Display panel and method of manufacturing the display panel

Abstract

To provide a display panel, a method of manufacturing the same, and a display device.SOLUTION: A display panel includes: a substrate 10; a display function layer 221 that is positioned onto the substrate; an isolation structure 210; a pixel defining layer 213; and a light-transmitting shielding layer 30. The isolation structure 210 is located on the substrate and defines a plurality of light-transmitting openings and a plurality of isolation apertures. The pixel defining layer 213 includes a plurality of pixel openings located between the isolation structure 210 and the substrate 10 and corresponding to the isolation apertures on a one-to-one basis. The isolation aperture and the pixel openings together position a light emitting element 220 in the pixel defining layer 213. The light-transmitting shielding layer 30 includes a plurality of first light-transmitting shielding units 31, and the first light-transmitting shielding units 31 are connected to the isolation structure 210 through via holes in the pixel defining layer 213, and at least partially overlap an orthographic projection of the light-transmitting opening. While ensuring a light transmittance at the light-transmitting opening portion, the light-transmitting opening can be shielded to avoid the occurrence of signal interference at the light-transmitting opening.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of display technology, and more particularly to a display panel and a method for manufacturing the display panel. [Background technology]

[0002] Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are organic thin-film electroluminescent devices that have attracted attention due to their advantages such as simple manufacturing process, low cost, low power consumption, high brightness, wide viewing angle, high contrast, and flexible display. They are widely used in electronic display products. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] However, current electronic display products are limited by their own structural design, making it difficult to provide good display functions when applied to scenes such as underscreen recognition and transparent display. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a display panel. The display panel includes a substrate, a display function layer, an isolation structure, a pixel defining layer, and a light-transmitting / shielding layer located on the substrate. The display function layer includes a plurality of light-emitting elements located on the substrate. The isolation structure is located on the substrate and defines a plurality of light-transmitting openings and a plurality of isolation openings. The pixel defining layer is located between the isolation structure and the substrate and includes a plurality of pixel openings that correspond one-to-one to the isolation openings, and the isolation openings and the pixel openings together position the light-emitting elements. The light-transmitting / shielding layer includes a plurality of first light-transmitting / shielding units located between the pixel defining layer and the substrate, the first light-transmitting / shielding units corresponding to at least some of the light-transmitting openings, and orthogonal projections of the first light-transmitting / shielding units at least partially overlap with orthogonal projections of the corresponding light-transmitting openings on the substrate. Via holes are provided in the pixel defining layer, and the first light-transmitting / shielding units are connected to the isolation structure through the via holes.

[0005] In the above-mentioned solution, the light-transmitting and shielding layer is provided to ensure the light transmittance of the light-transmitting opening and to shield the light-transmitting opening to avoid signal interference at the light-transmitting opening.

[0006] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, in the substrate, an orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting aperture is located within an orthogonal projection of the corresponding first light-transmitting shielding unit.

[0007] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the light-emitting element includes a first electrode, a light-emitting functional layer, and a second electrode sequentially stacked on a substrate, the light-emitting functional layer and the second electrode being located in corresponding isolation openings and pixel openings, the first electrode being located between the pixel defining layer and the substrate, and at least a portion of the first electrode being in the same layer and made of the same material as the first light-transmitting and shielding unit, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the light-transmitting and shielding layer and controlling the manufacturing cost of the display panel.

[0008] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the first electrode includes a light-shielding sub-electrode and a light-transmitting sub-electrode stacked on top of each other, and the first light-transmitting shielding unit is in the same layer as the light-transmitting sub-electrode and is made of the same material.

[0009] Optionally, a light-shielding sub-electrode may be located between the light-transmitting sub-electrode and the substrate.

[0010] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the substrate includes a plurality of pixel driving circuits respectively corresponding to the light-emitting elements, and the pixel driving circuits are superimposed and bonded to the first electrodes of the corresponding light-emitting elements.

[0011] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the light-transmitting openings correspond one-to-one to the first light-transmitting shielding units, and the orthogonal projection of the position where the pixel driving circuit and the first electrode are superimposed and bonded on the substrate is outside the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting openings on the substrate, thereby ensuring that the area of the display panel corresponding to the light-transmitting openings has high light transmittance.

[0012] In another embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the light-transmitting opening includes a first type of light-transmitting opening and a second type of light-transmitting opening, and the orthogonal projection on the substrate of the position where the pixel driving circuit and the first electrode are overlapped and bonded is outside the orthogonal projection on the substrate of the first type of light-transmitting opening and within the orthogonal projection on the substrate of the second type of light-transmitting opening. The light-transmitting and shielding layer further includes a plurality of second light-transmitting and shielding units, the second light-transmitting and shielding units being connected to the isolation structure, the first light-transmitting and shielding units corresponding to the first type of light-transmitting opening and the second light-transmitting and shielding units corresponding to the second type of light-transmitting opening, and the second light-transmitting and shielding units being located on the side of the pixel defining layer facing away from the substrate. This prevents the second light-transmitting and shielding units from occupying the arrangement space of the overlapping and bonding position.

[0013] Optionally, on the substrate, the orthogonal projection of the second type of light-transmitting opening may be located within the orthogonal projection of the corresponding second light-transmitting shielding unit.

[0014] Optionally, the second light-transmitting and shielding unit may be in the same layer and made of the same material as the second electrode, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the second light-transmitting and shielding unit, and not increasing the manufacturing process of the display panel in the manufacturing process of the entire light-transmitting and shielding layer, thereby controlling the manufacturing cost of the display panel.

[0015] Optionally, the first electrode includes a light-shielding sub-electrode and a light-transmitting sub-electrode stacked on each other, the orthogonal projection of the light-shielding sub-electrode on the substrate is located within the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting sub-electrode and outside the orthogonal projection of the second-type light-transmitting opening, and the light-transmitting sub-electrode is overlapped and bonded to the pixel driving circuit with a part of its orthogonal projection on the substrate located within the orthogonal projection of the second-type light-transmitting opening, thereby making the part of the first electrode overlapping with the second-type light-transmitting opening transparent and further improving the light transmittance of the second-type light-transmitting opening.

[0016] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the display panel may further include a touch structure, the touch structure being located on a side of the display function layer facing away from the substrate and including a touch electrode. A gap between adjacent light-emitting elements is a first gap, a gap between the light-emitting element and its adjacent light-transmitting opening is a second gap, the touch electrode is a grid electrode, and on the substrate, orthogonal projections of grid lines of the grid electrode are located within the orthogonal projections of the first gap and the orthogonal projections of the second gap. That is, in the grid electrode, orthogonal projections of some grid lines on the substrate are located within the orthogonal projections of the gaps between the light-emitting elements, and orthogonal projections of other grid lines on the substrate are located within the orthogonal projections of the gaps between the light-emitting elements and the light-transmitting opening.

[0017] In the above solution, in the region where the light-transmitting opening is located, the light-transmitting shielding layer can eliminate mutual interference of driving signals between the touch electrode and the circuit on the substrate, and the solution can increase the light transmittance of the touch electrode and enable the use of highly conductive materials such as metal for the touch electrode.

[0018] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the isolation structure includes a support and a crown, the support is located between the crown and the pixel defining layer, the support is a conductive structure, and the second electrode of the light-emitting element is connected to the support, whereby the second electrode of each light-emitting element is connected via the support to form a common electrode, and the thickness of the support is not limited, thereby reducing the impedance of the common electrode.

[0019] Optionally, the light-transmitting shielding layer is connected to the support, which not only prevents the common electrode from being cut off at the light-transmitting opening, but also further reduces the impedance of the common electrode.

