Display panel and display device

Abstract

This utility model discloses a display panel and display device that improves the light transmittance of a first display area. The display panel includes: a substrate and a plurality of first-area light-emitting elements disposed on the substrate. The substrate includes a first display area and a second display area located on at least one side of the first display area, wherein the light transmittance of the first display area is greater than that of the second display area. The plurality of first-area light-emitting elements are located in the first display area. At least one first-area light-emitting element includes: a first electrode, a second electrode disposed on the substrate, and n light-emitting units stacked between the first electrode and the second electrode, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2. A connecting unit is disposed between every two adjacent light-emitting units, and the connecting unit is configured to connect the two adjacent light-emitting units.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to, but is not limited to, the field of display technology, and particularly to a display panel and display device. Background Technology

[0002] Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are active-matrix display devices with advantages such as self-illumination, wide viewing angle, high contrast, low power consumption, extremely high response speed, thinness, flexibility, and low cost. Under-display camera technology is a novel technology proposed to increase the screen-to-body ratio of display devices. Utility Model Content

[0003] The following is an overview of the subject matter described in detail herein. This overview is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

[0004] In order to improve the light transmittance of the first display area, this utility model provides a display panel and a display device.

[0005] On one hand, this embodiment provides a display panel, including: a substrate and a plurality of first-area light-emitting elements disposed on the substrate. The substrate includes a first display area and a second display area located on at least one side of the first display area, wherein the light transmittance of the first display area is greater than the light transmittance of the second display area. The plurality of first-area light-emitting elements are located in the first display area. At least one first-area light-emitting element includes: a first electrode, a second electrode disposed on the substrate, and n light-emitting units stacked between the first electrode and the second electrode, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and a connecting unit is disposed between every two adjacent light-emitting units, the connecting unit being configured to connect the two adjacent light-emitting units.

[0006] In some exemplary embodiments, at least two of the n light-emitting units of the at least one first region light-emitting element are configured to emit light of different colors.

[0007] In some exemplary embodiments, the at least one first region light-emitting element includes at least one first light-emitting unit emitting red light and at least one second light-emitting unit emitting blue light, wherein the at least one second light-emitting unit is located on the side of the at least one first light-emitting unit away from the substrate.

[0008] In some exemplary embodiments, the plurality of first-area light-emitting elements include: a plurality of first-type light-emitting elements and a plurality of second-type light-emitting elements, wherein the n light-emitting units of the first-type light-emitting elements are configured to emit light of different colors, and the n light-emitting units of the second-type light-emitting elements are configured to emit light of the same color.

[0009] In some exemplary embodiments, the first type of light-emitting element includes a first light-emitting unit that emits red light and a second light-emitting unit that emits blue light, with the second light-emitting unit located on the side of the first light-emitting unit away from the substrate; the second type of light-emitting element includes two third light-emitting units that emit green light.

[0010] In some exemplary embodiments, the second electrode of the first type of light-emitting element and the second electrode of the second type of light-emitting element are in the same layer structure and are independently disposed.

[0011] In some exemplary embodiments, the display panel further includes: a plurality of first connection electrodes located on the side of the film layer containing the first electrode close to the substrate, and a second electrode being directly electrically connected to the first connection electrode.

[0012] In some exemplary embodiments, the display panel further includes: at least one auxiliary electrode, the connection unit of the at least one first region light-emitting element is connected to the auxiliary electrode, and the auxiliary electrode and the first electrode are in the same layer structure and are independently arranged.

[0013] In some exemplary embodiments, the display panel further includes: a pixel definition layer located on the side of the first electrode away from the substrate, the pixel definition layer having a plurality of pixel barriers surrounding a pixel opening that exposes a portion of the surface of the first electrode, the side of the pixel barrier away from the pixel opening having a first slope, and the thickness of the connection unit located on the first slope being less than the thickness of the connection unit located within the pixel opening.

[0014] In some exemplary embodiments, the display panel further includes a composite insulating layer disposed on the substrate, the composite insulating layer having a notch located between adjacent first region light-emitting elements, and the second electrode of the adjacent first region light-emitting element is separated by the notch.

[0015] In some exemplary embodiments, the light-emitting area of ​​the at least one first region light-emitting element is projected onto the substrate in a circular or elliptical shape.

[0016] In some exemplary embodiments, the display panel further includes: a plurality of second region light-emitting elements located in the second display area; the arrangement density of the plurality of second region light-emitting elements in the second display area is greater than the arrangement density of the plurality of first region light-emitting elements in the first display area.

[0017] On the other hand, this embodiment provides a display device, including a display panel as described above, and a sensor located on the non-display side of the display panel, wherein the orthographic projection of the sensor on the display panel at least partially overlaps with a first display area of ​​the display panel.

[0018] In some exemplary embodiments, the sensor includes a camera.

[0019] The display panel provided in this embodiment can improve the light transmittance of the first display area by setting the light-emitting element in the first area of ​​the first display area to include multiple light-emitting units stacked together.

