Display panel and manufacturing method of display panel

Abstract

A display panel and a manufacturing method thereof, the display panel comprising a functional layer, an encapsulation layer, a plurality of electrochromic structures and a second electrode, the functional layer comprising a plurality of light emitting pieces and a plurality of pixel definition structures arranged at intervals, two adjacent light emitting pieces being separated by a pixel definition structure, and a first electrode being stacked on each pixel definition structure; the encapsulation layer being stacked on the functional layer, the encapsulation layer being formed with a plurality of vias, the plurality of vias penetrating through the first electrode on the plurality of pixel definition structures one by one in a one-to-one correspondence; the plurality of electrochromic structures being filled in the plurality of vias one by one and connected to the first electrode; and the second electrode being stacked on the encapsulation layer and connected to the plurality of electrochromic structures; an aperture of the via gradually increases from the first electrode to the second electrode, so that a side surface of the electrochromic structure forms a reflection surface facing the light emitting piece. The display panel of the present application can realize the adjustment of brightness and display viewing angle.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] When mobile devices such as smartphones are used outdoors in bright sunlight, the screen brightness needs to be increased to ensure users can see a clear image. In crowded places, users often have privacy concerns regarding screen display, which essentially involves narrowing the viewing angle. Conversely, in low-light conditions and without privacy requirements, users desire a wider viewing angle.

[0003] However, current technologies struggle to balance brightness adjustment and viewing angle adjustment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a display panel and a method for manufacturing the display panel, which solves the problem of difficulty in simultaneously adjusting brightness and viewing angle.

[0005] To achieve the objectives of this application, the following technical solution is provided: In a first aspect, this application provides a display panel, comprising: The functional layer includes multiple light-emitting elements and multiple pixel definition structures arranged at intervals, with two adjacent light-emitting elements separated by a pixel definition structure, and a first electrode stacked on each pixel definition structure; An encapsulation layer is stacked on the functional layer, and the encapsulation layer has a plurality of vias, each of which is connected to the first electrode on the plurality of pixel definition structures in a corresponding manner. Multiple electrochromic structures are filled in the multiple vias one by one and connected to the first electrode; The second electrode is stacked on the encapsulation layer and connected to multiple electrochromic structures; The aperture of the via gradually increases from the first electrode to the second electrode, so that the side of the electrochromic structure forms a reflective surface facing the light-emitting element.

[0006] In one embodiment, the encapsulation layer includes m sequentially stacked sub-layers. At the position corresponding to each pixel definition structure, each sub-layer has a sub-hole. The m sub-holes together constitute the via. The aperture of each sub-hole gradually increases from the first electrode to the second electrode. The electrochromic structure filled in each via includes m sub-structures. The m sub-structures fill the m sub-holes one-to-one. m is a positive integer and 2≤m.

[0007] In one embodiment, the maximum aperture of the (n-1)th sub-hole is smaller than the minimum aperture of the nth sub-hole, so as to form a stepped surface on the surface of the (n-1)th sub-layer facing away from the functional layer, where n is a positive integer and 2≤n≤m.

[0008] In one embodiment, the density of the plurality of sublayers gradually decreases from the first electrode to the second electrode.

[0009] In one embodiment, m is 3, and from the first electrode to the second electrode, the material of the first sublayer is SiNx, the material of the second sublayer is SiOx, and the material of the third sublayer is an organic material.

[0010] In one embodiment, an intermediate electrode is provided between every two adjacent sub-layers, and the intermediate electrode is connected to two adjacent sub-structures in the same via.

[0011] In one embodiment, the functional layer includes a driving layer, the pixel definition structure and the light-emitting element are both stacked on the driving layer, the light-emitting element includes a light-emitting layer, the driving layer has an anode, the light-emitting layer is stacked on the anode, and the first electrode is also stacked on the light-emitting layer, so that the light-emitting element forms an OLED.

[0012] In one embodiment, the display panel further includes an ambient light sensor and a controller. The controller is electrically connected to the ambient light sensor and the second electrode. The ambient light sensor is used to detect ambient light brightness, and the controller is used to adjust the voltage of the second electrode according to the ambient light brightness detected by the ambient light sensor.

[0013] Secondly, this application also provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, used to manufacture a display panel as described in any one of the various embodiments of the first aspect, the method comprising: A functional layer is provided, the functional layer including a plurality of light-emitting elements and a plurality of pixel definition structures arranged at intervals, two adjacent light-emitting elements are separated by a pixel definition structure, and a first electrode is stacked on each pixel definition structure; An encapsulation layer is stacked on the functional layer, and a plurality of vias are formed on the encapsulation layer, with each of the plurality of vias corresponding to the first electrode on the plurality of pixel definition structures; Multiple electrochromic structures are filled in the multiple vias in a one-to-one correspondence, and the multiple electrochromic structures are connected to the first electrode in a one-to-one correspondence. A second electrode is stacked on the encapsulation layer, and the second electrode is connected to a plurality of the electrochromic structures; The aperture of the via gradually increases from the first electrode to the second electrode, so that the electrochromic structure forms a reflective surface facing the light-emitting element.

