Display panel, preparation method thereof and display device

Abstract

The application discloses a display panel, a preparation method thereof and a display device. The display panel comprises a substrate, a pixel definition layer, a first electrode and a protection portion. The pixel definition layer is located on one side of the substrate and encloses a plurality of pixel openings. The first electrode is located between the substrate and the pixel definition layer. The first projection of the substrate and the second projection of the pixel opening on the substrate at least partially overlap. The protection portion is at least partially located between the first electrode and the pixel definition layer and forms a first opening. The third projection of the first opening on the substrate and the second projection at least partially overlap. The edge of the third projection is at least partially spaced apart from the edge of the second projection. The distance between the edge of the third projection and the edge of the second projection is greater than or equal to 0.5 microns and less than or equal to 5 microns. The application improves the reliability and use performance of the display panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of displays, specifically to a display panel, its manufacturing method, and a display device. Background Technology

[0002] Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and flat panel displays based on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are widely used in various consumer electronics products such as mobile phones, televisions, laptops, and desktop computers due to their advantages such as high image quality, energy saving, thin body, and wide range of applications, becoming the mainstream of display devices.

[0003] However, the performance of current OLED display products needs to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a display panel, a method for manufacturing the same, and a display device, aiming to improve the performance of OLED display products.

[0005] A first aspect of this application provides a display panel, which includes a substrate, a pixel definition layer, a first electrode, and a protective portion. The pixel definition layer is located on one side of the substrate and forms a plurality of pixel openings. The first electrode is located between the substrate and the pixel definition layer, and a first orthographic projection of the first electrode on the substrate at least partially overlaps with a second orthographic projection of the pixel openings on the substrate. The protective portion is at least partially located between the first electrode and the pixel definition layer, and the protective portion has a first opening. The third orthographic projection of the first opening on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the second orthographic projection, and the edge of the third orthographic projection and the edge of the second orthographic projection are at least partially spaced apart. The distance between the edge of the third orthographic projection and the edge of the second orthographic projection is greater than or equal to 0.5 micrometers and less than or equal to 5 micrometers.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the first aspect of this application, the third orthographic projection is located within the second orthographic projection, and the distance between the edge of the third orthographic projection and the edge of the second orthographic projection is greater than or equal to 1 micrometer and less than or equal to 5 micrometers; or, the second orthographic projection is located within the third orthographic projection, and the distance between the edge of the third orthographic projection and the edge of the second orthographic projection is greater than or equal to 0.5 micrometers and less than or equal to 2 micrometers.

[0007] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the orthographic projection of the protective part on the substrate is located within the first orthographic projection.

[0008] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the second orthographic projection is located within the first orthographic projection.

[0009] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the material of the protective part includes metal oxides, insulating polymer materials, or organic materials.

[0010] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the material of the protective part includes indium gallium zinc oxide or indium zinc oxide.

[0011] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the thickness of the protective part is less than 200 nanometers and greater than or equal to 10 nanometers.

[0012] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, along the direction away from the substrate, the first electrode includes a first indium tin oxide layer, a silver metal layer and a second indium tin oxide layer stacked sequentially, and a protective portion is provided on the surface of the second indium tin oxide layer away from the substrate.

[0013] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the pixel definition layer covers at least a portion of the surface of the protective portion away from the substrate and the side of the protective portion away from the first opening.

[0014] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the pixel definition layer covers the side of the first electrode.

[0015] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the material of the pixel definition layer includes an inorganic insulating material.

[0016] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the thickness of the pixel definition layer is greater than or equal to 0.1 micrometers and less than or equal to 0.4 micrometers.

[0017] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the material of the pixel definition layer includes at least one of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride.

[0018] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the material of the pixel definition layer includes a metallic material;

[0019] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the material of the pixel definition layer includes an organic insulating material.

[0020] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, a plurality of first electrodes are spaced apart, and a first groove is formed in the pixel definition layer facing the substrate, wherein the orthographic projection of the first groove on the substrate is at least partially located between the orthographic projections of two adjacent first electrodes on the substrate.

[0021] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the first groove includes a bottom and a side portion connected to each other, the side portion covering the side of a first electrode facing another adjacent first electrode.

[0022] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the side portion of the protective portion is opposite to the side of the first opening.

[0023] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the thickness of the pixel definition layer is less than the thickness of the first electrode.

[0024] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, there is a first distance between the bottom surface facing away from the substrate and the substrate, and a second distance between the first electrode surface facing away from the substrate and the substrate, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.

[0025] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the display panel further includes a light-emitting unit, at least a portion of which is located in a pixel opening.

[0026] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the display panel further includes a second electrode, which is located on the side of the light-emitting unit away from the substrate.

[0027] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the display panel further includes an encapsulation layer located on the side of the second electrode away from the substrate.

[0028] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the encapsulation layer includes a first encapsulation layer located on the side of the second electrode away from the substrate.

[0029] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the encapsulation layer further includes a second encapsulation layer located on the side of the first encapsulation layer away from the substrate.

[0030] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the encapsulation layer further includes a third encapsulation layer, which is located on the side of the second encapsulation layer away from the substrate.

[0031] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the material of the first encapsulation layer includes an inorganic material; and / or, the material of the second encapsulation layer includes an organic material; and / or, the material of the third encapsulation layer includes an inorganic material.

[0032] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the display panel further includes a light filter layer located on the side of the encapsulation layer away from the substrate. The light filter layer includes a plurality of light filter portions, and the orthogonal projection of the light filter portions on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the second orthogonal projection.

[0033] An embodiment of the first aspect of this application also provides a display panel, including a substrate, a pixel definition layer, a first electrode, and a protective portion; the pixel definition layer is located on one side of the substrate, and the pixel definition layer encloses and forms a plurality of pixel openings; the first electrode is located between the substrate and the pixel definition layer, and the first orthographic projection of the first electrode on the substrate and the second orthographic projection of the pixel opening on the substrate at least partially overlap, and the plurality of first electrodes are spaced apart; the protective portion is at least partially located between the first electrode and the pixel definition layer, and the protective portion forms a first opening, and the third orthographic projection of the first opening on the substrate and the second orthographic projection at least partially overlap; wherein, the pixel definition layer is recessed toward the substrate to form a first groove, and the orthographic projection of the first groove on the substrate is at least partially located between the orthographic projections of two adjacent first electrodes on the substrate.

