Display device

Abstract

To prevent damage of a flexible display and provide a display device with increased mechanical strength.SOLUTION: A display device includes a display panel and a protection cover. The display panel includes a first part with flexibility. The protection cover has light-transmitting property and flexibility, and is provided overlapping on a display surface side of the display panel. The display device has a function of reversibly deforming between a first mode in which the display panel and the protection cover are substantially flat, and a second mode in which the first part of the display panel is curved so that the display surface side becomes a concave curved surface and a part of the protection cover is curved in the same direction as the first part. In the second mode, a gap exists between the first part and the protection cover.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] One aspect of the present invention relates to a display device, in particular a display device having a flexible display. Regarding the device.

[0002] Note that one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above technical fields. The technical field of one embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor device, a display device, a light-emitting device, a power storage device, a memory device, and the like. , electronic device, lighting device, input device, input / output device, driving method thereof, or manufacturing method thereof Semiconductor devices function by utilizing the semiconductor properties. This refers to all devices that can do this. [Background technology]

[0003] Flexible displays that can be curved are being actively developed. The display element typically used in flexible displays is an organic EL ( Light-emitting elements such as electroluminescence elements, or liquid crystal elements Examples include:

[0004] The basic structure of an organic EL element is a layer containing a light-emitting organic compound sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. By applying a voltage to this element, light is emitted from the luminescent organic compound. A display device using such an organic EL element can be provided with a light source such as a backlight. Since no power source is required, a thin, lightweight, high-contrast, and low-power display device can be realized. Cut.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a flexible light-emitting device to which an organic EL element is applied. It is being done. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-197522 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Flexible displays are extremely thin compared to conventional displays, It is difficult to increase the mechanical strength of the film. When using the Ray as a touch panel, a finger or stylus may touch the display surface. If you touch it too hard, the flexible display may be damaged.

[0008] An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to prevent damage to a flexible display. Another object is to provide a display device with improved mechanical strength. It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly reliable display device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device or an electronic device.

[0009] The description of these problems does not preclude the existence of other problems. It is not necessary for one embodiment to solve all of these problems. The subject matter can be extracted from the description, drawings, claims, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] One embodiment of the present invention is a display device including a display panel and a protective cover. The protective cover has a first portion that is flexible. The protective cover has light-transmitting properties and flexibility. The display device is provided so as to overlap the display surface side of the display panel. In the first mode, the display panel and the protective cover are In the second form, the display panel is configured so that the display surface side is a concave curved surface. A first portion of the protective cover is curved in the same direction as the first portion. In the second configuration, a gap is formed between the first portion and the protective cover.

[0011] In the first embodiment, the display panel and the protective cover are set in contact with each other. Alternatively, in the first embodiment, the display panel and the protective cover are preferably , and are preferably provided at a distance from each other.

[0012] In the above, the protective cover has a function as a touch panel or a circular polarizer. It is preferable to do so.

[0013] In the above, a flexible functional layer is provided between the display panel and the protective cover. In this case, in the second form, a part of the functional layer is preferably the same as the first part. Furthermore, the functional layer is preferably curved in the direction of the arrow A. It is preferable that the ion exchange membrane has all the functions.

[0014] In the above, the display panel has a second portion and a third portion, and the first portion The second portion is located between the second portion and the third portion, and in the second configuration, The third portion is generally flat, and includes a portion of the protective cover that overlaps with the second portion and a portion of the protective cover that overlaps with the third portion. The overlapping portion preferably has a generally flat area.

[0015] In the above, the angle formed by the surface of the second portion and the surface of the third portion is defined as angle θ. When the angle θ is in the range of 90 degrees or more but less than 180 degrees, the angle θ is When the display panel is made smaller, the edge of the second part or the edge of the third part of the display panel and the protective The angle range of deformation of the protective cover is set so that the distance from the edge of the cover increases continuously. It is preferable to do so.

[0016] In the above, the angle formed by the surface of the second portion and the surface of the third portion is defined as angle θ. When the angle θ is in the range of 90 degrees or more and less than 180 degrees, the radius of curvature of the first portion is , the angle range is smaller than the curvature radius of the curved portion of the protective cover, and the angle θ is 0 degrees or more In the range of less than 90 degrees, the radius of curvature of the first portion is smaller than the radius of curvature of the curved portion of the protective cover. It is preferable that the angular extent be greater than the radius of curvature.

[0017] In the above, the angle formed by the surface of the second portion and the surface of the third portion is defined as angle θ. When the angle θ is in the range of 90 degrees or more but less than 180 degrees, the angle θ is When the angle is reduced, the distance between the first portion and the protective cover increases continuously. It is preferable that the ion exchange layer has a periphery.

[0018] In the above, the angle formed by the surface of the second portion and the surface of the third portion is defined as angle θ. When the angle θ is in the range of 90 degrees or more and 180 degrees or less, the protective cover Preferably, tension is applied in a direction perpendicular to the pair of intersecting ends.

[0019] In the above, a first support fixed to the second part and a second support fixed to the third part are provided. In this case, the first portion preferably comprises the first support, Preferably, the first support is not fixed to either the first support or the second support.

[0020] In the above, one of a pair of ends of the protective cover that intersect with the bending direction is a first end. The other is fixed to neither the first support nor the second support. It is preferable that

[0021] In the above, the first support has a first rotation perpendicular to the curvature direction of the second portion. Preferably, the first support has a rotation axis, and the second support has a second rotation axis parallel to the first rotation axis. In this case, the first support and the second support are respectively connected to the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis. The first and second rotation axes are rotatable in opposite directions and at the same angle around the rotation axis. Preferably, the relative positions of the two do not change.

[0022] In the above, the first support and the second support each have a holding member, The protective cover is preferably slidably attached to the holding member.

[0023] In the above, the protective cover is made of urethane resin, acrylic resin, or silicone resin. It is preferable to include one or more of the fats. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to one aspect of the present invention, damage to a flexible display can be prevented. Alternatively, a display device with improved mechanical strength can be provided. Alternatively, a display device with high reliability can be provided. Alternatively, a display device or electronic device having a novel configuration can be provided.

[0025] The description of these effects does not preclude the existence of other effects. An embodiment does not necessarily have to have all of these effects. can be extracted from descriptions in the specification, drawings, claims, etc. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1A to 1E are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a display device. [Figure 2] 2A to 2F are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a display device. [Figure 3] 3A to 3F are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a display device. [Figure 4] 4A to 4D are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a display device. [Figure 5] 5A to 5F are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a display device. [Figure 6] 6A to 6F are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a display device. [Figure 7] 7A to 7D are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a display device. [Figure 8] 8A to 8C are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a display device. [Figure 9] 9A to 9D are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a display device. [Figure 10] 10A to 10F2 are diagrams illustrating configuration examples of a display device. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a display device. [Figure 12] 12A and 12B are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a display device. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a display panel. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a display panel. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a display panel. [Figure 16] Figure 16A is a block diagram of a display device, and Figures 16B and 16C are circuit diagrams of pixels. [Figure 17] 17A, 17C, and 17D are circuit diagrams of the display device, and Fig. 17B is a timing chart. [Figure 18] 18A to 18E are diagrams illustrating examples of pixel configurations. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. It is understood that the present invention may be embodied in various different forms without departing from its spirit and scope. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the embodiments and details of the present invention. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the description of the following embodiments.

[0028] In the configuration of the invention described below, the same parts or parts having similar functions are The same reference numerals are used in common between different drawings, and repeated explanations thereof will be omitted. When referring to a function, the hatch pattern may be the same and no particular symbol may be assigned.

[0029] In each drawing described in this specification, the size of each component, the thickness of a layer, or the area The figures may be exaggerated for clarity and are not necessarily limited to that scale. I can't.

[0030] In this specification, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used to avoid confusion of components. The number is not a numerical limitation.

[0031] In this specification, a display panel, which is one aspect of a display device, displays (outputs) an image or the like on a display surface. Therefore, a display panel is one aspect of an output device.

[0032] In this specification, the substrate of the display panel is provided with, for example, an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit). Integrated Circuit) or TCP (Tape Carrier Packa ge) or a connector such as COG (Chip On Ground) is attached to the board. The IC mounted on the display panel module is called a display module. It may also be called a display panel or simply a display panel.

[0033] In this specification and the like, a touch panel, which is one aspect of a display device, is a device for displaying images and the like on a display surface. The function of displaying the information and detecting when a detectable object such as a finger or stylus touches, presses, or approaches the display surface. It also functions as a touch sensor to detect when something is touching the screen. A controller is one type of input / output device.

[0034] The touch panel is, for example, a display panel (or display device) with a touch sensor, A touch panel can also be called a display panel (or display device) with a touch function. Alternatively, the display panel may have a touch sensor panel. It may also be configured to have a touch sensor function inside or on the surface.

[0035] In addition, in this specification, a touch panel substrate on which a connector or IC is mounted is referred to as a touch panel. , touch panel module, display module, or simply touch panel. be.

[0036] (Embodiment 1) In this embodiment, a structural example of a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. A display device having a flexible display panel is described.

[0037] [Configuration example] 1A shows a perspective schematic diagram of a display device 10. The display device 10 includes a display panel 11, a protective film, and a protective film. The display panel 11 includes a cover 12, a support 21, and a support 22. It has 5.

[0038] At least a part of the display panel 11 is flexible and can be curved. The display unit 15 of the display panel 11 has a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix. 5 can display images.

[0039] Each pixel provided in the display section 15 of the display panel 11 is provided with at least one display element. As the display element, an organic EL element can be typically used. Light-emitting elements such as inorganic EL elements and LED elements, liquid crystal elements, microcapsules, and electrophoretic elements , electrowetting element, electrofluidic element, electrochromic Various display elements such as crystal elements and MEMS elements can be used.

[0040] The protective cover 12 is located on the display surface side of the display panel 11 and protects the surface of the display panel 11. The protective cover 12 is translucent, and the user can see through the protective cover 12. The image displayed on the display unit 15 can be seen. A part of the flexible member is flexible and can be bent.

[0041] The protective cover 12 also functions as a touch sensor panel and as an optical film. When the protective cover 12 functions as a touch sensor panel, The protective cover 12 is a capacitive touch sensor, an optical sensor, a pressure-sensitive touch sensor, etc. The optical film may be, for example, Circular polarizer, anti-reflection film (AR (Anti-Reflection) film, AG (including Anti-Glare film) etc.

[0042] The protective cover 12 may be made of a material such as urethane resin, acrylic resin, silicone resin, or fluorine resin. , olefin resin, vinyl resin, styrene resin, amide resin, ester resin, epoxy resin It is preferable to use a sheet-shaped member having at least one of the following: Tan resin has a relatively high dielectric constant, which increases sensitivity when a capacitance type touch sensor is used. In addition, the surface of the protective cover 12 can be given high slipperiness and self-repairing properties. This is preferable because it can be given.