[0014] In one embodiment, an encapsulation layer is stacked on the functional layer, and a plurality of vias are formed on the encapsulation layer, including: m sub-layers are stacked sequentially on the functional layer; At the location corresponding to each pixel definition structure, a sub-hole is formed on each sub-layer. The m sub-holes together constitute the via. The aperture of each sub-hole gradually increases from the first electrode to the second electrode. The maximum aperture of the (n-1)th sub-hole is less than the minimum aperture of the nth sub-hole, so as to form a stepped surface on the surface of the (n-1)th sub-layer facing away from the functional layer. m and n are both positive integers and 2≤n≤m.

[0015] In one embodiment, the density of the plurality of sub-layers gradually decreases from the first electrode to the second electrode; at the location corresponding to each pixel definition structure, a sub-hole is formed on each sub-layer, including: Using the same mask, a sub-hole is formed on each of the m sub-layers.

[0016] In one embodiment, the m-th sub-layer is made of an organic material and is configured as a photoresist layer; a sub-hole is formed on each of the m sub-layers using the same photomask, including: A preset pattern is formed by exposing the mask on the m-th sub-layer; The m-th sublayer is etched to remove the preset pattern and form the m-th sub-hole; The remaining sub-layers are etched through the m-th sub-via to form all the sub-vias.

[0017] The display panel of this application forms multiple vias by setting an encapsulation layer, fills the multiple vias with an electrochromic structure, and connects to the electrochromic structure by setting a first electrode and a second electrode. The aperture of the vias gradually increases from the first electrode to the second electrode, so that the side of the electrochromic structure forms a reflective surface facing the light-emitting element. The transmittance and reflectance of the electrochromic structure can be adjusted by adjusting the voltage difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. This allows control over whether the light emitted by the light-emitting element is transmitted to the outside through the electrochromic structure or reflected back to the light-emitting element and amplified before being emitted to the outside. It enables the adjustment of brightness and display viewing angle, solving the problem in related technologies that cannot simultaneously adjust both. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a display panel according to one embodiment; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A light path diagram for a display panel; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Another light path diagram for the display panel; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the display panel of another embodiment; Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A light path diagram for a display panel; Figure 6 yes Figure 4 Another light path diagram for the display panel; Figure 7 yes Figure 4 Another light path pattern for the display panel; Figure 8 This is a plan view of a display panel according to one embodiment.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100 - Display panel; 10-Functional layer, 11-Light-emitting element, 111-Anode, 112-Light-emitting layer, 113-Cathode, 12-Pixel definition structure, 13-First electrode, 14-Drive layer; 20 - Encapsulation layer, 21 - Sublayer, 211 - Step surface, 22 - Via, 221 - Sub-via; 30-Electrochromic structure, 31-Substructure, 32-Reflective surface; 40 - Second electrode; 50 - Intermediate electrode; 60 - Ambient light sensor; 70 - Controller. Detailed Implementation

[0021] 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 a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed" to another component, it can be directly on the other component or it can be in a middle component. When a component is said to be "connected" to another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or it may be in a middle component.

[0023] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terminology used in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0024] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0025] Please refer to Figure 1 This application provides a display panel 100, including a functional layer 10, an encapsulation layer 20, a plurality of electrochromic structures 30, and a second electrode 40.

[0026] The functional layer 10 includes a plurality of light-emitting elements 11 arranged at intervals and a plurality of pixel definition structures 12. Two adjacent light-emitting elements 11 are separated by a pixel definition structure 12, and a first electrode 13 is stacked on each pixel definition structure 12.

[0027] The display panel 100 in this embodiment is an OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display panel.

[0028] In this embodiment, the functional layer 10 may further include Figure 1 The substrate, TFT (Thin Film Transistor), and various layer structures such as insulating layer, passivation layer, and planarization layer, not shown in the diagram, are uniformly referred to as driving layer 14 for ease of explanation. Figure 1Parts not shown in the diagram can be referenced in related technologies and will not be described in detail in this embodiment. The pixel definition structure 12 and the light-emitting element 11 are both stacked on the driving layer 14. The pixel definition structure 12 is used to separate two adjacent light-emitting elements 11, define the light-emitting area of ​​the light-emitting element 11, and avoid light crosstalk. The light-emitting element 11 includes a light-emitting layer 112. The driving layer 14 includes metal traces. The metal traces are connected to the TFT and extend to the surface of the driving layer 14 located on one side of the pixel definition structure 12 to form the anode 111 of the light-emitting element 11. The light-emitting layer 112 is stacked on the anode 111. The first electrode 13 is also stacked on the light-emitting layer 112. The portion of the first electrode 13 located on the light-emitting layer 112 forms the cathode 113 of the light-emitting element 11, so that the light-emitting element 11 forms an OLED including the stacked anode 111, light-emitting layer 112, and cathode 113. The first electrode 13 can cover the entire surface of the light-emitting layer 112 of multiple pixel definition structures 12 and multiple light-emitting elements 11. Since each light-emitting element 11 forms a sub-pixel, all light-emitting elements 11 (i.e. sub-pixels) of the display panel 100 share the same cathode 113.

[0029] Multiple light-emitting elements 11 can emit light of different colors. These elements can be arranged periodically in red, green, and blue light. Three adjacent light-emitting elements 11 emitting red, green, and blue light together form a single pixel. When the display panel 100 is in operation, it can control whether any sub-pixel within each pixel emits light to display a color image.

