Pixel arrangement structure and display panel thereof

Abstract

This application provides a pixel arrangement structure and its display panel. The pixel arrangement structure includes multiple light-emitting repeating units arranged in an array. Each light-emitting repeating unit includes multiple light-emitting sub-units, each of which emits at least two different colors of light. Each light-emitting sub-unit includes a first light-emitting sub-unit and a second light-emitting sub-unit that emits the same color of light. The first and second light-emitting sub-units are spaced apart and configured to be individually controlled to turn on and off. The light emission angle of the first light-emitting sub-unit is greater than that of the second light-emitting sub-unit. Within the same light-emitting repeating unit, multiple first light-emitting sub-units surround multiple second light-emitting sub-units. In this application, the first and second light-emitting sub-units of the same color located within the same light-emitting unit share the same fine metal mask opening, reducing manufacturing costs and increasing production capacity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of display technology. More specifically, it relates to a pixel arrangement structure and its display panel and display device. Background Technology

[0002] OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display panels are gaining increasing importance in the display field due to their advantages such as thinness, high brightness, low power consumption, fast response, high definition, and wide color gamut.

[0003] The active-emitting characteristics of organic light-emitting diodes give OLED display panels a wider viewing angle. However, while users enjoy the visual experience brought by the wide viewing angle, they sometimes also want the viewing angle of the display panel to be adjustable to effectively protect trade secrets and personal privacy, so as to avoid business losses or embarrassment caused by the leakage of screen information.

[0004] Existing privacy display panels rely on privacy films for privacy protection. When the privacy function is not needed, the film must be removed, making it inconvenient to switch the privacy function on and off. To address this issue, some display panels incorporate privacy pixels. When the privacy pixels are activated, the panel displays normally when viewed directly, but when viewed at an angle, the light emitted from the privacy pixels interferes with the light from the display pixels, thus preventing privacy when viewed at an angle. However, the privacy pixels and display pixels require different fine metal masks (FMMs) for vapor deposition, significantly increasing the manufacturing cost of the display panel. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a pixel arrangement structure and its display panel, which aims to improve the display effect of display products, simplify the manufacturing process of display products, and reduce the manufacturing cost of display products.

[0006] An embodiment of the first aspect of this application provides a pixel arrangement structure including a plurality of light-emitting repeating units arranged in an array. Each light-emitting repeating unit includes a plurality of light-emitting units, which emit at least two different colors of light. Each light-emitting unit includes a first light-emitting sub-unit and a second light-emitting sub-unit that emits the same color of light. The first and second light-emitting sub-units are spaced apart and configured to be individually controlled to light up and turn off. The light emission angle of the first light-emitting sub-unit is greater than that of the second light-emitting sub-unit. Within the same light-emitting repeating unit, a plurality of first light-emitting sub-units surround a plurality of second light-emitting sub-units. In some embodiments of this application, the light-emitting repeating unit includes at least a first light-emitting unit, a second light-emitting unit, and a third light-emitting unit, wherein the colors of the light emitted by the first, second, and third light-emitting units are all different.

[0007] In some embodiments of this application, the light emitted by the first light-emitting unit is red, the light emitted by the second light-emitting unit is green, and the light emitted by the third light-emitting unit is blue.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, a plurality of first light-emitting units and a plurality of second light-emitting units are alternately arranged in a second direction to form a first light-emitting unit column, and a plurality of third light-emitting units are arranged along the second direction to form a second light-emitting unit column. The first light-emitting unit column and the second light-emitting unit column are alternately arranged in a first direction perpendicular to the second direction.

[0009] In some embodiments of this application, the light-emitting repeating unit further includes a fourth light-emitting unit, the fourth light-emitting unit emitting light of the same color as the third light-emitting unit, a plurality of first light-emitting units and a plurality of second light-emitting units are alternately arranged in a second direction to form a first light-emitting unit column, a plurality of third light-emitting units and a plurality of fourth light-emitting units are alternately arranged in a second direction to form a second light-emitting unit column, and the first light-emitting unit column and the second light-emitting unit column are alternately arranged in a first direction perpendicular to the second direction.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, each of the light-emitting repeating units includes a first region and a second region surrounding the first region, a plurality of first light-emitting sub-units emitting at least two different colors of light are disposed in the first region, and a plurality of second light-emitting sub-units emitting at least two different colors of light are disposed in the second region.