[0043] In particular, the material located on the outermost surface of the protective cover 12 is an organic resin having self-repairing properties. When used, it prevents surface scattering caused by scratches, etc., and maintains display quality. In addition, it is preferable to use a resin having water repellency or oil repellency as the organic resin. By performing a surface treatment to make the surface of the protective cover 12 water-repellent or oil-repellent, fingerprints can be prevented from being left on the surface of the protective cover 12. It is possible to prevent stains such as marks from adhering to the surface. Examples of materials with self-repairing properties include For example, in addition to the above-mentioned urethane resin, polyrotaxane, cyclodextrin, polyphenylene In this case, the protective cover 12 may be made of a material containing ether. A sheet made of one or more of the above-mentioned urethane resin, acrylic resin, and silicone resin It is more preferable to use a laminated structure of the organic resin having the self-repairing property.

[0044] In addition, in order to improve the slipperiness of the outermost surface of the protective cover 12, coating or surface treatment may be performed. It is preferable to use a protective cover 12 or a highly slippery film. By improving the slipperiness of the surface of the display panel 11 as well as the display surface side, This is preferable because it makes it easier for the rod 11 and the protective cover 12 to slide when they are placed in contact with each other.

[0045] The support 21 and the support 22 have the function of supporting the display panel 11. At least the surface of the support 22 that supports the display panel 11 is flat or smooth. It is preferable that the surface is a slightly curved surface. It is preferable that the support 21 and the support 22 have enough rigidity to prevent deformation. The surface supporting the display panel 11 may be made of plastic, glass, metal, alloy, ceramic, or the like. It is preferable to use a relatively rigid material such as wood.

[0046] The display panel 11 has a portion fixed to the support 21, a portion fixed to the support 22, and Between these two portions, there is a portion that is not fixed to any support. At least the portion of the cable 11 that is not fixed to the support 21 and the support 22 is flexible. It is preferable.

[0047] FIG. 1B shows the display device in a state where the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are not curved. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of the device 10.

[0048] At this time, the display panel 11 is supported by either the support 21 or the support 22. Furthermore, a protective cover 12 is provided on the display surface side of the display panel 11. In this state, the entire display panel 11 is supported by the rigid supports 21 and 22. Since the display surface is supported by the LCD panel, it has high mechanical strength against pressure from the display surface side. At this time, the support 21 and the support 22 are each configured to support at least the display panel 11. The surfaces are tightly fitted together to minimize gaps and unevenness between them (also called joints). It is preferable that there is.

[0049] FIG. 1C shows the display device 1 in a state where the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are curved. The display panel 11 is configured so that a portion of the display surface side is a concave curved surface. The protective cover 12 is also curved in the same direction so that a part of the display surface side is a concave curved surface. 1D and 1E are enlarged views of regions P and Q in FIG. 1C, respectively. This shows:

[0050] Here, the direction D of the arrow indicated by the dashed line in FIGS. 1B and 1C corresponds to the curvature direction of the display panel 11. Here, the display panel 11 is arranged so that the long side direction of the display panel 11 coincides with the curvature direction. The curved direction is not limited to this, and the short side The direction may be the same as any of the sides that define the outline of the display panel 11. The directions may also be non-parallel.

[0051] The area P is an area including the end portions of the curved portions of the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12. The area Q is the non-curved portion of the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12. It is a region including the end portion in

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D, the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are curved. In this portion, the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are spaced apart. It can also be said that there is a gap between the curved portion of 11 and the protective cover 12.

[0053] 1C and 1E, the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 can be curved. Then, the end (also called a side) of the protective cover 12 that intersects with the curved direction is positioned at the edge of the display panel 11. The protective cover 12 is arranged so as to be offset outward relative to the end of the support 22. transform.

[0054] 1A to 1E, the display panel 11 is When the protective cover 12 is not bent (i.e., the state of FIG. 1B), as viewed from above, When the display panel 11, the protective cover 12, the support 21, and the support 22 are The parts are shown to match.

[0055] When the display panel 11 is bent, the protective cover 12 moves relative to the display panel 11. By deforming the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 in a displaced manner, the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are both bent. A gap can be provided between the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 without causing the display panel 11 to expand or contract. can.

[0056] Here, the effect of providing a gap between the curved portion of the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 is as follows. 2A and 2B. FIG. 2A shows a display panel 11 and a protective cover. 2B is a cross-sectional view along the bending direction when the two are in close contact with each other, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view along the bending direction when the two are in close contact with each other, and FIG. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a case where a lunar gap is provided.

[0057] The curved portion of the display panel 11 deforms so as to rise from the supports 21 and 22. Therefore, the curved portion is not supported by either the support 21 or the support 22. There are.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 2A, the display panel 11 is not curved and is supported by a support 22. In the part, if a thin member (here, a stylus 29) is poked from the protective cover 12 side, Even if the pressure is applied, the protective cover 12 can absorb it by deforming, so the display panel 11 does not change. On the other hand, the curved portion of the display panel 11 can be prevented from being deformed and broken. Since the rear side of the display panel 11 is not supported, the display panel 11 follows the deformation of the protective cover 12. The display panel 11 is also deformed. As a result, in the worst case scenario, the display panel 11 may be damaged and the screen may be damaged. There is also a risk that the Tyrus 29 will penetrate it.

[0059] However, in one embodiment of the present invention, the protective cover 12 is provided at the curved portion of the display panel 11. 2B, the stylus 29 is inserted into the display panel 11. Even if the pressure is applied to the display panel 1, the pressure is absorbed by the deformation of the protective cover 12. 1. Therefore, a display device with excellent mechanical strength can be realized. .

[0060] Here, the case where the curved portion of the display panel 11 is not supported by the supports 21 and 22 is considered. However, for example, instead of the supports 21 and 22, the curved portion of the display panel 11 may also be supported. When the support is made to be able to support the display panel 11, at least the surface that supports the display panel 11 must be able to deform or expand. Therefore, the surface of the support that supports the display panel 11 must be flexible or The display panel must have elasticity, and it is difficult to achieve high rigidity. When the panel 11 is pushed from the display surface side, the pressure causes the surface of the support to deform, The display panel 11 itself may be deformed into a concave shape, possibly resulting in damage. Even in this case, the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are spaced apart so that they do not come into contact with each other. It is extremely advantageous to provide a gap between the protective cover 12 and the protective cover 12 so that the pressure can be absorbed by deformation of the protective cover 12. It is effective.

[0061] Here, the laminated structure of the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 will be described. FIG. 2F is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area enclosed by the dashed line shown in FIG. 2B.

[0062] FIG. 2C shows an example in which the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are provided in contact with each other.

[0063] FIG. 2D shows a laminated structure in which a functional layer 12a and a functional layer 12b are laminated as the protective cover 12. The functional layer 12b located on the display surface side (the opposite side to the display panel 11) is The layer is a layer containing the organic resin having the self-repairing property described above. The functional layer 12a may be a sheet-like material containing the above-mentioned urethane resin or the like. .

[0064] 2E, the rear surface side of the display panel 11 (the support 21 or the support 22 side) ) may be provided with a protective cover 14. Since the display panel 11 is not supported by the support 22, a protective cover 14 is provided on the rear side of the display panel 11. As a result, the display device 10 can have higher mechanical strength. The same material as that of the cover 12 may be used.

[0065] At this time, as shown in FIG. 2F, the protective cover 14 is made of the functional layer 14a and the functional layer 1 The functional layer 14a and the functional layer 14b may have a laminated structure. The same materials as those of the functional layers 12a and 12b can be used.

[0066] Next, we will discuss the preferable shapes of the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 when they are curved. and explain in detail.

[0067] 3A to 3F show schematic cross-sectional views of the display device 10 along the curved direction. 2, the rotation axis 31a of the support 21 and the rotation axis 32a of the support 22 are indicated by circles. is doing.

[0068] The angles shown in the figures are the angles formed by a pair of flat surfaces sandwiching the curved portion of the display panel 11. This angle is the angle at which the support members 21 and 22 support the display panel 11. The angle formed by a pair of surfaces, or the rotation angle of each of the supports 21 and 22 (FIG. 3A) The sum of the absolute values of the rotation angles from the original state can be expressed as the angle obtained by subtracting the sum of the absolute values of the rotation angles from 180 degrees. In the following, the angle formed by the pair of flat surfaces sandwiching the curved portion of the display panel 11 is simply referred to as This may be explained as "angle".

[0069] For simplicity, the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are shown in cross-sectional view. 3A shows a case where the lengths are the same. 1 shows a case where the edges of the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are aligned when the display panel 11 is not in use.

[0070] 3A to 3F show an example in which the protective cover 12 and the support 21 are fixed at their ends. That is, the protective cover 12 is slidable (displaced) toward the support 22. Transforms into.

[0071] 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, and 3F show the angles of 150 degrees, 120 degrees, and 9 degrees, respectively. The figures show the cases of 0 degrees, 30 degrees, and 0 degrees. Also, in each figure, the angle is 180 degrees ( The amount of deviation of the protective cover 12 from the state where it is not bent is clearly shown. , the deviation amount when the angle is α degrees is D α For example, D 150 is an angle of 150 degrees This represents the amount of deviation when

[0072] The amount of displacement of the protective cover 12 is within the range of at least 90 degrees to 180 degrees. It is preferable that the angle be gradually increased as the angle becomes smaller. The deviation amount is shown to gradually increase even with increasing degrees, but the deviation amount does not change within this angle range. Alternatively, the amount of deviation may be small.

[0073] When the display panel 11 functions as a touch panel, the display panel 11 is curved. When operating the device while it is closed, it is best to use it at an angle between 90 degrees and 180 degrees. When the display panel 11 is bent at an angle smaller than this (i.e., less than 90 degrees), Therefore, it is recommended to set the angle to at least 90 degrees or 180 degrees. In the angle range of less than 100°, as the angle becomes smaller, the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12, so that the gap between the protective cover 12 and the protective cover 12 becomes larger. It is preferable that the protective cover 12 is deformable.

[0074] In addition, when the display panel 11 is in a flat state (i.e., at an angle of 180 degrees), or when the display panel 11 is at least The display panel 11 is curved at a predetermined angle in the range of 90 degrees or more and less than 180 degrees. In this state, the end of the protective cover 12 is in a state where tension is applied in the bending direction (i.e., It is preferable that the state is such that a pulling force is applied to the side. This prevents the surface of the protective cover 12 from warping, suppresses surface scattering of external light, and improves visibility. In addition, the protective cover 12 can be kept in a pulled state. By holding the material, the same angle can be maintained even when repeatedly deformed between a bent state and a flat state. Since the shape is always the same, a highly reliable display device can be obtained.