[0030] In other embodiments, the display panel 100 may also be a micro-LED display panel, a mini-LED display panel, an LCD display panel, etc., and the first electrode 13 may be an additional structure rather than the cathode 113 of the light-emitting element 11, without limitation.

[0031] An encapsulation layer 20 is stacked on the functional layer 10. The encapsulation layer 20 has multiple vias 22, each of which connects to a first electrode 13 on a plurality of pixel definition structures 12. The encapsulation layer 20 covers the top of the functional layer 10, i.e., it covers the plurality of pixel definition structures 12, the plurality of light-emitting elements 11, and the first electrodes 13. If the first electrode 13 also serves as the cathode 113 of the light-emitting element 11, the encapsulation layer 20 is stacked on top of the first electrode 13 because the first electrode 13 is fully covered. The number of vias 22 in the encapsulation layer 20 is the same as the number of pixel definition structures 12. The vias 22 can be formed in any feasible manner without limitation. The encapsulation layer 20 provides water and oxygen isolation, preventing the first electrode 13 and conductive parts such as the light-emitting layer 112 from being corroded by moisture.

[0032] Multiple electrochromic structures 30 are correspondingly filled in multiple vias 22 and connected to the first electrode 13. The electrochromic structures 30 are fabricated using electrochromic materials, which are intelligent functional materials that, under an applied electric field, undergo reversible redox reactions involving ion insertion / deintercalation, thereby achieving reversible control of color, visible light transmittance, and reflectance. Specifically, electrochromic materials can be: conjugated conductive polymers such as PEDOT, polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, and their derivatives; and small organic molecules such as small organic molecules / organic salts such as viologen, anthraquinone, and small molecule thiophene derivatives.

[0033] The second electrode 40 is stacked on the encapsulation layer 20 and connected to multiple electrochromic structures 30. The second electrode 40 can cover the entire surface of the encapsulation layer 20, that is, simultaneously cover the surface of multiple electrochromic structures 30 and the surface of the encapsulation layer 20 without vias 22, so as to facilitate manufacturing.

[0034] Each electrochromic structure 30 is connected to a first electrode 13 and a second electrode 40 at its two ends. The color, transmittance, and reflectance of the electrochromic structure 30 can be adjusted by controlling the voltage difference between the first electrode 13 and the second electrode 40. This allows for the control of whether the light emitted by the light-emitting element 11 is transmitted or reflected after reaching the interface between the electrochromic structure 30 and the encapsulation layer 20 (i.e., the sidewall of the via 22), as well as the specific values ​​of transmittance and reflectance.

[0035] The anode 111 can be a total reflective material, such as a relatively thick Ag (silver) or Al (aluminum); the first electrode 13, the encapsulation layer 20, and the second electrode 40 are all light-transmitting materials. Specifically, the first electrode 13 can be a semi-transparent, semi-reflective material such as ultra-thin Ag (silver) or Mg:Ag alloy; the material of the second electrode 40 can be a high-transmittance material such as ITO (indium tin oxide) or IZO (indium zinc oxide); the encapsulation layer 20 can be one or more of inorganic and organic materials such as SiNx (silicon nitride) or SiOx (silicon oxide), and there are no specific restrictions.

[0036] In this embodiment, the aperture of the via 22 gradually increases from the first electrode 13 towards the second electrode 40, so that the side of the electrochromic structure 30 forms a reflective surface 32 facing the light-emitting element 11. The via 22 is flared, with a larger aperture at the end near the second electrode 40 and a smaller aperture at the end near the first electrode 13. This allows the electrochromic structure 30 filled in the via 22 to roughly form an inverted trapezoid in cross-section, with the two sides of the inverted trapezoid (i.e., Figure 1 The two sides of the electrochromic structure 30 are tilted and form a reflective surface 32 facing the light-emitting element 11. This structure allows the light-emitting element 11 to form a structure similar to a top-emitting microcavity OLED, which enables the light to oscillate multiple times between the anode 111 and the cathode 113 of the OLED.

[0037] Combination Figures 1 to 3 ,in Figure 2 and Figure 3 The dashed line with arrows represents light. The transmittance and reflectance of the electrochromic structure 30 can be adjusted by regulating the voltage difference between the first electrode 13 and the second electrode 40. When the first electrode 13 is reused with the cathode 113 of the light-emitting element 11, the voltage difference between the two can be adjusted simply by regulating the voltage of the second electrode 40. When the first electrode 13 and the cathode 113 of the light-emitting element 11 are separate structures and independent of each other, the voltage difference can be adjusted by regulating the voltages of the first electrode 13 and the second electrode 40 separately. Figure 2 As shown, the electrochromic structure 30 exhibits high transmittance and low reflectance. In this case, part of the light emitted by the light-emitting element 11 is directly and vertically emitted to the outside from the encapsulation layer 20 between two adjacent electrochromic structures 30, while another part is emitted to the side of the electrochromic structure 30 and then enters the electrochromic structure 30 before emitting light to the outside. Figure 3 As shown, the electrochromic structure 30 has low transmittance and high reflectance. At this time, part of the light emitted by the light-emitting element 11 is directly emitted vertically from the encapsulation layer 20 between two adjacent electrochromic structures 30, and the other part is emitted to the side of the electrochromic structure 30 (i.e., the reflective surface 32) and reflected. It oscillates multiple times between the anode 111 and the cathode 113 of the light-emitting element 11 to form a standing wave field. When the optical path difference is an integer multiple of the wavelength, constructive interference occurs, and a specific wavelength is selectively amplified, the brightness is increased, and the enhanced light is emitted vertically from the encapsulation layer 20 between two adjacent electrochromic structures 30 to the outside.