[0020] Other features and advantages of this invention will be set forth in the following description, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. Other advantages of this invention can be realized and obtained by means of the solutions described in the description and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the technical solution of this utility model and constitute a part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this application to explain the technical solution of this utility model and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solution of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a display panel according to at least one embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of the first display area and the second display area according to at least one embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first type of light-emitting element according to at least one embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the gain of RGB at different periods;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second type of light-emitting element according to at least one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 for Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view along the QQ' direction;

[0029] Figure 8A for Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of the central region S1;

[0030] Figure 8B for Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of the central region S2;

[0031] Figure 8C for Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of the central region S3;

[0032] Figure 9 This is another partial structural diagram of the first display area and the second display area according to at least one embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first region light-emitting element of at least one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Several embodiments have been described, but this description is exemplary and not restrictive, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the embodiments described herein. Although many possible combinations of features are shown in the drawings and discussed in the embodiments, many other combinations of the features of the present invention are also possible. Unless specifically limited, any feature or element of any embodiment may be used in combination with any other feature or element in any other embodiment, or may replace any other feature or element in any other embodiment.

[0035] This utility model includes and contemplates combinations with features and elements known to those skilled in the art. The embodiments, features, and elements disclosed in this utility model can also be combined with any conventional features or elements to form unique utility model solutions. Any feature or element of any embodiment can also be combined with features or elements from other utility model solutions to form another unique utility model solution. Therefore, it should be understood that any feature shown or discussed in this utility model can be implemented individually or in any suitable combination. Therefore, the embodiments are not limited except by the limitations imposed by the appended claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the appended claims.

[0036] Furthermore, in describing representative embodiments, the specification may have presented the method or process as a specific sequence of steps. However, the method or process should not be limited to the specific order of steps described herein, to the extent that it does not depend on such a specific order. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, other sequences of steps are also possible. Therefore, the specific order of steps set forth in the specification should not be construed as a limitation of the claims. Moreover, the claims relating to the method or process should not be limited to the steps performed in the order written, and those skilled in the art will readily understand that these orders can be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope of the embodiments of this utility model.

[0037] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model 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 utility model.

[0038] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise expressly defined.

[0039] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the circumstances.

[0040] In this invention, "electrical connection" includes the situation where constituent elements are connected together by a component having a certain electrical function. There are no particular limitations on the "component having a certain electrical function," as long as it enables the transmission of electrical signals between the connected constituent elements. Examples of "components having a certain electrical function" include not only electrodes and wiring, but also switching elements such as transistors, resistors, inductors, capacitors, and other components with multiple functions.

[0041] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature and the second feature are in direct contact, or that the first feature and the second feature are in indirect contact through 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. "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.

[0042] In this invention, a transistor refers to a device that includes at least three terminals: a gate, a drain, and a source. A transistor has a channel region between its drain (drain electrode terminal, drain region, or drain electrode) and its source (source electrode terminal, source region, or source electrode), and current can flow through the drain, the channel region, and the source. In this invention, the channel region refers to the region through which current primarily flows.

[0043] In this invention, the first electrode can be the drain and the second electrode can be the source, or vice versa. When using transistors with opposite polarities or when the current direction changes during circuit operation, the functions of the "source" and "drain" are sometimes interchanged. Therefore, in this invention, the "source" and "drain" can be interchanged. Additionally, the gate can also be called the control electrode.

[0044] In this invention, "parallel" refers to a state in which the angle formed by two straight lines is greater than -10° and less than 10°, therefore, it can include a state in which the angle is greater than -5° and less than 5°. Furthermore, "perpendicular" refers to a state in which the angle formed by two straight lines is greater than 80° and less than 100°, therefore, it can include a state in which the angle is greater than 85° and less than 95°.

[0045] In this utility model, circles, ellipses, triangles, rectangles, trapezoids, pentagons, or hexagons are not strictly defined. They can be approximately circles, ellipses, triangles, rectangles, trapezoids, pentagons, or hexagons. Small deformations due to tolerances are possible, such as chamfers, curved edges, and other deformations.

[0046] In this invention, "light transmittance" refers to the ability of light to pass through a medium, which is the percentage of light flux passing through a transparent or translucent body relative to the incident light flux.

[0047] In this invention, "approximately" and "roughly" refer to situations where there are no strict limits and the process and measurement errors are allowed. In this invention, "identical" can include situations where they are completely identical and substantially the same; "roughly the same" means that the values ​​differ by less than 10%.

[0048] In this invention, "A extends along direction B" means that A may include a main part and a secondary part connected to the main part. The main part is a line, line segment, or strip-shaped body. The main part extends along direction B, and the length of the main part extending along direction B is greater than the length of the secondary part extending along other directions. In this invention, "A extends along direction B" refers to "the main part of A extends along direction B."

[0049] With the continuous development of display technology, cameras are typically installed on display devices to meet the needs of photography or facial recognition. To maximize screen-to-body ratio, technologies such as notch displays, waterdrop displays, and punch-hole displays have emerged. These technologies reduce the area occupied by the camera by creating a hole in a portion of the display area and placing the camera below the hole, thereby increasing the screen-to-body ratio. However, these technologies require removing part of the display area, resulting in some areas of the screen being undisplayed and preventing further increases in screen-to-body ratio.