[0020] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the isolation structure further includes an auxiliary support portion located on a side facing away from the crown portion of the support portion and having a conductive structure, wherein an orthogonal projection of the auxiliary support portion on the substrate is located within an orthogonal projection of the crown portion, and an orthogonal projection of the support portion on the substrate is located within an orthogonal projection of the auxiliary support portion. A portion of the surface of the auxiliary support facing away from the substrate that is not covered by the support portion can be used to contact the second electrode, and has a large contact area and bonding strength with the second electrode, thereby reducing the impedance between the second electrode and the isolation structure.

[0021] Optionally, the light-transmitting shielding layer is connected to an auxiliary support to further reduce the impedance between the isolation structure and the light-transmitting shielding layer.

[0022] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the display panel may further include a first sealing layer, the first sealing layer including a plurality of sealing units that correspond one-to-one to the isolation openings, and the sealing units cover the corresponding isolation openings.

[0023] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the display panel further includes a second sealing layer and a third sealing layer covering the first sealing layer, the isolation structure and the light-transmitting shielding layer, wherein the second sealing layer is located between the first sealing layer and the third sealing layer, and the touch structure is located on the side of the third sealing layer facing away from the substrate.

[0024] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the first and third sealing layers are inorganic layers, and the second sealing layer is an organic layer and a planarization layer.

[0025] In one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the entire display area is the first area. With this design, the display panel can be applied to transparent display scenes.

[0026] In another embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, the display panel includes a display area, the display area including a first area and a second area, the second area being located on at least one side of the first area, and the light-transmitting opening being located within the first area. With this design, the display panel can be applied to scenes such as fingerprint recognition, under-screen cameras, etc.

[0027] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides a display panel. The display panel includes a substrate, a display functional layer, an isolation structure, and a light-transmitting / shielding layer located on the substrate. The display functional layer includes a plurality of light-emitting elements located on the substrate, and the light-emitting elements include a first electrode, a light-emitting functional layer, and a second electrode sequentially stacked on the substrate. The isolation structure is located on the substrate and defines a plurality of light-transmitting openings and a plurality of isolation openings, the isolation openings position the light-emitting elements, and the light-emitting functional layer and the second electrode are located in the corresponding isolation openings. The light-transmitting / shielding layer includes a plurality of first light-transmitting / shielding units, the first light-transmitting / shielding units corresponding to at least some of the light-transmitting openings, the orthogonal projections of the first light-transmitting / shielding units at least partially overlapping the orthogonal projections of the corresponding light-transmitting openings on the substrate, and the first light-transmitting / shielding units are connected to the isolation structure. At least a portion of the first electrode is in the same layer as the first light-transmitting / shielding units and is made of the same material.

[0028] In one embodiment of the second aspect of the present disclosure, the display panel may further include a pixel defining layer, which is located between the isolation structure and the substrate and includes a plurality of pixel openings corresponding one-to-one to the isolation openings, the isolation openings and the pixel openings together position the light-emitting elements, and via holes are provided in the pixel defining layer, and the first light-transmitting and shielding units are connected to the isolation structure through the via holes.

[0029] Optionally, the first electrode may include a light-shielding sub-electrode and a light-transmitting sub-electrode stacked together, and the first light-transmitting shielding unit may be in the same layer as the light-transmitting sub-electrode and made of the same material.

[0030] Optionally, in the substrate, an orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting aperture may be located within an orthogonal projection of the corresponding first light-transmitting shielding unit.

[0031] In one embodiment of the second aspect of the present disclosure, the substrate includes a plurality of pixel driving circuits respectively corresponding to the light-emitting elements, and the pixel driving circuits are superimposed and bonded to the first electrodes of the corresponding light-emitting elements.

[0032] In one embodiment of the second aspect of the present disclosure, the light-transmitting openings correspond one-to-one to the first light-transmitting shielding units, and the orthogonal projection of the position on the substrate where the pixel driving circuit and the first electrode are superimposed and bonded is located outside the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting openings.

[0033] In one embodiment of the second aspect of the present disclosure, the light-transmitting openings include a first type of light-transmitting opening and a second type of light-transmitting opening, and on the substrate, an orthogonal projection of a position where the pixel driving circuit and the first electrode are superimposed and bonded is located outside the orthogonal projection of the first type of light-transmitting opening and within the orthogonal projection of the second type of light-transmitting opening. The light-transmitting shielding layer further includes a plurality of second light-transmitting shielding units, the second light-transmitting shielding units are connected to the isolation structure, the first light-transmitting shielding units correspond to the first type of light-transmitting opening and the second light-transmitting shielding units correspond to the second type of light-transmitting opening, and the second light-transmitting shielding units are located on a side of the pixel defining layer facing away from the substrate.

[0034] Optionally, on the substrate, the orthogonal projection of the second type of light-transmitting opening is located within the orthogonal projection of the corresponding second light-transmitting shielding unit.

[0035] Optionally, the second light-transmitting shielding unit is in the same layer and made of the same material as the second electrode.

[0036] Optionally, the first electrode includes a light-shielding sub-electrode and a light-transmitting sub-electrode stacked on each other, and on the substrate, the orthogonal projection of the light-shielding sub-electrode is located within the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting sub-electrode and the orthogonal projection of the light-shielding sub-electrode is located outside the orthogonal projection of the second type of light-transmitting opening, and the light-transmitting sub-electrode is superimposed and bonded to the pixel driving circuit with a portion of its orthogonal projection on the substrate located within the orthogonal projection of the second type of light-transmitting opening.

[0037] A third aspect of the present disclosure provides a display device, which may include a display panel according to any one of the first and second aspects described above.

[0038] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, the method comprising: providing a substrate; and forming a pixel defining layer, an isolation structure, a plurality of first light-transmitting and shielding units, and a plurality of first electrodes on the substrate, wherein the isolation structure has a plurality of light-transmitting openings and a plurality of isolation openings respectively corresponding to the first electrodes; the pixel defining layer is formed between the isolation structure and the substrate, and the pixel defining layer has a plurality of pixel openings respectively corresponding to the isolation openings; the first light-transmitting and shielding units are formed between the pixel defining layer and the substrate and correspond to at least some of the light-transmitting openings, and the orthogonal projections of the first light-transmitting and shielding units on the substrate at least partially overlap with the orthogonal projections of the corresponding light-transmitting openings; and via holes are formed in the pixel defining layer, and the first light-transmitting and shielding units are connected to the isolation structure through the via holes; sequentially depositing a light-emitting functional material layer and a conductive material layer, wherein the light-emitting functional material layer and the conductive material layer both cover the isolation structure, the isolation opening and the light-transmitting opening; forming a first encapsulation material layer on a side of the conductive material layer facing away from the substrate; performing a patterning process on the light-emitting functional material layer, the conductive material layer and the first sealing material layer to remove the light-emitting functional material layer, the conductive material layer and the first sealing material layer corresponding to at least some of the light-transmitting openings and some of the isolating openings, wherein the remaining light-emitting functional material layer forms a light-emitting functional layer, the remaining conductive material layer forms a second electrode, the remaining first sealing material layer forms a sealing unit, and the light-emitting functional layer and the second electrode, together with the first electrode corresponding to the existing isolating opening, constitute a light-emitting element; The method includes repeating the process of manufacturing a light-emitting functional layer, a second electrode, and a sealing unit in the isolation openings where no light-emitting functional layer is formed until a light-emitting element and a sealing unit are formed in each isolation opening, wherein the light-emitting element constitutes a display functional layer and the sealing unit constitutes a first sealing layer.