[0038] When the display panel 100 of this embodiment is applied to a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, when used in a strong outdoor light environment or when it needs to be set to privacy mode, the electrochromic structure 30 can be switched to a low transmittance and high reflectance state by adjusting the voltage difference between the first electrode 13 and the second electrode 40, so that the light path is approximately as shown in the figure. Figure 3 As shown, the emitted light is brighter, enabling clear display of images even in bright light. Simultaneously, because almost no light passes through the electrochromic structure 30 before escaping to the outside, the field of view is reduced, achieving a privacy protection effect. When the ambient light is dim or privacy mode is not required, the electrochromic structure 30 can be switched to a mode with high transmittance and low reflectance by adjusting the voltage difference between the first electrode 13 and the second electrode 40, making the light path approximately as shown... Figure 2 As shown, the light emitted by the light-emitting element 11 is emitted directly vertically from the encapsulation layer 20 and after passing through the electrochromic structure 30. This does not enhance the brightness, but expands the field of view and achieves a wide viewing angle display.

[0039] Therefore, the display panel 100 of this application embodiment forms a plurality of vias 22 by setting an encapsulation layer 20, fills the plurality of vias 22 with an electrochromic structure 30, and connects to the electrochromic structure 30 by setting a first electrode 13 and a second electrode 40. The aperture of the vias 22 gradually increases from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40, so that the side of the electrochromic structure 30 forms a reflective surface 32 facing the light-emitting element 11. The transmittance and reflectance of the electrochromic structure 30 can be adjusted by adjusting the voltage difference between the first electrode 13 and the second electrode 40, thereby controlling whether the light emitted by the light-emitting element 11 is transmitted to the outside from the electrochromic structure 30 or reflected back to the light-emitting element 11 and amplified before being emitted to the outside. This enables the adjustment of brightness and display viewing angle, solving the problem in related technologies that cannot simultaneously adjust both.

[0040] Optional, see reference Figure 1 The encapsulation layer 20 includes m sequentially stacked sublayers 21. At the location corresponding to the structure 12 defined for each pixel, each sublayer 21 has a sub-hole 221. The m sub-holes 221 together constitute a via 22, and the aperture of each sub-hole 221 gradually increases from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40. The electrochromic structure 30 filled in each via 22 includes m substructures 31, and the m substructures 31 are filled with m sub-holes 221 in a one-to-one correspondence, where m is a positive integer and 2≤m.

[0041] The encapsulation layer 20 is composed of multiple sub-layers 21 stacked sequentially. The order of each sub-layer 21 increases sequentially from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40, i.e., from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40, the order is the first sub-layer 21, the second sub-layer 21, ..., the mth sub-layer 21. The materials of each sub-layer 21 can be the same or different. The order of each sub-hole 221 of each via 22 also increases sequentially from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40. Each sub-layer 21 can be stacked and then uniformly fabricated to form each sub-hole 221, or the sub-hole 221 can be fabricated on the first sub-layer 21 after stacking it, and then the next sub-layer 21 can be fabricated and the corresponding sub-hole 221 can be fabricated accordingly. There is no restriction. The order of the substructures 31 in the electrochromic structure 30 also increases sequentially from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40. Each substructure 31 can be filled into the via 22 after all the sub-holes 221 have been fabricated and the via 22 is formed, or a substructure 31 can be filled as each sub-hole 221 is formed, followed by the fabrication of the next sub-layer 21 and sub-hole 221, and then the filling of the next substructure 31. There are no restrictions on either method. The substructures 31 can be made of the same or different materials, and they are interconnected to form a single unit. The value of m can be 2, 3, 4, etc., without restriction.

[0042] By setting the encapsulation layer 20 as a stack of m sub-layers 21, and each via 22 consisting of m sub-holes 221, with each via 22 filled with m sub-structures 31, and each of the m sub-structures 31 corresponding to one of the m sub-holes 221, the thickness of each sub-layer 21 can be easily controlled. This allows the encapsulation layer 20 to form a structure with a relatively uniform thickness, resulting in a uniform and flat light-emitting surface that is approximately parallel to each light-emitting element 11, thus improving the display effect. Dividing it into m sub-holes 221 facilitates the fabrication of the inclined reflective surface 32 that forms the electrochromic structure 30.

[0043] Optionally, the maximum aperture of the (n-1)th sub-hole 221 is smaller than the minimum aperture of the nth sub-hole 221, so as to form a stepped surface 211 on the surface of the (n-1)th sub-layer 21 facing away from the functional layer 10, where n is a positive integer and 2≤n≤m.