[0011] Based on the above-described pixel arrangement structure, a second aspect of the present invention provides a display panel, the display panel including a pixel arrangement structure of any possible implementation of the first aspect, and further including: a substrate; a first electrode layer disposed on one side of the substrate, the first electrode layer including a plurality of spaced-apart first electrodes, each first light-emitting sub-unit being correspondingly connected to a first electrode, and each second light-emitting sub-unit being correspondingly connected to a first electrode; a pixel definition layer disposed on one side of the substrate, the pixel definition layer including a pixel defining portion and a plurality of pixel openings formed by the pixel defining portion, the plurality of pixel openings including a plurality of spaced-apart first pixel openings and a plurality of second pixel openings, the first light-emitting sub-units being disposed within the first pixel openings, and the second light-emitting sub-units being disposed within the second pixel openings; a light-emitting layer including a plurality of light-emitting repeating units; and an isolation structure disposed spaced on the side of the first electrode layer away from the substrate, the isolation structure being configured to isolate the first light-emitting sub-units and the second light-emitting sub-units.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, the pixel opening includes a first surface close to the substrate and a second surface away from the substrate, and the isolation structure encloses and forms a plurality of opening regions. In a direction perpendicular to the substrate, the orthographic projection of the opening region overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first surface.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, the material of the isolation structure includes at least one of ink, toner, black inorganic material, and black adhesive.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, the display panel further includes a light-shielding structure, the light-shielding structure comprising a plurality of light-shielding units, the light-shielding units being disposed on the sidewall of the pixel defining portion corresponding to the second pixel opening. In some embodiments of this application, the pixel defining portion has a plurality of grooves and / or protrusions on the side away from the substrate.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, the cross-sectional shape of the groove and / or the protrusion in the direction perpendicular to the substrate is at least one of rectangle, trapezoid and semicircle.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the display panel further includes: a lens structure disposed on the side of the light-emitting layer away from the substrate. In the direction away from the substrate, the lens structure includes a lens layer and a cover layer stacked sequentially. The lens layer includes a plurality of protrusions. The cover layer covers the lens layer. The refractive index of the lens layer is greater than that of the cover layer. The lens layer includes a plurality of lenses. In the direction perpendicular to the substrate, the orthogonal projection of at least one of the privacy sub-pixels is located within the orthogonal projection range of the lens.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application are as follows: In the pixel arrangement structure and display panel provided in the embodiments of this application, the pixel arrangement structure includes multiple light-emitting repeating units arranged in an array. Each light-emitting repeating unit includes multiple light-emitting units emitting light of different colors. Each light-emitting unit includes a first light-emitting sub-unit and a second light-emitting sub-unit emitting the same color light. The light emission angle of the first light-emitting sub-unit is greater than that of the second light-emitting sub-unit, and multiple first light-emitting sub-units within the same light-emitting repeating unit surround multiple second light-emitting sub-units. Specifically, the first and second light-emitting sub-units of the same color in each light-emitting unit can share the same opening in a fine metal mask. On the one hand, by allowing the first and second light-emitting sub-units of the same color in each light-emitting unit to share the same opening in a fine metal mask, the number of fine metal masks used and the number of times the mesh is aligned during the vapor deposition process can be reduced, the manufacturing difficulty of the mask can be reduced, and the service life of the mask can be extended, thereby effectively reducing the manufacturing cost of the display panel and increasing production capacity. On the other hand, by setting an isolation structure between the first light-emitting sub-unit and the second light-emitting sub-unit, the isolation structure can not only physically block at least a portion of the large-angle light emitted by the second light-emitting sub-unit to achieve narrow-view privacy display; on the other hand, the isolation structure can isolate the light-emitting layer between the first light-emitting sub-unit and the second light-emitting sub-unit, suppress lateral leakage current, reduce electrical crosstalk, thereby ensuring that the two sub-pixels sharing the same opening can be driven independently and do not interfere with each other, thus improving display quality. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of a light-emitting repeating unit in a pixel arrangement structure provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 2This is one of the schematic diagrams of a pixel arrangement structure provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of a light-emitting repeating unit in a pixel arrangement structure provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a second schematic diagram of a pixel arrangement structure provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a display panel provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 6 A display panel provided in the embodiments of this application is along Figure 4 One of the schematic cross-sectional views at point AA.

[0025] Figure 7 A display panel provided in the embodiments of this application is along Figure 4 The second schematic diagram of the cross-section at point AA.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pixel-defining layer provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 9 A display panel provided in the embodiments of this application is along Figure 4 The third schematic diagram of the cross-section at point AA.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 10, repeating light-emitting unit; 101, light-emitting unit; 1011, first light-emitting sub-unit; 1012, second light-emitting sub-unit; 11, substrate; 12, first electrode layer; 121, first electrode; 13, pixel definition layer; 131, pixel defining portion; 1311, groove; 1312, protrusion; 132, pixel opening; 1321, first pixel opening; 1322, second pixel opening; 1323, first surface; 1324, second surface; 14 141. Light-emitting layer; 15. First part; 16. Isolation structure; 17. Opening area; 18. Second electrode layer; 19. Light-shielding structure; 10. Light-shielding unit; 11. Encapsulation layer; 12. First inorganic encapsulation layer; 13. Organic encapsulation layer; 14. Second inorganic encapsulation layer; 15. Optical adhesive layer; 26. Lens structure; 27. Lens layer; 28. Covering layer; P1. First light-emitting unit; P2. Second light-emitting unit; P3. Third light-emitting unit; P4. Fourth light-emitting unit; A1. First region; A2. Second region; X. First direction; Y. Second direction. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0030] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0032] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product is in use. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. In addition, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0033] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, different features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0034] Please refer to Figure 1 This embodiment provides a pixel arrangement structure, which includes multiple light-emitting repeating units 10 arranged in an array. Each light-emitting repeating unit 10 includes multiple light-emitting units 101, and the multiple light-emitting units 101 emit at least two different colors of light. Each light-emitting unit 101 includes a first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and a second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 that emits the same color of light, and the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 are spaced apart. The first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 are configured to be individually controlled to light up and light down, and the light emission angle of the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 is greater than the light emission angle of the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012. Within the same light-emitting repeating unit 10, multiple first light-emitting sub-units 1011 surround multiple second light-emitting sub-units 1012.