[0075] The mechanism for applying tension to the protective cover 12 is a pair of ends perpendicular to the curvature direction of the protective cover 12. Alternatively, the mechanism may be a mechanism that pulls either one of the above. Alternatively, the mechanism may be a mechanism that pulls both of the above. Such a mechanism may be one or both of the support 21 and the support 22. The support may have a support body, or may be incorporated into the housing of an electronic device or the like, separately from the support body. .

[0076] 4A to 4D are enlarged cross-sectional schematic views of the curved portion of the display panel 11. 4B, 4C, and 4D show the states where the angles are 120 degrees, 90 degrees, 30 degrees, and 0 degrees, respectively. is doing.

[0077] Here, the case where the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are each curved in an ideal arc shape will be described. Note that depending on the configuration of the display device, there may be cases where it does not form an ideal arc shape. Even in such cases, however, the side surface or cross-section of each curved portion may be approximated by an ideal arc.

[0078] In FIGS. 4A to 4D, the center O1 and the radius of curvature r1 of the arc formed by the curved surface on the display surface side of the display panel 11, and the center O2 and the radius of curvature r2 of the arc formed by the curved surface on the upper surface side (the side opposite to the display panel 11) of the protective cover 12 are shown.

[0079] The radius of curvature r1 of the display panel 11 and the radius of curvature r2 of the protective cover 12 preferably satisfy r1 < r2 in an angular range of less than 180 degrees and 90 degrees or more. That is, at least in the above-described angular range, the protective cover 12 preferably curves with a larger radius of curvature than the display panel 11. Thereby, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a crescent-shaped cross-sectional gap can be preferably formed between the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 in the curved portion. Also, the portion where no gap is provided (for example, the portion where the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are in contact) can always be the portion where the display panel 11 is supported by the support 21 or the support 22.

[0080] Also, at a predetermined angle smaller than 90 degrees, the magnitude relationship between the radius of curvature r'1 and the radius of curvature r2 is reversed, and for example, as shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D, the radius of curvature r2 becomes smaller than the radius of curvature r1.

[0081] Also, when focusing on the center O1 and the center O2, the center O1 is always on the inner side (the side closer to the display panel 11) than the center O2.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ It is preferable that the display panel 11 is positioned on the side of the display panel 11. In this case, a gap is inevitably created between the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12. Cut.

[0082] For example, when the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are bonded together, When these are bent, the center O1 and the center O2 are approximately the same.

[0083] For example, when the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are bonded together to form a single unit, Because the total thickness is increased, the stress generated when the display panel 11 is bent increases. In the worst case, the display panel 11 may break. In this case, the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are curved independently with different radii of curvature. This configuration reduces the stress that occurs when the display panel 11 is bent, preventing breakage. It can be stopped.

[0084] [Variations] Below, a modification of the above configuration example will be described.

[0085] [Variation 1] In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3A etc., the ends of the protective cover 12 and the support 21 are fixed. However, the protective cover 12 may also be configured not to be fixed to any support. can.

[0086] 5A to 5F, the protective cover 12 is displaced toward both the support 21 side and the support 22 side. This shows a configuration that can be implemented.

[0087] Here, the amount of displacement of the protective cover 12 toward the support 21 side is denoted by (L), and the amount of displacement toward the support 22 side is denoted by (L). The deviation amount to (R) is shown. For example, D 150 (L), D 150 (R) is The amount of displacement of the protective cover 12 toward the support 21 when the angle is 150 degrees, and the amount of displacement of the protective cover 12 toward the support 22 when the angle is 150 degrees are respectively Here, the shape of the curved portion of the protective cover 12 is the same as that shown in FIG. If the configuration is similar, e.g., D 150 (L) and D 150 (R) and (R) are added together as shown in Figure 3B. D in 150 This roughly coincides with

[0088] In this way, when the protective cover 12 is bent, the pair of ends thereof are displaced from each other. 3A and the like, the protective cover 12 is Since the amount of misalignment can be reduced, electronic devices equipped with the display device can be made smaller.

[0089] The amount of displacement of the protective cover 12 toward the support 21 side and the amount of displacement toward the support 22 side are The deviation amounts may be the same or may be different. When the protective cover 12 is moved, the amount of displacement of the protective cover 12 relative to the support 21 and the amount of displacement of the protective cover 12 relative to the support 22 are This is preferable because it can minimize

[0090] [Variation 2] In the above-described configuration example and modification 1, the display panel 11 is not curved. Although the example in which the protective cover 12 is provided in contact with the protective cover 11 has been shown, a gap may be provided between them. The configuration may be as follows.

[0091] 6A to 6F, a gap G is provided between the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12. This shows an example where the two are not in contact.

[0092] In this way, the non-curved portion of the display panel 11 is also configured so that the protective cover 12 does not come into contact with it. This makes it possible to achieve higher mechanical strength.

[0093] Also, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are not curved, The distance (gap G) between the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 is uniform at least within the display unit 15. The protective cover 12 is attached to the support 21, the support 22, or the housing of the electronic device so as to be in one piece. For example, it is preferable that a part of the protective cover 12 bends and the display panel is supported by the protective cover 12. If there is a variation in the distance between the panel 11 and the protective cover 12, the surface reflection of the protective cover 12 This may result in unevenness and reduced visibility. By making the distance to the cover 12 uniform, a display device with high display quality can be realized.

[0094] For example, a protective cover is provided on the support 21 and the support 22 outside the display unit 15. A mechanism such as a slit structure for holding 12 slidably may be provided.

[0095] In addition, there is a structure in which air exists between the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 (air gap). The display panel 11 and the protective cover Between 12, there is a fluid such as gas, liquid, gel, or a sheet-like member having fluidity. In this case, the fluid may be made of a material having a refractive index higher than that of air. In particular, the refractive index of the member located on the outermost surface of the display panel 11 or the protective film may be It is close to the material that constitutes the cover 12 (for example, the difference in refractive index is 10% or less, preferably 5% or less). ) is preferable because it can increase the light extraction efficiency.

[0096] [Variation 3] One or more sheet-like members are provided between the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12. That's fine.

[0097] 7A to 7D, a functional layer 13 is provided between a display panel 11 and a protective cover 12. The functional layer 13 is made of a flexible material, similar to the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12. It is preferable that the material is flexible.

[0098] The functional layer 13 has a function as a touch sensor panel and a function as an optical film. The touch sensor panel may be a capacitance type touch sensor, an optical sensor, a sensor The sensor element may be a pressure-type touch sensor. Examples of films include circular polarizers and anti-reflection films (AR films, AG films). Examples include:

[0099] As shown in FIGS. 7B to 7D, when the display panel 11 is bent, A part of the functional layer 13 is disposed on the display panel 1 so as to provide a gap between the curved portion and the functional layer 13. It is preferable that the functional layer 13 is deformed so as to be displaced relative to the functional layer 1. It is preferable that each of them deforms so that a gap is also provided between them and the protective cover 12. .

[0100] 7B and 7C, the display panel 11 can be rotated in a range of 90 degrees or more and less than 180 degrees. When curved, the functional layer 13 has a radius of curvature larger than that of the display panel 11 and a protective cover. It is preferable that the curve be smaller than -12. When the display panel 11 is folded (at an angle of 0 degrees), the radius of curvature of the functional layer 13 is The functional layer 13 is curved so as to be smaller than the panel 11 and larger than the protective cover 12. It is preferable to bend.

[0101] In FIG. 7A and other figures, when the display panel 11 is not curved, In the above example, the functional layer 13 and the functional layer 13 and the protective cover 12 are in contact with each other. As in the second modification, they may not be in contact with each other.

[0102] 7A and the like, the functional layer 13 and the protective cover 12 are displaced only toward the support 22 side. However, as in the above-described modified example 1, the configuration in which the support 21 and the support 22 are shifted to each other is also possible. It may also be possible to use the following.

[0103] In addition, the functional layer 13 is sufficiently thin compared to the display panel 11, or When the functional layer 13 is sufficiently flexible compared to the display panel 11 or the protective cover 12, the functional layer 13 can be easily connected to the display panel 11 or the protective cover 12. In particular, when the display panel 11 and the functional layer 13 are bonded to each other, The neutral plane of the laminate in which the display panel 11 and the functional layer 13 are laminated is located within the display panel 11. Preferably, it is located to the side.

[0104] [Example of support structure] Next, an example of the configuration of the support 21 and the support 22 will be described.

[0105] 8A to 8C are schematic perspective views of the support 21 and the support 22, respectively. In each figure, the display panel 11 is indicated by a broken line. 8B shows the state where the angle between the two flat surfaces of the display panel 11 is 120 degrees. 8C shows a state in which the two flat surfaces of the display panel 11 are parallel to each other. This is the state in which the two are bent in such a way that the angle between them is 0 degrees.

[0106] The support 21 has a pair of gears 31 attached to both ends thereof, and the support 22 has a pair of gears 31 attached to both ends thereof. A pair of gears 32 are attached. The gears 31 and 32 are respectively connected to the support 21 and the The gear 31 and the gear 32 are engaged with each other at a gear ratio of 1:1. These are configured to be rotatable in opposite directions at the same angle. The body 21 and the support 22 can rotate in opposite directions at the same angle. Therefore, the support 21 and the support 22 change from the state shown in FIG. 8A to the state shown in FIG. 8B and then to the state shown in FIG. 8C. The shape can be reversibly transformed into the shape shown in FIG.

[0107] In addition, by adopting such a configuration, the support 21 and the support 22 are rotated relative to each other. They can rotate around their respective rotation axes while their relative positions remain unchanged. By configuring the display panel 11 in this manner, it is possible to fix the display panel 11 to both the support 21 and the support 22. Even if the display panel 11 is bent, it can be bent without expanding or contracting in the bending direction.

[0108] 8A to 8C, the display panel 11 is always supported by the support 21 or the support 22. That is, the area 28 indicates the area where the display panel 11 is always in contact with the support 21. or a region fixed along the surface of the support 22. Also, the region between the pair of regions 28 In this case, the display panel 11 and the support 21 or the support 22 are not fixed, and the display panel 11 is It is configured so that it can float above the surface of the support 21 or the support 22.

[0109] For example, the display panel 11 and the support 21 and the support 22 are bonded to each other by an adhesive in the region 28. The display device may be configured to be adhered and fixed via a display panel or an adhesive sheet. The entire area of the panel 11, including the curved portion, is covered with an easily peelable weak adhesive sheet. Alternatively, the display panel 21 and the display panel 22 may be attached to each other. The non-curved portion of the support 11 does not change even when the support 21 and the support 22 are rotated. Since the support 22 does not lift (peel) off, the support 21 or the support It is fixed to the body 22.

[0110] FIG. 9A shows the curved portion of the display panel 11 when it is bent by 90 degrees, in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction. 9A is a schematic side view of the gear 31 and the gear 32 shown by dashed lines. are.

[0111] FIG. 9A shows an example in which the support 21 and the support 22 are provided with holding members 23. The display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 are sandwiched between a support 21 and a holding member 23. and a region sandwiched between the support 22 and the holding member 23. The holding member 23 is It has a function as a guide for slidably holding the display panel 11 or the protective cover 12. .