[0039] In one embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the first electrode includes a light-shielding sub-electrode and a light-transmitting sub-electrode stacked on top of each other; The steps of providing a substrate and forming a pixel defining layer, an isolation structure, a plurality of first light-transmitting and shielding units, and a plurality of first electrodes on the substrate include: depositing a light-shielding conductive material layer on a substrate and performing a patterning process thereon to form a plurality of light-shielding sub-electrodes; depositing a light-transmitting conductive material layer and performing a patterning process thereon to form a plurality of light-transmitting sub-electrodes and a plurality of first light-transmitting shielding units; The light-transmitting sub-electrodes correspond one-to-one to the light-shielding sub-electrodes and are located on the side of the corresponding light-shielding sub-electrode facing away from the substrate.

[0040] In one embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the light-transmitting opening includes a first type of light-transmitting opening and a second type of light-transmitting opening, the first light-transmitting shielding unit corresponds to the first type of light-transmitting opening; The manufacturing method further includes the step of removing a portion of the conductive material layer covering the first type of light-transmitting opening and retaining a portion of the conductive material layer covering the second type of light-transmitting opening to form a second light-transmitting shielding unit when performing a patterning process on the conductive material layer; The second light-transmitting-shielding unit is connected to the sidewall of the isolation structure, and the first light-transmitting-shielding unit and the second light-transmitting-shielding unit form a light-transmitting-shielding layer. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0041] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic planar structure diagram of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing a display substrate of the display panel. [Figure 2] 2 is an enlarged view of an S1 region in one design of the display panel shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line M1-N1 of one design of the display panel shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the display panel shown in FIG. 2 taken along line M2-N2. [Figure 5A] 2 is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of a touch electrode in a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, where an S2 area corresponds to an S1 area in FIG. 1; [Figure 5B] 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line M3-N3 of the touch electrode shown in FIG. 5A. [Figure 6A] 2 is a schematic diagram of a planar structure of a touch electrode in a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, where an S3 area corresponds to an S1 area in FIG. 1; [Figure 6B] 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along line M4-N4 of the touch electrode shown in FIG. 6A. FIG. [Figure 7A] 3 is an enlarged view of the S1 region in another design of the display panel shown in FIG. 1, showing a different pixel arrangement to that of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a planar structural schematic diagram of one design of the touch structure in FIG. 7A. [Figure 8A] 3 is an enlarged view of the S1 region in another design of the display panel shown in FIG. 1, showing a different pixel arrangement to that of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 8B] 8B is a planar structural schematic diagram of one design of the touch structure in FIG. 8A, which shows a touch structure different from the touch structures shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. FIG. [Figure 9] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line M1-N1 of another design of the display panel shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship of some structures in a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11A] 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line M5-N5 in one design of the display panel shown in FIG. [Figure 11B] 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line M5-N5 in another design of the display panel shown in FIG. 10. FIG. [Figure 12] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line M1-N1 of another design of the display panel shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 13] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line M1-N1 of another design of the display panel shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 14] 1 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15A] 1A to 1C are process diagrams of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15B] 1A to 1C are process diagrams of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15C]1A to 1C are process diagrams of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15D] 1A to 1C are process diagrams of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15E] 1A to 1C are process diagrams of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15F] 1A to 1C are process diagrams of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15G] 1A to 1C are process diagrams of a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] Hereinafter, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this specification will be described clearly and completely with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of this specification. Needless to say, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of this specification, and are not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this specification, all other embodiments that can be obtained by those skilled in the art without any creative work also fall within the scope of protection of this specification.

[0043] In display products, several functional layers in light-emitting elements are formed by vapor deposition. However, each light-emitting element has multiple types of functional layers. Because the materials of several functional layers (e.g., light-emitting layers) in light-emitting elements that emit different types of light are different, multiple alignments are required when evaporating these functional layers using a mask plate (e.g., a high-definition mask plate). To address the problem of misalignment due to alignment accuracy errors, sufficient space (a safety margin related to alignment errors) must be provided between different light-emitting elements to ensure that the position of the actual light-emitting area of the light-emitting element has a predetermined overlap rate with the designed position (design area). This corresponds to compressing the designed area of the light-emitting area of the light-emitting element. This not only limits the light-emitting area of the light-emitting element, but also prevents the array density of light-emitting elements from being increased, making it difficult to further improve the pixel density (PPI) of the display panel.

[0044] In the present disclosure, isolation structures are installed in the gaps between light-emitting elements (light-emitting units, as described below) to isolate the functional layers of adjacent light-emitting elements. This allows the functional layer deposition process to be performed entirely over the display panel, eliminating the need to fabricate the functional layers of each light-emitting element separately using a mask plate. Because this process eliminates the need to consider alignment accuracy during deposition, it is possible to design the gaps between light-emitting units to be smaller, thereby increasing PPI (see the related explanation in the examples associated with Figures 15A to 15G below for the principle).

[0045] Patents PCT / CN2023 / 134518, CN202310759370.2, CN202310740412.8, CN202310707209.0, and CN202311346196.5 disclose related technical solutions for isolation structures, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for reference purposes.

[0046] In some applications, display panels are required to have functions such as see-through display and under-screen recognition (fingerprint recognition, under-screen camera) according to application needs. To this end, a transparent area is defined on the display panel, and transparent holes are installed in the gaps between the sub-pixels of the transparent area to achieve light transmission. However, in the area where the transparent holes are located, the original light-shielding conductive structure of the display panel is removed due to the requirement of light transmittance. This eliminates the conductive structure in this area, causing signal interference and display malfunction.

[0047] At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display panel and a display device to solve at least the above technical problems. The display panel includes a substrate, a display function layer, an isolation structure, a pixel defining layer, and a light-transmitting / shielding layer disposed on the substrate. The display function layer includes a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the substrate. The isolation structure is disposed on the substrate and defines a plurality of light-transmitting openings and a plurality of isolation openings. The pixel defining layer is disposed between the isolation structure and the substrate and includes a plurality of pixel openings that correspond one-to-one to the isolation openings, the isolation openings and the pixel openings together limit the positions of the light-emitting elements. The light-transmitting / shielding layer includes a plurality of first light-transmitting / shielding units disposed between the pixel defining layer and the substrate, the first light-transmitting / shielding units corresponding to at least some of the light-transmitting openings, and orthogonal projections of the first light-transmitting / shielding units at least partially overlap with orthogonal projections of the corresponding light-transmitting openings on the substrate. Via holes are disposed in the pixel defining layer, and the first light-transmitting / shielding units are connected to the isolation structure through the via holes. In the display panel, a light-transmitting / shielding layer is provided to shield the light-transmitting opening while ensuring the light transmittance of the light-transmitting opening, thereby avoiding signal interference in the light-transmitting opening.

[0048] For example, in some scenarios, a display panel needs to have touch functionality as well as functions such as transparent display and under-screen recognition (fingerprint recognition, under-screen camera). To achieve this, a transparent area is defined in the display panel, and transparent holes are installed in the gaps between the sub-pixels in the transparent area to achieve light transmission. However, in the area where the transparent holes are located, signal interference may occur between the conductive structure for realizing the touch functionality (e.g., the touch electrode described below) and the underlying driving circuit (e.g., the pixel driving circuit on the substrate described below), which may cause display malfunction.

[0049] The structure of a display panel according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these drawings, a spatial Cartesian coordinate system is constructed based on the substrate (or display substrate) of the display panel to intuitively represent the positional relationship of each element in the display panel. In the spatial Cartesian coordinate system, the X-axis and Y-axis are parallel to the plane on which the substrate is located, and the Z-axis is perpendicular to the plane on which the substrate is located.