[0034] An embodiment of the second aspect of this application provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, the method comprising:

[0035] A first electrode material layer and a protective material layer are sequentially prepared on one side of the substrate;

[0036] The protective material layer is patterned to form multiple spaced-apart protective material sections;

[0037] The first electrode material layer is patterned to form multiple spaced-apart first electrodes;

[0038] A pixel definition layer is prepared, which encloses and forms a plurality of pixel openings. The first orthographic projection of the first electrode on the substrate and the second orthographic projection of the pixel openings on the substrate at least partially overlap.

[0039] The protective material portion exposed by the pixel opening is patterned to form a first opening in the protective material portion and expose at least a portion of the first electrode.

[0040] According to the second aspect of this application, after the step of sequentially preparing a first electrode material layer and a protective material layer on one side of the substrate, the preparation method further includes:

[0041] A first photoresist is applied to the side of the protective material layer away from the substrate, and the first photoresist is exposed and developed to expose part of the protective material layer.

[0042] Before the step of preparing the pixel definition layer, the preparation method also includes:

[0043] The first photoresist is peeled off.

[0044] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the step of patterning the protective material portion exposed by the pixel opening includes:

[0045] The exposed protective material is etched using a first etching process to form the protective layer.

[0046] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the first etching process includes a wet etching process.

[0047] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the material of the protective material layer includes metal oxides, insulating polymer materials, or organic materials.

[0048] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the material of the protective material layer includes indium gallium zinc oxide or indium zinc oxide.

[0049] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the thickness of the protective material layer is less than 200 nanometers, and / or the thickness of the protective material layer is greater than or equal to 10 nanometers.

[0050] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the step of preparing a pixel definition layer includes:

[0051] A pixel definition material layer is fabricated on one side of the substrate.

[0052] A second photoresist is coated on the side of the pixel definition material layer away from the substrate, and the second photoresist is exposed and developed to expose part of the pixel definition material layer.

[0053] The exposed pixel definition material layer is etched using a second etching process to form the pixel definition layer.

[0054] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the material of the pixel defining material layer includes an inorganic insulating material.

[0055] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the thickness of the pixel-defining material layer is greater than or equal to 0.1 micrometers and less than or equal to 0.4 micrometers.

[0056] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the material of the pixel defining material layer includes at least one of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride.

[0057] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the second etching process includes a dry etching process.

[0058] An embodiment of the third aspect of this application provides a display device, which includes a display panel according to any of the embodiments of the first aspect above, or includes a display panel obtained according to the preparation method of any of the embodiments of the second aspect above.

[0059] According to an embodiment of this application, the display panel includes a substrate, a pixel definition layer, a first electrode, and a protective portion. The first electrode serves as the light-emitting electrode of a light-emitting unit to control the light emission of the light-emitting unit. The pixel definition layer encloses and forms a pixel opening to house the light-emitting unit, enabling normal light emission from the light-emitting unit. Furthermore, the pixel definition layer can define the placement area of ​​each light-emitting unit, reducing color crosstalk between light-emitting units. The protective portion can cover at least a portion of the first electrode, mitigating the problem of damage to the first electrode during the etching process of the pixel definition layer to form the pixel opening, reducing the impact of the etching process on the device performance of the first electrode, and also reducing the residue of pixel definition material on the surface of the first electrode. This mitigates the problem of increased surface roughness of the first electrode due to pixel definition material residue, leading to decreased reflectivity and deteriorated image quality of the display panel. Embodiments of this application improve the reliability and performance of the display panel. Attached Figure Description

[0060] Other features, objects, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar features, and the drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0061] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 2 This is provided by the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 One of the schematic diagrams of the cross-sectional structure of section A in the middle;

[0063] Figure 3 This is provided by the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of section A (Part 2);

[0064] Figure 4 This is provided by the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 The third schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of section A;

[0065] Figure 5 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the first orthographic projection, the second orthographic projection, and the third orthographic projection provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0066] Figure 6 This is a second of the structural schematic diagrams of the first orthographic projection, the second orthographic projection, and the third orthographic projection provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0067] Figure 7 This is provided by the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 The third schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of section A;

[0068] Figure 8This is one of the schematic diagrams illustrating the structural changes in a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 9 This is a second schematic diagram showing the structural changes in a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of this application;

[0070] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of this application.

[0071] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0072] 1. Substrate; 101. First orthographic projection; 102. Second orthographic projection; 103. Third orthographic projection;

[0073] 2. Pixel definition layer; 20. Pixel opening; 21. First groove; 211. Bottom; 212. Side;

[0074] 31. First electrode; 311. First indium tin oxide layer; 312. Silver metal layer; 313. Second indium tin oxide layer; 32. Light-emitting unit; 33. Second electrode;

[0075] 4. Protective section; 40. First opening;

[0076] 5. Encapsulation layer; 51. First encapsulation layer; 52. Second encapsulation layer; 53. Third encapsulation layer;

[0077] 61. Filter section; 62. Black matrix;

[0078] 110. First photoresist; 120. Second photoresist;

[0079] 200, Pixel definition material layer; 300, First electrode material layer; 400, Protective material layer; 410, Protective material section. Detailed Implementation

[0080] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of this application will now be described in detail. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only configured to explain this application and are not configured to limit this application. For those skilled in the art, this application can be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely to provide a better understanding of this application by illustrating examples of this application.

[0081] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0082] It should be understood that when describing the structure of a component, when referring to a layer or region as being "above" or "on top of" another layer or region, it can mean that it is directly above the other layer or region, or that it contains other layers or regions between it and the other layer or region. Furthermore, if the component is flipped over, that layer or region will be located "below" or "under" the other layer or region.

[0083] In some display panels, it is necessary to etch the pixel definition layer to expose the pixel electrodes of the light-emitting device so that the light-emitting units fabricated later can connect with the pixel electrodes. However, the etching process used in the patterning process of the pixel definition layer can easily damage the pixel electrodes, which in turn leads to increased power consumption and reduced lifespan of the light-emitting device, thus reducing the reliability and performance of the display panel.

[0084] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a display panel, a method for manufacturing the same, and a display device. The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will illustrate various embodiments of the display panel, its manufacturing method, and the display device.

[0085] This application provides a display panel, which can be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel. For example, the display panel can be a W-OLED (White OLED) or a QD-OLED (Quantum Dot OLED).

[0086] Please see Figures 1 to 6 , Figure 1 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 Section A indicates the display area of ​​the display panel.