[0035] Specifically, in each light-emitting unit 101, the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 can serve as a conventional display sub-unit with a large light emission angle, suitable for wide-viewing-angle display in shared mode; the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 can serve as a privacy display sub-unit with a smaller light emission angle, suitable for narrow-viewing-angle display in privacy mode. Since the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 are configured to be controlled to light up and turn off independently, users can flexibly switch according to the usage scenario: in shared mode, only the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 is lit, or both the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 are lit simultaneously to obtain a wide-viewing-angle display effect; in privacy mode, only the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 is lit, utilizing the narrow-angle light emission characteristics of the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 and the light mixing interference between the two at large angles to achieve information shielding at large viewing angles. In this embodiment, multiple first light-emitting sub-units 1011 are arranged around multiple second light-emitting sub-units 1012, that is, the second light-emitting sub-units 1012 are located in the central region of the light-emitting repeating unit 10, and the first light-emitting sub-units 1011 are located in the peripheral region of the light-emitting repeating unit 10. This pixel arrangement structure makes it easier for the light emitted by the central second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 to be blocked at its large angle by the surrounding isolation or light-shielding structure, thereby further narrowing the light emission angle; on the other hand, it ensures that the large-angle light emission of the peripheral first light-emitting sub-units 1011 is not blocked, which is beneficial to maintaining the wide viewing angle display characteristics. At the same time, this "surrounding" layout also shortens the spatial distance between second light-emitting sub-units 1012 of different colors, which is beneficial for white light recombination in privacy mode and reduces the risk of color space separation.

[0036] This embodiment achieves dynamic switching between shared mode and privacy mode by setting up first light-emitting sub-units 1011 and second light-emitting sub-units 1012 with different light emission angles in the same light-emitting unit 101 and configuring them for individual control. Users can flexibly choose the display mode according to the usage scenario, which ensures information security without sacrificing the visual experience of daily use. At the same time, by setting up multiple first light-emitting sub-units 1011 around multiple second light-emitting sub-units 1012, the white light composite effect in privacy mode is optimized, the risk of color space separation is reduced, and the display quality under high pixel density is guaranteed.

[0037] Continue reading Figure 1In this embodiment, the light-emitting repeating unit 10 includes at least a first light-emitting unit P1, a second light-emitting unit P2, and a third light-emitting unit P3, each emitting light of a different color. Preferably, the first light-emitting unit P1 emits red light, the second light-emitting unit P2 emits green light, and the third light-emitting unit P3 emits blue light. This embodiment achieves full-color display by providing at least three different colored light-emitting units.

[0038] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 Multiple first light-emitting units P1 and multiple second light-emitting units P2 are alternately arranged in the second direction Y to form a first light-emitting unit column, and multiple third light-emitting units P3 are arranged along the second direction Y to form a second light-emitting unit column. The first light-emitting unit column and the second light-emitting unit column are alternately arranged in the first direction X, which is perpendicular to the second direction Y.

[0039] Specifically, a first direction X and a second direction Y are defined, which are perpendicular to each other. Along the second direction Y, red light-emitting units (first light-emitting unit P1) and green light-emitting units (second light-emitting unit P2) are arranged alternately, for example, red, green, red, green… and so on, forming the first light-emitting unit column. Along the second direction Y, blue light-emitting units (third light-emitting unit P3) are arranged alternately, forming the second light-emitting unit column. Along the first direction X, the first and second light-emitting unit columns are arranged alternately, for example, red-green column, blue column, red-green column, blue column… and so on. This arrangement ensures that the red, green, and blue light-emitting units are evenly distributed in space, avoiding color shifts or color block phenomena that may result from concentrated arrangement of units of the same color, resulting in smoother and more natural color transitions in the displayed image. At the same time, the regular, periodic arrangement pattern is beneficial for the design and manufacturing of fine metal masks, reducing the difficulty of mesh alignment and improving the accuracy and yield of the vapor deposition process.

[0040] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 As shown, the light-emitting repeating unit 10 also includes a fourth light-emitting unit P4, which emits light of the same color as the third light-emitting unit P3. Specifically, in this embodiment, the light-emitting repeating unit includes a first light-emitting unit P1 emitting red light, a second light-emitting unit P2 emitting green light, a third light-emitting unit P3 emitting a first blue light, and a fourth light-emitting unit P4 emitting a second blue light. The reason for setting two blue light-emitting units is that the luminous efficiency of blue light-emitting materials is generally lower than that of red and green light-emitting materials. By increasing the number of blue light-emitting units, the blue brightness and lifespan performance can be effectively improved, alleviating the color shift problem caused by the rapid decay of blue light after long-term use.

[0041] like Figure 4As shown, multiple first light-emitting units P1 and multiple second light-emitting units P2 are alternately arranged in the second direction Y to form a first light-emitting unit column, and multiple third light-emitting units P3 and multiple fourth light-emitting units P4 are alternately arranged in the second direction Y to form a second light-emitting unit column. The first light-emitting unit column and the second light-emitting unit column are alternately arranged in the first direction X, which is perpendicular to the second direction Y.