[0112] The pair of holding members 23 can be provided in an area outside the display section of the display panel 11. The pair of holding members 23 are U-shaped or bracket-shaped to surround the display portion of the display panel 11. A component with a square bracket-like top surface is used. The holding member 23 and the support 21 or the support 22 can be connected to each other by screws or The holding member 2 may be fixed with an adhesive or the like, or may be integrally molded. 3 is fixed to the support 21 or the support 22, and therefore, one of the supports 21 or 22 It can also be interpreted as a part.

[0113] The protective cover 12 is slidably held between the display panel 11 and the holding member 23 .

[0114] FIG. 9B shows a display device in which a spacer 24 is provided between the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12. The spacer 24 allows the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 to be spaced apart. The electrodes are held apart by the thickness of the support 24.

[0115] The protective cover 12 is slidably held between the spacer 24 and the holding member 23 . Therefore, the holding member 23 and the spacer 24 form a slit for holding the protective cover 12. It can also be said to form a structure.

[0116] The spacer 24 may have a U-shaped upper surface similar to that of the holding member 23. Alternatively, the spacers 24 may be provided along both ends of the holding member 23. The spacer 24 is preferably fixed to the support 21 or the support 22. It can also be interpreted as a part of support 21 or support 22.

[0117] 9C and 9D show examples in which the shape of the end of the holding member 23 is different from that described above.

[0118] In FIGS. 9C and 9D, the end of the holding member 23 is processed to have a convex curved surface. For example, the end of the holding member 23 may be processed to have an arcuate cross section. preferable.

[0119] In addition, the protective cover 12 is curved along the curved surface at the end of the pair of holding members 23. The end of the holding member 23 is processed to have a convex curved surface, so that the holding member The protective cover 12 can be prevented from bending at a radius smaller than the radius of curvature of the curved surface. That is, the holding member 23 has the function of controlling the curvature of the protective cover 12.

[0120] In addition, when such a holding member 23 is provided, the curved portion of the protective cover 12 is A pair of curved portions having a smaller radius of curvature than the panel 11 and a substantially flat portion between them. Even in this configuration, the curved portion of the display panel 11 and the protective cover 12 The distance between the display panel 11 and the display panel 12 can be changed depending on the angle at which the display panel 11 is bent.

[0121] Next, an example of a tension mechanism for applying tension to the end of the protective cover 12 will be described. By applying tension from the end side along the curved direction of the protective cover 12, the protective cover This can prevent wrinkles and sagging of the bar 12. Even when the protective cover 12 is removed, misalignment between the protective cover 12 and the display panel 11 can be prevented.

[0122] 10B1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the end of the support 22. The bar 12 is provided between the support 22 and the holding member 23. The protective cover 12 is It is held slidably relative to the display panel 11.

[0123] Furthermore, a spring 41a and a movable member 42 are provided near the end of the support 22. The support 22 is provided with a recess in which the movable member 42 can move. This controls the range of movement of the movable member 42 .

[0124] The movable member 42 is fixed to the protective cover 12 by an adhesive member 43. 1 shows an example in which the movable member 42 is fixed to the upper surface of the protective cover 12, but the present invention is not limited to this. The movable member 42 and the protective cover 1 may be fixed to the rear surface of the protective cover. The method of fixing the protective cover 12 to the protective cover 2 is not limited to this. For example, the protective cover 12 may be fixed to the protective cover 2 without using the adhesive member 43. It may be fixed by fitting it into the moving member 42.

[0125] FIG. 10A shows the spring 41a when its length is at its natural length L0. As shown, the spring 41a is in a state where it is contracted from its natural length L0 between the support 22 and the movable member 42. As a result, as shown by the dashed arrow in FIG. 10B1, Thus, the protective cover 12 is always tensioned in the outward direction.

[0126] FIG. 10B1 shows the state when the display panel 11 is bent at an angle θ0 (θ=θ0). , FIG. 10B2 shows the state when it is bent to a smaller angle (θ<θ0). Here, θ0 is 180 degrees, that is, the state in which the display panel 11 is not curved. include.

[0127] 10C1 and 10C2 show an example in which a spacer 24 is provided. 10C1 and 10C2, the rear surface of the protective cover 12 and the movable member 42 are attached by the adhesive member 43. 10C1 and 10C2, the example shown is fixed by the The support member 23 supports the end of the protective cover 12, the spring 41a, the adhesive member 43, and the movable member 42. It may be provided in a covered state.

[0128] In the above example, the spring 41a is used in a compressed state. It may also be used in an extended state.

[0129] FIG. 10D shows spring 41b with a natural length L0. As shown in the figure, when the spring 41b is stretched from its natural length L0, both ends of the spring 41b are supported by the movable member 42. The support members 22 are fixed to the respective support members 22.

[0130] 10F1 and 10F2 show an example in which a spacer 24 is provided. .

[0131] The tension mechanism exemplified here requires a small amount of bending force when bending the display panel from 180 degrees to 0 degrees. The tension is applied to the end of the protective cover 12 at least in the range of 90 degrees or more and 180 degrees or less. The movable range of the movable member 42 and the spring coefficient of the spring can be selected so that the required torque can be obtained. preferable.

[0132] [Examples of display devices] A more specific example of the configuration of the display device will be described below. 12A is a perspective view showing the display device 10 shown in FIG. 11 disassembled into individual components. A schematic view is shown.

[0133] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12A, the display device 10 includes a support 21, a support 22, a holding portion a holding member 23a, a holding member 23b, a spacer 24a, a spacer 24b, a gear 31, a gear 32 ... holding member 23b, a holding member 23b, a holding member 23b, a holding member 23b, a holding member 23b The display device has a protective cover 12 and a display panel 11.

[0134] A part of the display panel 11 is sandwiched between the support 21 and the spacer 24a, and the other part is supported. The display panel 11 is sandwiched between the support 21 and the spacer 24b. 22 are attached to each other with a weak adhesive sheet.

[0135] A part of the protective cover 12 is sandwiched between the spacer 24a and the holding member 23a, and the other part The protective cover 12 is sandwiched between the spacer 24b and the holding member 23a. a and the holding member 23a, and between the spacer 24b and the holding member 23a. It has been done.

[0136] In addition, gear 31 is attached to support 21, and gear 32 is attached to support 22. The gears 31 and 32 are covered with a cover 33.

[0137] 12B shows an enlarged view of the end of the spacer 24b. The spacer 24b has a recess for accommodating the spring 41. The spring 41 is arranged in the recess in a state where it is contracted from its natural length. The recess has one side cut out on the movable member 42 side, and one end of the spring 41 is The upper surface of the movable member 42 is provided with a protective cover using an adhesive or the like. A bar 12 can be attached.

[0138] The spacer 24a, the spacer 24b, the holding member 23a, and the holding member 23b are respectively , and is U-shaped so as to overlap the non-display area of the display panel 11 and not overlap the display part. The user is surrounded by the pair of holding members 23a and 23b. In the area, an image displayed on the display unit 15 of the display panel 11 through the protective cover 12 You can see.

[0139] The above is a description of a specific example of the display device 10.

[0140] The configuration examples exemplified in this embodiment and the corresponding drawings etc. are at least partly The above can be implemented in appropriate combination with other configuration examples or drawings, etc.

[0141] This embodiment may be combined, at least in part, with other embodiments described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination.

[0142] (Embodiment 2) In this embodiment, a structural example of a display panel that can be applied to a display device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described. I will explain.

[0143] [Configuration example] 13 shows a top view of the display panel 700. The display panel 700 is made of a flexible support. A support substrate 745 is applied, and the display can be used as a flexible display. The display panel 700 has a pixel portion 702 provided on a flexible support substrate 745. Also, on the support substrate 745, a source driver circuit section 704 and a pair of gate driver circuit sections 706, wiring 710, etc. are provided. In addition, the pixel portion 702 is provided with a plurality of display elements. do.

[0144] In addition, a part of the support substrate 745 is provided with an FPC 716 (FPC: Flexible Printed Circuit). An FPC terminal portion 708 is provided to which a fused circuit (FPC7) is connected. 16, the pixel section 702, the source driver 704, and the like are connected to each other via the FPC terminal section 708 and the wiring 710. Various signals are supplied to the gate driver circuit section 704 and the gate driver circuit section 706. do.

[0145] A pair of gate driver circuit units 706 are provided on both sides of the pixel unit 702 . The gate driver circuit section 706 and the source driver circuit section 704 are each made of a semiconductor It may be in the form of an IC chip that is separately formed on a substrate or the like and packaged. The chip is mounted on a support substrate 745 by COF (Chip On Film) technology or the like. It is possible.

[0146] The pixel portion 702, the source driver circuit portion 704, and the gate driver circuit portion 706 have It is preferable that a transistor including an oxide semiconductor be used as the transistor.

[0147] A light-emitting element or the like can be used as a display element provided in the pixel portion 702. LED (Light Emitting Diode), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), nic LED), QLED (Quantum-dot LED), semiconductor laser, etc. Furthermore, as display elements, there are transmissive liquid crystal elements, reflective liquid crystal elements, and the like. A liquid crystal element such as a liquid crystal element of a semi-transmissive type or a liquid crystal element of a shutter type can also be used. MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) using optical interference or optical sensing l Systems) elements, microcapsule type, electrophoresis type, electrowet Display elements that use the LCD technology or the electronic liquid powder technology (registered trademark) can be used. It can also be done as follows.

[0148] 13, the portion of the support substrate 745 where the FPC terminal portion 708 is provided is protruding. A part of the support substrate 745 including the FPC terminal portion 708 is It can be folded back at the region P1 in FIG. 13. By doing so, the display panel 700 is mounted with the FPC 716 overlapping the back side of the pixel section 702. This allows the device to be mounted on electronic devices, etc., thereby saving space and making the device smaller. Cut.

[0149] An IC 717 is mounted on an FPC 716 connected to the display panel 700. The IC717 has a function as a source driver circuit, for example. The source driver circuit section 704 in the 700 includes a protection circuit, a buffer circuit, a demultiplexer, The configuration may include at least one of a lexer circuit and the like.

[0150] [Cross-section example] In the following, a configuration using an organic EL element as a display element will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15. 14 and 15 are diagrams showing the display panel 700 shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the chain line ST.

[0151] First, common parts of the display panels shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 will be described.

[0152] 14 and 15 show a pixel section 702, a gate driver circuit section 706, and an FPC terminal. The pixel portion 702 includes a transistor 750 and a capacitor 708. The gate driver circuit portion 706 includes a transistor 752.

[0153] The transistors 750 and 752 are formed by adding an oxide to a semiconductor layer in which a channel is formed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the semiconductor layer may be a silicon nitride semiconductor. silicon (amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, or single crystal silicon) and organic semiconductors. The transistors used in the present invention can also be applied.

