Display panel, preparation method thereof, display mother board and display device

Abstract

The application relates to a display panel, a preparation method thereof, a display mother board and a display device. The display panel comprises an array substrate, a pixel definition layer arranged on one side of the array substrate and located at least in a display area, a pixel opening arranged on the pixel definition layer, a light emitting device arranged at the pixel opening, a dam structure arranged on one side of the array substrate and located in a frame area, the dam structure being arranged around the display area, an encapsulation structure arranged on the side of the pixel definition layer away from the array substrate and covering the light emitting device, the encapsulation structure comprising at least one inorganic film layer and at least one organic film layer arranged in a stack, the at least one inorganic film layer covering the dam structure and at least part of the array substrate in the frame area, and a waterproof layer arranged on the side of the inorganic film layer away from the array substrate and located in the frame area, the waterproof layer comprising aluminum oxide. The application can reduce the risk of failure of the display panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of display panel technology, and in particular to a display panel and its manufacturing method, a display motherboard and a display device. Background Technology

[0002] OLED display technology has been widely used in the display field due to its advantages such as high contrast, fast response time, and low power consumption. However, the organic materials in OLED devices are extremely sensitive to water and oxygen. Water and oxygen penetration can lead to the degradation of organic materials, thereby affecting the performance and lifespan of the device. To prevent water and oxygen ingress, an organic-inorganic composite multilayer film encapsulation structure is commonly used. However, in actual products, moisture can easily enter from the bezel area, causing encapsulation failure. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a display panel, its manufacturing method, a display motherboard, and a display device to address the above-mentioned problems.

[0004] In a first aspect, this application provides a display panel having a display area, a dam area, and a border area, wherein the border area surrounds the display area, and the dam area is located between the display area and the border area; the display panel includes:

[0005] Array substrate;

[0006] A pixel defining layer is disposed on one side of the array substrate and is located at least in the display area; the pixel defining layer has pixel openings;

[0007] A light-emitting device is disposed at the pixel opening and includes a first electrode, a light-emitting structure, and a second electrode stacked along a direction away from the array substrate;

[0008] A dam structure is disposed on one side of the array substrate and located in the border area; the dam structure is arranged around the display area;

[0009] An encapsulation structure is disposed on the side of the pixel defining layer away from the array substrate and covers the light-emitting device; the encapsulation structure includes at least one inorganic film layer and at least one organic film layer stacked together; the at least one inorganic film layer covers the dam structure and at least part of the array substrate of the border area;

[0010] A waterproof layer is disposed on the side of the inorganic film layer away from the array substrate and located in the border area; the waterproof layer comprises aluminum oxide.

[0011] The aforementioned display panel enhances the waterproof performance of the frame area by setting a waterproof layer on the inorganic film layer located in the frame area, making it difficult for water and oxygen to enter the display area from the frame area, thus reducing the risk of failure of the encapsulation structure. By including aluminum oxide in the material of the waterproof layer, the waterproof performance of the waterproof layer is improved, and the waterproof layer can be deposited using existing process equipment, reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0012] In one embodiment, the waterproof layer is positioned with its orthographic projection on the array substrate surrounding the display area.

[0013] In one embodiment, the display panel further includes at least one reinforcing film layer, which is stacked between the waterproof layer and the inorganic film layer and located in the frame area; the reinforcing film layer is made of an inorganic material.

[0014] Optionally, the display panel includes multiple layers of the enhancement film stacked along a direction away from the array substrate;

[0015] Optionally, the orthographic projection of the enhancement film layer on the array substrate is disposed around the display area.

[0016] In one embodiment, the array substrate includes:

[0017] Base;

[0018] An array of films is disposed on one side of the substrate;

[0019] The waterproof layer is flush with the side away from the display area, the outer side of the array film layer, and the outer side of the substrate.

[0020] In one embodiment, the array substrate includes:

[0021] Base;

[0022] An array of films is disposed on one side of the substrate;

[0023] The waterproof layer covers the outer edge of the array film layer and a portion of the surface of the substrate near the array film layer.

[0024] In one embodiment, the encapsulation structure includes a first inorganic film layer, an organic film layer, and a second inorganic film layer stacked along a direction away from the array substrate; the second inorganic film layer covers the dam structure and at least a portion of the array substrate of the frame area; the waterproof layer is disposed on the side of the second inorganic film layer away from the array substrate;

[0025] Optionally, the first inorganic film layer covers the dam structure and at least a portion of the array substrate of the frame region.

[0026] In one embodiment, the second inorganic film layer located in the border area includes a flat surface and a rough surface, the flat surface being located on the side of the rough surface closer to the display area; the roughness of the rough surface is greater than the roughness of the flat surface;

[0027] The waterproof layer covers both the rough surface and the flat surface;

[0028] Optionally, the orthographic projection of the rough surface on the array substrate is positioned around the display area.