[0044] In this configuration, the centerlines of the same via 22 are approximately coincident, meaning the centerlines of each sub-via 221 are approximately coincident. Each sub-via 221 is an flared structure with its diameter gradually increasing from the first electrode 13 towards the second electrode 40. In two adjacent sub-layers 21, the lower opening of the upper sub-via 221 has a larger diameter than the upper opening of the lower sub-via 221, thus forming a stepped surface 211 on the upper surface of the lower sub-layer 21 between adjacent layers. It should be noted that "upper," "upper end," and "upper surface" refer to the side closer to the second electrode 40, while "lower" and "lower end" refer to the side closer to the first electrode 13. The value of n can be any value between 2 and m, i.e., 2, 3, 4...m, without restriction. For the maximum diameter of the (n-1)th sub-via 221 being smaller than the minimum diameter of the nth sub-via 221, the manufacturing process for forming the stepped surface 211 on the surface of the (n-1)th sub-layer 21 facing away from the functional layer 10 is not restricted.

[0045] This design is due to the fact that the thickness of each sub-layer 21 is very thin, making it difficult to form all the sidewalls of each sub-hole 221 that are inclined and flared. It is possible that some sub-holes 221 may not be inclined, but rather perpendicular to the first electrode 13 directly below, or even inclined in the opposite direction, forming a constricted shape. By setting the maximum aperture of the (n-1)th sub-hole 221 to be smaller than the minimum aperture of the nth sub-hole 221, a stepped surface 211 is formed on the surface of the (n-1)th sub-layer 21 facing away from the functional layer 10. In two adjacent layers, two sub-holes 221 can be formed with an overall flared structure, thereby forming a reflective surface 32 facing the light-emitting element 11 to achieve the purpose of reflecting light back to the light-emitting element 11.

[0046] In other embodiments, refined processing technology can also be controlled so that each sub-hole 221 is flared and the maximum aperture of the (n-1)th sub-hole 221 is equal to the minimum aperture of the nth sub-hole 221, thereby making the sidewall of the entire through hole 22 form a flush and coplanar reflective surface 32.

[0047] Optionally, the density of the multiple sub-layers 21 gradually decreases from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40. In this embodiment, the density of the multiple sub-layers 21 gradually decreases from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40. Under the same etching parameters, the portion of each sub-layer 21 that is etched away gradually increases, and the higher the density, the less likely it is to be etched. In this way, the etching parameters can be kept constant while etching each sub-layer 21, so that the maximum aperture of the (n-1)th sub-hole 221 is less than the minimum aperture of the nth sub-hole 221, thereby forming a stepped surface 211.

[0048] Optionally, m is 3, and from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40, the material of the first sub-layer 21 is SiNx (silicon nitride), the material of the second sub-layer 21 is SiOx (silicon oxide), and the material of the third sub-layer 21 is an organic material.

[0049] The organic material of the third sublayer 21 can be, for example, PFA-OC (Polymer Film on Array-Overcoat, an organic photosensitive planarizing resin for array substrates). It can serve as a photoresist layer, facilitating the definition of the pattern to be etched, so as to precisely process each via 22. The SiNx material of the first sublayer 21 has a higher density than the SiOx material of the second sublayer 21. After defining the pattern and forming the third sub-via 221 through the third sublayer 21, the second sub-via 221 can be etched sequentially in the second sublayer 21 and the first sub-via 221 in the first sublayer 21. Stepped surfaces 211 are formed on the upper surface of the first sublayer 21 and the upper surface of the second sublayer 21, so that the filled electrochromic structure 30 can form a reflective surface 32 facing the light-emitting element 11.

[0050] In another embodiment, reference Figure 4 ,and Figure 1 The embodiments shown are basically the same, except that an intermediate electrode 50 is provided between every two adjacent sub-layers 21, and the intermediate electrode 50 is connected to two adjacent sub-structures 31 in the same via 22.

[0051] The intermediate electrode 50, similar to the second electrode 40, covers the entire surface and connects multiple substructures 31 simultaneously. The material of the intermediate electrode 50 can be the same as that of the second electrode 40. The number of intermediate electrodes 50 can be m-1, for example... Figure 4As shown, m=3, so the number of intermediate electrodes 50 is 2. For ease of explanation, they are arranged from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40 as the first intermediate electrode 50 and the second intermediate electrode 50. In this embodiment, after fabricating the first sub-layer 21 on the first electrode 13, a sub-hole 221 is first fabricated on this layer and then a sub-structure 31 is filled. Then, the intermediate electrode 50 is fabricated on this sub-layer 21, and then the next sub-layer 21, sub-hole 221, sub-structure 31, and intermediate electrode 50 are fabricated until the second electrode 40 is finally fabricated. Each sub-structure 31 can be made of the same material or different materials; when made of different materials, they can have different refractive indices.

[0052] As mentioned earlier, the transmittance and reflectance of electrochromic materials change when an electric field is applied. In this embodiment, by adding an intermediate electrode 50 between two adjacent sub-layers 21, the display effect can be finely adjusted. By adjusting the voltage difference between the first electrode 13 and the first intermediate electrode 50, the transmittance and reflectance of the first substructure 31 can be adjusted; by adjusting the voltage difference between the first intermediate electrode 50 and the second intermediate electrode 50, the transmittance and reflectance of the second substructure 31 can be adjusted; and by adjusting the voltage difference between the second intermediate electrode 50 and the second electrode 40, the transmittance and reflectance of the third substructure 31 can be adjusted. This allows for more precise adjustment and improves display quality.