[0154] The transistor used in this embodiment is made of a highly purified oxide in which the formation of oxygen vacancies is suppressed. The off-state current of the transistor can be significantly reduced. A pixel using such a transistor can hold an electric signal such as an image signal for a longer period of time, The interval between writing image signals can also be set longer, reducing the frequency of refresh operations. This allows for reduced power consumption.

[0155] In addition, the transistor used in this embodiment has a relatively high field-effect mobility. For example, a transistor capable of such high speed driving is used for a display panel. By using it in the panel, the switching transistor in the pixel section and the driver used in the driver circuit section can be The driver transistor can be formed on the same substrate, i.e., a silicon wafer. It is also possible to configure the display device without applying a drive circuit formed by the above method, thereby reducing the number of components in the display device. In addition, by using a transistor that can be driven at high speed in the pixel portion, , high-quality images can be provided.

[0156] The capacitor 790 is formed by processing the same film as the first gate electrode of the transistor 750. The lower electrode is formed by processing the same metal oxide film as the semiconductor layer. The top electrode has a source region and a drain region of the transistor 750. The first electrode of the transistor 750 is connected between the lower electrode and the upper electrode. In other words, the capacitor 790 is The device has a laminated structure in which an insulating film that functions as a dielectric film is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. In addition, the upper electrode is formed of the same film as the source electrode and drain electrode of the transistor 750. The resulting wiring is connected.

[0157] In addition, a planarization layer is formed on the transistor 750, the transistor 752, and the capacitor 790. An insulating layer 770 is provided to act as a membrane.

[0158] The transistor 750 included in the pixel portion 702 and the transistor 750 included in the gate driver circuit portion 706 are A transistor having a different structure from the transistor 752 may be used. A top-gate transistor is applied to one side, and a bottom-gate transistor is applied to the other side. The source driver circuit section 704 may also be configured using a gate driver. This is similar to the driver circuit section 706.

[0159] The FPC terminal portion 708 includes wiring 760, a part of which functions as a connection electrode, an anisotropic conductive film 78, and a The wiring 760 is connected to the FPC 710 via an anisotropic conductive film 780. 7. Here, the wiring 760 is electrically connected to a terminal of the transistor 750, etc. The source electrode and the drain electrode are formed of the same conductive film.

[0160] Next, the display panel 700 shown in FIG. 14 will be described.

[0161] The display panel 700 shown in FIG. 14 includes a support substrate 745 and a support substrate 740. The holding substrate 745 and the supporting substrate 740 may be, for example, a glass substrate or a plastic substrate. A flexible substrate such as the above can be used.

[0162] The transistor 750, the transistor 752, the capacitor 790, and the like are provided over the insulating layer 744. The support substrate 745 and the insulating layer 744 are bonded together by an adhesive layer 742. .

[0163] The display panel 700 also includes a light-emitting element 782, a coloring layer 736, a light-shielding layer 738, and the like.

[0164] The light-emitting element 782 includes a conductive layer 772, an EL layer 786, and a conductive layer 788. 772 is electrically connected to a source electrode or a drain electrode of the transistor 750. The conductive layer 772 is provided over the insulating layer 770 and functions as a pixel electrode. An insulating layer 730 is provided over the end of the layer 772, and E An L layer 786 and a conductive layer 788 are stacked.

[0165] The conductive layer 772 can be formed using a material that is reflective to visible light. The conductive layer 788 may be made of a material containing a visible light emitting diode (LED) or a material containing aluminum or silver. A material that is transparent to light can be used, such as indium, zinc, or tin. Therefore, the light-emitting element 782 is formed on the side opposite to the surface on which it is formed. It is a top-emission type light-emitting element that emits light to the supporting substrate 740 side.

[0166] The EL layer 786 includes an organic compound or an inorganic compound such as quantum dots. 86 contains a luminescent material that emits white light when a current is passed through it.

[0167] The luminescent materials include fluorescent materials, phosphorescent materials, and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TDF). ctivated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials, inorganic Compounds (quantum dot materials, etc.) can be used. The materials that can be used include colloidal quantum dot materials, alloy quantum dot materials, and core-shell quantum dot materials. Examples include quantum dot materials, core-type quantum dot materials, and the like.

[0168] The light-shielding layer 738 and the coloring layer 736 are provided on one surface of the insulating layer 746. The light-shielding layer 736 is provided at a position overlapping the light-emitting element 782. In the portion 702, the light-shielding layer 73 is provided in an area that does not overlap with the light-emitting element 782. 8 may also be provided overlapping the gate driver circuit section 706 and the like.

[0169] The support substrate 740 is attached to the other surface of the insulating layer 746 by an adhesive layer 747. The support substrate 740 and the support substrate 745 are bonded together by a sealing layer 732. do.

[0170] Here, a light-emitting material that emits white light is used for the EL layer 786 of the light-emitting element 782. The white light emitted by the light emitting element 782 is colored by the coloring layer 736 and is then projected onto the outside. The EL layer 786 is provided across the pixels that exhibit different colors. 02 transmits either red light (R), green light (G), or blue light (B). By arranging the pixels provided with the colored layer 736 in a matrix, the display panel 700 It is possible to display in full color.

[0171] Alternatively, a conductive film having transmissive and reflective properties may be used as the conductive layer 788. A microcavity structure is realized between the conductive layer 772 and the conductive layer 788. In this case, the conductive layer 7 can be configured to intensify and emit light of a specific wavelength. An optical adjustment layer for adjusting the optical distance is disposed between the conductive layer 788 and the optical adjustment layer 782. By varying the thickness of the layer between pixels of different colors, the amount of light emitted from each pixel can be A configuration for increasing color purity may also be used.

[0172] The EL layer 786 is formed in an island shape for each pixel or in a stripe shape for each pixel row, that is, in a color-separated manner. In the case of forming the optical adjustment layer by the above method, the colored layer 736 and the optical adjustment layer described above are not provided. It may also be possible to use the following.

[0173] Here, the insulating layer 744 and the insulating layer 746 each function as a barrier film with low moisture permeability. It is preferable to use an inorganic insulating film having such a structure. By sandwiching the light emitting element 782, the transistor 750, and the like, these inferior This suppresses degradation and realizes a highly reliable display panel.

[0174] The display panel 700A shown in FIG. 15 is made of the adhesive layer 742 and the insulating layer 744 shown in FIG. A resin layer 743 is provided between the support substrate 740 and the protective layer 749. Has.

[0175] The resin layer 743 is a layer containing an organic resin such as polyimide or acrylic. The resin layer 74 includes an inorganic insulating film such as silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or silicon nitride. 3 and a support substrate 745 are bonded together by an adhesive layer 742. The resin layer 743 is It is preferably thinner than the support substrate 745 .

[0176] The protective layer 749 is bonded to the sealing layer 732. The protective layer 749 is made of glass. A substrate, a resin film, or the like can be used. Optical components such as polarizing plates, scattering plates, and input devices such as touch sensor panels, A configuration in which two or more of these are stacked may also be applied.

[0177] The EL layer 786 of the light-emitting element 782 is an island on the insulating layer 730 and the conductive layer 772. The EL layer 786 is formed so that each sub-pixel emits a different color. Therefore, color display can be realized without using the coloring layer 736.

[0178] A protective layer 741 is provided to cover the light emitting element 782. The protective layer 741 has a function of preventing impurities such as water from diffusing into the element 782. From the layer 788 side, an insulating layer 741a, an insulating layer 741b, and an insulating layer 741c are laminated in this order. At this time, the insulating layer 741a and the insulating layer 741c are provided with a layered structure in which water or the like is mixed. The insulating layer 741b is made of an inorganic insulating film having a high barrier property against impurities and a film that functions as a planarizing film. It is preferable to use organic insulating films that are suitable for the gate driver. It is preferable that the wiring conductor 704 also extends to the buffer circuit section 706 .

[0179] In addition, the transistor 750, the transistor 752, etc. are disposed inside the sealing layer 732. It is preferable that the organic insulating film covering the insulating film is formed in an island shape. The end portion may be located inside the sealing layer 732 or in an area overlapping the end portion of the sealing layer 732. In FIG. 15, the insulating layer 770, the insulating layer 730, and the insulating layer 741b are formed in an island shape. For example, in the portion overlapping with the sealing layer 732, the insulating layer 741c and The insulating layer 741a is provided in contact with the transistor 750. The surface of the organic insulating film covering the stamp 752 is configured so as not to be exposed outside the sealing layer 732. As a result, water is not introduced from the outside into the transistor 750 or the transistor 752 through the organic insulating film. This can effectively prevent the diffusion of silicon dioxide and hydrogen. This suppresses fluctuations in the display quality, thereby realizing a highly reliable display device.

[0180] In addition, in FIG. 15, in the bendable region P1, the support substrate 745, the adhesive layer 742 In addition, there is a portion where an inorganic insulating film such as the insulating layer 744 is not provided. In order to prevent the wiring 760 from being exposed, an insulating layer 770 containing an organic material is formed on the wiring 76. 0. The bendable region P1 is configured to have as little inorganic insulating film as possible. In addition, the conductive layer containing a metal or an alloy and the layer containing an organic material are laminated. This prevents cracks from occurring when the substrate is bent. By not providing 45, it is possible to bend a part of the display panel 700A with an extremely small radius of curvature. This can be done.

[0181] 15, a conductive layer 761 is provided on the protective layer 741. 61 can be used as wiring or an electrode.

[0182] In addition, when a touch sensor is provided over the display panel 700A, the conductive layer 761 A static stabilization layer is provided to prevent electrical noise generated when driving a pixel from being transmitted to the touch sensor. At this time, a predetermined constant potential is applied to the conductive layer 761. It is sufficient to have a configuration that can achieve this.

[0183] Alternatively, the conductive layer 761 can be used as an electrode of a touch sensor, for example. This allows the display panel 700A to function as a touch panel. The conductive layer 761 can be used as an electrode or wiring for a capacitive touch sensor. At this time, the conductive layer 761 is connected to wiring or electrodes to which a detection circuit is connected, or to which a sensor signal is input. In this way, the light emitting element 782 can be provided with a thin film transistor. By incorporating a touch sensor, the number of parts can be reduced, reducing the manufacturing costs of electronic devices. It is possible.

[0184] The conductive layer 761 is preferably provided in a portion that does not overlap with the light-emitting element 782. For example, the conductive layer 761 can be provided at a position overlapping the insulating layer 730. As the layer 761, it is not necessary to use a transparent conductive film having a relatively low conductivity, and a metal having a high conductivity is used. Since it is possible to use a material such as a metal or alloy, the sensitivity of the sensor can be increased.

[0185] The conductive layer 761 can be used to configure a touch sensor. Not limited to capacitive type, but also resistive type, surface acoustic wave type, infrared type, optical type, pressure sensitive type, etc. Alternatively, two or more of these may be used in combination. stomach.