[0087] like Figures 1 to 6As shown, a first aspect of this application provides a display panel including a substrate 1, a pixel definition layer 2, a first electrode 31, and a protective portion 4. The pixel definition layer 2 is located on one side of the substrate 1, and the pixel definition layer 2 encloses and forms a plurality of pixel openings 20. The first electrode 31 is located between the substrate 1 and the pixel definition layer 2, and the first orthographic projection 101 of the first electrode 31 on the substrate 1 and the second orthographic projection 102 of the pixel openings 20 on the substrate 1 at least partially overlap. The protective portion 4 is at least partially located between the first electrode 31 and the pixel definition layer 2, and the protective portion 4 forms a first opening 40. The first opening 40 at least partially overlaps the third orthographic projection 103 and the second orthographic projection 102 on the substrate 1, and the edge of the third orthographic projection 103 and the edge of the second orthographic projection 102 are at least partially spaced apart. The distance between the edge of the third orthographic projection 103 and the edge of the second orthographic projection 102 is greater than or equal to 0.5 micrometers and less than or equal to 5 micrometers.

[0088] The first opening 40 is connected to the pixel opening 20 and exposes at least a portion of the first electrode 31.

[0089] Optionally, the above structure can be referenced in the orthographic projection direction of substrate 1. Figure 2 The Z-axis direction can also be the thickness direction of the display panel.

[0090] Optionally, the orthographic projection of structures such as "openings" and "vias" on substrate 1 in this application can be understood as the area enclosed by the orthographic projection of the structure forming the "opening" or "via" on substrate 1.

[0091] The first orthographic projection 101 and the second orthographic projection 102 at least partially overlap to facilitate electrical connection between the light-emitting unit 32 formed within the pixel opening 20 and the first electrode 31. The third orthographic projection 103 at least partially overlaps with the second orthographic projection 102, and the edges of the third orthographic projection 103 and the edges of the second orthographic projection 102 are at least partially spaced apart. They can be completely spaced apart or partially overlapped. The area of ​​the third orthographic projection 103 can be smaller or larger than the area of ​​the second orthographic projection 102. Since the protective part 4 has a first opening 40, it does not fully cover the exposed portion of the first electrode 31. The material of the protective part 4 is not limited to conductive materials; it can also be insulating materials or materials with weak conductivity, allowing for a wider range of choices.

[0092] When the area of ​​the third orthographic projection 103 is larger than the area of ​​the second orthographic projection 102, the protective part 4 is set to be recessed relative to the pixel definition layer 2 toward the pixel opening 20 or the first opening 40. The recessed distance can be from 0.5 micrometers to 5 micrometers. The reason for this is that after etching the pixel opening 20 using a mask, the same set of mask is used to etch the protective part 4. The etching material will laterally invade, so that the edge of the first opening 40 will not be flush with the edge of the pixel opening 20 in the thickness direction Z. Using the same set of mask helps to save the cost of the mask.

[0093] When the area of ​​the third orthographic projection 103 is smaller than the area of ​​the second orthographic projection 102, the protective part 4 is protruding relative to the pixel definition layer 2 toward the pixel opening 20 or the first opening 40. The protrusion distance can be from 0.5 micrometers to 5 micrometers. The reason for this can be that after etching the pixel opening 20, another set of photomasks is used to etch the protective part 4 in order to form the stepped structure, and it is not easy to form an undercut structure. This can reduce the adverse effects that the electrodes may be isolated due to the undercut structure.

[0094] For example, the material of the protective part 4 is different from the material of the pixel definition layer 2, and the etching material used to etch the pixel definition layer 2 has a low etching rate on the protective part 4, so that the protective part 4 can effectively protect the first electrode 31 during the process of etching the pixel definition layer 2 to form the pixel opening 20.

[0095] The first opening 40 of the protection part 4 can be formed after the pixel opening 20 is etched, so that the protection part 4 can effectively protect the first electrode 31 and reduce the impact of the protection part 4 on the first electrode 31 and the light-emitting unit 32.

[0096] There are various ways to arrange the substrate 1. For example, the substrate 1 may include a substrate and an array substrate disposed on the substrate. Alternatively, the substrate 1 may be the substrate itself. Or the substrate 1 may include a buffer layer and a support plate on the side facing away from the substrate.

[0097] According to an embodiment of this application, the display panel includes a substrate 1, a pixel definition layer 2, a first electrode 31, and a protective portion 4. The first electrode 31 serves as the light-emitting electrode of a light-emitting unit 32 to control the light emission of the light-emitting unit 32. The pixel definition layer 2 encloses and forms a pixel opening 20 to house the light-emitting unit 32, enabling normal light emission from the light-emitting unit 32. Furthermore, the pixel definition layer 2 can define the placement area of ​​each light-emitting unit 32, reducing color mixing issues between light-emitting units 32. The protective portion 4 can cover at least a portion of the first electrode 31, mitigating the problem of damage to the first electrode 31 during the etching process of the pixel definition layer 2 to form the pixel opening 20, reducing the impact of the etching process on the device performance of the first electrode 31, and also reducing the residue of pixel definition material on the surface of the first electrode 31. This mitigates the problem of increased surface roughness of the first electrode 31 due to pixel definition material residue, leading to decreased reflectivity and deteriorated image quality of the display panel. In summary, the embodiments of this application improve the reliability and performance of the display panel.

[0098] Reference Figure 3 In some optional embodiments, along the direction away from the substrate 1, the first electrode 31 includes a first indium tin oxide layer 311, a silver metal layer 312, and a second indium tin oxide layer 313 stacked sequentially, with a protective portion 4 disposed on the surface of the second indium tin oxide layer 313 facing away from the substrate 1. The protective portion 4 is disposed on the surface of the second indium tin oxide layer 313 facing away from the substrate 1 to protect the first indium tin oxide layer 311, the silver metal layer 312, and the second indium tin oxide layer 313. The second indium tin oxide layer 313 can be crystallized during fabrication. The crystallized second indium tin oxide layer 313 enables the first electrode 31 to have high electrical conductivity and also protects the silver metal layer 312 of the first electrode 31 from damage such as chemical corrosion, exhibiting good resistance to wet etching. Therefore, the first opening 40 can be formed subsequently by a wet etching process, effectively etching the protective material while minimizing etching damage to the first electrode 31.