[0042] Specifically, we define a first direction X and a second direction Y, which are perpendicular to each other. Along the second direction Y, red light-emitting units (first light-emitting unit P1) and green light-emitting units (second light-emitting unit P2) are arranged alternately, for example, red, green, red, green… and so on, forming the first light-emitting unit column. Along the second direction Y, first blue light-emitting units (third light-emitting unit P3) and second blue light-emitting units (fourth light-emitting unit P4) are arranged alternately, for example, blue 1, blue 2, blue 1, blue 2… and so on, forming the second light-emitting unit column. Along the first direction X, the first and second light-emitting unit columns are arranged alternately, for example, red-green column, blue-blue column, red-green column, blue-blue column… and so on. In other words, in the first direction X, the alternating columns of red and green light-emitting units alternate with the alternating columns of first and second blue light-emitting units.

[0043] Please see Figures 1 to 4 Each light-emitting repeating unit 10 includes a first region A1 and a second region A2 surrounding the first region A1. A plurality of first light-emitting sub-units 1011 emitting at least two different colors of light are disposed in the first region A1, and a plurality of second light-emitting sub-units 1012 emitting at least two different colors of light are disposed in the second region A2.

[0044] In this embodiment, the first region A1 is located at the center of the light-emitting repeating unit 10, and the second region A2 is arranged around the first region A1. A plurality of second light-emitting sub-units 1012 (i.e., privacy display sub-units) are arranged in the first region A1, and a plurality of first light-emitting sub-units 1011 (i.e., conventional display sub-units) are arranged in the second region A2.

[0045] The above pixel layout has the following beneficial effects: First, from the perspective of white light recombination, since the size of the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 is usually designed to be smaller than that of the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011, if the second light-emitting sub-units 1012 are dispersed, the spacing between each color is large, and color separation is likely to occur when viewed at a wide viewing angle. That is, different colors enter the human eye from different angles, resulting in colored stripes at the edges of the displayed image. In this embodiment, multiple second light-emitting sub-units 1012 emitting at least two different colors of light are concentrated in the second region A2, effectively shortening the spatial distance between the second light-emitting sub-units 1012 of different colors, which is beneficial to improving the white light recombination effect and reducing the risk of color space separation. Second, from the perspective of brightness uniformity, multiple first light-emitting sub-units 1011 emitting at least two different colors of light are disposed in the first region A1, and multiple second light-emitting sub-units 1012 emitting at least two different colors of light are concentrated in the second region A2, and the layout of the first region A1 surrounding the second region A2 makes the display panel have a more uniform brightness distribution throughout the entire display area. Third, from a process perspective, this pixel layout facilitates the sharing of FMM openings. Since the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 of the same color are close to each other in the same light-emitting repeating unit 10, they can be covered by the same FMM opening, thereby simplifying the vapor deposition process.

[0046] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide a display panel. Please refer to... Figures 5 to 7 The display panel of this embodiment includes the pixel arrangement structure described in any of the above embodiments, and also includes a substrate 11, a first electrode layer 12, a pixel definition layer 13, a light-emitting layer 14, and an isolation structure 15.

[0047] A first electrode layer 12 is disposed on one side of the substrate 11. The first electrode layer 12 includes a plurality of spaced-apart first electrodes 121. Each first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 is correspondingly connected to a first electrode 121, and each second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 is correspondingly connected to a first electrode 121. A pixel definition layer 13 is disposed on one side of the substrate 11. The pixel definition layer 13 includes a pixel defining portion 131 and a plurality of pixel openings 132 formed by the pixel defining portion 131. The plurality of pixel openings 132 include a plurality of spaced-apart first pixel openings 1321 and a plurality of spaced-apart second pixel openings 1322. The first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 is disposed within the first pixel opening 1321, and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 is disposed within the second pixel opening 1322. A light-emitting layer 14 includes a plurality of light-emitting repeating units 10. An isolation structure 15 is spaced-apart on the side of the first electrode layer 12 away from the substrate 11. The isolation structure 15 is configured to isolate the first light-emitting sub-units 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-units 1012.

[0048] Specifically, the substrate 11 can be a rigid substrate or a flexible substrate. In one feasible embodiment, the substrate 11 is a glass substrate; in another feasible embodiment, the substrate 11 is a polyimide (PI) substrate to achieve a flexible display. In some embodiments of this application, the substrate 11 may include a substrate, a driving circuit layer, and a planarization layer (not shown) stacked sequentially, wherein the driving circuit layer is used to drive the light-emitting layer 14 to emit light, and the planarization layer is used to provide a flat surface.

[0049] The first electrode layer 12 is disposed on one side of the substrate 11, and includes a plurality of spaced-apart first electrodes 121. Specifically, the first electrodes 121 can be formed using transparent conductive oxide materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO), or can adopt an ITO / Ag / ITO stacked structure to improve conductivity and reflectivity. The plurality of first electrodes 121 are insulated from each other, and each first electrode 121 is used to independently drive a sub-pixel.