[0050] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display device according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, the display device may include a display panel 11 and a sensor 12 located on the non-display side of the display panel 11. In some examples, the sensor 12 may be a camera or an infrared sensor.

[0051] In some examples, the display panel 11 can be a flexible OLED display panel, a QLED display panel, a Micro-LED display panel, or a Mini-LED display panel. The display device can be a product with image (including still images or moving images, where moving images can be video) display capabilities. For example, the display device can be any of the following products: monitor, television, billboard, digital photo frame, laser printer with display function, telephone, mobile phone, drawing screen, personal digital assistant (PDA), digital camera, portable camcorder, viewfinder, navigator, vehicle, large-area wall, information query equipment (such as business query equipment for e-government, banks, hospitals, power companies, etc.), monitor, etc. Furthermore, the display device can also be any of the following products: microdisplay, VR device or AR device containing a microdisplay, etc.

[0052] In some examples, a polarizer (POL) 132, an optically clear adhesive (OCA) layer 133, and a cover glass (CG) 134 may be sequentially stacked on the light-emitting side of the display panel 11. A surface-conductive film (SCF) 131 may be disposed on the non-display side of the display panel 11. The surface-conductive film 131 and the orthographic projection of the sensor 12 onto the display panel 11 may not overlap. The light transmittance of the cover glass 134 can reach over 99%, the light transmittance of the optically clear adhesive layer 133 can reach over 98%, and the light transmittance of the polarizer 132 is around 43%. Moreover, these films are all uniform materials and can be processed by the filtering algorithm of the sensor 12 to achieve a total light transmittance of 40%. Therefore, the light transmittance of the display panel 11 has a significant impact on the light received by the sensor 12.

[0053] This embodiment provides a display panel that can improve the light transmittance of the under-display camera area.

[0054] This embodiment provides a display panel, including: a substrate and a plurality of first-area light-emitting elements disposed on the substrate and located in a first display area. The substrate includes a first display area and a second display area located on at least one side of the first display area, wherein the light transmittance of the first display area is greater than that of the second display area. At least one first-area light-emitting element includes: a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on the substrate, and n light-emitting units stacked between the first electrode and the second electrode, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and a connecting unit is disposed between every two adjacent light-emitting units, the connecting unit being configured to connect the two adjacent light-emitting units.

[0055] The display panel provided in this embodiment can improve the light transmittance of the first display area by setting the light-emitting element in the first area of ​​the first display area to include multiple light-emitting units stacked together.

[0056] In some exemplary embodiments, at least two of the n light-emitting units of at least one first-region light-emitting element can be configured to emit light of different colors. In some examples, at least one first-region light-emitting element may include at least one first light-emitting unit emitting red light and at least one second light-emitting unit emitting blue light, with the at least one second light-emitting unit located on the side of the at least one first light-emitting unit away from the substrate. This example, by differentiating the color driving of multiple light-emitting units of the first-region light-emitting element, can save space occupied by the light-emitting element, thereby improving the light transmittance of the first display area.

[0057] In some exemplary embodiments, the display panel may further include a plurality of second-area light-emitting elements located in a second display area. The arrangement density of the plurality of second-area light-emitting elements in the second display area may be greater than the arrangement density of the plurality of first-area light-emitting elements in the first display area. For example, the arrangement of the second-area light-emitting elements in the second display area may differ from the arrangement of the first-area light-emitting elements in the first display area. This example, by reducing the arrangement density of the light-emitting elements in the first display area, can help improve the light transmittance of the first display area.

[0058] In some exemplary embodiments, the orthographic projection of the light-emitting area of ​​at least one first-region light-emitting element onto the substrate can be circular or elliptical. The light-emitting area of ​​the light-emitting element refers to the overlapping area of ​​the first electrode exposed by the pixel definition layer with the light-emitting unit, the connection unit, and the second electrode. This example improves the diffraction of the first display area by setting the edges of the light-emitting area of ​​the first-region light-emitting element to rounded edges.

[0059] The following examples illustrate the solution of this embodiment.

[0060] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a display panel according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. In some examples, such as... Figure 2As shown, the display panel may include a display area AA and a peripheral area BB located around the display area AA. The display area AA of the display panel may include at least a first display area A1 and a second display area A2. The second display area A2 may at least partially surround the first display area A1. For example, the second display area A2 may surround the first display area A1. The peripheral area BB may surround the second display area A2. However, this embodiment is not limited in this respect. For example, the first display area A1 may be located at other positions such as the upper left corner, lower left corner, lower right corner, or upper right corner of the display area AA. For example, the second display area A2 may surround at least one side of the first display area A1.

[0061] In some examples, the surrounding area BB may include: a third border area B3 and a fourth border area B4 located on both sides of the display area AA along a first direction X, and a first border area B1 and a second border area B2 located on both sides of the display area AA along a second direction Y. The first border area B1, the second border area B2, the third border area B3, and the fourth border area B4 may be connected to surround the display area AA. The first direction X may intersect the second direction Y; for example, the first direction X may be perpendicular to the second direction Y and parallel to the plane of the base.