[0053] Figures 5 to 7 Some specific implementation examples are given. Figures 5 to 7 The dashed line with an arrowhead represents a ray of light, such as... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, by controlling the voltage difference between each electrode, each substructure 31 transmits light with almost no reflection, enabling the display panel 100 to form a fully transmissive mode, providing the widest possible viewing angle. Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, by controlling the voltage difference between the electrodes, the first and second substructures 31 reflect light and transmit almost no light, while the third substructure 31 transmits light and reflects almost no light. The light reflected by the first and second substructures 31 enhances the emitted light, while the light transmitted by the third substructure 31 widens the display viewing angle to a certain extent. Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, if the spacing between adjacent light-emitting elements 11 is very small, there may be a risk of color mixing. Figure 6 The illustrated embodiment avoids color mixing while simultaneously enhancing brightness and providing a wider viewing angle. Furthermore, the material of the third substructure 31 can be selected to have a higher refractive index, further increasing the viewing angle. For example... Figure 4 and Figure 7As shown, by controlling the voltage difference of each electrode, each substructure 31 reflects light and hardly transmits it, so that the display panel 100 forms a total reflection mode, which can have high display brightness, the narrowest display viewing angle, and the best privacy protection effect.

[0054] Optional, see reference Figure 1 and Figure 8 The display panel 100 also includes an ambient light sensor 60 and a controller 70. The controller 70 is electrically connected to the ambient light sensor 60 and the second electrode 40. The ambient light sensor 60 is used to detect the ambient light brightness, and the controller 70 is used to adjust the voltage of the second electrode 40 according to the ambient light brightness detected by the ambient light sensor 60.

[0055] In this embodiment, the ambient light sensor 60 and the controller 70 can be integrated into the functional layer 10 or other layer structures of the display panel 100, or they can be independent of the layer structures, without limitation. The ambient light sensor 60 detects the ambient light brightness and can output an analog electrical signal. The controller 70 may include an IC processing chip (not shown), a TCON timing control chip (not shown), etc. The IC processing chip receives the analog signal from the ambient light sensor 60 and converts the analog signal into a digital signal through its internal ADC digital-to-analog converter module. The IC processing chip calculates the target screen brightness that matches the ambient brightness using an algorithm and outputs control commands. The TCON timing control chip implements voltage regulation of the second electrode 40 according to the control commands. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first electrode 13 is reused with the cathode 113 of the OLED. The voltage of the first electrode 13 remains unchanged, so only the voltage of the second electrode 40 needs to be adjusted to achieve the voltage difference adjustment between the first electrode 13 and the second electrode 40. It should be understood that in embodiments where the first electrode 13 and the cathode 113 of the OLED are independent of each other, the controller 70 can also be electrically connected to the first electrode 13 to adjust the voltage of the first electrode 13 and realize the voltage difference adjustment between the first electrode 13 and the second electrode 40.

[0056] In another embodiment, reference Figure 4 and Figure 8 ,and Figure 1 The embodiments are basically the same, except that the controller 70 can also be electrically connected to each intermediate electrode 50 and can also be used to adjust the voltage of each intermediate electrode 50 to achieve a voltage difference between two adjacent electrodes.

[0057] Thus, by detecting ambient light brightness through ambient light sensor 60 and automatically controlling it through controller 70, the brightness adjustment and viewing angle adjustment of display panel 100 can be automatically controlled, thereby enabling display panel 100 to automatically adjust to the optimal display mode according to changes in ambient light.

[0058] In other embodiments, manual control is also possible. Users can manually adjust the display mode of the display panel 100 by setting whether to increase the display brightness, adjust the display viewing angle, etc., according to their own needs.

[0059] This application also provides a method for manufacturing a display panel 100, used to manufacture the display panel 100 in any embodiment of this application. (See reference) Figure 1 The manufacturing method of the display panel 100 includes: A functional layer 10 is provided, which includes a plurality of light-emitting elements 11 arranged at intervals and a plurality of pixel definition structures 12. Two adjacent light-emitting elements 11 are separated by a pixel definition structure 12, and a first electrode 13 is stacked on each pixel definition structure 12.

[0060] An encapsulation layer 20 is stacked on the functional layer 10, and a plurality of vias 22 are formed on the encapsulation layer 20. The plurality of vias 22 are connected to the first electrodes 13 on the plurality of pixel definition structures 12 in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0061] Multiple electrochromic structures 30 are filled in multiple vias 22 in a one-to-one correspondence, and the multiple electrochromic structures 30 are connected to the first electrode 13 in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0062] A second electrode 40 is stacked on the encapsulation layer 20, and the second electrode 40 is connected to multiple electrochromic structures 30.

[0063] The aperture of the via 22 gradually increases from the first electrode 13 toward the second electrode 40, so that the electrochromic structure 30 forms a reflective surface 32 facing the light-emitting element 11.

[0064] The specific details of the aforementioned functional layer 10, light-emitting element 11, pixel definition structure 12, first electrode 13, electrochromic structure 30, and second electrode 40 can be referred to the foregoing description and will not be repeated here. There are no restrictions on the specific manufacturing processes for each part.