[0099] Reference Figure 7 Optionally, the display panel further includes a light-emitting unit 32, at least a portion of which is located in the pixel opening 20. Optionally, the display panel also includes a second electrode 33, located on the side of the light-emitting unit 32 facing away from the substrate 1. The light-emitting unit 32 is used to realize the light-emitting display of the display panel. One of the first electrode 31 and the second electrode 33 can serve as an anode, and the other as a cathode to drive the light-emitting unit 32 to emit light. In this embodiment, the first electrode 31 is used as the anode of the display panel, and the second electrode 33 is used as the cathode of the display panel for illustrative purposes.

[0100] Reference Figures 2 to 4Optionally, the edge of the third orthographic projection 103 is spaced apart from the edge of the second orthographic projection 102. This can also be understood as the protective portion 4 protruding or recessing relative to the pixel definition layer 2 toward the pixel opening 20 in all directions within a plane perpendicular to the Z-axis. The protruding configuration prevents the formation of an undercut structure where the protective portion 4 is recessed relative to the pixel definition layer 2 at the pixel opening 20. If the protective portion 4 is too thick, the undercut structure might interrupt the subsequent fabrication of the second electrode 33, leading to an electrical signal break and poor light emission from the display panel. The inward setting can be achieved by etching the pixel opening 20 using a mask, and then etching the protective part 4 using the same mask. The etching material will penetrate laterally, so that the edge of the first opening 40 will not be flush with the edge of the pixel opening 20 in the thickness direction Z, but will be relatively inward. Using the same mask helps to save the cost of the mask. In this implementation, the thickness of the protective part 4 can be limited to a small size, for example, less than 200 nanometers. Even if it has a blocking effect, it blocks the material of the light-emitting unit 32 and has little impact on the second electrode 33.

[0101] Optional, refer to Figure 5 The third orthographic projection 103 is located within the second orthographic projection 102. The distance D1 between the edge of the third orthographic projection 103 and the edge of the second orthographic projection 102 is greater than or equal to 1 micrometer and less than or equal to 5 micrometers. A distance D1 greater than or equal to 1 micrometer allows for sufficient margin between the two, preventing the formation of an undercut structure. A distance D1 less than or equal to 5 micrometers reduces the adverse effects of excessively large protective portion 4 and small first opening 40, resulting in a small overlap area between the first electrode 31 and the light-emitting unit 32, leading to a reduced effective light-emitting area and increased power consumption. For example, the distance D1 between the edge of the third orthographic projection 103 and the edge of the second orthographic projection 102 can be 1 micrometer, 2 micrometers, 3 micrometers, 4 micrometers, or 5 micrometers, etc.

[0102] In these embodiments, the pixel definition layer 2 and the protection part 4 can be prevented from forming an undercut structure, reducing the adverse effects of the undercut structure blocking the second electrode 33, and enabling the signal of the second electrode 33 to be transmitted normally.

[0103] Optional, refer to Figure 6 The second orthographic projection 102 is located within the third orthographic projection 103. The distance D2 between the edge of the third orthographic projection 103 and the edge of the second orthographic projection 102 is greater than or equal to 0.5 micrometers and less than or equal to 2 micrometers. When the protective part 4 is etched using the same set of mask as the pixel opening 20, the etching amount caused by lateral etching is usually not less than 0.5 micrometers and less than or equal to 2 micrometers, reducing the impact of etching on the support effect of the protective part 4 on the pixel definition layer 2.

[0104] In some optional embodiments, the orthographic projection of the protective portion 4 onto the substrate 1 is located within the first orthographic projection 101. Optionally, a plurality of first electrodes 31 are spaced apart, and a plurality of protective portions 4 are spaced apart, with each protective portion 4 corresponding to each first electrode 31. Optionally, the outer edge of the orthographic projection of the protective portion 4 onto the substrate 1 coincides with the edge of the first orthographic projection 101. Since the protective portion 4 also has a first opening 40, the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the protective portion 4 onto the substrate 1 is smaller than the area of ​​the first orthographic projection 101.

[0105] In these embodiments, the protective portion 4 does not have a portion located outside the first orthographic projection 101 in the orthographic projection of the substrate 1. In the process of patterning and forming multiple first electrodes 31, multiple protective portions 4 located on the side of the first electrodes 31 away from the substrate 1 can be patterned and formed simultaneously. That is, after patterning and forming the first electrodes 31, it is not necessary to add another process and form a mask to break the protective material layer, thereby simplifying the process and reducing costs.

[0106] Optionally, the second orthographic projection 102 is located within the first orthographic projection 101. The surface of the first electrode 31 exposed by the pixel opening 20 can be used to electrically connect with the light-emitting unit 32, so as to define and increase the effective light-emitting area of ​​the light-emitting unit 32, thereby increasing the PPI (Pixels Per Inch) of the display panel.

[0107] In some alternative embodiments, the pixel definition layer 2 is made of an inorganic insulating material. Compared to organic materials (the thickness of organic pixel definition layers is typically greater than 1.2 micrometers), the pixel definition layer 2 made of inorganic insulating material can have a thinner thickness, which is beneficial for achieving ultra-thin encapsulation of the encapsulation layer.

[0108] Optionally, the thickness of the pixel definition layer 2 is greater than or equal to 0.1 micrometers and less than or equal to 0.4 micrometers. For example, 0.1 micrometers, 0.15 micrometers, 0.2 micrometers, 0.25 micrometers, 0.3 micrometers, or 0.4 micrometers, etc.

[0109] For example, the encapsulation layer 5 used to encapsulate the light-emitting device can be a thin film encapsulation (TFE) structure. Since the pixel definition layer 2 is made of inorganic material and is relatively thin, the organic material layer in the encapsulation layer 5 has a leveling effect and does not need to be too thick, which is beneficial to achieving ultra-thin encapsulation of the encapsulation layer 5.

[0110] It should be noted that for W-OLED and QD-OLED, crosstalk can lead to a reduction in color gamut and thus a decrease in display quality. Ultra-thin packaging structures can effectively reduce crosstalk in W-OLED and QD-OLED, and the embodiments provided in this application can further effectively reduce crosstalk in W-OLED and QD-OLED, improving their performance.

[0111] Optionally, the material of the protective part 4 includes metal oxides, insulating polymer materials, or organic materials. Optionally, the material of the protective part 4 includes indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO).