[0029] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a display motherboard, comprising:

[0030] A substrate having multiple unit regions arranged at intervals on it;

[0031] Multiple display units are disposed on one side of the substrate; each display unit is correspondingly disposed in the unit area; each display unit has a display area, a dam area, and a border area, the border area surrounding the display area, and the dam area located between the display area and the border area; each display unit includes an array film layer, a pixel defining layer, a light-emitting device, a dam structure, and an encapsulation structure; the array film layer is located in the display area, the dam area, and the border area; the pixel defining layer is disposed on one side of the array film layer and is at least located in the display area; the pixel defining layer has pixel openings; The light-emitting device is disposed at the pixel opening and includes a first electrode, a light-emitting structure, and a second electrode stacked along a direction away from the array film layer; the dam structure is disposed on one side of the array film layer and located in the border area; the dam structure surrounds the display area; the encapsulation structure is disposed on the side of the pixel limiting layer away from the array film layer and covers the light-emitting device; the encapsulation structure includes at least one inorganic film layer and at least one organic film layer stacked together; at least one inorganic film layer covers the dam structure and at least part of the array film layer in the border area;

[0032] Multiple waterproof layers are disposed on one side of the substrate and are configured one-to-one with the multiple display units; the waterproof layer covers the inorganic film layer of the frame area of ​​the corresponding display unit and the substrate covering the outer periphery of the display unit; the waterproof layer includes aluminum oxide.

[0033] The aforementioned display motherboard, by setting a waterproof layer, covers the inorganic film layer of the corresponding display unit's frame area and the substrate covering the outer periphery of the display unit, thereby increasing the waterproof performance of the display unit's frame area. This makes it difficult for water and oxygen to enter the display area from the frame area, reducing the risk of packaging structure failure. By including aluminum oxide in the material of the waterproof layer, the waterproof performance of the waterproof layer is improved, and the waterproof layer can be deposited using existing process equipment, reducing manufacturing costs.

[0034] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising:

[0035] A substrate is provided, wherein a plurality of unit regions are arranged at intervals on the substrate;

[0036] Multiple display units are formed on one side of the substrate; each display unit is disposed in a corresponding manner within the unit area; each display unit has a display area, a dam area, and a border area, the border area surrounding the display area, and the dam area located between the display area and the border area; each display unit includes an array film layer, a pixel defining layer, a light-emitting device, a dam structure, and an encapsulation structure; the array film layer is located in the display area, the dam area, and the border area; the pixel defining layer is disposed on one side of the array film layer and is at least located in the display area; the pixel defining layer has pixel openings. The light-emitting device is disposed at the pixel opening and includes a first electrode, a light-emitting structure, and a second electrode stacked along a direction away from the array film layer; the dam structure is disposed on one side of the array film layer and located in the border area; the dam structure surrounds the display area; the encapsulation structure is disposed on the side of the pixel limiting layer away from the array film layer and covers the light-emitting device; the encapsulation structure includes at least one inorganic film layer and at least one organic film layer stacked together; at least one inorganic film layer covers the dam structure and at least part of the array film layer in the border area;

[0037] Multiple waterproof layers are formed on one side of the substrate; the multiple waterproof layers are disposed in a one-to-one correspondence with the multiple display units; the waterproof layer covers the inorganic film layer of the frame area of ​​the corresponding display unit, and covers the substrate around the outer periphery of the display unit; the waterproof layer includes aluminum oxide;

[0038] The substrate is cut to form multiple display panels.

[0039] The above-mentioned method for manufacturing display panels increases the waterproof performance of the frame area by setting a waterproof layer on the inorganic film layer located in the frame area, making it difficult for water and oxygen to enter the display area from the frame area, thus reducing the risk of failure of the encapsulation structure. By including aluminum oxide in the material of the waterproof layer, the waterproof performance of the waterproof layer is improved, and the waterproof layer can be deposited using existing process equipment, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0040] In one embodiment, the formation of a plurality of waterproof layers on one side of the substrate includes:

[0041] A mask is placed on the display unit, and the waterproof layer is formed using a chemical vapor deposition process or an atomic layer deposition process.

[0042] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a display device including the display panel in any of the embodiments of the first aspect. The display panel of the above-mentioned display device has good waterproof performance in the bezel area, making it difficult for water and oxygen to enter the display area from the bezel area, thereby reducing the risk of failure of the packaging structure. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 This is a plan view of a display panel provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional structure of the AA section of the display panel.

[0045] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional structure of the AA section of the display panel.

[0046] Figure 4 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional structure of the AA section of the display panel.

[0047] Figure 5 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional structure of the AA section of the display panel.

[0048] Figure 6 This is a plan view of a display motherboard provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0049] Figure 7 for Figure 6 The diagram shows a cross-sectional structure of the BB section of the mother plate.

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of this application.

[0051] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0052] 100. Display motherboard; 110. Substrate; 110a. Unit area; 120. Display unit; 10. Display panel; 10a. Display area; 10b. Dam area; 10c. Frame area; 11. Array substrate; 111. Substrate; 112. Array film layer; 12. Light-emitting device; 121. First electrode; 122. Light-emitting structure; 123. Second electrode; 13. Dam structure; 14. Encapsulation structure; 141. First inorganic film layer; 142. Organic film layer; 143. Second inorganic film layer; 143a. Rough surface; 143b. Flat surface; 15. Waterproof layer; 16. Reinforcing film layer; 17. Pixel limiting layer. Detailed Implementation

[0053] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0054] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship 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 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 of this application.