[0050] 1 to 4, a display panel 10 includes a display area 11 and a non-display area 12 surrounding the display area 11. The display area 11 includes a first area 13, in which sub-pixels emitting light of different colors, such as R, G, and B, are arranged. A light-transmitting opening 202 is provided in the first area 13, and the provision of the light-transmitting opening 202 allows the first area 13 to have a certain degree of light transmittance for use in under-screen recognition, an under-screen camera, or a transparent display. Note that in some embodiments of the present disclosure, some wiring in the non-display area 12 may be arranged within the display area 11, thereby allowing the non-display area 12 to be designed as a one-sided frame.

[0051] The physical structure of the display panel 10 includes a substrate 100 , a display function layer disposed on the substrate 100 , a touch structure 20 , a light-transmitting shielding layer 30 and a pixel defining layer 213 .

[0052] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a circuit structure is provided on the substrate and is used to drive functional components for display or other functions (e.g., fingerprint recognition). These functional structures may be designed according to the application needs of the display panel to be actually produced and are not limited herein. Accordingly, the specific design and type of the circuit structure on the substrate are also not limited. For example, in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate 100 includes a base and a driving circuit layer located on the base. The driving circuit layer includes multiple pixel driving circuits located in the display area, and the display function layer is located on the driving circuit layer. For example, the pixel driving circuit may include multiple transistors (TFTs), capacitors, etc., and may be formed in various forms, such as 2T1C (i.e., two transistors (TFTs) and one capacitor (C)), 3T1C, or 7T1C. The pixel driving circuit is connected to the light-emitting element 220 and controls the on / off state and light emission brightness of the light-emitting element 220.

[0053] For example, the display function layer includes a plurality of light-emitting elements 220 arranged on the substrate 100, and the light-emitting elements 220 are the actual light-emitting structures of the R, G, and B sub-pixels.

[0054] For example, the isolation structure 210 is positioned on the substrate 100 and defines a light-transmitting opening 202 and a plurality of isolation openings 201. The light-emitting elements 220 are each positioned within the isolation opening 201. The light-transmitting openings 202 are arranged in the first region 13 and are located between the light-emitting elements 220, i.e., the light-transmitting openings 202 are provided to transmit light between the light-emitting elements 220. The application of the isolation structure 210 eliminates the need for a mask plate in the manufacturing process of the light-emitting elements 220, eliminating the need to consider alignment accuracy issues during the manufacturing process. This is advantageous for reducing the gap size between the light-emitting elements 220 and improving the pixel PPI of the display panel 10 (see the related explanations in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 15A to 15G for this principle). Furthermore, by providing the light-transmitting openings 202 in the isolation structure 210 in the first region 13, the regions of the display panel 10 where the light-transmitting openings 202 are provided can be made light-transmitting. This allows the first region 13 of the display panel 10 to realize a see-through display or an underscreen recognition function, such as fingerprint recognition, an underscreen camera, etc.

[0055] For example, the touch structure 20 may be located on the side of the display function layer facing away from the substrate 100 , and the touch structure 20 may include a touch electrode 400 .

[0056] For example, the light-transmitting shielding layer 30 is located between the touch structure 20 and the substrate 100, and the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting opening 202 on the substrate 100 and the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting shielding layer 30 at least partially overlap.

[0057] For example, the material of the light-transmitting shielding layer 30 is a transparent conductive material. For example, the transparent conductive material may be ITO (indium tin oxide), IGO (indium gallium oxide), IZO (indium zinc oxide), etc. Alternatively, the transparent conductive material may be a thin metal or metal alloy. Note that metal materials such as silver and aluminum can have transparency properties because they can transmit visible light when they are very thin, for example, less than 100 nanometers or 50 nanometers.

[0058] The pixel definition layer 213 is located between the isolation structure 210 and the substrate 100, and includes a plurality of pixel openings 203 that correspond one-to-one to the isolation openings 201. The pixel openings 203 communicate with the corresponding isolation openings 201, so that the isolation openings 201 and the pixel openings 203 together define the position of the light-emitting element 220.

[0059] 3 and 4 , in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting opening 202 on the substrate 100 is located within the orthogonal projection of the first light-transmitting shielding unit 31 of the light-transmitting shielding layer 30. This can further improve the shielding effect of the light-transmitting shielding layer 30 on the driving signals between the touch electrode 400 and the driving circuit layer.

[0060] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the specific structure of the touch electrode is not limited and can be designed according to the actual process needs. Hereinafter, different designs of the touch electrode will be described in different embodiments, and the details are as follows:

[0061] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B , the touch electrode 400 includes a plurality of parallel first electrode stripes 410 and a plurality of parallel second electrode stripes 420, the first electrode stripes 410 and the second electrode stripes 420 are spaced apart from each other and intersect with each other to form touch units at the intersections, and the first electrode stripes 410 and the second electrode stripes 420 are arranged as a grid electrode.

[0062] 5A and 5B, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first electrode stripes 410 are located between the second electrode stripes 420 and the isolation structures 210. Macroscopically, the area where the first electrode stripes 410 and the second electrode stripes 420 intersect and overlap is the area where the touch unit is located, and both the first electrode stripes 410 and the second electrode stripes 420 are transparent in the overlapping area. The first electrode stripes 410 and the second electrode stripes 420 may be separated by an insulating layer 430.

[0063] For example, in some other embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , a first electrode stripe 410 includes a plurality of first electrode blocks 411 and a plurality of first connecting portions 412 that are spaced apart from each other, and the plurality of first electrode blocks 411 of the same first electrode stripe 410 are connected by the first connecting portions 412. A second electrode stripe 420 includes a plurality of second electrode blocks 421 and a plurality of second connecting portions 422, and the plurality of second electrode blocks 421 of the same second electrode stripe 420 are connected by the second connecting portions 422. The first connecting portions 412 and the second connecting portions 422 intersect and are spaced apart from each other. The first electrode blocks 411, the first connecting portions 412, and the second electrode stripes 420 are in the same layer. The second connecting portions 422 are located between the first connecting portions 412 and the isolation structure 210 or on the side of the first connecting portions 412 facing away from the isolation structure 210. In this design, the light transmittance of the touch electrode 400 is high, and the alignment precision of the lattice holes with the light-transmitting openings 201 and the isolating openings 202 is high, thereby improving the light transmittance of the first region 13. In this design, the main bodies of the first electrode stripes 410 and the second electrode stripes 420 are disposed on the same layer, eliminating the need to consider the alignment issue of the lattice holes between them, which is advantageous to improving the light transmittance of the touch electrode 400. For example, the second connection portion 422 and the first connection portion 412 may be separated by an insulating layer 430.

[0064] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the specific shape of the grid-shaped touch electrode 400 may be designed according to the pixel array. For example, in one pixel array, as shown in FIG. 2, the subpixels may be arranged in multiple rows and columns, with the R, G, and B subpixels arranged alternately in each row. For example, in another pixel array, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the pixel array structure includes a plurality of first subpixels R, a plurality of second subpixels G, and a plurality of third subpixels B, where the wavelengths of the emitted light from the first subpixels R, the second subpixels G, and the third subpixels B decrease sequentially, and the first subpixels R, the second subpixels G, and the third subpixels B are arranged in multiple rows and columns. The first subpixels R and the third subpixels B are arranged in the same row and column, and the first subpixels R and the third subpixels B are arranged alternately in the row and column where the first subpixel R is arranged. 7A and 7B , the first subpixel R has a circular outline, the second subpixel G has a circular outline, and the third subpixel B has a semicircular outline. The first subpixel R has a first axis of symmetry passing through the two semicircular edges, and the second subpixel G has a second axis of symmetry passing through the two semicircular edges. The first axis of symmetry is parallel to the extension direction of the column in which the first subpixel R is located, the second axis of symmetry intersects the extension directions of the rows and columns, and the second axis of symmetry of the second subpixel G is located in an adjacent column and passes through the centroid of two adjacent third subpixels B. In the same column, the second subpixels G are axially symmetric with the adjacent second subpixels G, and the direction of the symmetry axis is parallel to the row direction.