[0050] A pixel definition layer 13 is disposed on one side of the substrate 11, specifically on the side of the first electrode layer 12 away from the substrate 11. The pixel definition layer 13 includes pixel defining portions 131 and a plurality of pixel openings 132 formed by the pixel defining portions 131. For example... Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the pixel opening 132 includes a first pixel opening 1321 and a second pixel opening 1322. The first pixel opening 1321 accommodates a first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 (a conventional display sub-unit), and the second pixel opening 1322 accommodates a second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 (a privacy display sub-unit). The first pixel opening 1321 and the second pixel opening 1322 are spaced apart by a pixel defining portion 131. This structure facilitates the subsequent setting of the isolation structure 15 and also provides additional optical isolation space between the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012, further reducing optical crosstalk between them.

[0051] The light-emitting layer 14 includes multiple light-emitting repeating units 10. In each light-emitting repeating unit 10, each first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 is connected to a corresponding first electrode 121, and each second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 is also connected to a corresponding first electrode 121. That is, the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 are driven by independent first electrodes 121, thereby enabling independent control of both. This is the basis for realizing the dynamic privacy protection function: in the shared mode, both the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 are activated simultaneously; in the privacy protection mode, only the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 is activated.

[0052] During the vapor deposition process, since the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 of the same color share the same fine metal mask opening for vapor deposition, organic light-emitting material is simultaneously deposited on the surface of the first electrode 121 exposed at the bottom of the first pixel opening 1321, the surface of the first electrode 121 exposed at the bottom of the second pixel opening 1322, the sidewall of the pixel defining portion 131, and the side surface of the pixel defining portion 131 away from the substrate 11. Without the isolation structure 15, the organic light-emitting material in these areas will interconnect to form a continuous organic film layer structure, making the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 electrically interconnected. The isolation structure 15 is spaced apart on the side of the first electrode layer 12 away from the substrate 11. In this embodiment, the isolation structure 15 is configured to isolate the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012. Figure 6 As shown, the isolation structure 15 has a dimension ranging from 150 nm to 400 nm along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 11. Specifically, the thickness of the isolation structure 15 can be 150 nm, 180 nm, 200 nm, 220 nm, 250 nm, 280 nm, 300 nm, 320 nm, 350 nm, 380 nm, or 400 nm. In a preferred embodiment of this example, the thickness of the isolation structure 15 is 200 nm to 300 nm. The above thickness range can ensure that the isolation structure 15 effectively isolates the first light-emitting subunit 1011 and prevents the generation of lateral leakage current, and can also ensure that the subsequently formed second electrode layer 16 maintains good continuity when crossing the isolation structure 15, avoiding the second electrode layer 16 from breaking due to the isolation structure 15 being too high, thereby ensuring the electrical reliability of the display panel.

[0053] Without the isolation structure 15, during the vapor deposition process, the first light-emitting subunit 1011 and the second light-emitting subunit 1012 of the same color share the same fine metal mask opening for vapor deposition. This results in the simultaneous deposition of organic light-emitting material on the surface of the first electrode 121 exposed at the bottom of the first pixel opening 1321, the surface of the first electrode 121 exposed at the bottom of the second pixel opening 1322, the sidewall of the pixel defining portion 131, and the side surface of the pixel defining portion 131 away from the substrate 11. The organic light-emitting materials in these areas will interconnect, forming a continuous organic film structure. This makes the first light-emitting subunit 1011 and the second light-emitting subunit 1012 electrically interconnected, preventing normal switching between the privacy mode and the sharing mode.

[0054] An isolation structure 15 is pre-formed on the upper surface of the pixel defining portion 131 before the evaporation of the light-emitting layer 14, and its height is greater than the thickness of the subsequently deposited light-emitting layer 14. When the light-emitting layer 14 is formed by the evaporation process, due to the presence of the isolation structure 15, the organic film layer that should have formed continuously extending on the upper surface of the pixel defining portion 131, the sidewall of the pixel defining portion 131, and the exposed surface of the first electrode 121 is physically blocked by the isolation structure 15, thereby forming spaced-apart first portions 141. Specifically, the organic film layer located in the first pixel opening 1321 and the organic film layer located in the second pixel opening 1322 are separated by the isolation structure 15, and the two are no longer continuous, forming multiple spaced-apart first portions 141. In other words, it is precisely because of the physical isolation effect of the isolation structure 15 that the originally continuous organic film layer is divided into multiple electrically isolated independent regions.

[0055] In this embodiment, the isolation structure 15 has a dual function. First, from an optical perspective, the isolation structure 14 can physically block at least a portion of the large-angle light emitted by the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012. When the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 emits light, the light rays with a large angle to the normal direction of the substrate 11 (i.e., large-angle light rays) in its emitted light will be absorbed or reflected by the sidewall of the isolation structure 15, thus preventing them from escaping outside the panel. In this way, when viewed from a wide viewing angle, the user cannot see the light emitted by the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012, thereby achieving a privacy protection effect. Second, from an electrical perspective, since the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 share the same fine metal mask opening for vapor deposition, their organic light-emitting functional layers are physically continuous. Without the isolation structure 15, when a driving voltage is applied to one of the light-emitting sub-units, charge carriers (electrons and holes) may diffuse laterally along the continuous organic film layer to the anode region of the other sub-pixel, resulting in lateral leakage current or electrical crosstalk. The isolation structure 15 effectively prevents the lateral diffusion of charge carriers by physically isolating the organic film layer, ensuring that the first light-emitting subunit 1011 and the second light-emitting subunit 1012 can be driven independently without interfering with each other.