[0055] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0056] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0057] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0058] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0059] In traditional OLED devices, an organic-inorganic composite multilayer film encapsulation structure is commonly used to prevent water and oxygen ingress. However, this encapsulation structure still has some problems in practical applications. To prevent the organic layer from overflowing during deposition, a dam structure is usually set on the substrate. While the dam structure can effectively control the deposition range of the organic layer, its outer area is only covered by the inorganic encapsulation layer. Because the edge portion of the inorganic film layer is thin and contains micropores, water and oxygen can still enter the encapsulation layer through these micropores, leading to encapsulation failure. In addition, the interfacial bonding strength between the inorganic film layer and the organic layer is relatively low, and peeling is prone to occur during long-term use, further aggravating water and oxygen penetration. Therefore, although the organic-inorganic composite multilayer film encapsulation structure improves the water and oxygen resistance of OLED devices to some extent, its water and oxygen barrier effect at the encapsulation edge is still not ideal. Water and oxygen can easily enter from the border area, causing abnormal product display and limiting the reliability and lifespan of the OLED display panel.

[0060] In view of this, the present application provides a display panel and its manufacturing method, a display motherboard and a display device. By setting a waterproof layer in the bezel area, the waterproof performance of the bezel area is increased, making it difficult for water and oxygen to enter the display area from the bezel area, thus reducing the risk of failure of the encapsulation structure. By including aluminum oxide in the material of the waterproof layer, the waterproof performance of the waterproof layer is improved, and the waterproof layer can be deposited using existing process equipment, thus reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0061] Firstly, referring to Figures 1-5 As shown, this application embodiment provides a display panel 10, which may be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel 10, a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a mini light-emitting diode (Mini LED) display panel 10, or a micro light-emitting diode (Micro LED) display panel 10.

[0062] Specifically, the display panel 10 has a display area 10a, a dam area 10b, and a border area 10c. The border area 10c is arranged around the display area 10a, and the dam area 10b is located between the display area 10a and the border area 10c. It can be understood that the dam area 10b is also arranged around the display area 10a.

[0063] The display panel 10 includes an array substrate 11, a pixel defining layer 17, a light-emitting device 12, a dam structure 13, an encapsulation structure 14, and a waterproof layer 15. The pixel defining layer 17 is disposed on one side of the array substrate 11 and is located at least in the display area 10a; the pixel defining layer 17 has pixel openings (not shown in the figure). Figure 4As shown, the light-emitting device 12 is disposed at the pixel opening and includes a first electrode 121, a light-emitting structure 122, and a second electrode 123 stacked along the direction away from the array substrate 11. A dam structure 13 is disposed on one side of the array substrate 11 and located in the border area 10c; the dam structure 13 surrounds the display area 10a. An encapsulation structure 14 is disposed on the side of the pixel limiting layer 17 away from the array substrate 11 and covers the light-emitting device 12; the encapsulation structure 14 includes at least one inorganic film layer and at least one organic film layer 142 stacked together; the at least one inorganic film layer covers the dam structure 13 and at least a portion of the array substrate 11 in the border area 10c. A waterproof layer 15 is disposed on the side of the inorganic film layer away from the array substrate 11 and located in the border area 10c; the waterproof layer 15 includes aluminum oxide.

[0064] It is understood that the pixel defining layer 17 has multiple pixel openings, and the number of light-emitting devices 12 is multiple, with each of the multiple light-emitting devices 12 corresponding to one of the multiple pixel openings. The first electrode 121 can be an anode, and the second electrode 123 can be a cathode. The light-emitting structure 122 includes at least an emission layer (EML), and may also include one or more of a hole injection layer (HIL), a hole transport layer (HTL), an electron injection layer (EIL), an electron transport layer (ETL), a hole block layer (HBL), and an electron block layer (EBL). Alternatively, the light-emitting structure 122 may also be a stacked light-emitting structure, that is, it includes at least two emission layers and a charge generation layer (CGL) located between each adjacent emission layer.

[0065] It should be noted that "inorganic film layer covering dam structure 13" includes the following two cases: the first case is that the inorganic film layer is in direct contact with dam structure 13, and its orthographic projection covers dam structure 13; the second case is that the inorganic film layer is indirect contact with dam structure 13, and its orthographic projection covers dam structure 13. "Inorganic film layer covering array substrate 11 of border area 10c" includes the following two cases: the first case is that the inorganic film layer is in direct contact with array substrate 11 of border area 10c, and its orthographic projection covers array substrate 11 of border area 10c; the second case is that the inorganic film layer is indirect contact with array substrate 11 of border area 10c, and its orthographic projection covers array substrate 11 of border area 10c. "Encapsulation structure 14 covering light-emitting device 12" means that the encapsulation structure 14 is in direct contact with light-emitting device 12, and its orthographic projection covers light-emitting device 12.

[0066] The aforementioned display panel 10 increases the waterproof performance of the border area 10c by providing a waterproof layer 15 on the inorganic film layer located in the border area 10c, making it difficult for water and oxygen to enter the display area 10a from the border area 10c, thereby reducing the risk of failure of the encapsulation structure 14.

[0067] It is important to emphasize that, in terms of chemical properties: aluminum oxide has extremely low solubility and does not dissolve in water, effectively preventing moisture penetration. Aluminum oxide has strong resistance to most acids and alkalis, remaining stable even in humid chemical environments and not being corroded by chemical reactions, thus maintaining its waterproof properties. In terms of physical properties: aluminum oxide has a Mohs hardness of 9, second only to diamond, and its crystal structure is hexagonal (corundum structure). This high hardness and dense structure makes its surface resistant to scratches or wear, effectively preventing moisture penetration through tiny cracks or pores. Aluminum oxide has relatively low porosity, preventing water vapor from diffusing within the material through capillary action, thus providing excellent waterproofing. Therefore, by including aluminum oxide in the waterproof layer 15, the waterproof performance of the waterproof layer 15 is improved, and the waterproof layer 15 can be deposited using existing process equipment, reducing manufacturing costs.

