch electrode TE. Therefore, light emitted from the light-emitting element can be emitted to the outside through the first opening hole H1 and the opening region OA1.

[0146] The black matrix 170 can be disposed on the second touch insulating layer 162 in the portion corresponding to the second opening hole H2 of the touch electrode TE. Therefore, one second opening hole H2 can overlap a plurality of opening regions OA1 of the black matrix 170.

[0147] The first opening H1 of the touch electrode TE can have a wider diameter than the opening region OA1 of the black matrix 170. Furthermore, the third opening H3 of the auxiliary electrode SE can have a wider diameter than both the first opening H1 of the touch electrode TE and the opening region OA1 of the black matrix 170. In this embodiment, the width of the opening region OA1 can correspond to the distance between the opposite side edges of two adjacent black matrices covering the auxiliary electrode SE, while the width of the third opening H3 can correspond to the distance between the opposite side edges of two adjacent auxiliary electrodes SE.

[0148] According to this disclosure, the black matrix 170 can be directly disposed on the touch electrode TE, but is not limited thereto. For example, a separate touch protection layer can be disposed between the touch electrode TE and the black matrix 170.

[0149] Reference Figure 13 and Figure 14 Since a through hole 162a is formed in the second touch insulating layer 162, the contact electrode CTE1 of the touch electrode TE can be electrically connected to the auxiliary electrode SE through the through hole 162a.

[0150] A plurality of contact electrodes CTE1 may exist for the touch electrode TE. The touch electrode TE may include a plurality of extensions CTE2 extending into the second opening H2, and the contact electrodes CTE1 may be disposed at the ends of the extensions CTE2. Although the touch electrode TE and the auxiliary electrode SE are shown spaced apart in a plan view, the auxiliary electrode SE may be formed to have the same area as the second opening H2 of the touch electrode TE. Therefore, the touch electrode TE and the auxiliary electrode SE may be arranged such that their boundaries overlap.

[0151] Although this disclosure shows that the extension of the touch electrode TE extends to the upper part of the auxiliary electrode SE, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the extension of the auxiliary electrode SE may extend and may be electrically connected to the lower part of the touch electrode TE.

[0152] Figure 15 and Figure 16 This is a diagram illustrating various modifications to the touch electrode.

[0153] Reference Figure 15 The second opening H2 and the auxiliary electrode SE can be divided into a plurality of second openings H2 and a plurality of auxiliary electrodes SE, and are arranged to be spaced apart from each other. When the second openings H2 are arranged at predetermined intervals, the sensing sensitivity can be improved because the resistance distribution in the touch electrode TE becomes more uniform. Figure 15 In this plan view, the auxiliary electrode SE can cover the entire area of ​​the second opening H2. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. The auxiliary electrode SE can cover only a portion of the area of ​​the second opening H2.

[0154] Reference Figure 16 The auxiliary electrode SE can have a grid shape. According to this configuration, sensing sensitivity can be improved by forming multiple conductive lines in the second opening H2 while maintaining metal density.

[0155] According to the disclosure of embodiments of the present invention, low reflectivity is possible, and visibility issues can be improved by placing the touch electrodes below the black matrix. Furthermore, sensing sensitivity can be improved by increasing the area of ​​the touch electrodes. Moreover, the increased freedom in sensor design offers advantages in ensuring touch performance.

[0156] Furthermore, the area of ​​the touch electrode can be increased while adjusting the area of ​​the touch electrode according to the metal density of the vacuum equipment used to manufacture the touch panel.

[0157] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0158] Since the description of the problem to be solved, the means of solving the problem, and the aforementioned effects do not specify the essential features of the claims, the scope of the claims is not limited to the items described in the description. The scope of this disclosure should be determined solely by the claims and their equivalents.