[0056] Furthermore, the width of the isolation structure 15 on the side away from the substrate 11 can be greater than the width of the isolation structure 15 on the side close to the substrate 11. That is, the cross-sectional shape of the isolation structure 15 in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 11 can be an inverted trapezoid. This isolation structure 15 has a wider shielding range at the top, which can more effectively block the large-angle emitted light from the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012, further narrowing the light emission angle of the privacy sub-unit and enhancing the privacy protection effect. In addition, the inclined sidewalls of the isolation structure 15 make the deposited organic film layer easy to break naturally at the corners, enhancing the physical isolation effect on the organic film layer and reducing the risk of lateral leakage current.

[0057] Furthermore, the light-emitting layer 14 comprises multiple organic functional thin films. Specifically, the light-emitting layer 14 comprises at least one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting material layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer.

[0058] Furthermore, to prevent the second electrode layer 16 from breaking when crossing the isolation structure 15, in some embodiments of this application, an auxiliary cathode (not shown in the figure) is provided on the side of the second electrode layer 16 away from the substrate 11. Specifically, the auxiliary cathode is disposed on the side of the second electrode layer 16 away from the substrate 11 and is electrically connected to the second electrode layer 16. The auxiliary cathode can be formed using a metal material with good conductivity, such as silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), or alloys thereof. The auxiliary cathode can be formed by a vapor deposition process or a sputtering process. The pattern of the auxiliary cathode can correspond to the isolation structure 14, that is, the orthographic projection of the auxiliary cathode in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 11 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the isolation structure 15, thereby reinforcing the weak area of ​​the second electrode layer 16 at the isolation structure 15.

[0059] See Figure 6 and Figure 8 The pixel opening 132 includes a first surface 1323 near the substrate 11 and a second surface 1324 away from the substrate 11. In other embodiments of this application, the isolation structure 15 encloses a plurality of opening regions 151, and in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 11, the orthographic projection of the opening region 151 overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first surface 1323. Preferably, the material of the isolation structure 15 includes at least one of ink, toner, black inorganic material, and black adhesive.

[0060] Specifically, the isolation structure 15 can be formed by photolithography. In one feasible fabrication method, an isolation material is first coated on the first electrode layer 12, and then an isolation structure 15 with a specific pattern is formed through steps such as exposure, development, and etching. The isolation structure 15 is in the form of a grid, enclosing multiple opening regions 151. That is, the isolation structure 15 is located between the first light-emitting subunit 1011 and the second light-emitting subunit 1022.

[0061] When the material of the isolation structure 15 is selected to include at least one of ink, toner, black inorganic material and black adhesive, the isolation structure 15, in addition to having the electrical isolation function of blocking the light-emitting layer 14, also has light-absorbing properties, which can absorb the light emitted from the side of the second light-emitting subunit 1022, further enhancing the privacy protection effect.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 7In this embodiment, the display panel further includes a light-shielding structure 17, which includes a plurality of light-shielding units 171. The light-shielding units 171 are disposed on the sidewall of the pixel limiting portion 131 corresponding to the second pixel opening 1322. Preferably, the material of the light-shielding structure 17 includes at least one of ink, toner, black inorganic material, and black adhesive.

[0063] In this embodiment, the light-shielding structure 17 serves to block the large-angle light emission of the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 to achieve a privacy protection effect. Specifically, the light-shielding structure 17 is disposed on the side wall of the pixel limiting portion 131 corresponding to the second pixel opening 1322. When the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 emits light, its large-angle light rays are directed towards the side wall and absorbed by the light-shielding structure 17, preventing them from escaping outside the panel; its forward light rays are not blocked. The side wall of the pixel limiting portion 131 of the first pixel opening 1321 corresponding to the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 is not provided with the light-shielding structure 17 to ensure wide viewing angle display in the shared mode. The light-shielding structure 17 cooperates with the isolation structure 15 to achieve all-round blocking of the large-angle light emission of the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 from both the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0064] In this embodiment, by setting the light-shielding structure 17 and the isolation structure 15, the light emission angle of the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 is greater than that of the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012. When the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 emits light, its large-angle emitted light is absorbed or reflected by the isolation structure 15 and the light-shielding structure 17, and cannot be emitted outside the panel; while the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 is not surrounded by the above-mentioned blocking structure, and its large-angle light emission is not obstructed, thereby making the light emission angle of the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 greater than that of the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012.

[0065] It is understood that, in other embodiments of this application, the light emission angle of the first light-emitting subunit 1011 can also be made greater than that of the second light-emitting subunit 1012 by means of microcavity effect adjustment, pixel limiting part height difference adjustment, or lens structure collimation. See also Figure 8 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a pixel defining layer provided in an embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, a plurality of grooves 1311 and / or protrusions 1312 are provided on the side of the pixel defining portion 131 away from the substrate 11. Preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the grooves 1311 and / or protrusions 1312 in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 11 is at least one of rectangle, trapezoid, and semicircle.

[0066] Specifically, such as Figure 8As shown, the upper surface of the pixel defining portion 131 (i.e., the side away from the substrate 11) is formed with periodically arranged microstructures. These microstructures can be grooves 1311, protrusions 1312, or a combination of both. The cross-sectional shape of these microstructures can be rectangular, trapezoidal, or semi-circular, and can be selected according to the optical design requirements.