[0068] For example, the waterproof layer 15 can be fabricated using sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), vacuum deposition, pulsed laser deposition (PLD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), etc. CVD methods include plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD), low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), etc.

[0069] In a preferred embodiment, the waterproof layer 15 is fabricated using chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition. This allows for the fabrication of the waterproof layer 15 using existing equipment without the need for additional equipment.

[0070] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1As shown, the orthographic projection of the waterproof layer 15 on the array substrate 11 surrounds the display area 10a. In this way, it is equivalent to setting a waterproof layer 15 around the periphery of the display area 10a, which can prevent moisture from penetrating from the frame area 10c into the display area 10a to the greatest extent.

[0071] In one embodiment, the orthographic projection of the waterproof layer 15 on the array substrate 11 is located in the bezel area 10c. Furthermore, the orthographic projection of the waterproof layer 15 on the array substrate 11 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the dam structure 13 on the array substrate 11. This prevents the dam structure 13 from becoming too tall due to the stacking of the waterproof layer 15 on the dam structure 13, which is beneficial for the thinning of the display panel 10.

[0072] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the display panel 10 also includes at least one reinforcing film layer 16, which is stacked between the waterproof layer 15 and the inorganic film layer, and is located in the bezel area 10c. The reinforcing film layer 16 is made of an inorganic material. For example, the material of the reinforcing film layer 16 can be silicon oxide, silicon nitride, etc.

[0073] By setting the reinforcing membrane layer 16, the thickness of the inorganic material in the frame area 10c can be increased, thereby further improving the waterproof performance of the frame area 10c.

[0074] In one embodiment, the display panel 10 includes multiple reinforcing film layers 16 stacked along a direction away from the array substrate 11. This further increases the thickness of the inorganic material in the bezel region 10c, thereby improving the waterproof performance of the bezel region 10c. Furthermore, by providing multiple reinforcing film layers 16, it is also possible to prevent cracks generated by the boundary cutting of the display panel 10 from extending into the display region 10a.

[0075] In one embodiment, the orthographic projection of the reinforcing film 16 onto the array substrate 11 surrounds the display area 10a. This minimizes the penetration of moisture from around the display area 10a towards it, and also prevents cracks caused by cutting along the perimeter of the display panel 10 from extending into the display area 10a.

[0076] In one embodiment, the array substrate 11 includes a substrate 111 and an array film layer 112 disposed on one side of the substrate 111. The waterproof layer 15 is flush with the side away from the display area 10a, the outer side of the array film layer 112, and the outer side of the substrate 111. In other words, as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the side of the waterproof layer 15 furthest from the display area 10a is flush with the outer edge of the array substrate 11. This arrangement helps to reduce the width of the bezel area 10c (i.e.: Figure 3 The middle border area is 10c (the horizontal dimension), thus achieving a narrow border.

[0077] In one embodiment, the array substrate 11 includes a substrate 111 and an array film layer 112 disposed on one side of the substrate 111. A waterproof layer 15 covers the outer edge of the array film layer 112 and a portion of the surface of the substrate 111 near the array film layer 112. (See also...) Figure 7 As shown, the waterproof layer 15 wraps around the outer edge of the array membrane layer 112 and is attached to the substrate 111. Figure 7 The waterproof layer 15 contacts a portion of the surface of the substrate 110 (the surface not covered by the array film layer 112). In this way, on the one hand, the contact area between the waterproof layer 15 and the array substrate 11 is larger, which increases the bonding force between the waterproof layer 15 and the array substrate 11; on the other hand, after the waterproof layer 15 wraps the outer edge of the array film layer 112, it can prevent water vapor from eroding the array film layer 112.

[0078] In one embodiment, the encapsulation structure 14 includes a first inorganic film layer 141, an organic film layer 142, and a second inorganic film layer 143 stacked along a direction away from the array substrate 11. Figure 2 As shown, the second inorganic film layer 143 covers the dam structure 13 and at least part of the frame area 10c of the array substrate 11. In other words, the second inorganic film layer 143 extends from the display area 10a to the dam area 10b and the frame area 10c. A waterproof layer 15 is disposed on the side of the second inorganic film layer 143 away from the array substrate 11. Thus, in the frame area 10c, the waterproof layer 15 and the second inorganic film layer 143 can jointly resist the intrusion and penetration of moisture.

[0079] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the first inorganic film layer 141 covers the array substrate 11 of the dam structure 13 and at least part of the border area 10c. In other words, the first inorganic film layer 141 extends from the display area 10a to the dam area 10b and the border area 10c.

[0080] Thus, in the border area 10c, the first inorganic membrane layer 141, the second inorganic membrane layer 143, and the waterproof layer 15 can work together to resist the intrusion and penetration of water vapor, further improving the waterproof performance.

[0081] In one embodiment, the dam structure 13 includes at least two dam bodies (not shown) arranged at intervals in the dam area 10b.