[0159] Although this disclosure has been described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is not necessarily limited to these disclosures, and various modifications can be made without departing from the technical concept of this disclosure. Therefore, the disclosures herein are not intended to limit the technical concept of this disclosure, but rather to describe it, and the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure is not limited by these disclosures. The scope of this disclosure should be interpreted in accordance with the appended claims, and all technical concepts within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as included within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising: substrate; A plurality of pixels are disposed on the substrate; Encapsulation portions disposed on the plurality of pixels; A plurality of touch electrodes are disposed on the encapsulation portion; as well as The black matrix is ​​disposed on the plurality of touch electrodes. The plurality of touch electrodes includes: A plurality of first openings that expose the plurality of pixels respectively, and A second opening that is larger than the plurality of first openings.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of touch electrodes are arranged in an overlapping manner with the black matrix.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first openings exposes a pixel, and The plurality of first openings have different sizes from each other.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein the second opening exposes more pixels than the first opening.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of touch electrodes comprises: A plurality of first touch electrodes arranged along a first direction; and A plurality of second touch electrodes arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction, and The second opening is disposed in each of the plurality of first touch electrodes and the plurality of second touch electrodes.

6. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the total area of ​​the second opening in the touch electrode is smaller than the total area of ​​the plurality of first openings.

7. The display device according to claim 1, comprising a grid pattern disposed in the second opening. The grid pattern is electrically connected to the touch electrode.

8. The display device according to claim 5, comprising an auxiliary electrode disposed on the second opening hole.

9. The display device according to claim 8, further comprising a bridging electrode connecting the plurality of second touch electrodes. The auxiliary electrode is disposed on the same layer as the bridging electrode.

10. The display device according to claim 9, further comprising: A first touch insulating layer is disposed on the encapsulation portion; and A second touch insulating layer is disposed on the bridging electrode and the auxiliary electrode. The bridging electrode is electrically connected to the plurality of second touch electrodes, and The auxiliary electrode is electrically connected to the touch electrode having the second opening through a through-hole disposed in the second touch insulating layer.

11. The display device according to claim 8, wherein the auxiliary electrode has a grid shape.

12. A display device, comprising: substrate; A plurality of pixels are disposed on the substrate; Encapsulation portions disposed on the plurality of pixels; Auxiliary electrodes are disposed on the encapsulation portion; A touch insulating layer disposed on the auxiliary electrode; A plurality of touch electrodes are disposed on the touch insulating layer; as well as The black matrix is ​​disposed on the plurality of touch electrodes. The plurality of touch electrodes includes a second opening that exposes the auxiliary electrode.

13. The display device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of touch electrodes further comprises a plurality of first openings exposing each of the plurality of pixels, and The second opening is larger than the plurality of first openings.

14. The display device of claim 13, wherein the auxiliary electrode further comprises a plurality of third openings exposing each of the plurality of pixels, and The third opening is larger than the first opening.

15. The display device of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of first openings exposes a pixel, and The plurality of first openings have different sizes from each other.

16. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the exposure allows the touch electrode not to cover the pixel or the auxiliary electrode.

17. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the black matrix covers the upper surface and side surface of the touch electrode.

18. A display device, comprising: substrate; A plurality of pixels are disposed on the substrate; A plurality of touch electrodes disposed above the plurality of pixels; as well as The black matrix is ​​disposed on the plurality of touch electrodes. The plurality of touch electrodes includes: A first region having a first touch electrode and a second touch electrode; and A second region that does not have either the first touch electrode or the second touch electrode; The area of ​​the second region is different from the area of ​​the first region, and the first touch electrode is disposed along a first direction while the second touch electrode is disposed along a second direction different from the first direction, and the first touch electrode is disposed on the same layer or a different layer as the second touch electrode.

19. The display device according to claim 18, wherein The first region includes a plurality of first openings, and the plurality of first openings overlap by a plurality of pixels; The second region includes a second opening, and the second opening overlaps with a greater number of pixels than the first opening; and The area of ​​the second region is smaller than the area of ​​the first region.

20. The display device according to claim 18, wherein an auxiliary electrode is disposed in the second region, the auxiliary electrode being disposed on a different layer from the touch electrode.

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