[0065] For example, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the width of the line segments 401 of the grid lines at each location on the touch electrode 400 is the same, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B. Or, in some other embodiments, the edges of the line segments 401 of the grid lines of the touch electrode 400 are conformal in shape to the adjacent isolated openings 201 and transparent openings 202, as shown in Figures 8A and 8B. This allows the maximum viewing angles (blocked by the grid lines) of the light-emitting elements in different directions to be approximately equal, and reduces color shift.

[0066] 3 , the light-emitting element 220 includes a first electrode 221, a light-emitting functional layer 223, and a second electrode 222 sequentially stacked on the substrate 100. The light-emitting functional layer 223 and the second electrode 222 are located in the corresponding isolation openings 201 and pixel openings 203, and the first electrode 221 is located between the pixel defining layer 213 and the substrate 100.

[0067] For example, the first electrode 221 may be an anode and the second electrode 222 may be a cathode.

[0068] For example, the light-emitting functional layer 223 may include a first common layer 2231, a light-emitting layer 2232, and a second common layer 2233, which may be sequentially stacked on the first electrode 221. The first common layer 2231 may include a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron blocking layer, etc. The second common layer 2232 may include an electron injection layer, an electron transport layer, a hole blocking layer, etc. By providing the isolation structure 210, the first common layers 221 (which are the main layers that cause current crosstalk) of the respective light-emitting elements 220 need to be electrically isolated from each other.

[0069] 9, at least a portion of the first electrode 221 is in the same layer and made of the same material as the first light-transmitting and shielding unit 31. In this way, the first light-transmitting and shielding unit 31 can be manufactured synchronously during the manufacturing process of the first electrode 221, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the light-transmitting and shielding layer 30 and controlling the manufacturing cost of the display panel.

[0070] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 9 , the first electrode 221 includes a light-shielding sub-electrode 2211 and a light-transmitting sub-electrode 2212 stacked on top of each other, and the first light-transmitting shielding unit 31 and the light-transmitting sub-electrode 2212 are in the same layer and made of the same material.

[0071] 9, the light-shielding sub-electrode 2211 is located between the light-transmitting sub-electrode 2212 and the substrate 100. For example, the light-transmitting sub-electrode 2212 may be made of a high work function material such as ITO and may be employed as the anode of the light-emitting element.

[0072] 9 and 10 , the substrate 100 includes a plurality of pixel driving circuits respectively corresponding to the light-emitting elements, and the pixel driving circuits are superimposed and bonded to the first electrodes 221 of the corresponding light-emitting elements (the portions marked with reference numerals 221a). For example, the pixel driving circuits may include a plurality of transistors TFTs, capacitors, etc., and may be formed in a number of configurations, such as 2T1C (i.e., two transistors (TFTs) and one capacitor (C)), 3T1C, or 7T1C. The pixel driving circuits are connected to the light-emitting elements 220 and control the on / off state and light emission brightness of the light-emitting elements 220.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the light-transmitting openings 202 have a one-to-one correspondence with the first light-transmitting-shielding units 31. On the substrate 100, the orthogonal projection of the position where the pixel driving circuit and the first electrode 221 are overlapped and bonded is located outside the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting openings 202, i.e., the arrangement of the light-transmitting openings 202 avoids the position where the pixel driving circuit and the first electrode 221 are overlapped and bonded. This ensures that the area of the display panel corresponding to the light-transmitting openings 202 has high light transmittance, and the light-transmitting-shielding layer 30 can be entirely composed of the first light-transmitting-shielding units 31, i.e., the entire light-transmitting-shielding layer 30 can be synchronously manufactured during the manufacturing process of the first electrode 221.

[0074] 10 and 11A , the light-transmitting openings 202 are divided into a first type of light-transmitting opening 202a and a second type of light-transmitting opening 202b, and the orthogonal projection of the position where the pixel driving circuit and the first electrode 221 are overlapped and bonded on the substrate 100 is outside the orthogonal projection of the first type of light-transmitting opening and inside the orthogonal projection of the second type of light-transmitting opening. The light-transmitting and shielding layer 30 further includes a plurality of second light-transmitting and shielding units 32, which are connected to the isolation structure 210, and the first light-transmitting and shielding units 31 correspond to the first type of light-transmitting opening 202a and the second light-transmitting and shielding units 32 correspond to the second type of light-transmitting opening 202b, and are located on the side of the pixel defining layer 213 facing away from the substrate 100. This prevents the second light-transmitting and shielding units 32 from occupying the space at the overlapping and bonding position.

[0075] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, in the substrate 100, the orthogonal projection of the second type of light-transmitting opening 202b is located within the orthogonal projection of the corresponding second light-transmitting shielding unit 32.

[0076] 10 and 11A , the second light-transmitting-shielding unit 32 is in the same layer as the second electrode 222 and is made of the same material, thereby allowing light to pass through the second light-transmitting-shielding unit 32. This allows the second light-transmitting-shielding unit 32 to be manufactured synchronously with the manufacturing process of the second electrode 222, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the second light-transmitting-shielding unit 32. That is, the entire light-transmitting-shielding layer 30 can be manufactured synchronously with the manufacturing process of the first electrode and the second electrode 222, thereby preventing the manufacturing of the light-transmitting-shielding layer 30 from increasing the manufacturing process of the display panel, thereby controlling the manufacturing cost of the display panel.

[0077] For example, the light transmittance of the first light-transmitting and shielding unit 31 is higher than the light transmittance of the second light-transmitting and shielding unit 32 .

[0078] 9 , when the first electrode 221 includes a light-shielding sub-electrode 2211 and a light-transmitting sub-electrode 2212 stacked on top of each other, the orthogonal projection of the light-shielding sub-electrode 2211 and the light-transmitting sub-electrode 2212 overlap on the substrate 100, and the first electrode 221 is connected to the pixel driving circuit via the light-shielding sub-electrode 2211 at the overlap junction. The light-shielding sub-electrode 2211 may be a metal layer, while the light-transmitting sub-electrode 2212 must include an oxide material, such as indium tin oxide, to ensure transparency and a high work function. Therefore, the conductivity of the light-shielding sub-electrode 2211 is typically higher than that of the light-transmitting sub-electrode 2212, thereby reducing the impedance of the overlap junction.

[0079] 10 and 11B , when the first electrode 221 includes a light-shielding sub-electrode 2211 and a light-transmitting sub-electrode 2212 stacked on top of each other, the light-shielding sub-electrode 2211 is orthogonally projected on the substrate 100 within the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting sub-electrode 2212 but outside the orthogonal projection of the second-type light-transmitting opening 202b, and a portion of the light-transmitting sub-electrode 2212 is orthogonally projected on the substrate 100 within the orthogonal projection of the second-type light-transmitting opening 202b, and is superimposed and bonded to the pixel driving circuit. This makes the portion of the first electrode 221 that overlaps with the second-type light-transmitting opening 202b transparent, thereby further improving the light transmittance of the second-type light-transmitting opening 202b.