[0082] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4As shown, the second inorganic film layer 143 located in the frame area 10c includes a flat surface 143b and a rough surface 143a. The flat surface 143b is located on the side of the rough surface 143a closer to the display area 10a; the roughness of the rough surface 143a is greater than that of the flat surface 143b. The waterproof layer 15 covers the rough surface 143a and the flat surface 143b. In this way, on the one hand, the contact surface between the second inorganic film layer 143 and the waterproof layer 15 can be increased, the bonding force between the waterproof layer 15 and the second inorganic film layer 143 can be improved, and the risk of peeling can be reduced; on the other hand, the rough surface 143a can also prevent cracks generated by cutting the perimeter of the display panel 10 from extending to the display area 10a; furthermore, the rough surface 143a can be formed by plasma processing. By setting the flat surface 143b, it is possible to avoid the plasma process from damaging the second inorganic film layer 143 near the dam structure 13, causing the thickness of the second inorganic film layer 143 in this area to be reduced, thus affecting the waterproof performance of the second inorganic film layer 143. In summary, the above configuration enables the second inorganic membrane layer 143 and the waterproof layer 15 to simultaneously achieve waterproofing, prevent crack propagation, and ensure tight bonding.

[0083] In one embodiment, the orthographic projection of the rough surface 143a onto the array substrate 11 surrounds the display area 10a. This maximizes the bonding tightness between the waterproof layer 15 and the second inorganic film layer 143.

[0084] Secondly, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, this application embodiment provides a display motherboard 100, which includes a substrate 110, a plurality of display units 120, and a plurality of waterproof layers 15. The substrate 110 has a plurality of unit regions 110a arranged at intervals. The plurality of display units 120 are disposed on one side of the substrate 110; each display unit 120 is correspondingly disposed in one unit region 110a, in other words, one display unit 120 is provided in each unit region 110a. The display unit 120 has a display area 10a, a dam area 10b, and a border area 10c. The border area 10c surrounds the display area 10a, and the dam area 10b is located between the display area 10a and the border area 10c. The display unit 120 includes an array film layer 112, a pixel defining layer 17, a light-emitting device 12, a dam structure 13, and an encapsulation structure 14. The array film layer 112 is located in the display area 10a, the dam area 10b, and the border area 10c. The pixel defining layer 17 is disposed on one side of the array film layer 112 and is at least located in the display area 10a. The pixel defining layer 17 has pixel openings. The light-emitting device 12 is disposed in the image... The display area 10a includes a first electrode 121, a light-emitting structure 122, and a second electrode 123 stacked along a direction away from the array film layer 112; a dam structure 13 is disposed on one side of the array film layer 112 and located in the border area 10c; the dam structure 13 surrounds the display area 10a; an encapsulation structure 14 is disposed on the side of the pixel limiting layer 17 away from the array film layer 112 and covers the light-emitting device 12; the encapsulation structure 14 includes at least one inorganic film layer and at least one organic film layer 142 stacked together; at least one inorganic film layer covers the dam structure 13 and at least part of the array film layer 112 in the border area 10c. Multiple waterproof layers 15 are disposed on one side of the substrate 110 and correspond one-to-one with multiple display units 120; the waterproof layer 15 covers the inorganic film layer in the border area 10c of the corresponding display unit 120 and covers the substrate 110 around the display unit 120; the waterproof layer 15 includes aluminum oxide.

[0085] It should be noted here that after the display motherboard 100 is cut along the cutting line c, the display unit 120, the substrate 110 connected to it, and the waterproof layer 15 constitute the display panel 10 mentioned above. The cut substrate 110 is equivalent to the base 111 mentioned above. It is understood that... Figure 7 This example only illustrates one possible location of the cutting line c. The cutting line c can also be located in other locations, and this application does not impose any particular limitation on this.

[0086] It is understood that the pixel limiting layer 17 has multiple pixel openings, and the number of light-emitting devices 12 is multiple, with each of the multiple light-emitting devices 12 corresponding to one of the multiple pixel openings. The first electrode 121 can be an anode, and the second electrode 123 can be a cathode. The light-emitting structure 122 includes at least an emission layer (EML), and may also include one or more of a hole injection layer (HIL), a hole transport layer (HTL), an electron injection layer (EIL), an electron transport layer (ETL), a hole block layer (HBL), and an electron block layer (EBL). Alternatively, the light-emitting structure 122 may also be a stacked light-emitting structure 122, that is, it includes at least two emission layers and a charge generation layer (CGL) located between each adjacent emission layer.

[0087] It should be noted that "inorganic film layer covering dam structure 13" includes the following two cases: the first case is that the inorganic film layer is in direct contact with dam structure 13, and its orthographic projection covers dam structure 13; the second case is that the inorganic film layer is indirect contact with dam structure 13, and its orthographic projection covers dam structure 13. "Inorganic film layer covering array film layer 112 of border area 10c" includes the following two cases: the first case is that the inorganic film layer is in direct contact with array film layer 112 of border area 10c, and its orthographic projection covers array film layer 112 of border area 10c; the second case is that the inorganic film layer is indirect contact with array film layer 112 of border area 10c, and its orthographic projection covers array film layer 112 of border area 10c. "Encapsulation structure 14 covering light-emitting device 12" means that the encapsulation structure 14 is in direct contact with light-emitting device 12, and its orthographic projection covers light-emitting device 12.