[0186] [About the components] Components such as transistors that can be applied to a display device will be described below.

[0187] [Transistor] The transistor has a conductive layer that functions as a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, and a a conductive layer that functions as a drain electrode; a conductive layer that functions as a gate insulating layer; and an insulating layer.

[0188] Note that the structure of a transistor included in a display device of one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, a planar type transistor or a staggered type transistor may be used. Alternatively, a top gate or bottom gate transistor may be used. Alternatively, gate electrodes may be provided above and below the channel. It may also be included.

[0189] The crystallinity of the semiconductor material used in the transistor is not particularly limited. Single crystal semiconductors or semiconductors with crystallinity other than single crystal (microcrystalline semiconductors, polycrystalline semiconductors) A single-crystal semiconductor or a semiconductor having a crystalline region in part may be used. It is preferable to use a crystalline semiconductor because it can suppress deterioration of transistor characteristics.

[0190] In the following, we will focus on transistors that use a metal oxide film as a semiconductor layer in which a channel is formed. We will explain about this.

[0191] The semiconductor material used for the transistor has an energy gap of 2 eV or more, and is preferably Metal oxides having a voltage of about 2.5 eV or more, more preferably 3 eV or more, can be used. A typical example is a metal oxide containing indium, such as the CAC-OS etc. can be used.

[0192] Metal oxides with a wider band gap than silicon and a lower carrier density are used. The transistor has a low off-state current, which is The accumulated charge can be maintained for a long period of time.

[0193] The semiconductor layer may be, for example, indium, zinc, and M (where M is aluminum, titanium, gallium, etc.). , germanium, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, cerium, tin, neodymium or hafnium, etc.) can.

[0194] When the metal oxide constituting the semiconductor layer is an In-M-Zn oxide, The atomic ratio of the metal elements in the sputtering target used to form a film is In≧M It is preferable that Zn≧M is satisfied. The atomic ratios were In:M:Zn=1:1:1, In:M:Zn=1:1:1.2, In :M:Zn=3:1:2, In:M:Zn=4:2:3, In:M:Zn=4:2:4. 1, In:M:Zn=5:1:6, In:M:Zn=5:1:7, In:M:Zn=5: The atomic ratio of the semiconductor layers to be formed is preferably 1:8 or the like. This includes a ±40% variation in the atomic ratio of metal elements contained in the ring target.

[0195] The semiconductor layer is made of a metal oxide film having a low carrier density. Carrier density is 1×10 17 / cm 3 Less than 1 × 10 15 / cm 3 Below, further Preferably 1 x 10 13 / cm 3 Less than or equal to 1×10 11 / cm 3 Below, More preferably, 1×10 10 / cm 3 Less than 1 x 10 -9 / cm 3 More than a career High density metal oxides can be used. Such metal oxides can be high purity intrinsic or It is called a high-purity intrinsic metal oxide in terms of quality. The metal oxide has a low impurity concentration and a high density of defect levels. Since the concentration is low, it can be said to be a metal oxide with stable properties.

[0196] However, the semiconductor characteristics and electrical characteristics (electric field characteristics) of the required transistors are not limited to these. An oxide semiconductor having an appropriate composition may be used depending on the semiconductor properties (e.g., effective mobility, threshold voltage, etc.). In order to obtain the required semiconductor characteristics of the transistor, the carrier density and impurity of the semiconductor layer are By appropriately adjusting the concentration, defect density, atomic ratio of metal elements to oxygen, interatomic distance, density, etc. It is preferable that:

[0197] In the metal oxides that make up the semiconductor layer, silicon and carbon, which are elements of Group 14, If it is included, oxygen vacancies increase in the semiconductor layer, causing it to become n-type. The silicon and carbon concentrations in the layer (obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry) were calculated by 2× 10 18 atoms / cm 3 Less than or equal to 2 x 10 17 atoms / cm 3 The following do.

[0198] In addition, alkali metals and alkaline earth metals generate carriers when bonded with metal oxides. This may result in an increase in the off-state current of the transistor. Alkali metals or alkaline earth metals obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry in body layers. The concentration of 18 atoms / cm 3 Less than or equal to 2 x 10 16 atoms / cm 3 Do the following:

[0199] In addition, if the metal oxide that makes up the semiconductor layer contains nitrogen, the electrons that act as carriers This increases the carrier density and makes it easier to become n-type. Therefore, transistors using this material tend to be normally-on. The nitrogen concentration obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry is 5×10 18 atoms / cm 3 below It is preferable to do so.

[0200] Oxide semiconductors are classified into single-crystal oxide semiconductors and non-single-crystal oxide semiconductors. As a single-crystal oxide semiconductor, CAAC-OS (c-axis-aligned crystal-doped oxide semiconductor) stalline oxide semiconductor), polycrystalline oxide semiconductor, nc-OS(nanocrystalline oxide semiconductor r), pseudo-amorphous oxide semiconductor (a-like OS) oxide semiconductor), and amorphous oxide semiconductor.

[0201] Note that the semiconductor layer of the transistor disclosed in one embodiment of the present invention is A non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor or CAC-OS can be preferably used. As such, nc-OS or CAAC-OS can be preferably used.

[0202] In addition, the semiconductor layer may be a mixed film having two or more of the regions of CAAC-OS, polycrystalline oxide semiconductor, nc-OS, pseudo-amorphous oxide semiconductor, and amorphous oxide semiconductor. The mixed film may have, for example, a single-layer structure or a laminated structure including any two or more of the above-described regions. For example, the mixed film may have a single-layer structure or a laminated structure including any two or more of the above-described regions. The mixed film may have, for example, a single-layer structure or a laminated structure including any two or more of the above-described regions.

[0203] Further, it is preferable to use CAC-OS (Cl oud-Aligned Composite oxide semiconducto r) for the semiconductor layer of the transistor disclosed in one aspect of the present invention. oud-Aligned Composite oxide semiconducto By using CAC-OS, high electrical characteristics or high reliability can be imparted to the transistor. By using CAC-OS, high electrical characteristics or high reliability can be imparted to the transistor.

[0204] <Configuration of CAC-OS> Hereinafter, the configuration of CAC (Cl oud-Aligned Composite)-OS that can be used for the transistor disclosed in one aspect of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, the configuration of CAC (Cl oud-Aligned Composite)-OS that can be used for the transistor disclosed in one aspect of the present invention will be described.

[0205] CAC-OS is, for example, a composition in which elements constituting a metal oxide are unevenly distributed in a size of 0.5 nm or more and 10 nm or less, preferably 1 nm or more and 2 nm or less, or in the vicinity thereof. Hereinafter, in the metal oxide, one or more metal elements are unevenly distributed, and a region having the metal element is mixed in a size of 0.5 nm or more and 10 nm or less, preferably 1 nm or more and 2 nm or less, or in the vicinity thereof, which is also referred to as a mosaic state or a patch state. Hereinafter, in the metal oxide, one or more metal elements are unevenly distributed, and a region having the metal element is mixed in a size of 0.5 nm or more and 10 nm or less, preferably 1 nm or more and 2 nm or less, or in the vicinity thereof, which is also referred to as a mosaic state or a patch state. Hereinafter, in the metal oxide, one or more metal elements are unevenly distributed, and a region having the metal element is mixed in a size of 0.5 nm or more and 10 nm or less, preferably 1 nm or more and 2 nm or less, or in the vicinity thereof, which is also referred to as a mosaic state or a patch state. Hereinafter, in the metal oxide, one or more metal elements are unevenly distributed, and a region having the metal element is mixed in a size of 0.5 nm or more and 10 nm or less, preferably 1 nm or more and 2 nm or less, or in the vicinity thereof, which is also referred to as a mosaic state or a patch state. Hereinafter, in the metal oxide, one or more metal elements are unevenly distributed, and a region having the metal element is mixed in a size of 0.5 nm or more and 10 nm or less, preferably 1 nm or more and 2 nm or less, or in the vicinity thereof, which is also referred to as a mosaic state or a patch state.

[0206] The metal oxide preferably contains at least indium. In addition to these, aluminum, gallium, yttrium, and zinc are preferably contained. Thorium, copper, vanadium, beryllium, boron, silicon, titanium, iron, nickel, germanium Rumanium, zirconium, molybdenum, lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, hafnium, Contains one or more selected from tantalum, tungsten, magnesium, etc. It may be included.

[0207] For example, CAC-OS in In-Ga-Zn oxide (In- Ga-Zn oxide may be specifically referred to as CAC-IGZO. (hereinafter referred to as InO X1 (X1 is a real number greater than 0.) or Indium Zinc oxide (hereinafter referred to as In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 (X2, Y2, and Z2 are real numbers greater than 0. ) and gallium oxide (GaO X3 (X3 is a real number greater than 0) ), or gallium zinc oxide (hereinafter referred to as Ga X4 Zn Y4 O Z4 (X4, Y4, and Z1 and Z2 are real numbers greater than 0.) The material is separated into mosaics. The mosaic-like InO X1 , or In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 is uniformly distributed in the film This is a cloud-like configuration (hereinafter also referred to as a cloud-like configuration).

[0208] In other words, CAC-OS is X3 The region where In is the main component and X2 Zn Y2 OZ2 , or InO X1 A composite metal oxide having a structure in which a region in which In this specification, for example, the atomic ratio of In to the element M in the first region is is greater than the atomic ratio of In to the element M in the second region. Compared to region 2, the concentration of In is higher.

[0209] IGZO is a common name and refers to a compound made of In, Ga, Zn, and O. A typical example is InGaO3(ZnO) m1 (m1 is a natural number), or In (1+x0) Ga (1-x0) O3(ZnO) m0 (-1≦x0≦1, m0 is an arbitrary number) Examples of the crystalline compounds include those represented by the formula:

[0210] The crystalline compound has a single crystal structure, a polycrystalline structure, or a CAAC structure. The CAAC structure is a structure in which multiple IGZO nanocrystals have a c-axis orientation and are aligned in the ab plane. The crystal structure is non-oriented and connected.

[0211] On the other hand, CAC-OS is a material structure of metal oxides. In a material composition containing Ga, Zn, and O, some nanoparticles with Ga as the main component were observed. The region where the In nanoparticles are observed is shown in part. This refers to a structure in which the crystals are randomly dispersed in a mosaic pattern. Structure is a secondary factor.

[0212] Note that CAC-OS does not include a laminated structure of two or more films with different compositions. For example, a structure consisting of two layers, one containing In as the main component and the other containing Ga as the main component, Not at all.

[0213] In addition, GaO X3 The region where In is the main component and X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 In some cases, a clear boundary between the region where the main component is the chromatic aberration and the region where the chromatic aberration is the main component may not be observed.