[0062] In some examples, such as Figure 2 As shown, the display area AA can be rectangular, such as a rounded rectangle. The first display area A1 can be rectangular, circular, or elliptical. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the first display area A1 can be a semicircle, pentagon, or other shapes.

[0063] In some examples, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first display area A1 can be a light-transmitting display area, or it can also be called the under-display camera (FDC, Full Display With Camera) area or the face recognition area. The second display area A2 can be called the normal display area. For example, the orthographic projection of sensors (such as cameras, infrared sensors, etc.) onto the display panel can be located within the first display area A1 of the display panel. In some examples, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the first display area A1 can be circular, and the size of the sensor's orthographic projection on the display panel can be less than or equal to the size of the first display area A1. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. In other examples, the first display area A1 is rectangular, and the size of the sensor's orthographic projection on the display panel can be less than or equal to the size of the inscribed circle of the first display area A1.

[0064] In some examples, the first display area A1 may include a plurality of first-area light-emitting elements 31, and the second display area A2 may include a plurality of second-area light-emitting elements 41. The display panel may also include: a plurality of first-type pixel circuits and a plurality of second-type pixel circuits, wherein the plurality of first-type pixel circuits are connected to the plurality of first-area light-emitting elements 31 and configured to drive the plurality of first-area light-emitting elements 31 to emit light. The plurality of second-type pixel circuits are connected to the plurality of second-area light-emitting elements 41 and configured to drive the plurality of second-area light-emitting elements 41 to emit light. The plurality of second-type pixel circuits may be located in the second display area A2, and the orthographic projections of the second-type pixel circuits and the connected second-area light-emitting elements 41 onto the substrate may at least partially overlap. Alternatively, the plurality of first-type pixel circuits may be located in the second display area A2, and the orthographic projections of the first-type pixel circuits and the connected first-area light-emitting elements 31 onto the substrate may not overlap. Alternatively, a portion of the plurality of first-type pixel circuits may be located in the first display area A1, and another portion may be located in the second display area A2. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0065] Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of the first display area and the second display area according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. In some examples, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the plurality of first-area light-emitting elements in the first display area A1 may include: a plurality of first-type light-emitting elements 311 and a plurality of second-type light-emitting elements 312. The plurality of second-area light-emitting elements in the second display area A2 may include: a plurality of first-type light-emitting elements 411, a plurality of second-type light-emitting elements 412, and a plurality of third-type light-emitting elements 413a and 413b. The first-type light-emitting element 411 may be configured to emit a first color of light, such as red light (R); the second-type light-emitting element 412 may be configured to emit a second color of light, such as blue light (B); the second-type light-emitting elements 312 and the third-type light-emitting elements 413a and 413b may be configured to emit a third color of light, such as green light (G). The first-type light-emitting element 311 may be configured to emit red light or blue light.

[0066] In some examples, the orthographic projection of the light-emitting area of ​​the first light-emitting element onto the substrate can be circular or elliptical. For example, the orthographic projection area of ​​the light-emitting area of ​​the first type of light-emitting element 311 onto the substrate can be larger than the orthographic projection area of ​​the light-emitting area of ​​the second type of light-emitting element 312 onto the substrate. The orthographic projections of the light-emitting areas of the first light-emitting element 411, the second light-emitting element 412, and the third light-emitting elements 413a and 413b onto the substrate can be approximately rounded rectangles. For example, the orthographic projection area of ​​the light-emitting area of ​​the first light-emitting element 411 onto the substrate can be smaller than the orthographic projection area of ​​the light-emitting area of ​​the second light-emitting element 412 onto the substrate, but larger than the orthographic projection area of ​​the light-emitting area of ​​the third light-emitting element 413a or 413b onto the substrate.

[0067] In some examples, the arrangement of multiple first-area light-emitting elements in the first display area A1 differs from the arrangement of multiple second-area light-emitting elements in the second display area A2. Within the first display area A1, multiple first-type light-emitting elements 311 can be arranged in an array along the first direction X and the second direction Y, and multiple second-type light-emitting elements 312 can be arranged in an array along the first direction X and the second direction Y, with the second-type light-emitting elements 312 and the first-type light-emitting elements 311 being staggered in both the first direction X and the second direction Y. Within the second display area A2, multiple first light-emitting elements 411 and multiple second light-emitting elements 412 can be arranged in an array along a first direction X and a second direction Y. Along the first direction X, the first light-emitting elements 411 and second light-emitting elements 412 are alternately arranged, and along the second direction Y, the first light-emitting elements 411 and second light-emitting elements 412 are alternately arranged. Multiple third light-emitting elements 413a and 413b can be arranged in an array along the first direction X and the second direction Y. The rows containing the first light-emitting elements 411 and second light-emitting elements 412 are not the same rows as the rows containing the third light-emitting elements 413a and 413b, and the columns containing the first light-emitting elements 411 and second light-emitting elements 412 are not the same columns as the columns containing the third light-emitting elements 413a and 413b. In this example, the row direction refers to the direction extending along the first direction X, and the column direction refers to the direction extending along the second direction Y.