[0088] The aforementioned display motherboard 100, by providing a waterproof layer 15, covers the inorganic film layer of the bezel area 10c of the corresponding display unit 120 and the substrate 110 covering the outer periphery of the display unit 120, thereby increasing the waterproof performance of the bezel area 10c of the display unit 120. This prevents water and oxygen from easily entering the display area 10a from the bezel area 10c, reducing the risk of failure of the encapsulation structure 14. By including aluminum oxide in the material of the waterproof layer 15, the waterproof performance of the waterproof layer 15 is improved, and the waterproof layer 15 can be deposited using existing process equipment, reducing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, referring to… Figure 7As shown, the waterproof layer 15 wraps around the outer edge of the array film layer 112 and contacts the exposed surface of the substrate 110. In this way, on the one hand, the contact area between the waterproof layer 15 and the substrate 110 is large, which increases the adhesion of the waterproof layer 15 to the display motherboard 100; on the other hand, after the waterproof layer 15 wraps around the outer edge of the array film layer 112, it can prevent moisture from eroding the array film layer 112.

[0089] For example, the waterproof layer 15 can be fabricated using sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), vacuum deposition, pulsed laser deposition (PLD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), etc. CVD methods include plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD), low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), etc.

[0090] In a preferred embodiment, the waterproof layer 15 is fabricated using chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition. This allows for the fabrication of the waterproof layer 15 using existing equipment without the need for additional equipment.

[0091] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the orthographic projection of the waterproof layer 15 on the array substrate 11 surrounds the display area 10a. In this way, it is equivalent to setting a waterproof layer 15 around the periphery of the display area 10a, which can prevent moisture from penetrating from the frame area 10c into the display area 10a to the greatest extent.

[0092] In one embodiment, a portion of the orthographic projection of the waterproof layer 15 onto the array substrate 11 is located in the bezel area 10c. Furthermore, the orthographic projection of the waterproof layer 15 onto the array substrate 11 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the dam structure 13 onto the array substrate 11. This prevents the dam structure 13 from becoming too tall due to the stacking of the waterproof layer 15 on the dam structure 13, which is beneficial for making the display panel 10 thinner and lighter.

[0093] In one embodiment, the encapsulation structure 14 includes a first inorganic film layer 141, an organic film layer 142, and a second inorganic film layer 143 stacked along a direction away from the array substrate 11. Figure 7As shown, the second inorganic film layer 143 covers the dam structure 13 and at least part of the array film layer 112 of the frame area 10c. In other words, the second inorganic film layer 143 extends from the display area 10a to the dam area 10b and the frame area 10c. A waterproof layer 15 is disposed on the side of the second inorganic film layer 143 away from the array substrate 11. Thus, in the frame area 10c, the waterproof layer 15 and the second inorganic film layer 143 can jointly resist the intrusion and penetration of moisture.

[0094] In one embodiment, a first inorganic film layer 141 covers the array film layer 112 of the dam structure 13 and at least a portion of the border region 10c. In other words, the first inorganic film layer 141 extends from the display region 10a to the dam region 10b and the border region 10c.

[0095] Thus, in the border area 10c, the first inorganic membrane layer 141, the second inorganic membrane layer 143, and the waterproof layer 15 can work together to resist the intrusion and penetration of water vapor, further improving the waterproof performance.

[0096] In one embodiment, the dam structure 13 includes at least two dam bodies arranged at intervals in the dam area 10b.

[0097] In one embodiment, the second inorganic film layer 143 located in the frame area 10c includes a flat surface 143b and a rough surface 143a, with the flat surface 143b located on the side of the rough surface 143a closer to the display area 10a; the roughness of the rough surface 143a is greater than that of the flat surface 143b. The waterproof layer 15 covers the rough surface 143a and the flat surface 143b. Thus, on the one hand, the contact surface between the second inorganic film layer 143 and the waterproof layer 15 can be increased, improving the bonding force between the waterproof layer 15 and the second inorganic film layer 143 and reducing the risk of peeling; on the other hand, the rough surface 143a can also prevent cracks generated by cutting the perimeter of the display panel 10 from extending into the display area 10a; furthermore, the rough surface 143a can be formed by plasma processing, and by setting the flat surface 143b, damage to the second inorganic film layer 143 near the dam structure 13 can be avoided by the plasma process, preventing thinning of the second inorganic film layer 143 in that area and affecting the waterproof performance of the second inorganic film layer 143. In summary, the above configuration enables the second inorganic membrane layer 143 and the waterproof layer 15 to simultaneously achieve waterproofing, prevent crack propagation, and ensure tight bonding.

[0098] In one embodiment, the orthographic projection of the rough surface 143a onto the array film layer 112 surrounds the display area 10a. This maximizes the bonding tightness between the waterproof layer 15 and the second inorganic film layer 143.

[0099] Thirdly, such as Figure 8As shown in the figure, this application embodiment provides a method for manufacturing a display panel 10, including the following steps:

[0100] S100: A substrate 110 is provided, on which multiple unit regions 110a are arranged at intervals.