[0080] 2 and 3 , in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a gap between adjacent light-emitting elements 220 (e.g., corresponding subpixels R and G) is a first gap, a gap between the light-emitting element 220 and its adjacent light-transmitting opening 202 is a second gap, and the touch electrode 400 is designed as a grid-like electrode, and orthogonal projections of grid lines of the grid-like electrode on the substrate 100 may be located within the orthogonal projections of the first gap and the second gap. That is, in the touch electrode 400, orthogonal projections of some grid lines 21 on the display substrate 100 are located within the gaps of the subpixels, and orthogonal projections of other grid lines 21 on the substrate 100 are located within the orthogonal projections of the gaps between the subpixels and the light-transmitting openings 202 on the substrate 100. This design can increase the light transmittance of the touch electrode 400 and enable the use of a highly conductive material, such as a metal, for the material of the touch electrode 400.

[0081] 11A , in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the isolation structure 210 includes a support portion 211 and a crown portion 212 sequentially stacked on the substrate 100, and on the side of the isolation structure 210 facing the light-transmitting opening 202, the orthogonal projection of the edge of the support portion 211 is located within the orthogonal projection of the edge of the crown portion 212 on the substrate 100, i.e., the edge of the crown portion 212 extends beyond the edge of the support portion 211. Thus, when depositing layers of the light-emitting element (e.g., the light-emitting functional layer and the second electrode described below), the crown portion 212 limits the deposition range of these layers, ensuring that some layers (e.g., the light-emitting functional layer described below) are separated by the isolation structure 210 and that other layers (e.g., the second electrode described below) are connected to the isolation structure 210.

[0082] For example, the support 211 has a conductive structure. The light-emitting functional layer 223 and the second electrode 222 of the light-emitting element 220 are located in the corresponding isolation opening 201. The second electrode 222 of the light-emitting element 220 is located in the corresponding isolation opening 201 and is connected to the support 211. As a result, the second electrodes 230 of the light-emitting elements 220 are connected via the support 211 to form a common electrode, and the thickness of the support 211 is not limited, which can reduce the impedance of the common electrode.

[0083] For example, the light-transmitting shielding layer 30 is connected to the support portion 211. This not only prevents the common electrode from being cut at the position of the light-transmitting opening 202, but also further reduces the impedance of the common electrode.

[0084] The material of the second electrode 222 may be a metal material. The thinner the second electrode 222, the higher the light transmittance, but the higher the electrical resistivity. If the thickness of the second electrode 222 is too small, the voltage drop of the second electrode 222 (in this case, the common electrode) will be too large if the isolation structure 210 is not installed. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second electrode 222 is connected to the conductive support 211, so the thickness restriction of the second electrode 222 is lifted, and the second electrode 222 can have a smaller thickness and a higher light transmittance.

[0085] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the support portion 211 may be a metal conductive structure. Metallic materials have high electrical conductivity, which can reduce the voltage drop when driving the cathode. Meanwhile, metal materials can transmit light only when they are extremely thin (e.g., on the order of several tens of nanometers). Furthermore, since the isolation structure 210 requires a certain thickness to shield the light-emitting functional layer 223 (the first common layer 2231 included therein), the support portion 211 of the isolation structure 220 is almost opaque. Therefore, the isolation structure 210 cannot transmit light unless the light-transmitting opening 202 is provided.

[0086] 12 , the isolation structure 210 further includes an auxiliary support 214, which is a conductive structure and is located on the side of the support 211 facing away from the crown 212. On the substrate 100, the orthogonal projection of the auxiliary support 214 is located within the orthogonal projection of the crown 212. On the substrate 100, the orthogonal projection of the support 211 is located within the orthogonal projection of the auxiliary support 214. The portion of the surface of the auxiliary support 214 facing away from the substrate 100 that is not covered by the support 211 can be used to contact the second electrode 222, and the deposition thickness of the second electrode 222 on the surface of the auxiliary support 214 is greater than the deposition thickness on the sidewall of the support 211. This increases the contact area and bonding strength between the auxiliary support 214 and the second electrode 222, thereby reducing the impedance between the second electrode 222 and the isolation structure 210.

[0087] For example, the crown portion 212, the support portion 211, and the auxiliary support portion 214 may be made of titanium, aluminum, and molybdenum, respectively. Because the corrosion resistance of titanium, molybdenum, and aluminum decreases sequentially, the isolation structure 210 shown in FIG. 10 can be formed.

[0088] For example, when the auxiliary support 214 is installed, in the light-transmitting opening, the light-transmitting shielding layer 30 is connected to the auxiliary support 214 through a through-hole in the pixel defining layer 213, so as to further reduce the impedance between the isolation structure 210 and the light-transmitting shielding layer 30.

[0089] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Fig. 12, an encapsulating layer 300 may be disposed between the display function layer and the touch structure 20. For example, the encapsulating layer 300 includes a first encapsulating layer 310, which includes a plurality of encapsulating units corresponding to the isolation openings 201 one-to-one, and each encapsulating unit covers the corresponding isolation opening 201. The light-emitting elements 220 are batch-manufactured according to different light-emitting colors, and the encapsulating units are used to protect the light-emitting elements 220 during the manufacturing process, so the encapsulating units are also batch-manufactured.

[0090] For example, the encapsulation layer 300 may further include a second encapsulation layer 320 and a third encapsulation layer 330 sequentially stacked on the first encapsulation layer 310, with the second encapsulation layer 320 located between the first encapsulation layer 310 and the third encapsulation layer 330. For example, the first encapsulation layer 310 and the third encapsulation layer 330 are inorganic layers, which are highly dense and block water and oxygen. The second encapsulation layer 320 is an organic layer and is used as a planarization layer. Its thickness contributes to planarizing the surface of the display panel, thereby contributing to the fabrication of structures such as the touch electrode 400 on the encapsulation layer 300.

[0091] The first encapsulating layer 310 may be used to protect the light emitting device 220 during the manufacturing process of the light emitting device 220. That is, the first encapsulating layer 310 is formed synchronously with the manufacturing process of the light emitting device 220. For more details, please refer to the related descriptions in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 15A to 15E, and the description will be omitted here.

[0092] For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the display panel may further include structures such as an optical sheet 500 and a cover plate 600, which may be located on the side opposite to the display function layer of the touch structure 20.

[0093] At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, which includes the following steps S110 to S150, as shown in FIG.

[0094] In S110, a substrate is provided, and a pixel defining layer, an isolation structure, a plurality of first light-transmitting and shielding units, and a plurality of first electrodes are formed on the substrate, the isolation structure has a plurality of light-transmitting openings and a plurality of isolation openings respectively corresponding to the first electrodes, the pixel defining layer is formed between the isolation structure and the substrate, the pixel defining layer has a plurality of pixel openings corresponding one-to-one to the isolation openings, the first light-transmitting and shielding units are formed between the pixel defining layer and the substrate and correspond to at least some of the light-transmitting openings, the orthogonal projections of the first light-transmitting and shielding units on the substrate at least partially overlap with the orthogonal projections of the corresponding light-transmitting openings, and via holes are formed in the pixel defining layer, and the first light-transmitting and shielding units are connected to the isolation structure through the via holes.

[0095] In S120, a light-emitting functional material layer and a conductive material layer are sequentially deposited, and the light-emitting functional material layer and the conductive material layer both cover the isolation structure, the isolation opening and the light-transmitting opening.

[0096] In S130, a first encapsulating material layer is formed on the conductive material layer on the side facing away from the substrate.

[0097] In S140, the light-emitting functional material layer, the conductive material layer, and the first encapsulating material layer are patterned to remove the light-emitting functional material layer, the conductive material layer, and the first encapsulating material layer corresponding to at least some of the light-transmitting openings and some of the isolating openings, so that the remaining light-emitting functional material layer forms the light-emitting functional layer, the remaining conductive material layer forms the second electrode, and the remaining first encapsulating material layer forms the encapsulating unit, and the light-emitting functional layer and the second electrode together with the first electrode corresponding to the existing isolating openings form a light-emitting element.