[0068] In some examples, a repeating unit within the second display area A2 may include a first light-emitting element 411, a second light-emitting element 412, and two third light-emitting elements 413a and 413b. For example, the second region light-emitting elements within the second display area A2 may be arranged in an RGBG pattern. A repeating unit within the first display area A1 may include a first type light-emitting element 311 and a second type light-emitting element 312. The arrangement density of the first region light-emitting elements (i.e., the number of elements per unit area) within the first display area A1 is less than the arrangement density of the second region light-emitting elements within the second display area A2, thereby improving the light transmittance of the first display area A1.

[0069] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first type of light-emitting element according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. In some examples, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the first type of light-emitting element may include: a first electrode 31-11, a first light-emitting unit 311-1, a connecting unit 311-3, a second light-emitting unit 311-2, and a second electrode 31-21 sequentially disposed on a substrate. The first light-emitting unit 311-1 may be configured to emit a first color light, such as red light; the second light-emitting unit 311-2 may be configured to emit a second color light, such as blue light.

[0070] In some examples, the first light-emitting unit 311-1 may include: a hole injection layer HIL1, a hole transport layer HTL1, a red light-emitting layer REML, and a first hole blocking layer HBL1, arranged sequentially along a direction away from the substrate. The second light-emitting unit 311-2 may include: a blue light-emitting layer BEML and a second hole blocking layer HBL2, arranged sequentially along a direction away from the substrate. In other examples, the second light-emitting unit 311-2 may also include an electron transport layer located on the side of the second hole blocking layer HBL2 away from the substrate. In this example, the first light-emitting unit 311-1 may be a red light-emitting unit, and the second light-emitting unit 311-2 may be a blue light-emitting unit.

[0071] In some examples, the connection unit 311-3 may include a charge generation layer, such as a negative charge generation layer (NCGL1) and a positive charge generation layer (PCGL1) sequentially disposed along a direction away from the substrate. For example, the material of the charge generation layer may include organic materials and metallic materials.

[0072] In some examples, a cathode protection layer (CPL) may be disposed on the side of the second electrode 31-21 away from the substrate. An encapsulation layer may be disposed on the side of the cathode protection layer CPL away from the substrate, such as including a first inorganic encapsulation layer and a second inorganic encapsulation layer.

[0073] The following example uses stacked blue and red light-emitting units to illustrate their positional relationship.

[0074] Blue light-emitting unit cavity length:

[0075] Cavity length of red light-emitting unit:

[0076] Where, n ir L represents the refractive index of red light in the corresponding film layer. i This indicates the thickness of the corresponding film layer. bHBL refers to the hole blocking layer adjacent to the blue light-emitting layer, rHBL refers to the hole blocking layer adjacent to the red light-emitting unit, and CVD refers to the inorganic encapsulation layer.

[0077] To normalize design requirements, the refractive index of visible light can be considered to be the same in different display materials, thus simplifying the above formula.

[0078] Blue light-emitting unit cavity length:

[0079] Cavity length of red light-emitting unit:

[0080] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the gain of RGB at different periods. Figure 5 The horizontal axis represents the thickness, measured in angstroms, and the vertical axis represents the intracavity strength. For example... Figure 5 As shown, R can be the second period, and B can be the third period. To normalize design requirements, the refractive index of visible light is assumed to be the same in different display materials, simplifying the computational model to obtain the following formula:

[0081]

[0082] Ultimately, this can be simplified to:

[0083]

[0084] Therefore, the cavity length of the red light-emitting unit is greater than that of the blue light-emitting unit. In the first type of light-emitting element with both blue and red light-emitting units, the blue light-emitting unit is located on the side of the red light-emitting unit furthest from the substrate.

[0085] Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second type of light-emitting element according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. In some examples, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the second type of light-emitting element may include: a first electrode 31-12, a light-emitting unit 312-1, a connecting unit 312-3, a light-emitting unit 312-2, and a second electrode 31-22, which are sequentially disposed on the substrate. The two light-emitting units 312-1 and 312-2 can be configured to emit light of the same color, such as green light.

[0086] In some examples, light-emitting unit 312-1 may include: a hole injection layer HIL2, a hole transport layer HTL2, a green light-emitting layer GEML1, and a first hole blocking layer HBL3 arranged sequentially along a direction away from the substrate. Light-emitting unit 312-2 may include: a green light-emitting layer GEML2 and a second hole blocking layer HBL4 arranged sequentially along a direction away from the substrate. In other examples, light-emitting unit 312-2 may also include an electron transport layer located on the side of the second hole blocking layer HBL4 away from the substrate. In this example, both light-emitting units 312-1 and 312-2 are green light-emitting units. Connecting unit 312-3 may include: a charge generation layer, such as a negative charge generation layer NCGL2 and a positive charge generation layer PCGL2 arranged sequentially along a direction away from the substrate.