[0065] The method for manufacturing the display panel 100 in this embodiment of the application involves forming multiple vias 22 by setting an encapsulation layer 20, filling the multiple vias 22 with an electrochromic structure 30, and connecting the electrochromic structure 30 with a first electrode 13 and a second electrode 40. The aperture of the vias 22 gradually increases from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40, so that the side of the electrochromic structure 30 forms a reflective surface 32 facing the light-emitting element 11. The transmittance and reflectance of the electrochromic structure 30 can be adjusted by regulating the voltage difference between the first electrode 13 and the second electrode 40. This allows control over whether the light emitted by the light-emitting element 11 is transmitted from the electrochromic structure 30 to the outside or reflected back to the light-emitting element 11 and amplified before being emitted to the outside. This enables the adjustment of brightness and display viewing angle, solving the problem in related technologies where both adjustments cannot be simultaneously achieved.

[0066] Optionally, a package layer 20 is stacked on the functional layer 10, and a plurality of vias 22 are formed on the package layer 20, including: m sub-layers 21 are stacked sequentially on functional layer 10; At the location of the structure 12 defined for each pixel, a sub-hole 221 is formed on each sub-layer 21. The m sub-holes 221 together constitute a via 22. The aperture of each sub-hole 221 gradually increases from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40. The maximum aperture of the (n-1)th sub-hole 221 is less than the minimum aperture of the nth sub-hole 221, so as to form a stepped surface 211 on the surface of the (n-1)th sub-layer 21 facing away from the functional layer 10. m and n are both positive integers and 2≤n≤m.

[0067] The contents of sublayer 21, subhole 221, and substructure 31 can be referred to the foregoing explanation, and will not be repeated here.

[0068] Optionally, the density of the plurality of sub-layers 21 gradually decreases from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40; at the location corresponding to the defined structure 12 for each pixel, a sub-hole 221 is formed on each sub-layer 21, including: Using the same mask, a sub-hole 221 is formed on each of the m sub-layers 21.

[0069] The mask has a light-transmitting area and an opaque area. When using the mask to create the sub-hole 221, the mask is placed above the sub-layer 21 and exposed. The light penetrates the light-transmitting area and shines on the layer structure below, and then the via 22 can be formed through subsequent development, etching and other processes.

[0070] like Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, when manufacturing the display panel 100, in which sub-holes 221 are fabricated after each sub-layer 21 is stacked before the next sub-layer 21 is stacked, a photoresist layer can be coated on each sub-layer 21 after it is stacked. The photoresist layer is then exposed through a photomask. Depending on the properties of the photoresist layer, it can be developed and removed in the light-transmitting or opaque areas of the corresponding photomask. The sub-layer 21 below is then etched through the removed portion of the photoresist layer to form the sub-hole 221. After removing the photoresist layer from the sub-layer 21, the next sub-layer 21 is fabricated. In the embodiment where all sub-layers 21 are stacked before a uniform via 22 is fabricated and penetrates each sub-layer 21 to form a sub-hole 221, a photoresist layer can be stacked on the topmost sub-layer 21. Then, similar to the aforementioned step-by-step fabrication, the photoresist layer is exposed through a photomask, and the via 22 is formed through subsequent development and etching.

[0071] like Figure 4 When manufacturing the display panel 100 of the illustrated embodiment, it is in accordance with... Figure 1The step-by-step fabrication of the embodiment shown is similar, except that after a sub-hole 221 is formed in a sub-layer 21, the sub-structure 31 of the electrochromic structure 30 is first filled into the sub-hole 221, then an intermediate electrode 50 is stacked, and then the next sub-layer 21 is stacked and the sub-hole 221 and sub-structure 31 are fabricated.

[0072] After completing the fabrication of each sublayer 21 and substructure 31, a second electrode 40 is formed on the topmost sublayer 21.

[0073] Since the density of the multiple sub-layers 21 gradually decreases from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40, the aperture of the sub-holes 221 formed by each layer during etching under the same parameters gradually increases from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40. Therefore, the aforementioned stepped surface 211 can be formed to ensure that the electrochromic structure 30 forms a reflective surface 32 facing the light-emitting element 11.

[0074] Optional, see reference Figure 1 The m-th sublayer 21 is made of organic material and is configured as a photoresist layer; a sub-hole 221 is formed on each of the m sublayers 21 using the same photomask, including: A preset pattern is formed by exposing the m-th sublayer 21 using a photomask. The m-th sub-layer 21 is etched to remove the preset pattern and form the m-th sub-hole 221; The remaining sub-layers 21 are etched through the m-th sub-hole 221 to form all the sub-holes 221.

[0075] This embodiment is... Figure 1 The embodiment shown is manufactured in accordance with the instructions, and Figure 4 The illustrated embodiment is not applicable. In this embodiment, the m-th sublayer 21 is the topmost sublayer 21. In this embodiment, the m-th sublayer 21 is directly used as a photoresist layer, and there is no need to set an additional photoresist layer on the m-th sublayer 21. The m-th sublayer 21 can be directly exposed to form a preset pattern. The preset pattern is the same as the position, shape, size, etc. of the sub-hole 221 of the topmost sublayer 21. After the sub-hole 221 of the m-th sublayer 21 is made, the (m-1)-th sublayer 21 will continue to be etched to form the sub-hole 221 of the (m-1)-th sublayer 21. Since the density of the multiple sublayers 21 gradually decreases from the first electrode 13 to the second electrode 40, the fabrication of each sub-hole 221 can be realized, and the aforementioned stepped surface 211 is formed.