[0098] In step S150, the process of manufacturing the light-emitting functional layer, the second electrode, and the sealing unit is repeated in the isolation openings where the light-emitting functional layer is not formed until the light-emitting element and the sealing unit are formed in each isolation opening. The light-emitting element constitutes the display functional layer, and the sealing unit constitutes the first sealing layer.

[0099] The display panel obtained in steps S110 to S150 may be as shown in Figure 3 or 4. For specific process steps, please refer to the related description in the embodiment shown in Figures 15A to 15G below, and the description will be omitted here.

[0100] For example, in one embodiment, the first electrode includes a light-shielding sub-electrode and a light-transmitting sub-electrode stacked together. In this case, the step of providing a substrate and forming a pixel defining layer, an isolation structure, a plurality of first light-transmitting-shielding units, and a plurality of first electrodes on the substrate (i.e., step S110) includes the steps of depositing a light-shielding conductive material layer on the substrate and patterning it to form a plurality of light-transmitting sub-electrodes, and depositing a light-transmitting conductive material layer and patterning it to form a plurality of light-transmitting sub-electrodes and a plurality of first light-transmitting-shielding units. The light-transmitting sub-electrodes correspond one-to-one to the light-shielding sub-electrodes and are located on the side of the corresponding light-transmitting sub-electrode facing away from the substrate. The display panel obtained by this manufacturing method may refer to the related embodiments shown in Figures 3 and 4 above, and further description will be omitted here.

[0101] For example, in another embodiment, the light-transmitting openings are classified into first-type light-transmitting openings and second-type light-transmitting openings, and the first light-transmitting-shielding units correspond to the first-type light-transmitting openings. The manufacturing method further includes, when patterning the conductive material layer, removing portions of the conductive material layer covering the first-type light-transmitting openings and retaining portions covering the second-type light-transmitting openings to form second light-transmitting-shielding units. The second light-transmitting-shielding units are connected to sidewalls of the isolation structures, and the first light-transmitting-shielding units and the second light-transmitting-shielding units constitute a light-transmitting-shielding layer. For the display panel obtained by this manufacturing method, please refer to the related embodiment shown in FIG. 10 above, and further description will be omitted here.

[0102] Hereinafter, the manufacturing process of the display panel shown in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 15A to 15G, and the principle by which the isolation structure increases the pixel array density PPI will be intuitively demonstrated.

[0103] 15A, a substrate 100 is provided, and first electrodes 221 arranged in an array are formed on the substrate 100 to form the first light-transmitting shielding units 31 (or the entire light-transmitting shielding layer 30). Then, an insulating material film layer 213a (e.g., an inorganic material film layer) is deposited and patterned to form a plurality of through-holes 221a in the insulating material film layer 213a.

[0104] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the patterning process may be a photolithography patterning process, which may include, for example, applying a photoresist to the structural layer that needs to be patterned, exposing the photoresist using a mask plate, developing the exposed photoresist to obtain a photoresist pattern, etching the structural layer with the photoresist pattern (which may be wet etching or dry etching), and then selectively removing the photoresist pattern. Note that if the material of the structural layer (e.g., the photoresist pattern 700 described below) includes photoresist, the structural layer can be directly exposed to light using a mask plate to form a desired pattern.

[0105] As shown in FIG. 15B, a support portion 211 and a crown portion 212 are formed on an insulating material film layer 213a, in which a light-transmitting opening 202 and an isolating opening 201 are formed.

[0106] 15C, the insulating material film layer is patterned to form pixel definition layers 213 (having a grid-like planar shape), which include pixel openings 203 and cover the gaps between adjacent first electrodes, thereby forming the grid-like planar shape of the pixel definition layers 213.

[0107] 15D, a light-emitting functional layer and a second electrode are deposited on the substrate 100 to form light-emitting elements 220 in each of the isolation openings 201 of the isolation structures 210. Because no mask plate is used for the deposition in this process, the deposited material is deposited on the crown portion 212, as well as in the light-transmitting openings 202 and the isolation openings 201. For example, the deposited light-emitting functional layer can emit red light (R), that is, at this stage, light-emitting elements 220 that emit red light are formed in each of the light-transmitting openings 202 and the isolation openings 201 of the isolation structures 210.

[0108] 15E, a first encapsulating layer 310 is deposited to cover the light-emitting element 220. At this stage, the first encapsulating layer 310 covers the entire display area. After a photoresist is formed (for example, coated) on the first encapsulating layer 310, a patterning process is performed thereon to form a photoresist pattern 700. The photoresist pattern 700 covers only a portion of the isolation openings 201 of the isolation structure 210 (the isolation openings 201 where the light-emitting element R is located in the finished display panel).

[0109] As shown in FIG. 15F, the surface of the display panel is etched using the photoresist pattern 700 as a mask to remove the first sealing layer 310, the second electrode and the light-emitting functional layer that are not covered by the photoresist pattern 700, and then the remaining photoresist pattern 700 is removed.

[0110] As shown in FIG. 15G, the above steps are repeated to form light emitting elements 220 that emit green light (G) and blue light (not shown) in the other isolation openings 201, respectively.

[0111] 3, after all the light emitting elements 220 are manufactured, the second sealing layer 320 is formed on the first sealing layer 310. Then, the third sealing layer 330 is formed on the second sealing layer 320. Then, the touch electrode layer 400 is manufactured on the third sealing layer 330.

[0112] It should be noted that the manufacturing sequence of the light emitting device 220 emitting red light, green light, and blue light may be designed according to actual needs, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0113] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, some layers in the light-emitting functional layer, such as the light-emitting layer, can be manufactured by a non-deposition method, such as inkjet printing, and the method can be specifically selected depending on the material of these layers. For example, if these layers are made of polymer materials and deposition is not suitable, they can be manufactured by inkjet printing.

[0114] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, there is no restriction on the design area of the first region, and it can be designed according to the demands of the actual process and the application scene of the display panel.

[0115] For example, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the entire display area may be designed as the first area 13. With this design, the display panel can be used for scenes such as transparent display.

[0116] For example, in some other embodiments of the present disclosure, referring again to FIG. 1 , the display area further includes a second area (an area within the display area 11 other than the first area 13), the second area being located on at least one side of the first area 13, the first area 13 being a light-transmitting area, and the second area being a non-light-transmitting area. In this design, the display panel can be used for scenarios such as fingerprint recognition or an under-screen camera.

[0117] At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display panel. The display panel includes a substrate, a display functional layer disposed on the substrate, an isolation structure, and a light-transmitting / shielding layer. The display functional layer includes a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the substrate, each of which includes a first electrode, a light-emitting functional layer, and a second electrode sequentially stacked on the substrate. The isolation structure is disposed on the substrate and defines a plurality of light-transmitting openings and a plurality of isolation openings, the isolation openings positionally restricting the light-emitting elements, and the light-emitting functional layer and the second electrode are disposed within the corresponding isolation openings and pixel openings. The light-transmitting / shielding layer includes a plurality of first light-transmitting / shielding units, each of which corresponds to at least some of the light-transmitting openings, and orthogonal projections of the first light-transmitting / shielding units and the corresponding light-transmitting openings at least partially overlap on the substrate, and the first light-transmitting / shielding units are connected to the isolation structure. At least a portion of the first electrode is in the same layer as the first light-transmitting / shielding units and is made of the same material. For the specific structure of the display panel, the technical problems to be solved, the principles for solving the technical problems, and other possible design structures, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions in the above-mentioned embodiments, and further description will be omitted here.