[0087] In some examples, the light-emitting units of the first type of light-emitting element and the light-emitting units of the second type of light-emitting element can be set independently, the first electrode of the first type of light-emitting element and the first electrode of the second type of light-emitting unit can be set independently, and the connection unit of the first type of light-emitting element and the connection unit of the second type of light-emitting element can be set independently.

[0088] In some examples, the first light-emitting unit 311-1 and the second light-emitting unit 311-2 of the first type of light-emitting element can be controlled separately. By driving the first light-emitting unit 311-1 of the first type of light-emitting element, the first type of light-emitting element can emit red light; by driving the second light-emitting unit 311-2 of the first type of light-emitting element, the first type of light-emitting element can emit blue light; by simultaneously driving the first light-emitting unit 311-1 and the second light-emitting unit 311-2 of the first type of light-emitting element, the first type of light-emitting element can emit light composed of a mixture of blue and red light.

[0089] In some examples, to ensure the normal light emission of the first light-emitting unit 311-1 and the second light-emitting unit 311-2, it is necessary to ensure the voltage difference between the two ends of the light-emitting unit. For example, the first electrode 31-11 of the first type of light-emitting element can be configured to receive a first voltage V1, the second electrode 31-21 can be configured to receive a third voltage V3, and the connection unit 311-3 can be configured to receive a second voltage V2. The voltage difference between the first voltage V1 and the second voltage V2 can be, for example, 3.62V, the voltage difference between the second voltage V2 and the third voltage V3 can be, for example, 3.93V, and the voltage difference between the first voltage V1 and the third voltage V3 can be, for example, 7.55V. This example, by controlling the first light-emitting unit 311-1 and the second light-emitting unit 311-2 separately, can reduce the rated power consumption problem of the driver chip caused by the switching between the first light-emitting unit 311-1 and the second light-emitting unit 311-2.

[0090] Figure 7 for Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view along the QQ' direction. Figure 8A for Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of the central region S1; Figure 8B for Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of the central region S2; Figure 8C for Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of the central region S3. Figure 7 The cross-sectional structure of a first type of light-emitting element 311 within the first display area A1 is illustrated as an example. This example uses the first type of pixel circuit located in the first display area for illustration.

[0091] In some examples, such as Figure 7 As shown, in a direction perpendicular to the display panel, the display panel may include: a substrate 100, a circuit structure layer and a light-emitting structure layer sequentially disposed on the substrate 100. The circuit structure layer may include a first type of pixel circuit located in the first display area, and the light-emitting structure layer may include a light-emitting element in the first region of the first display area. For example, the circuit structure layer may include: a semiconductor layer, a first gate insulating layer, a first gate metal layer, a second gate insulating layer, a second gate metal layer, an interlayer insulating layer, a first source / drain metal layer, a first planarization layer PLN1, a second source / drain metal layer and a second planarization layer PLN2 sequentially disposed on the substrate 100. Figure 7 The semiconductor layer, the first gate metal layer, and the second gate metal layer are omitted from the diagram. Figure 7 The composite insulating layer 110 may include a first gate insulating layer, a second gate insulating layer and an interlayer insulating layer stacked sequentially.

[0092] In some examples, the substrate 100 can be a rigid substrate or a flexible substrate. For example, the rigid substrate can be one or more of glass and quartz, while the flexible substrate can be one or more of polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyetheretherketone, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyarylate, polyarylate, polyimide, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and textile fibers, among others. In some examples, the flexible substrate can include a first flexible material layer, a first inorganic material layer, a second flexible material layer, and a second inorganic material layer stacked together. The materials of the first and second flexible material layers can be polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or surface-treated polymer films, etc. The materials of the first and second inorganic material layers can be silicon nitride (SiNy, y>0) or silicon oxide (SiOx, x>0), etc., to improve the substrate's resistance to water and oxygen.

[0093] In some examples, the second source / drain metal layer may include a first connection electrode 211, a second connection electrode 212, and a third connection electrode 213. The first source / drain metal layer may include a fourth connection electrode 201 and a fifth connection electrode 202. The second connection electrode 212 can be electrically connected to the fourth connection electrode 201 through a via formed in the first planarization layer PLN1, and the third connection electrode 213 can be electrically connected to the fifth connection electrode 202 through a via formed in the first planarization layer PLN1.