[0101] S200: A plurality of display units 120 are formed on one side of the substrate 110; the display units 120 are disposed one-to-one in the unit area 110a. Each display unit 120 has a display area 10a, a dam area 10b, and a border area 10c. The border area 10c surrounds the display area 10a, and the dam area 10b is located between the display area 10a and the border area 10c. The display unit 120 includes an array film layer 112, a pixel defining layer 17, a light-emitting device 12, a dam structure 13, and an encapsulation structure 14. The array film layer 112 is located in the display area 10a, the dam area 10b, and the border area 10c. The pixel defining layer 17 is disposed on one side of the array film layer 112 and is at least located in the display area 10a. The pixel defining layer 17 has pixel openings. The light-emitting device 12 is disposed in the image... The pixel opening includes a first electrode 121, a light-emitting structure 122, and a second electrode 123 stacked along a direction away from the array film layer 112; a dam structure 13 is disposed on one side of the array film layer 112 and located in the border area 10c; the dam structure 13 is disposed around the display area 10a; an encapsulation structure 14 is disposed on the side of the pixel limiting layer 17 away from the array film layer 112 and covers the light-emitting device 12; the encapsulation structure 14 includes at least one inorganic film layer and at least one organic film layer 142 stacked together; at least one inorganic film layer covers the dam structure 13 and at least part of the array film layer 112 in the border area 10c.

[0102] S300: A plurality of waterproof layers 15 are formed on one side of the substrate 110; the plurality of waterproof layers 15 are disposed in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of display units 120; the waterproof layer 15 covers the inorganic film layer of the frame area 10c of the corresponding display unit 120, and covers the substrate 110 on the outer periphery of the display unit 120; the waterproof layer 15 includes aluminum oxide. Exemplarily, the waterproof layer 15 can be fabricated by sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), vacuum deposition, pulsed laser deposition (PLD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), etc. CVD methods include plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD), low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), etc. It should be noted that a waterproof layer 15 can be made in conjunction with a mask so that the waterproof layer 15 only covers the inorganic film layer of the bezel area 10c of the corresponding display unit 120.

[0103] S400: The substrate 110 is cut to form a plurality of display panels 10. For example, as... Figure 7 As shown, cutting can be performed along the cutting line C.

[0104] The above-described method for manufacturing the display panel 10 increases the waterproof performance of the border area 10c by setting a waterproof layer 15 on the inorganic film layer located in the border area 10c, making it difficult for water and oxygen to enter the display area 10a from the border area 10c, thus reducing the risk of failure of the encapsulation structure 14. By including aluminum oxide in the material of the waterproof layer 15, the waterproof performance of the waterproof layer 15 is improved, and the waterproof layer 15 can be deposited using existing process equipment, thus reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0105] It should be emphasized that, compared with the traditional manufacturing process of the display panel 10, the embodiment of this application only adds a waterproof layer 15 manufacturing process to the traditional manufacturing process. It has no impact on the manufacturing of the array film layer 112, the light-emitting device 12, the dam structure 13 and the encapsulation structure 14, so that the manufacturing process of the waterproof layer 15 is perfectly compatible with the existing process. In addition, the waterproof layer 15 can be manufactured by existing process equipment (such as CVD equipment and ALD equipment), without the need to develop new equipment and process parameters, thus reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0106] In one embodiment, S300: a plurality of waterproof layers 15 are formed on one side of the substrate 110, specifically including the following steps:

[0107] S310: A mask is provided on the display unit 120, and the waterproof layer 15 is formed by chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition.

[0108] In this way, the waterproof layer 15 can be fabricated using chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition. On the one hand, this facilitates the fabrication of the waterproof layer 15 using existing process equipment without the need for additional equipment; on the other hand, it helps to form a waterproof layer 15 with uniform film thickness and a complete surface.

[0109] In one embodiment, S200: A plurality of display units 120 are formed on one side of the substrate 110, specifically including the following steps:

[0110] S210: An array film layer 112 is formed on one side of the substrate 110.

[0111] S220: A pixel defining layer 17 is formed on one side of the array film layer 112.

[0112] S230: A light-emitting device 12 is formed on one side of the array film layer 112.

[0113] S240: A dam structure 13 is formed on one side of the array membrane layer 112.

[0114] S250: An encapsulation structure 14 is formed on one side of the pixel limiting layer 17. Specifically, a first inorganic film layer 141 is formed first, an organic film layer 142 is formed next, and a second inorganic film layer 143 is formed next.

[0115] It should be noted that after the protective layer is formed, a touch layer can also be formed on the encapsulation structure 14, a protective film can be attached to the touch layer, and the material can be cut after the protective film is attached.

[0116] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a display device, including the display panel 10 in any embodiment of the first aspect. The display device can be a laptop computer, mobile phone, wireless device, personal data assistant (PDA), handheld or portable computer, GPS receiver / navigator, camera, MP4 video player, camcorder, game console, watch, clock, calculator, television monitor, flat panel display, computer monitor, automotive display (e.g., odometer display, etc.), navigator, cockpit controller and / or display, camera view display (e.g., display of a rearview camera in a vehicle), electronic photograph, electronic billboard or sign, projector, packaging, etc.

[0117] 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.