[0067] In this embodiment, the groove 1311 and / or protrusion 1312 on the upper surface of the pixel defining portion 131 are used to extend the physical path of lateral carrier migration, thereby reducing leakage current. Specifically, when the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 and the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 share the same FMM opening, the first portion 141 between them is continuous and integral. When the isolation structure 15 fails to completely isolate the light-emitting layer 14 due to process deviations or structural design, carriers may migrate laterally along the light-emitting layer 14 between adjacent light-emitting sub-units, generating lateral leakage current, resulting in unexpected light emission or crosstalk. By providing the groove 1311 and / or protrusion 1312 on the upper surface of the pixel defining portion 131, the light-emitting layer 14 forms a non-planar structure in this area. When carriers migrate laterally, they need to pass through an uneven interface, and their migration path is significantly extended. According to the law of resistance, the path extension leads to an increase in equivalent resistance, thereby effectively suppressing lateral leakage current and reducing the risk of leakage current.

[0068] Please see Figure 9 In this embodiment, the display panel further includes a lens structure 20 disposed on the side of the light-emitting layer 14 away from the substrate 11. In the direction away from the substrate 11, the lens structure 20 includes a lens layer 201 and a cover layer 202 stacked sequentially. The lens layer 201 includes multiple protrusions, and the cover layer 202 covers the lens layer 201. The refractive index of the lens layer 201 is greater than that of the cover layer 202, and the lens layer 201 includes multiple lenses. In the direction perpendicular to the substrate 11, the orthographic projection of at least one second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 is located within the orthographic projection range of the lens.

[0069] Specifically, since the refractive index of the lens layer 201 is greater than that of the capping layer 202, when light travels from the lens layer 201 to the capping layer 202, refraction occurs at the interface between the two, and the outgoing direction of the light is deflected towards the normal direction. In other words, the lens structure 20 has the function of converging light rays, which can concentrate light rays with a large divergence angle in the positive direction, thus achieving light collimation.

[0070] In this embodiment, the lens structure 20 is specifically positioned above the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012, meaning the orthographic projection of the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 lies within the orthographic projection range of the lens in the lens layer 201. This causes the light emitted by the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 to be converged and collimated when passing through the lens structure 20, significantly reducing the intensity of its large-angle emitted light. First, the collimated light is more concentrated in the forward direction. In privacy mode, the large-angle light emission of the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012 is reduced, making the privacy effect more significant when looking at someone at an angle. Second, because the light is converged to a smaller angular range, the luminous flux per unit solid angle increases, thus improving the forward brightness of the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012, thereby compensating for the brightness loss caused by the small area of ​​the second light-emitting sub-unit 1012.

[0071] It is understandable that the lens layer 201 can also be disposed above the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011, that is, the orthographic projection of the first light-emitting sub-unit 1011 is located within the orthographic projection range of the lens in the lens layer 201, thereby adjusting the overall brightness of the display panel in the shared mode.

[0072] Continue reading Figure 9 In some embodiments of this application, the display panel further includes: a second electrode layer 16, continuously disposed on the side of the light-emitting layer 14 away from the substrate 11; an encapsulation layer 18, disposed on the side of the second electrode layer 16 away from the substrate 11; and an optical adhesive layer 19, disposed between the encapsulation layer 18 and the lens structure 20. Preferably, the refractive index of the optical adhesive layer 19 is 1.5 to 1.6; preferably, the refractive index of the lens layer 201 is 1.5 to 1.8; preferably, the refractive index of the cover layer 202 is 1.4 to 1.6.

[0073] Specifically, the second electrode layer 16 can be formed using a metal material such as a magnesium-silver alloy through a vapor deposition process, covering the entire light-emitting layer 14 and serving as the common cathode for all light-emitting sub-units. The encapsulation layer 18 can adopt a thin-film encapsulation structure, including a stacked structure of a first inorganic encapsulation layer 181, an organic encapsulation layer 182, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer 183, to prevent moisture and oxygen from penetrating the light-emitting layer 14 and extend the lifespan of the display panel. The optical adhesive layer 19 is a transparent optical adhesive used to attach the lens structure 20 to the encapsulation layer 18.

[0074] The refractive index (1.5-1.6) of the optical adhesive layer 19 is close to that of the lens layer 201 (1.5-1.8), which helps reduce reflection loss at the interface and improves optical coupling efficiency. The refractive index of the lens layer 201 is greater than that of the capping layer 202, and this difference in refractive index is key to achieving light collimation. According to Snell's law, when light travels from a denser medium (high refractive index) to a less dense medium (low refractive index), the angle of refraction is greater than the angle of incidence. However, if the interface between the lens layer 201 and the capping layer 202 is designed as a curved surface (i.e., the convex shape of the lens), the light will be deflected towards the normal direction when passing through this curved surface, thus achieving a converging effect. The relatively low refractive index (1.4-1.6) of the capping layer 202 helps to minimize refraction when light exits the lens structure 20 and enters the upper air layer (refractive index approximately 1.0), maintaining the collimation effect.

[0075] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide a display device, which includes the display panel provided by the present invention. The display device may include devices with display functions such as smartphones, tablets, in-vehicle display devices, smart wearable devices, televisions, and laptops.