[0094] In some examples, the light-emitting structure layer may include a pixel definition layer (PDL) and multiple first-region light-emitting elements. The PDL may have multiple pixel openings and multiple auxiliary openings. The first electrode 31-11 and the auxiliary electrode 221 of the first-type light-emitting elements may be in the same layer. The first electrode 31-11 may be electrically connected to the second connecting electrode 212 through a via formed in the second planarization layer PLN2, and the auxiliary electrode 221 may be electrically connected to the third connecting electrode 213 through a via formed in the second planarization layer PLN2. The PDL may be located on the side of the first electrode 31-11 and the auxiliary electrode 221 away from the substrate 100. The PDL may have pixel openings and auxiliary openings. The pixel openings may expose a portion of the surface of the first electrode 31-11, and the auxiliary openings may expose a portion of the surface of the auxiliary electrode 221. The PDL may have multiple pixel barriers, which may surround the pixel openings or auxiliary openings. The first light-emitting unit, connecting unit 311-3, and second light-emitting unit of the first type of light-emitting element can be located within the pixel opening. The connecting unit 311-3 can extend from the pixel opening to an auxiliary opening and is electrically connected to the auxiliary electrode 221 exposed by the auxiliary opening. The first light-emitting unit (including the red light-emitting layer REML), the connecting unit 311-3, and the second light-emitting unit (including the blue light-emitting layer BEML) can be sequentially stacked within the pixel opening along a direction away from the substrate. The second electrode 31-21 of the first type of light-emitting element can contact the surface of the second light-emitting unit away from the substrate. The second electrode 31-21 can be electrically connected to the first connecting electrode 211. The second electrode 31-21 of the first type of light-emitting element and the second electrode 31-22 of the second type of light-emitting element can be independently disposed.

[0095] In some examples, the first voltage V1 can be transmitted to the first electrode 31-11 through the fourth connecting electrode 201 and the second connecting electrode 212, the second voltage V2 can be transmitted to the second electrode 31-21 through the first connecting electrode 211, and the third voltage V3 can be transmitted to the connecting unit 311-3 through the fifth connecting electrode 202, the third connecting electrode 213 and the auxiliary electrode 221.

[0096] In some examples, such as Figure 8A As shown, the sidewall of the first connecting electrode 211 may be provided with a side recess 502. The end of the second electrode 31-21 may extend to the sidewall of the first connecting electrode 211 and directly contact the first connecting electrode 211. By providing the side recess 502 of the first connecting electrode 211, effective overlap between the end of the second electrode 31-21 and the first connecting electrode 211 can be ensured.

[0097] In some examples, such as Figure 8BAs shown, the composite insulating layer 110 may have a notch 501 located between adjacent first-region light-emitting elements. The composite insulating layer 110 within the notch may be removed or thinned. For example, the notch 501 may be located between the first type of light-emitting element and the second type of light-emitting element. The second electrode 31-21 of the first type of light-emitting element and the second electrode 31-22 of the second type of light-emitting element are separated at the notch 501.

[0098] In some examples, such as Figure 8C As shown, the pixel barrier of the pixel definition layer (PDL) has a first slope P0 on the side away from the pixel opening. The thickness of the connection unit 311-3 located on the first slope P0 is less than the thickness of the connection unit 311-3 located inside the pixel opening. In other words, by thinning the connection unit 311-3 and placing it on the first slope P0, the influence of separate electrical connections between the connection unit 311-3 and the second electrode 31-21 can be avoided. This facilitates the provision of electrical signals to the connection unit 311-3 and the second electrode 31-21 respectively, enabling individual control of the first and second light-emitting units.

[0099] In this example, by combining and stacking red and blue light-emitting units in the first type of light-emitting element, the space occupied by the light-emitting elements in the first display area can be saved, which is beneficial to improving the light transmittance of the first display area.

[0100] Figure 9 This is another partial structural schematic diagram of the first display area and the second display area according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. In some examples, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the plurality of first-area light-emitting elements in the first display area A1 may include: a plurality of fourth light-emitting elements 313, a plurality of fourth light-emitting elements 314, and a plurality of fifth light-emitting elements 315a and 315b. The plurality of second-area light-emitting elements in the second display area A2 may include: a plurality of first light-emitting elements 411, a plurality of second light-emitting elements 412, and a plurality of third light-emitting elements 413a or 413b. The first light-emitting elements 411 and the fourth light-emitting elements 313 may be configured to emit a first color of light, such as red light; the second light-emitting elements 412 and the fifth light-emitting elements 314 may be configured to emit a second color of light, such as blue light; and the third light-emitting elements 413a and 413b and the sixth light-emitting elements 315a and 315b may be configured to emit a third color of light, such as green light.

[0101] In some examples, the arrangement of multiple first-area light-emitting elements in the first display area A1 differs from the arrangement of multiple second-area light-emitting elements in the second display area A2. A repeating unit in the first display area A1 may include a fourth light-emitting element 313, a fifth light-emitting element 314, and a sixth light-emitting element 315a or 315b; a repeating unit in the second display area A2 may include a first light-emitting element 411, a second light-emitting element 412, and two third light-emitting elements 413a and 413b. For example, the light-emitting elements in the first display area A1 may be arranged in an RGB pattern, and the light-emitting elements in the second display area A2 may be arranged in an RGBG pattern. This example improves the light transmittance of the first display area by reducing the number of light-emitting elements per unit area. For example, if the number of light-emitting elements per unit area of ​​the first display area is reduced by half, the light transmittance of the first display area can be increased by 1 / 8.

[0102] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first-region light-emitting element according to at least one embodiment of the present invention. In some examples, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the fourth light-emitting element 313 is used as an example for explanation. The fourth light-emitting element 313 may include: a first electrode 31-13 and a second electrode 31-23 disposed on a substrate, and two light-emitting units 313-1 and 313-2 stacked between the first electrode 31-13 and the second electrode 31-23, emitting light of the same color. The two light-emitting units 313-1 and 313-2 are connected by a connecting unit 313-3. Along the direction away from the substrate, the first electrode 31-13, the light-emitting unit 313-1, the connecting unit 313-3, the light-emitting unit 313-2, and the second electrode 31-23 may be stacked sequentially.