[0076] Therefore, in this embodiment, the m-th sub-layer 21 is directly configured as a photoresist layer and retained in the final product. This allows for the formation of a preset pattern through photomask exposure to facilitate subsequent etching of the underlying sub-layer 21, and also defines the position of the m-th substructure 31 and allows it to transmit light, thus achieving functional reuse.

[0077] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship of the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer" and other indicators are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to 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 of this application.

[0078] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes for implementing the above embodiments and equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of this application are still within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that, include: The functional layer includes multiple light-emitting elements and multiple pixel definition structures arranged at intervals, with two adjacent light-emitting elements separated by a pixel definition structure, and a first electrode stacked on each pixel definition structure; An encapsulation layer is stacked on the functional layer, and the encapsulation layer has a plurality of vias, each of which is connected to the first electrode on the plurality of pixel definition structures in a corresponding manner. Multiple electrochromic structures are filled in the multiple vias and connected to the first electrode in a one-to-one correspondence; The second electrode is stacked on the encapsulation layer and connected to multiple electrochromic structures; The aperture of the via gradually increases from the first electrode to the second electrode, so that the side of the electrochromic structure forms a reflective surface facing the light-emitting element. The functional layer includes a driving layer, the pixel definition structure and the light-emitting element are both stacked on the driving layer, the light-emitting element includes a light-emitting layer, the driving layer has an anode, the light-emitting layer is stacked on the anode, and the first electrode is also stacked on the light-emitting layer, so that the light-emitting element forms an OLED; The via is flared, the electrochromic structure is inverted trapezoidal, the two sides of the inverted trapezoid are inclined and form the reflective surface, the first electrode is a semi-transparent semi-reflective material, and the light emitted by the light-emitting element oscillates multiple times between the anode and cathode of the light-emitting element after being reflected by the reflective surface.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The encapsulation layer includes m sequentially stacked sub-layers. At the position corresponding to each pixel definition structure, each sub-layer has a sub-hole. The m sub-holes together constitute the via. The aperture of each sub-hole gradually increases from the first electrode to the second electrode. The electrochromic structure filled in each via includes m sub-structures. The m sub-structures fill the m sub-holes one-to-one. m is a positive integer and 2≤m.

3. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The maximum aperture of the (n-1)th sub-hole is less than the minimum aperture of the nth sub-hole, so as to form a stepped surface on the surface of the (n-1)th sub-layer facing away from the functional layer, where n is a positive integer and 2≤n≤m.

4. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, From the first electrode to the second electrode, the density of the multiple sublayers gradually decreases.

5. The display panel according to claim 4, characterized in that, m is 3, and from the first electrode to the second electrode, the material of the first sublayer is SiNx, the material of the second sublayer is SiOx, and the material of the third sublayer is an organic material.

6. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, An intermediate electrode is provided between each two adjacent sub-layers, and the intermediate electrode is connected to two adjacent substructures in the same via.

7. The display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The display panel also includes an ambient light sensor and a controller. The controller is electrically connected to the ambient light sensor and the second electrode. The ambient light sensor is used to detect ambient light brightness, and the controller is used to adjust the voltage of the second electrode according to the ambient light brightness detected by the ambient light sensor.

8. A method for manufacturing a display panel, characterized in that, The method for manufacturing a display panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 comprises: A functional layer is provided, the functional layer including a plurality of light-emitting elements and a plurality of pixel definition structures arranged at intervals, two adjacent light-emitting elements being separated by a pixel definition structure, and a first electrode being stacked on each pixel definition structure; An encapsulation layer is stacked on the functional layer, and a plurality of vias are formed on the encapsulation layer, with each of the plurality of vias corresponding to the first electrode on the plurality of pixel definition structures; Multiple electrochromic structures are filled in the multiple vias in a one-to-one correspondence, and the multiple electrochromic structures are connected to the first electrode in a one-to-one correspondence. A second electrode is stacked on the encapsulation layer, and the second electrode is connected to a plurality of the electrochromic structures; The aperture of the via gradually increases from the first electrode to the second electrode, so that the electrochromic structure forms a reflective surface facing the light-emitting element.

9. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 8, characterized in that, A packaging layer is stacked on the functional layer, and multiple vias are formed on the packaging layer, including: m sub-layers are stacked sequentially on the functional layer; At the location corresponding to each pixel definition structure, a sub-hole is formed on each sub-layer. The m sub-holes together constitute the via. The aperture of each sub-hole gradually increases from the first electrode to the second electrode. The maximum aperture of the (n-1)th sub-hole is less than the minimum aperture of the nth sub-hole, so as to form a stepped surface on the surface of the (n-1)th sub-layer facing away from the functional layer. m and n are both positive integers and 2≤n≤m.

10. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 9, characterized in that, From the first electrode to the second electrode, the density of the plurality of sub-layers gradually decreases; at the location corresponding to each pixel-defined structure, a sub-hole is formed on each sub-layer, including: Using the same mask, a sub-hole is formed on each of the m sub-layers.

11. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 10, characterized in that, The m-th sublayer is made of organic material and is configured as a photoresist layer; Using the same mask, a sub-hole is formed on each of the m sub-layers, including: A preset pattern is formed by exposing the mask on the m-th sub-layer; The m-th sublayer is etched to remove the preset pattern and form the m-th sub-hole; The remaining sub-layers are etched through the m-th sub-via to form all the sub-vias.

Images