[0076] In summary, the pixel arrangement structure and display panel provided in this application reduce the number of masks used and the number of mesh alignment times by setting the first and second light-emitting sub-units of the same color to share the same fine metal mask opening, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and increasing production capacity. Specifically, the first and second light-emitting sub-units are spaced apart and configured to be independently controlled for lighting and extinguishing, with the light emission angle of the first sub-unit being greater than that of the second sub-unit. Simultaneously, an isolation structure is provided between them, which physically blocks the large-angle light from the second sub-unit to achieve an internally integrated privacy protection effect, and also isolates the light-emitting layer to suppress lateral leakage current, ensuring independent driving.

[0077] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0078] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pixel arrangement structure, characterized in that, The device includes multiple light-emitting repeating units arranged in an array. Each light-emitting repeating unit includes multiple light-emitting units that emit at least two different colors of light. Each light-emitting unit includes a first light-emitting sub-unit and a second light-emitting sub-unit that emit the same color of light. The first light-emitting sub-unit and the second light-emitting sub-unit are spaced apart. The first light-emitting sub-unit and the second light-emitting sub-unit are configured to be individually controlled to light up and turn off. The light emission angle of the first light-emitting sub-unit is greater than that of the second light-emitting sub-unit. Within the same light-emitting repeating unit, multiple first light-emitting sub-units surround multiple second light-emitting sub-units.

2. The pixel arrangement structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light-emitting repeating unit includes at least a first light-emitting unit, a second light-emitting unit, and a third light-emitting unit, wherein the light emitted by the first light-emitting unit, the second light-emitting unit, and the third light-emitting unit is of different colors. Preferably, the light emitted by the first light-emitting unit is red, the light emitted by the second light-emitting unit is green, and the light emitted by the third light-emitting unit is blue.

3. The pixel arrangement structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, Multiple first light-emitting units and multiple second light-emitting units are alternately arranged in a second direction to form a first light-emitting unit column, and multiple third light-emitting units are arranged along the second direction to form a second light-emitting unit column. The first light-emitting unit column and the second light-emitting unit column are alternately arranged in a first direction perpendicular to the second direction.

4. According to the pixel arrangement structure of claim 2, the light-emitting repeating unit further includes a fourth light-emitting unit, the fourth light-emitting unit emits light of the same color as the third light-emitting unit, a plurality of first light-emitting units and a plurality of second light-emitting units are alternately arranged in a second direction to form a first light-emitting unit column, a plurality of third light-emitting units and a plurality of fourth light-emitting units are alternately arranged in a second direction to form a second light-emitting unit column, and the first light-emitting unit column and the second light-emitting unit column are alternately arranged in a first direction perpendicular to the second direction.

5. The pixel arrangement structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the light-emitting repeating units includes a first region and a second region surrounding the first region, with a plurality of first light-emitting sub-units emitting at least two different colors of light disposed in the first region, and a plurality of second light-emitting sub-units emitting at least two different colors of light disposed in the second region.

6. A display panel, characterized in that, include: The pixel arrangement structure according to any one of claims 1-5 further includes: a substrate. A first electrode layer is disposed on one side of the substrate. The first electrode layer includes a plurality of spaced first electrodes. Each first light-emitting subunit is connected to a first electrode, and each second light-emitting subunit is connected to a first electrode. A pixel definition layer is disposed on one side of the substrate. The pixel definition layer includes a pixel defining portion and a plurality of pixel openings formed by the pixel defining portion. The plurality of pixel openings include a plurality of first pixel openings and a plurality of second pixel openings that are spaced apart. A first light-emitting subunit is disposed in the first pixel opening, and a second light-emitting subunit is disposed in the second pixel opening. The light-emitting layer includes a plurality of the light-emitting repeating units; An isolation structure is provided at a distance from the substrate on the side of the first electrode layer, and the isolation structure is configured to isolate the first light-emitting subunit and the second light-emitting subunit.

7. The display panel according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pixel opening includes a first surface close to the substrate and a second surface away from the substrate. The isolation structure encloses and forms a plurality of opening regions. In a direction perpendicular to the substrate, the orthographic projection of the opening region overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first surface. Preferably, the material of the isolation structure includes at least one of ink, toner, black inorganic material, and black adhesive.

8. The display panel according to claim 6, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a light-shielding structure, which includes a plurality of light-shielding units, the light-shielding units being disposed on the sidewall of the pixel limiting portion corresponding to the second pixel opening.

9. The display panel according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pixel defining portion has a plurality of grooves and / or protrusions on the side away from the substrate. Preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the groove and / or the protrusion in the direction perpendicular to the substrate is at least one of rectangle, trapezoid, and semicircle.

10. The display panel according to claim 6, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a lens structure disposed on the side of the light-emitting layer away from the substrate. In the direction away from the substrate, the lens structure includes a lens layer and a cover layer stacked sequentially. The lens layer includes a plurality of protrusions. The cover layer covers the lens layer. The refractive index of the lens layer is greater than that of the cover layer. The lens layer includes a plurality of lenses. In the direction perpendicular to the substrate, the orthographic projection of at least one second light-emitting sub-unit is located within the orthographic projection range of the lens.

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