[0112] These materials can effectively prevent damage to the first electrode 31 caused by the etching material during the etching of the pixel definition material. For example, the etching of inorganic pixel definition materials can be performed using a dry etching process, such as dry etching with gases such as oxygen, chlorine, or sulfur chloride. However, these gases can also damage the material of the first electrode 31 during etching. Metal oxides, insulating polymers, or organic materials have strong resistance to dry etching, thereby effectively protecting the first electrode 31.

[0113] Optionally, the thickness of the protective portion 4 is less than 200 nanometers. The smaller the thickness of the protective portion 4, the less impact it has on the effective connection between the first electrode 31 and the light-emitting unit 32, and the easier it is to etch the first opening 40, reducing the etching time. For example, the thickness of the protective portion 4 can be 180 nanometers, 150 nanometers, 120 nanometers, 80 nanometers, 50 nanometers, 30 nanometers, 10 nanometers, 5 nanometers, etc.

[0114] Optionally, the thickness of the protective portion 4 is greater than or equal to 10 nanometers, which provides better protection for the first electrode 31 when etching the pixel definition material. For example, the thickness of the protective portion 4 can be 150 nanometers, 120 nanometers, 80 nanometers, 50 nanometers, 30 nanometers, 10 nanometers, etc.

[0115] In some alternative embodiments, the pixel definition layer 2 covers at least a portion of the surface of the protective portion 4 away from the substrate 1 and the side of the protective portion 4 away from the first opening 40.

[0116] Optionally, the pixel definition layer 2 covers the side of the first electrode 31. This surrounds the first electrode 31, better protecting the silver metal layer 312 within it. Furthermore, the pixel definition layer 2 can insulate adjacent first electrodes 31, reducing the risk of short circuits between them.

[0117] In these embodiments, the pixel definition layer 2 provides good protection, and in the process of patterning multiple first electrodes 31, multiple protective portions 4 located on the side of the first electrodes 31 away from the substrate 1 can be patterned simultaneously. That is, after patterning the first electrodes 31, there is no need to add another process and form a mask to break the protective material layer 400, thereby simplifying the process and reducing costs.

[0118] Optionally, the material of the pixel definition layer 2 includes at least one of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride. Inorganic materials such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride have good density and water vapor resistance, and can be prepared with a thinner thickness, which is beneficial for achieving ultra-thin encapsulation of the encapsulation layer 5, reducing crosstalk in the display panel, and improving the performance of the display panel.

[0119] In some alternative embodiments, the pixel definition layer 2 may also be made of a metallic material. The metallic material may possess insulating properties inherently, or its outer surface may be oxidized to achieve insulating properties. Using a material as the pixel definition layer 2 also offers the advantage of a thinner thickness. Alternatively, the pixel definition layer 2 may also be made of an organic insulating material.

[0120] Reference Figure 2 In some optional embodiments, a plurality of first electrodes 31 are spaced apart, and a first groove 21 is formed in the pixel definition layer 2 facing the substrate 1. The first groove 21 is at least partially located between the orthogonal projections of two adjacent first electrodes 31 on the substrate 1.

[0121] In these embodiments, each first electrode 31 can be electrically connected to different light-emitting units 32 so that each light-emitting unit 32 can be driven independently. The leveling effect of the pixel definition layer 2 is weak, so that after the entire layer is covered on the first electrode 31, the portion of the pixel definition layer 2 located between two adjacent first electrodes 31 will be recessed toward the substrate 1, thereby forming the shape of the first groove 21.

[0122] Optionally, the first groove 21 includes a bottom 211 and a side portion 212 connected to each other, with the side portion 212 covering the side of one first electrode 31 facing another adjacent first electrode 31. The side portion 212 surrounds the first electrode 31, better protecting the silver metal layer 312 within the first electrode 31. Furthermore, the pixel definition layer 2 can provide insulation between adjacent first electrodes 31, reducing the risk of short circuits between the first electrodes 31.

[0123] Optionally, the side portion 212 covers the side of the protective portion 4 that is away from the first opening 40. The protective portion 4 and the first electrode 31 can be fabricated together, or fabricated using the same mask. When fabricating the pixel definition layer 2 in its entirety, the side portion 212 can simultaneously cover the side of the first electrode 31 and the side of the protective portion 4 that is away from the first opening 40.

[0124] Optionally, the thickness of the pixel definition layer 2 is less than the thickness of the first electrode 31. A thinner pixel definition layer 2 facilitates the ultra-thin packaging of the encapsulation layer 5. For example, the thickness of the pixel definition layer 2 is greater than or equal to 0.1 micrometers and less than or equal to 0.4 micrometers. The thickness of the first electrode 31 is greater than 0.4 micrometers, for example, 0.41 micrometers, 0.45 micrometers, 0.5 micrometers, etc.

[0125] Optionally, the bottom surface 211 facing away from the substrate 1 has a first distance from the substrate 1, and the first electrode 31 facing away from the substrate 1 has a second distance from the substrate 1. The first distance is smaller than the second distance. The plane on which the first electrode 31 is fabricated has good flatness. Since the thickness of the pixel definition layer 2 is smaller than the thickness of the first electrode 31, the first distance will also be smaller than the second distance.

[0126] Reference Figure 7 In some optional embodiments, the display panel further includes an encapsulation layer 5 located on the side of the second electrode 33 away from the substrate 1, so as to encapsulate the display panel.

[0127] Optionally, the encapsulation layer 5 includes a first encapsulation layer 51, which is located on the side of the second electrode 33 away from the substrate 1.

[0128] In these alternative embodiments, the first encapsulation layer 51 can encapsulate the light-emitting unit 32, prevent water and oxygen from entering the light-emitting unit 32, and improve the service life of the light-emitting unit 32.

[0129] Optionally, the encapsulation layer 5 further includes a second encapsulation layer 52, which is located on the side of the first encapsulation layer 51 that is away from the substrate 1. Optionally, the encapsulation layer 5 further includes a third encapsulation layer 53, which is located on the side of the second encapsulation layer 52 that is away from the substrate 1.

[0130] In these alternative embodiments, the display panel employs a three-layer encapsulation, which provides better encapsulation performance and reduces the possibility of water and oxygen intrusion.

[0131] In some alternative embodiments, the material of the first encapsulation layer 51 includes inorganic materials.

[0132] In these alternative embodiments, the first encapsulation layer 51 comprises an inorganic material, which has good density and good barrier properties against water vapor and oxygen.