[0214] Instead of gallium, aluminum, yttrium, copper, vanadium, and beryllium can be used. Aluminum, boron, silicon, titanium, iron, nickel, germanium, zirconium, molybdenum lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, or magnesium If one or more selected elements such as cesium are included, CAC-OS will In the region, nanoparticles containing the metal element as the main component are observed, and in the region, In is the main component. The nanoparticle-like regions are randomly dispersed in a mosaic pattern. This refers to

[0215] CAC-OS is formed by sputtering under conditions where the substrate is not intentionally heated. When the CAC-OS is formed by a sputtering method, the deposition gas The gas is selected from an inert gas (typically argon), oxygen gas, and nitrogen gas. One or more of these may be used. The lower the flow rate ratio of the gas, the more preferable. For example, the flow rate ratio of oxygen gas is preferably 0% or more and less than 30%. It is more preferable to set the content to 0% or more and 10% or less.

[0216] CAC-OS is an X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement method. When measured using one of the out-of-plane θ / 2θ scans In other words, from the X-ray diffraction measurement, no clear peaks are observed. It can be seen that no orientation in the ab plane direction or the c axis direction is observed in the fixed region.

[0217] In addition, CAC-OS uses an electron beam with a probe diameter of 1 nm (also called a nanobeam electron beam). In the electron beam diffraction pattern obtained by irradiating the sample, a bright ring-shaped region and the corresponding Several bright spots are observed within the ring-shaped region. Therefore, from the electron diffraction pattern, it is possible to determine that CAC The crystal structure of -OS is nc(na It can be seen that the crystalline structure is no-crystal.

[0218] For example, in the CAC-OS of In-Ga-Zn oxide, energy dispersive X Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) EDX mapping obtained using scopy revealed that GaO X3 The region where is the principal component And, In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 The area where the main component is unevenly distributed and mixed It can be confirmed that the compound has a structure similar to that of the compound shown in FIG.

[0219] CAC-OS has a structure different from that of IGZO compounds, in which metal elements are uniformly distributed. CAC-OS has different properties from GZO compounds. X3 The main components are and the region where In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 The area where is the main component and the area where is The phases are separated into individual elements, resulting in a mosaic structure of regions each consisting of a different element as the main component.

[0220] Here, In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 The region where is the main component is GaO X This is a region with high conductivity compared to the region where In is the main component. X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 The carriers flow through the region where the main component is gold. Therefore, the conductivity of In is expressed as a metal oxide. X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X The region where 1 is the main component is distributed in a cloud-like manner in the metal oxide, resulting in a high field-effect transfer Mobility (μ) can be achieved.

[0221] On the other hand, GaO X3 The region where the main components are In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 This region has higher insulating properties than the region where GaO is the main component. X3 etc. The distribution of the region in which the main component is is in the metal oxide suppresses leakage current and provides good switching. Switching operation can be realized.

[0222] Therefore, when CAC-OS is used in a semiconductor device, GaO X3 Insulation and , In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 The conductivity caused by the This results in a high on-state current (I on), and high field-effect mobility (μ) can be done.

[0223] Furthermore, semiconductor devices using CAC-OS have high reliability. It is ideal for various semiconductor devices including displays.

[0224] In addition, a transistor having a CAC-OS semiconductor layer has high field-effect mobility and Because of its high dynamic range, the transistor is connected to a driving circuit, typically a scanning By using this in a line driver circuit, it is possible to provide a display device with a narrow frame width (also called a narrow frame). In addition, the transistor can be used in a signal line driver circuit (particularly, a signal line driver (Demultiplexer connected to the output terminal of the shift register of the operation circuit) Therefore, it is possible to provide a display device with a small number of wires connected to the display device.

[0225] In addition, the transistor with CAC-OS in the semiconductor layer is a transistor using low-temperature polysilicon. Unlike conventional transistors, no laser crystallization process is required. Even for display devices, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs. ("4K resolution", "4K2K", "4K"), Super Hi-Vision ("8K resolution" In the case of high-resolution and large display devices such as "8K", "8K4K", and "8K", By using a transistor having a CAC-OS semiconductor layer in the driver circuit and display portion, This is preferable because it is possible to write in a short time and reduce display defects.

[0226] Alternatively, silicon may be used as the semiconductor in which the channel of the transistor is formed. Amorphous silicon may be used as the capacitor, but crystalline silicon is particularly preferred. For example, microcrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, single crystal silicon, etc. In particular, polycrystalline silicon can be formed at a lower temperature than single-crystalline silicon. It also has higher field-effect mobility and higher reliability than amorphous silicon.

[0227] [Conductive Layer] In addition to the gate, source, and drain of the transistor, various wiring and Materials that can be used for conductive layers such as electrodes include aluminum, titanium, chromium, and titanium dioxide. Aluminum, nickel, copper, yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, silver, tantalum, or titanium Examples of such metals include tungsten and alloys containing tungsten as the main component. Films containing the materials can be used as single layers or as laminated structures. For example, silicon a single layer structure of aluminum film containing titanium; a two-layer structure of aluminum film laminated on titanium film; Two-layer structure with aluminum film laminated on stainless steel film, copper-magnesium-aluminum alloy Two-layer structure with copper film laminated on gold film, two-layer structure with copper film laminated on titanium film, tungsten Two-layer structure with copper film laminated on top of titanium film or titanium nitride film, and aluminum film laminated on top of that. A titanium film or a titanium nitride film is formed on the aluminum or copper film. Layer structure, molybdenum film or molybdenum nitride film, and aluminum film or A three-layer structure in which a copper film is laminated and a molybdenum film or molybdenum nitride film is formed on top of that It is also possible to use oxides such as indium oxide, tin oxide, or zinc oxide. In addition, copper containing manganese is preferable because it improves the controllability of the shape by etching. .

[0228] [Insulating layer] Examples of insulating materials that can be used for each insulating layer include acrylic and epoxy. In addition to resins and resins with siloxane bonds, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, Inorganic insulating materials such as silicon, silicon nitride, and aluminum oxide can also be used.

[0229] In addition, the light emitting element is preferably provided between a pair of insulating films with low water permeability. This makes it possible to prevent impurities such as water from entering the light emitting element, and to prevent deterioration of the reliability of the display device. It can suppress the bottom.

[0230] As insulating films with low water permeability, films containing nitrogen and silicon such as silicon nitride film and silicon nitride oxide film are used. and films containing nitrogen and aluminum, such as an aluminum nitride film. A silicon oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film, an aluminum oxide film, or the like may also be used.

[0231] For example, the water vapor permeation rate of a low-permeability insulating film is 1×10 -5 [g / (m 2 ·day) ] or less, preferably 1 × 10 -6 [g / (m 2 ·day)] or less, preferably 1 × 1 0 -7 [g / (m 2 ·day)] or less, more preferably 1 × 10 -8 [g / (m 2 ·d ay)] below.

[0232] This concludes the description of the components.

[0233] The configuration examples exemplified in this embodiment and the corresponding drawings etc. are at least partly The above can be implemented in appropriate combination with other configuration examples or drawings, etc.

[0234] This embodiment may be combined, at least in part, with other embodiments described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination.

[0235] (Embodiment 3) In this embodiment, a configuration example of a display device will be described with reference to FIGS. 16A to 16C. conduct.

[0236] The display device shown in FIG. 16A includes a pixel portion 502, a driver circuit portion 504, and a protection circuit 506. , and a terminal portion 507. Note that the protection circuit 506 may not be provided.

[0237] The pixel section 502 is a plurality of pixels arranged in X rows and Y columns (X and Y are each independently a natural number of 2 or more). The display device has a plurality of pixel circuits 501 for driving a number of display elements.

[0238] The driving circuit unit 504 is a gate driver that outputs scanning signals to the gate lines GL_1 to GL_X. a source driver 504a that supplies data signals to the data lines DL_1 to DL_Y; The gate driver 504a includes a driver circuit such as a shift register The source driver 504b may be configured to have, for example, a plurality of analog switches. Also, the source driver 504 is configured using a shift register or the like. b may be configured.

[0239] The terminal unit 507 is used to input power, control signals, image signals, etc. from an external circuit to the display device. This refers to the part where terminals for connecting the power supply to the power source are provided.

[0240] When a potential outside a certain range is applied to the wiring to which the protection circuit 506 is connected, the protection circuit 506 The protection circuit 506 shown in FIG. For example, the gate line GL, which is the wiring between the gate driver 504a and the pixel circuit 501, or the It is connected to various wirings such as the data line DL which is the wiring between the pixel driver 504b and the pixel circuit 501. In FIG. 16A, the protection circuit 506 is shown as a separate circuit to distinguish it from the pixel circuit 501. The circuit 506 is hatched.

[0241] The gate driver 504a and the source driver 504b are connected to the pixel section 502 and The gate driver circuit or the source driver circuit may be provided on the same substrate. A separately formed substrate (for example, a drive circuit substrate formed of a single crystal semiconductor or a polycrystalline semiconductor) The board is bonded to the image by COG or TAB (Tape Automated Bonding). It may be configured to be mounted on a substrate on which the element portion 502 is provided.

[0242] 16A. The pixel circuits 501 shown in FIG. 16A may be, for example, the pixel circuits shown in FIG. 16B or FIG. 16C. The configuration can be as follows.

[0243] The pixel circuit 501 shown in FIG. 16B includes a liquid crystal element 570, a transistor 550, and a capacitor element. The pixel circuit 501 also includes a data line DL_n, a gate line GL_m, and a , potential supply line VL, etc. are connected to the terminals.

[0244] The potential of one of the pair of electrodes of the liquid crystal element 570 is set appropriately according to the specifications of the pixel circuit 501. The orientation state of the liquid crystal element 570 is set by the written data. A common potential is applied to one of a pair of electrodes of the liquid crystal element 570 included in each of the pixel circuits 501. In addition, a pair of liquid crystal elements 570 of the pixel circuits 501 in each row may be applied with a common potential. One of the electrodes may be given a different potential.

[0245] The pixel circuit 501 shown in FIG. 16C includes a transistor 552 and a transistor 554. The pixel circuit 501 includes a data The line DL_n, the gate line GL_m, the potential supply line VL_a, and the potential supply line VL_b are connected to each other. It has been done.

[0246] A high power supply potential VDD is applied to one of the potential supply lines VL_a and VL_b. The other terminal is supplied with a low power supply potential VSS. The current flowing through the light-emitting element 572 is controlled in accordance with the potential applied to the light-emitting element 572. The brightness of the light emitted from 72 is controlled.

[0247] The configuration examples exemplified in this embodiment and the corresponding drawings etc. are at least partly The above can be implemented in appropriate combination with other configuration examples or drawings, etc.

[0248] This embodiment may be combined, at least in part, with other embodiments described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination.

[0249] (Fourth embodiment) Hereinafter, a pixel circuit having a memory for correcting the gradation of a pixel and a display device having the same will be described. The device will now be described.