[0118] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A display panel having a display area, a dam area, and a border area, wherein the border area surrounds the display area, and the dam area is located between the display area and the border area, characterized in that, The display panel includes: Array substrate; A pixel defining layer is disposed on one side of the array substrate and is located at least in the display area; the pixel defining layer has pixel openings; A light-emitting device is disposed at the pixel opening and includes a first electrode, a light-emitting structure, and a second electrode stacked along a direction away from the array substrate; A dam structure is disposed on one side of the array substrate and located in the border area; the dam structure is arranged around the display area; An encapsulation structure is disposed on the side of the pixel defining layer away from the array substrate and covers the light-emitting device; the encapsulation structure includes at least one inorganic film layer and at least one organic film layer stacked together; the at least one inorganic film layer covers the dam structure and at least part of the array substrate of the border area; A waterproof layer is disposed on the side of the inorganic film layer away from the array substrate and located in the border area; the waterproof layer comprises aluminum oxide.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The waterproof layer is positioned around the display area by its orthographic projection onto the array substrate.

3. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The display panel further includes at least one reinforcing film layer, which is stacked between the waterproof layer and the inorganic film layer and is located in the frame area; the reinforcing film layer is made of inorganic material. Optionally, the display panel includes multiple layers of the enhancement film stacked along a direction away from the array substrate; Optionally, the orthographic projection of the enhancement film layer on the array substrate is disposed around the display area.

4. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The array substrate includes: Base; An array of films is disposed on one side of the substrate; The waterproof layer is flush with the side away from the display area, the outer side of the array film layer, and the outer side of the substrate.

5. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The array substrate includes: Base; An array of films is disposed on one side of the substrate; The waterproof layer covers the outer edge of the array film layer and a portion of the surface of the substrate near the array film layer.

6. The display panel according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The encapsulation structure includes a first inorganic film layer, an organic film layer, and a second inorganic film layer stacked along a direction away from the array substrate; the second inorganic film layer covers the dam structure and at least a portion of the array substrate of the border area. The waterproof layer is disposed on the side of the second inorganic film layer away from the array substrate; Optionally, the first inorganic film layer covers the dam structure and at least a portion of the array substrate of the frame region; Optionally, the second inorganic film layer located in the border area includes a flat surface and a rough surface, the flat surface being located on the side of the rough surface closer to the display area; the roughness of the rough surface is greater than the roughness of the flat surface; The waterproof layer covers both the rough surface and the flat surface; Optionally, the orthographic projection of the rough surface on the array substrate is positioned around the display area.

7. A display motherboard, characterized in that, include: A substrate having multiple unit regions arranged at intervals on it; Multiple display units are disposed on one side of the substrate; each display unit is correspondingly disposed in the unit area; each display unit has a display area, a dam area, and a border area, the border area surrounding the display area, and the dam area located between the display area and the border area; each display unit includes an array film layer, a pixel defining layer, a light-emitting device, a dam structure, and an encapsulation structure; the array film layer is located in the display area, the dam area, and the border area; the pixel defining layer is disposed on one side of the array film layer and is at least located in the display area; the pixel defining layer has pixel openings; The light-emitting device is disposed at the pixel opening and includes a first electrode, a light-emitting structure, and a second electrode stacked along a direction away from the array film layer; the dam structure is disposed on one side of the array film layer and located in the border area; the dam structure surrounds the display area; the encapsulation structure is disposed on the side of the pixel limiting layer away from the array film layer and covers the light-emitting device; the encapsulation structure includes at least one inorganic film layer and at least one organic film layer stacked together; at least one inorganic film layer covers the dam structure and at least part of the array film layer in the border area; Multiple waterproof layers are disposed on one side of the substrate and are configured one-to-one with the multiple display units; the waterproof layer covers the inorganic film layer of the frame area of ​​the corresponding display unit and the substrate covering the outer periphery of the display unit; the waterproof layer includes aluminum oxide.

8. A method for manufacturing a display panel, characterized in that, include: A substrate is provided, wherein a plurality of unit regions are arranged at intervals on the substrate; Multiple display units are formed on one side of the substrate; The display units are correspondingly disposed in the unit area; each display unit has a display area, a dam area, and a border area, the border area surrounding the display area, and the dam area located between the display area and the border area; the display unit includes an array film layer, a pixel defining layer, a light-emitting device, a dam structure, and an encapsulation structure; the array film layer is located in the display area, the dam area, and the border area; the pixel defining layer is disposed on one side of the array film layer and is at least located in the display area; the pixel defining layer has a pixel opening; the light-emitting device is disposed at the pixel opening and includes a first electrode, a light-emitting structure, and a second electrode stacked along a direction away from the array film layer; the dam structure is disposed on one side of the array film layer and is located in the border area; the dam structure surrounds the display area; the encapsulation structure is disposed on the side of the pixel defining layer away from the array film layer and covers the light-emitting device; the encapsulation structure includes at least one inorganic film layer and at least one organic film layer stacked; at least one inorganic film layer covers the dam structure and at least part of the array film layer in the border area; Multiple waterproof layers are formed on one side of the substrate; the multiple waterproof layers are disposed in a one-to-one correspondence with the multiple display units; the waterproof layer covers the inorganic film layer of the frame area of ​​the corresponding display unit, and covers the substrate around the outer periphery of the display unit; the waterproof layer includes aluminum oxide; The substrate is cut to form multiple display panels.

9. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 8, characterized in that, The formation of multiple waterproof layers on one side of the substrate includes: A mask is placed on the display unit, and the waterproof layer is formed using a chemical vapor deposition process or an atomic layer deposition process.

10. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the display panel as described in any one of claims 1-6.

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