[0133] In some alternative embodiments, the material of the second encapsulation layer 52 includes an organic material, which has a good leveling effect and is beneficial to the planarization of the surface of the encapsulation layer 5 on the side away from the substrate 1.

[0134] Optionally, the material of the third encapsulation layer 53 may include inorganic materials.

[0135] In these optional embodiments, the first encapsulation layer 51, the second encapsulation layer 52, and the third encapsulation layer 53 are respectively encapsulated using inorganic materials, organic materials, and inorganic materials to form a TFE (Thin Film Encapsulation) thin film encapsulation structure, thereby further improving the encapsulation performance.

[0136] In some optional embodiments, the display panel further includes a light filter layer located on the side of the encapsulation layer 5 away from the substrate 1. The light filter layer includes a plurality of light filter portions 61, and the orthographic projection of the light filter portions 61 on the substrate 1 at least partially overlaps with the second orthographic projection 102.

[0137] In these alternative embodiments, the filter 61 filters the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 32, so that the filter 61 can emit light of the same color as the filter 61. For example, light passing through the red filter 61 emits red light, passing through the green filter 61 emits green light, and passing through the blue filter 61 emits blue light.

[0138] Optionally, a black matrix 62 can be provided between adjacent filter sections 61 to reduce color mixing between adjacent filter sections 61 and improve the display effect of the display panel.

[0139] Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 7 An embodiment of the first aspect of this application also provides a display panel, the display panel including a substrate 1, a pixel definition layer 2, a first electrode 31 and a protective portion 4; the pixel definition layer 2 is located on one side of the substrate 1, and the pixel definition layer 2 surrounds and forms a plurality of pixel openings 20; the first electrode 31 is located between the substrate 1 and the pixel definition layer 2, and the first orthographic projection 101 of the first electrode 31 on the substrate 1 and the second orthographic projection 102 of the pixel opening 20 on the substrate 1 at least partially overlap, and the plurality of first electrodes 31 are spaced apart; the protective portion 4 is at least partially located between the first electrode 31 and the pixel definition layer 2, and the protective portion 4 forms a first opening 40, the first opening 40 at least partially overlaps the third orthographic projection 103 of the first opening 40 on the substrate 1 with the second orthographic projection 102; wherein, the pixel definition layer 2 is recessed toward the substrate 1 to form a first groove 21, and the orthographic projection of the first groove 21 on the substrate 1 is at least partially located between the orthographic projections of two adjacent first electrodes 31 on the substrate 1.

[0140] The weak leveling effect of the pixel definition layer 2 may be due to its thinness or the fact that the pixel definition layer 2 is made of inorganic material. This allows the subsequent encapsulation layer 5 to be made thinner, so that the surface of the encapsulation layer 5 facing away from the substrate 1 can also have better flatness.

[0141] According to the display panel of this application embodiment, the protective part 4 can cover at least a portion of the first electrode 31, which can improve the problem of damage to the first electrode 31 during the etching of the pixel definition layer 2 to form the pixel opening 20, reduce the impact of the etching process on the device performance of the first electrode 31, and also reduce the residue of pixel definition material on the surface of the first electrode 31, thereby improving the problem that the residue of pixel definition material leads to increased surface roughness of the first electrode 31, resulting in decreased reflectivity and deterioration of the image quality of the display panel. The embodiments of this application improve the reliability and performance of the display panel.

[0142] In this embodiment, the leveling effect of the pixel definition layer 2 is relatively weak, so that after the entire layer is covered on the first electrode 31, the portion of the pixel definition layer 2 located between two adjacent first electrodes 31 will be recessed toward the substrate 1, thereby forming the shape of the first groove 21.

[0143] Optionally, the display panel provided in the first aspect of this application can be any of the display panels in the foregoing embodiments. Therefore, the display panel provided in the embodiments of this application can have the beneficial effects of the display panels in any of the foregoing embodiments, and this application will not elaborate further on it. For example, the pixel definition layer 2 can be any of the pixel definition layers 2 in the foregoing embodiments. For example, the protection part 4 can be any of the protection parts 4 in the foregoing embodiments. For example, the first electrode 31 can be any of the first electrodes 31 in the foregoing embodiments.

[0144] This embodiment can be combined with some or all of the features in the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0145] Reference Figures 8 to 10 , Figure 8 This illustration shows one of the structural variations of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This illustration shows a second schematic diagram of structural changes in a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 10 A schematic flowchart of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of this application is shown. (Referring to...) Figures 1 to 7 .in, Figure 8 and Figure 9 The steps s1-s8 are performed sequentially.

[0146] The second aspect of this application also provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, wherein the display panel can be any of the display panels provided in the above embodiments, and the manufacturing method includes:

[0147] S10, a first electrode material layer 300 and a protective material layer 400 are sequentially prepared on one side of the substrate 1.

[0148] S20, the protective material layer 400 is patterned to form multiple spaced-apart protective material sections 410.

[0149] S30, the first electrode material layer 300 is patterned to form a plurality of spaced-apart first electrodes 31.

[0150] S40, prepare pixel definition layer 2, the pixel definition layer 2 surrounds to form a plurality of pixel openings 20, the first electrode 31 on the first orthographic projection 101 on the substrate 1 and the second orthographic projection 102 of the pixel openings 20 on the substrate 1 at least partially overlap.

[0151] S50, the protective material portion 410 exposed by the pixel opening 20 is patterned so that the protective material portion 410 forms a first opening 40 and exposes at least a portion of the first electrode 31.

[0152] According to the preparation method of the second aspect of this application, initial material layers for the first electrode 31 and the protective portion 4 are prepared in step S10. In step S20, the entire protective material layer 400 is broken to expose a portion of the first electrode material layer 300. In step S30, the exposed first electrode material is removed, and the first electrode 31 is formed. The first electrode 31 serves as the light-emitting electrode of the light-emitting unit 32 to control the light emission of the light-emitting unit 32. In step S40, a pixel definition layer 2 is prepared, which encloses and forms a pixel opening 20 to house the light-emitting unit 32, enabling the light-emitting unit 32 to emit light normally. Furthermore, the pixel definition layer 2 defines the setting area of ​​each light-emitting unit 32, reducing color crosstalk between the light-emitting units 32. After the pixel definition layer 2 and the pixel opening 20 are prepared, the protective material portion 410 has completed its protective function for the first electrode 31. In step S50, the protective material portion 410 is etched to form the protective portion 4 and the first opening 40, so that the light-emitting unit 32 prepared subsequently can overlap with the first electrode 31. The protective material section 410 can mitigate the damage to the first electrode 31 during the etching process of the pixel definition layer 2 to form the pixel opening 20, reduce the impact of the etching process on the device performance of the first electrode 31, and also reduce the residue of pixel definition material on the surface of the first electrode 31. This improves the problem of increased surface roughness of the first electrode 31 due to pixel definition material residue, which leads to decreased reflectivity and deterioration of the display panel's image quality. The embodiments of this application improve the reliability and performance of the display panel.