[0250] [Circuit configuration] 17A shows a circuit diagram of a pixel circuit 400. The pixel circuit 400 includes a transistor M1, The pixel circuit 400 includes a transistor M2, a capacitor C1, and a circuit 401. S1, the wiring S2, the wiring G1, and the wiring G2 are connected.

[0251] The transistor M1 has a gate connected to a wiring G1, a source and a drain connected to a wiring S1, and The other terminal is connected to one electrode of the capacitor C1. The gate of the transistor M2 is connected to the wiring. G2, one of the source and drain is connected to the wiring S2, and the other is connected to the other electrode of the capacitor C1, and 401 and 402, respectively.

[0252] The circuit 401 is a circuit including at least one display element. Representative examples include light-emitting elements such as organic EL elements and LED elements, and liquid crystal element, or MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) EMS) elements, etc. can be applied.

[0253] The node connecting the transistor M1 and the capacitor C1 is connected to the node N1, and the transistor M2 is connected to the node N2. The node connecting to the path 401 is node N2.

[0254] The pixel circuit 400 maintains the potential of the node N1 by turning off the transistor M1. Furthermore, by turning off the transistor M2, the voltage of the node N2 can be maintained. In addition, when the transistor M2 is in the off state, the transistor By writing a predetermined potential to node N1 via capacitor M1, capacitive coupling via capacitor C1 This allows the potential of the node N2 to be changed in accordance with the change in the potential of the node N1.

[0255] Here, one or both of the transistors M1 and M2 are made of an oxide semiconductor. Therefore, a transistor using a silicon nitride film can be used. This allows the potential of the node N1 or N2 to be maintained for a long period of time. When the period for which the potential of each node is held is short (specifically, when the frame frequency is 30 Hz or more), In such cases, a transistor using a semiconductor such as silicon may be used.

[0256] [Drive method example] Next, an example of an operation method of the pixel circuit 400 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 is a timing chart relating to the operation of the pixel circuit 400. Therefore, various resistances such as wiring resistance, parasitic capacitance of transistors and wiring, and The influence of the threshold voltage of the transistor is not taken into consideration.

[0257] In the operation shown in FIG. 17B, one frame period is divided into periods T1 and T2. Period T1 is a period during which a potential is written to the node N2, and period T2 is a period during which a potential is written to the node N1. is.

[0258] [Period T1] In the period T1, a potential that turns on the transistor is applied to both the wiring G1 and the wiring G2. In addition, the wiring S1 is connected to a fixed potential V ref The first data is supplied to the wiring S2. Voltage V w supply.

[0259] The node N1 is connected to the line S1 via the transistor M1. ref is given. The node N2 is supplied with a first data potential V w is given Therefore, the potential difference V w -Vref is maintained.

[0260] [Period T2] Subsequently, in a period T2, a potential that turns on the transistor M1 is applied to the wiring G1. A potential that turns off the transistor M2 is applied to the line G2. Data potential V data A predetermined constant potential is applied to the wiring S2, or a floating potential is applied to the wiring S3. It may be in a locking state.

[0261] The node N1 receives a second data potential V data but At this time, the second data potential V data In response In other words, the circuit 401 stores the first data Potential V w In FIG. 17B, the potential dV is added to the potential dV. Although the second data potential is shown as being a positive value, it may also be a negative value. V data is the potential V ref It may be lower.

[0262] Here, the potential dV is roughly determined by the capacitance value of the capacitor C1 and the capacitance value of the circuit 401. When the capacitance value of the capacitor C1 is sufficiently larger than the capacitance value of the circuit 401, the potential dV is Data potential V data The potential is close to

[0263] In this way, the pixel circuit 400 is a circuit including a display element that combines two types of data signals. Since the potential supplied to the line 401 can be generated, the gradation can be corrected in the pixel circuit 400. It will be possible to do this.

[0264] The pixel circuit 400 can also be supplied with a source driver connected to the wiring S1 and the wiring S2. For example, when a light emitting element is used, it is possible to generate a potential that exceeds the maximum potential. It is possible to display high dynamic range (HDR) images. In this case, overdrive driving or the like can be realized.

[0265] [Application example] [Example using liquid crystal element] The pixel circuit 400LC shown in FIG. 17C includes a circuit 401LC. It has a liquid crystal element LC and a capacitor C2.

[0266] The liquid crystal element LC has one electrode connected to the node N2 and one electrode connected to the capacitor C2, and the other electrode connected to the Potential V com2 The capacitor C2 is connected to the wiring where the other electrode is at potential V com1 Connect with the wiring given.

[0267] The capacitor C2 functions as a storage capacitor. If the capacitor C2 is not required, it can be omitted. Cut.

[0268] The pixel circuit 400LC can supply a high voltage to the liquid crystal element LC, so that, for example, Overdrive operation allows for high-speed display, and liquid crystal materials with high drive voltage are used. In addition, by supplying a correction signal to the wiring S1 or wiring S2, The gradation can also be corrected according to the operating temperature and the deterioration state of the liquid crystal element LC.

[0269] [Example using light-emitting element] The pixel circuit 400EL shown in Figure 17D includes a circuit 401EL. The device includes a light-emitting element EL, a transistor M3, and a capacitor C2.

[0270] The transistor M3 has a gate connected to the node N2 and one electrode of the capacitor C2, and a source and drain connected to the node N2 and one electrode of the capacitor C2. One of the rains is at potential V H The other is one electrode of the light-emitting element EL, and The capacitor C2 is connected to the other electrode at a potential V com Connect with the wiring given. The other electrode of the light-emitting element EL is at a potential V L Connect with the wiring given.

[0271] The transistor M3 has a function of controlling the current supplied to the light-emitting element EL. functions as a storage capacitor. Capacitor C2 can be omitted if not required.

[0272] In this example, the anode side of the light-emitting element EL is connected to the transistor M3. However, a transistor M3 may be connected to the cathode side. H and potential V L The value of can be changed as appropriate.

[0273] The pixel circuit 400EL generates a light-emitting element by applying a high potential to the gate of the transistor M3. Since a large current can be passed through the child EL, it is possible to realize, for example, HDR display. In addition, by supplying a correction signal to the wiring S1 or wiring S2, the transistor M3 and It is also possible to correct variations in the electrical characteristics of the light-emitting element EL.

[0274] The circuit is not limited to the circuits shown in FIGS. 17C and 17D, and may include additional transistors, capacitors, etc. An additional configuration may also be used.

[0275] This embodiment may be combined, at least in part, with other embodiments described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination.

[0276] (Embodiment 5) An example of the structure of a pixel in a display device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0277] 18A to 18E show examples of the configuration of the pixel 300. FIG.

[0278] The pixel 300 includes a plurality of pixels 301. Each of the plurality of pixels 301 includes a sub-pixel and A single pixel 300 is made up of multiple pixels 301 each exhibiting a different color. With this configuration, the display unit can display in full color.

[0279] Each of the pixels 300 shown in Figures 18A and 18B has three sub-pixels. The color combination of the pixel 301 of the pixel 300 shown in FIG. and blue (B). The color combinations exhibited by the pixel 301 included in the pixel 300 shown in FIG. The combination is cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y).

[0280] Each of the pixels 300 shown in Figures 18C to 18E has four sub-pixels. The color combination of the pixel 301 of the pixel 300 shown in C is red (R), green (G), The sub-pixels are blue (B) and white (W). By using the white sub-pixel, the brightness of the display area can be increased. The color combinations of the pixels 301 included in the pixel 300 shown in FIG. The colors are red (R), green (G), blue (B), and yellow (Y). The color combinations exhibited by the pixel 301 are cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), It is white (W).

[0281] By increasing the number of sub-pixels that function as one pixel, red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, and By appropriately combining sub-pixels that exhibit colors such as red and yellow, it is possible to improve the reproducibility of intermediate tones. Therefore, the display quality can be improved.

[0282] Furthermore, the display device of one embodiment of the present invention can reproduce color gamuts of various standards. For example, PAL (Phase Alternating Linear) used in television broadcasting ) standard and NTSC (National Television System Com Mitee standard, personal computers, digital cameras, printers and other electronic devices The sRGB (standard RGB) standard is widely used in display devices for electronic equipment. Adobe RGB standard, HDTV (High Definition Television) ITU-R BT.709 (Interna ion, also known as Hi-Vision) tional Telecommunication Union Radiocomm unication Sector Broadcasting Service(Te 709 standard, and DCI-P3 (Division I / F) standard used in digital cinema projection. digital Cinema Initiatives P3) standard, UHDTV (Ult ra High Definition Television, Super Hi-Vision ITU-R BT.2020 (also known as REC.2020) It is possible to reproduce color gamuts such as the National Institute of Standardization 2020 standard.

[0283] Furthermore, when the pixels 300 are arranged in a 1920 x 1080 matrix, a so-called full halftone HDTV (also known as "2K resolution," "2K1K," or "2K") A display device capable of full color display can be realized. When arranged in a matrix of 840 x 2160, it becomes what is known as Ultra Hi-Vision (4K Full color display at resolutions of 1080p, 1080p, 4K2K, or 4K Furthermore, for example, the pixel 300 can be arranged in a 7680×4320 pixel array. When arranged in a matrix, it can produce what is known as super high-definition (8K resolution, 8K4 It is also called "8K" or "1080p" resolution and is intended to realize a display device capable of full-color display. By increasing the number of pixels by 300, full color display at 16K or 32K resolution is possible. It is also possible to realize a display device that can

[0284] This embodiment may be combined, at least in part, with other embodiments described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination. [Explanation of symbols]

[0285] 10: display device, 11: display panel, 12: protective cover, 12a, 12b, 13: functional layer 14: protective cover, 14a, 14b: functional layer, 15: display unit, 21, 22: support, 2 3, 23a, 23b: holding members, 24, 24a, 24b: spacers, 28: area, 29: Stylus, 31, 32: gears, 31a, 32a: rotating shaft, 33: cover, 41, 41a , 41b: spring, 42: movable member, 43: adhesive member

Claims

1. a display panel, a protective cover, a first holding member, and a second holding member; the display panel and the protective cover have a curved portion provided along one direction of the display panel, The curved portion of the display panel functions to flatten the display panel when opened; The curved portion is provided so as to overlap a region between the first holding member and the second holding member.

2. a display panel, a protective cover, a first holding member, and a second holding member; the display panel has a touch sensor on a surface on which the protective cover is provided, the display panel and the protective cover have a curved portion provided along one direction of the display panel, The curved portion of the display panel functions to flatten the display panel when opened. The curved portion is provided so as to overlap a region between the first holding member and the second holding member.

3. a display panel, a protective cover, a first holding member, and a second holding member; the display panel includes a transistor; a semiconductor layer of the transistor having a metal oxide containing indium; the display panel and the protective cover have a curved portion provided along one direction of the display panel, The curved portion of the display panel functions to flatten the display panel when opened; The curved portion is provided so as to overlap a region between the first holding member and the second holding member.

Images