[0103] In some examples, the light-emitting unit 313-1 may include: a hole injection layer HIL3, a hole transport layer HTL3, a red light-emitting layer REML1, and a hole blocking layer HBL5 stacked sequentially; the light-emitting unit 313-2 may include: a red light-emitting layer REML2 and a hole blocking layer HBL6 stacked sequentially; the connection unit 313-3 may include a negative charge generation layer NCGL3 and a negative charge generation layer PCGL3 stacked sequentially.

[0104] In some examples, the two light-emitting layers in the fifth light-emitting element 314 can be configured to emit blue light, and the two light-emitting layers in the sixth light-emitting elements 315a and 315b can be configured to emit green light. The remaining structures of the fifth and sixth light-emitting elements in this example are similar to those of the fourth light-emitting element, and therefore will not be described further here. This example improves the light transmittance of the first display area and ensures the display effect of the first display area by reducing the number of light-emitting elements in the first display area and configuring the light-emitting elements as two light-emitting units connected in series and emitting light of the same color.

[0105] In other examples, at least one light-emitting element in the first region may include two light-emitting units stacked between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the two light-emitting units may be configured to emit red light and green light, or blue light and green light, respectively. In other examples, at least one light-emitting element in the first region may include three light-emitting units stacked between the first electrode and the second electrode, for example, the three light-emitting units may be configured to emit red light, blue light and green light in sequence.

[0106] The display panel provided in this embodiment reduces the space occupied by the light-emitting elements in the first display area by stacking multiple light-emitting units, thereby improving the light transmittance of the first display area.

[0107] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the described features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0108] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized in that, include: The substrate includes a first display area and a second display area located at least one side of the first display area, wherein the light transmittance of the first display area is greater than the light transmittance of the second display area; Multiple first-area light-emitting elements are disposed on the substrate and located in the first display area; At least one of the plurality of first region light-emitting elements includes: a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on the substrate, and n light-emitting units stacked between the first electrode and the second electrode, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and a connection unit is disposed between every two adjacent light-emitting units, the connection unit being configured to connect the two adjacent light-emitting units.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least two of the n light-emitting units of the at least one first region light-emitting element are configured to emit light of different colors.

3. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The at least one first region light-emitting element includes at least one first light-emitting unit that emits red light and at least one second light-emitting unit that emits blue light, wherein the at least one second light-emitting unit is located on the side of the at least one first light-emitting unit away from the substrate.

4. The display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The plurality of first-region light-emitting elements include: a plurality of first-type light-emitting elements and a plurality of second-type light-emitting elements, wherein the n light-emitting units of the first-type light-emitting elements are configured to emit light of different colors, and the n light-emitting units of the second-type light-emitting elements are configured to emit light of the same color.

5. The display panel according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first type of light-emitting element includes a first light-emitting unit that emits red light and a second light-emitting unit that emits blue light, with the second light-emitting unit located on the side of the first light-emitting unit away from the substrate; the second type of light-emitting element includes two third light-emitting units that emit green light.

6. The display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second electrode of the first type of light-emitting element and the second electrode of the second type of light-emitting element are in the same layer structure and are set independently.

7. The display panel according to claim 6, characterized in that, The display panel further includes: a plurality of first connection electrodes, the plurality of first connection electrodes being located on the side of the film layer containing the first electrode close to the substrate, and the second electrode being directly electrically connected to the first connection electrode.

8. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes: at least one auxiliary electrode, the connection unit of the at least one first area light-emitting element is connected to the auxiliary electrode, and the auxiliary electrode and the first electrode are in the same layer structure and are independently arranged.

9. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes: a pixel definition layer located on the side of the first electrode away from the substrate, the pixel definition layer having a plurality of pixel barriers surrounding a pixel opening that exposes a portion of the surface of the first electrode, the side of the pixel barrier away from the pixel opening having a first slope, and the thickness of the connection unit located on the first slope being less than the thickness of the connection unit located within the pixel opening.

10. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a composite insulating layer disposed on the substrate, the composite insulating layer having a notch located between adjacent first region light-emitting elements, and the second electrode of the adjacent first region light-emitting element is separated by the notch.

11. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light-emitting area of ​​the at least one first-region light-emitting element is circular or elliptical when projected onto the substrate.

12. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel further includes: a plurality of second-area light-emitting elements located in the second display area; the arrangement density of the plurality of second-area light-emitting elements in the second display area is greater than the arrangement density of the plurality of first-area light-emitting elements in the first display area.

13. A display device, characterized in that, The display panel includes any one of claims 1 to 12, and a sensor located on the non-display side of the display panel, wherein the orthographic projection of the sensor onto the display panel at least partially overlaps with the first display area of ​​the display panel.

14. The display device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The sensor includes a camera.

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