[0153] In some alternative embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown in S2, after step S10 and before step S20, the preparation method further includes:

[0154] A first photoresist 110 is coated on the side of the protective material layer 400 away from the substrate 1, and the first photoresist 110 is exposed and developed to expose part of the protective material layer 400.

[0155] Before step S40, the preparation method also includes:

[0156] The first photoresist 110 is stripped off.

[0157] In these embodiments, the first photoresist 110 can protect the protective material layer 400 at locations where etching is not required. The protective material layer 400 exposed after the first photoresist 110 is exposed and developed can be removed by etching to facilitate patterning processes. The first photoresist 110 is stripped before fabricating the pixel definition layer 2 to reduce its impact on the morphology of the pixel definition layer 2.

[0158] Optionally, the thickness of the protective material layer 400 is less than 200 nanometers. The smaller the thickness of the protective material layer 400, the less impact it has on the effective connection between the first electrode 31 and the light-emitting unit 32, and the easier it is to etch the first opening 40, reducing etching time. For example, the thickness of the protective material layer 400 can be 180 nanometers, 150 nanometers, 120 nanometers, 80 nanometers, 50 nanometers, 30 nanometers, 10 nanometers, 5 nanometers, etc.

[0159] Optionally, the thickness of the protective material layer 400 is greater than or equal to 10 nanometers, which provides better protection for the first electrode 31 when etching the pixel definition material. For example, the thickness of the protective material layer 400 can be 150 nanometers, 120 nanometers, 80 nanometers, 50 nanometers, 30 nanometers, 10 nanometers, etc.

[0160] In some optional embodiments, step S40 includes:

[0161] A pixel definition material layer 200 is fabricated on one side of substrate 1.

[0162] A second photoresist 120 is coated on the side of the pixel definition material layer 200 facing away from the substrate 1, and the second photoresist 120 is exposed and developed to expose part of the pixel definition material layer 200.

[0163] The exposed pixel definition material layer 200 is etched using a second etching process to form the pixel definition layer 2.

[0164] In these embodiments, the second photoresist 120 can protect the pixel definition material layer 200 at locations where etching is not required. The pixel definition material layer 200 exposed after the second photoresist 120 is exposed and developed can be removed by etching to facilitate patterning processes and form pixel openings 20.

[0165] Optionally, the pixel definition material layer 200 may be made of an inorganic insulating material. Compared to organic materials (the thickness of organic pixel definition layer 2 is typically greater than 1.2 micrometers), the pixel definition layer 2 made of inorganic insulating material can have a thinner thickness, which is beneficial for achieving ultra-thin encapsulation of encapsulation layer 5.

[0166] Optionally, the thickness of the pixel definition layer 2 is greater than or equal to 0.1 micrometers and less than or equal to 0.4 micrometers. For example, 0.1 micrometers, 0.15 micrometers, 0.2 micrometers, 0.25 micrometers, 0.3 micrometers, or 0.4 micrometers, etc.

[0167] Optionally, the pixel defining material layer 200 may be made of at least one of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride. Inorganic materials such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride have good density and water vapor resistance, and can be made thinner, which is beneficial for achieving ultra-thin encapsulation of the encapsulation layer 5, reducing crosstalk in the display panel, and improving the performance of the display panel.

[0168] Optionally, the second etching process includes a dry etching process. Dry etching is effective for etching inorganic pixel-defining materials. It can effectively etch away excess pixel-defining material and form pixel openings 20.

[0169] In some optional embodiments, step S50 includes:

[0170] The exposed protective material portion 410 is etched using a first etching process to form the protective portion 4.

[0171] Optionally, the first etching process includes a wet etching process. Optionally, the material of the protective material layer 400 includes a metal oxide, an insulating polymer material, or an organic material. Optionally, the material of the protective material layer 400 includes indium gallium zinc oxide or indium zinc oxide.

[0172] Dry etching processes can be used to etch inorganic pixel definition materials, such as using gases like oxygen, chlorine, or sulfur chloride. However, these gases can also damage the material of the first electrode 31 during etching. Metal oxides, insulating polymers, or organic materials have strong resistance to dry etching, thus effectively protecting the first electrode 31.

[0173] In these embodiments, wet etching causes minimal damage to the first electrode 31 and can effectively remove part of the protective material so that the protective material portion 410 forms the protective portion 4 and the first opening 40.

[0174] The third aspect of this application also provides a display device, including a display panel of any of the embodiments of the first aspect, or including a display panel obtained according to the preparation method of any of the embodiments of the second aspect. Since the display device provided by the third aspect of this application includes the display panel of any of the above embodiments, it has the beneficial effects of the display panel of any of the above embodiments, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0175] The display devices in this application include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet computers, e-books, televisions, access control systems, smart landline phones, control consoles, and other devices with display functions.

[0176] The embodiments described above are not exhaustive, nor do they limit the invention to the specific embodiments described. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the above description. These embodiments are selected and specifically described in this specification to better explain the principles and practical applications of this application, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to effectively utilize this application and its modifications. This application is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that, include: substrate; A pixel definition layer is located on one side of the substrate, and the pixel definition layer encloses and forms a plurality of pixel openings; A first electrode is located between the substrate and the pixel definition layer, wherein a first orthographic projection of the first electrode on the substrate at least partially overlaps with a second orthographic projection of the pixel opening on the substrate. A protective portion, at least partially located between the first electrode and the pixel definition layer, wherein the protective portion has a first opening; Wherein, the first opening at least partially overlaps the third orthographic projection and the second orthographic projection on the substrate, the edge of the third orthographic projection and the edge of the second orthographic projection are at least partially spaced apart, and the distance between the edge of the third orthographic projection and the edge of the second orthographic projection is greater than or equal to 0.5 micrometers and less than or equal to 5 micrometers.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third orthographic projection is located within the second orthographic projection, and the distance between the edge of the third orthographic projection and the edge of the second orthographic projection is greater than or equal to 1 micrometer and less than or equal to 5 micrometers. Alternatively, the second orthographic projection is located within the third orthographic projection, and the distance between the edge of the third orthographic projection and the edge of the second orthographic projection is greater than or equal to 0.5 micrometers and less than or equal to 2 micrometers.

3. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the protective part onto the substrate is located within the first orthographic projection; Preferably, the second orthographic projection is located within the first orthographic projection; Preferably, the material of the protective part includes metal oxides, insulating polymer materials, or organic materials; Preferably, the material of the protective part includes indium gallium zinc oxide or indium zinc oxide; Preferably, the thickness of the protective part is less than 200 nanometers and greater than or equal to 10 nanometers.

4. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, Along a direction away from the substrate, the first electrode includes a first indium tin oxide layer, a silver metal layer and a second indium tin oxide layer stacked sequentially, and the protective portion is disposed on the surface of the second indium tin oxide layer opposite to the substrate; Preferably, the pixel definition layer covers at least a portion of the surface of the protective portion facing away from the substrate and the side of the protective portion facing away from the first opening; Preferably, the pixel definition layer covers the side of the first electrode.

5. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the pixel definition layer includes inorganic insulating materials; Preferably, the thickness of the pixel definition layer is greater than or equal to 0.1 micrometers and less than or equal to 0.4 micrometers; Preferably, the material of the pixel definition layer includes at least one of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride; Preferably, the material of the pixel definition layer includes a metallic material; Preferably, the material of the pixel definition layer includes an organic insulating material.

6. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, A plurality of first electrodes are spaced apart, and the pixel definition layer is recessed toward the substrate to form a first groove, wherein the orthographic projection of the first groove on the substrate is at least partially located between the orthographic projections of two adjacent first electrodes on the substrate. Preferably, the first groove includes a bottom and a side portion connected to each other, the side portion covering the side of one first electrode facing another adjacent first electrode; Preferably, the side portion covers the side of the protective portion opposite to the first opening; Preferably, the thickness of the pixel definition layer is less than the thickness of the first electrode; Preferably, the bottom surface facing away from the substrate has a first distance from the substrate, and the first electrode surface facing away from the substrate has a second distance from the substrate, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.

7. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a light-emitting unit, at least a portion of which is located in the pixel opening; Preferably, the display panel further includes a second electrode, which is located on the side of the light-emitting unit opposite to the substrate; Preferably, the display panel further includes an encapsulation layer located on the side of the second electrode opposite to the substrate; Preferably, the encapsulation layer includes a first encapsulation layer located on the side of the second electrode opposite to the substrate; Preferably, the encapsulation layer further includes a second encapsulation layer, which is located on the side of the first encapsulation layer opposite to the substrate; Preferably, the encapsulation layer further includes a third encapsulation layer, which is located on the side of the second encapsulation layer opposite to the substrate; Preferably, the material of the first encapsulation layer includes an inorganic material; and / or, the material of the second encapsulation layer includes an organic material; and / or, the material of the third encapsulation layer includes an inorganic material. Preferably, the display panel further includes a light filter layer located on the side of the encapsulation layer opposite to the substrate. The light filter layer includes a plurality of light filter portions, and the orthographic projection of the light filter portions on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the second orthographic projection.

8. A display panel, characterized in that, include: substrate; A pixel definition layer is located on one side of the substrate, and the pixel definition layer encloses and forms a plurality of pixel openings; A first electrode is located between the substrate and the pixel definition layer. The first electrode's first orthographic projection on the substrate and the second orthographic projection of the pixel opening on the substrate at least partially overlap. A plurality of first electrodes are arranged at intervals. A protective portion is at least partially located between the first electrode and the pixel definition layer, and the protective portion has a first opening, wherein the third orthographic projection of the first opening on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the second orthographic projection. The pixel definition layer is recessed towards the substrate to form a first groove, and the orthographic projection of the first groove onto the substrate is at least partially located between the orthographic projections of two adjacent first electrodes onto the substrate.

9. A method for manufacturing a display panel, characterized in that, The preparation method includes: A first electrode material layer and a protective material layer are sequentially prepared on one side of the substrate; The protective material layer is patterned to form multiple spaced-apart protective material sections; The first electrode material layer is patterned to form a plurality of spaced-apart first electrodes; A pixel definition layer is prepared, which encloses and forms a plurality of pixel openings, and the first orthographic projection of the first electrode on the substrate and the second orthographic projection of the pixel openings on the substrate at least partially overlap; The protective material portion exposed by the pixel opening is patterned to form a first opening and expose at least a portion of the first electrode.

10. The preparation method according to claim 9, characterized in that, After the step of sequentially preparing a first electrode material layer and a protective material layer on one side of the substrate, the preparation method further includes: A first photoresist is applied to the side of the protective material layer facing away from the substrate, and the first photoresist is exposed and developed to expose part of the protective material layer. Before the step of preparing the pixel definition layer, the preparation method further includes: The first photoresist is peeled off; Preferably, the step of patterning the protective material portion exposed by the pixel opening includes: The exposed protective material portion is etched using a first etching process to form a protective portion; Preferably, the first etching process includes a wet etching process; Preferably, the material of the protective material layer includes metal oxides, insulating polymers, or organic materials; Preferably, the material of the protective material layer includes indium gallium zinc oxide or indium zinc oxide; Preferably, the thickness of the protective material layer is less than 200 nanometers, and / or the thickness of the protective material layer is greater than or equal to 10 nanometers.

11. The preparation method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The step of preparing the pixel definition layer includes: A pixel definition material layer is fabricated on one side of the substrate. A second photoresist is coated on the side of the pixel definition material layer facing away from the substrate, and the second photoresist is exposed and developed to expose part of the pixel definition material layer. The exposed pixel definition material layer is etched using a second etching process to form a pixel definition layer; Preferably, the material of the pixel-defining material layer includes an inorganic insulating material; Preferably, the thickness of the pixel-defining material layer is greater than or equal to 0.1 micrometers and less than or equal to 0.4 micrometers; Preferably, the material of the pixel defining material layer includes at least one of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride; Preferably, the second etching process includes a dry etching process.

12. A display device, characterized in that, It includes the display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 8, or the display panel obtained by the preparation method according to any one of claims 9 to 11.

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