[0118] At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display device, which may include the display panel of the above embodiment. Furthermore, when the first region is a recognition region, the display device may include a recognition element, and an orthogonal projection of the recognition element on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the first region.

[0119] For example, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the recognition element includes at least one fingerprint recognition sensor, which may be located on the side of the substrate facing away from the display function layer or may be located within the substrate.

[0120] For example, in some other embodiments of the present disclosure, the recognition element may be a camera, and the camera is located on the side of the substrate facing away from the display function layer.

[0121] For example, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device may be any product or component having a display function, such as a television, a digital camera, a mobile phone, a wristwatch, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, or a navigator.

[0122] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present specification, and does not limit the present specification. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present specification should be included in the protection scope of the present specification.

Claims

1. A display panel, a substrate, a display function layer, an isolation structure, a pixel defining layer, and a light-transmitting shielding layer; the display function layer includes a plurality of light-emitting elements located on the substrate; the isolation structure is located on the substrate and defines a plurality of light-transmitting openings and a plurality of isolation openings; the pixel definition layer is located between the isolation structure and the substrate and includes a plurality of pixel openings corresponding to the isolation openings one-to-one, the isolation openings and the pixel openings jointly positioning the light-emitting elements; the light-transmitting shielding layer includes a plurality of first light-transmitting shielding units located between the pixel defining layer and the substrate, the first light-transmitting shielding units corresponding to at least some of the light-transmitting openings, and orthogonal projections of the first light-transmitting shielding units on the substrate at least partially overlap with orthogonal projections of the corresponding light-transmitting openings; a via hole is provided in the pixel defining layer, and the first light-transmitting and shielding unit is connected to the isolation structure through the via hole; A display panel characterized by:

2. In the substrate, an orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting opening is located within an orthogonal projection of the corresponding first light-transmitting shielding unit; 2. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged parallel to each other.

3. the light-emitting element includes a first electrode, a light-emitting functional layer, and a second electrode sequentially stacked on the substrate, the light-emitting functional layer and the second electrode being located in the corresponding isolation opening and pixel opening, and the first electrode being located between the pixel defining layer and the substrate; At least a portion of the first electrode is in the same layer as the first light-transmitting shielding unit and is made of the same material as the first light-transmitting shielding unit.

3. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to each other.

4. the first electrode includes a light-shielding sub-electrode and a light-transmitting sub-electrode stacked on each other, the first light-transmitting and shielding unit being in the same layer as the light-transmitting sub-electrode and being made of the same material; the light-shielding sub-electrode is located between the light-transmitting sub-electrode and the substrate; 4. The display panel according to claim 3.

5. the substrate includes a plurality of pixel driving circuits respectively corresponding to the light-emitting elements, and the pixel driving circuits are superimposed and bonded to the first electrodes of the corresponding light-emitting elements; 4. The display panel according to claim 3.

6. the light-transmitting openings correspond one-to-one to the first light-transmitting and shielding units, and the orthogonal projection of the position where the pixel driving circuit and the first electrode are superimposed and bonded on the substrate is outside the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting openings; 6. The display panel according to claim 5.

7. the light-transmitting openings include a first type of light-transmitting opening and a second type of light-transmitting opening, and an orthogonal projection, on the substrate, of a position where the pixel driving circuit and the first electrode are superimposed and joined is located outside the orthogonal projection of the first type of light-transmitting opening on the substrate and is located within the orthogonal projection of the second type of light-transmitting opening on the substrate; the light-transmitting shielding layer further includes a plurality of second light-transmitting shielding units, the second light-transmitting shielding units are connected to the isolation structures, the first light-transmitting shielding units correspond to the first type of light-transmitting openings, and the second light-transmitting shielding units correspond to the second type of light-transmitting openings, and the second light-transmitting shielding units are located on a side of the pixel defining layer facing away from the substrate; In the substrate, the orthogonal projection of the second type light-transmitting opening is located within the orthogonal projection of the corresponding second light-transmitting shielding unit; the second light-transmitting shielding unit is in the same layer as the second electrode and is made of the same material; the first electrode includes a light-shielding sub-electrode and a light-transmitting sub-electrode stacked on each other, an orthogonal projection of the light-shielding sub-electrode on the substrate is located within an orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting sub-electrode and is located outside an orthogonal projection of the second-type light-transmitting opening, and the light-transmitting sub-electrode is superimposed and joined to the pixel driving circuit such that a part of its orthogonal projection on the substrate is located within an orthogonal projection of the second-type light-transmitting opening on the substrate; 6. The display panel according to claim 5.

8. further comprising a touch structure; the touch structure is located on a side of the display function layer facing away from the substrate and includes a touch electrode; a gap between adjacent light-emitting elements is a first gap, and a gap between the light-emitting element and the adjacent light-transmitting opening is a second gap; the touch electrode is a grid electrode, and on the substrate, an orthogonal projection of a grid line of the grid electrode is located within an orthogonal projection of the first gap and is located within an orthogonal projection of the second gap; 4. The display panel according to claim 3.

9. the isolation structure includes a support portion and a crown portion, the support portion being located between the crown portion and the pixel definition layer; the support is a conductive structure, and the second electrode is connected to the support; the light-transmitting shielding layer is connected to the support; the isolation structure further includes an auxiliary support portion that is a conductive structure and is located on a side of the support portion facing away from the crown portion, wherein an orthogonal projection of the auxiliary support portion on the substrate is located within an orthogonal projection of the crown portion, and an orthogonal projection of the support portion on the substrate is located within an orthogonal projection of the auxiliary support portion; The light-transmitting shielding layer is connected to the auxiliary support portion.

4. The display panel according to claim 3.

10. the display panel includes a display area, the display area includes a first area and a second area, the second area is located on at least one side of the first area, and the light-transmitting opening is located within the first area; 3. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to each other.

11. A display panel, The display device includes a substrate, a display function layer, an isolation structure, and a light-transmitting and light-shielding layer; the display function layer includes a plurality of light-emitting elements located on the substrate, and each of the light-emitting elements includes a first electrode, a light-emitting function layer, and a second electrode that are sequentially stacked on the substrate; the isolation structure is located on the substrate and defines a plurality of light-transmitting openings and a plurality of isolation openings, the isolation openings position the light-emitting elements, and the light-emitting functional layer and the second electrode are located in corresponding isolation openings; the light-transmitting shielding layer includes a plurality of first light-transmitting shielding units, each of which corresponds to at least a portion of the light-transmitting openings, and the orthogonal projections of the first light-transmitting shielding units on the substrate at least partially overlap with the orthogonal projections of the corresponding light-transmitting openings; and the first light-transmitting shielding units are connected to the isolation structure; At least a portion of the first electrode is in the same layer as the first light-transmitting shielding unit and is made of the same material as the first light-transmitting shielding unit. A display panel characterized by:

12. further comprising a pixel definition layer; the pixel definition layer is located between the isolation structure and the substrate, and includes a plurality of pixel openings corresponding to the isolation openings, the isolation openings and the pixel openings jointly position the light-emitting elements; a via hole is provided in the pixel definition layer, and the first light-transmitting and shielding unit is connected to the isolation structure through the via hole; the first electrode includes a light-shielding sub-electrode and a light-transmitting sub-electrode stacked on each other, the first light-transmitting and shielding unit being in the same layer as the light-transmitting sub-electrode and being made of the same material; In the substrate, an orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting opening is located within an orthogonal projection of the corresponding first light-transmitting shielding unit; 12. The display panel according to claim 11.

13. the substrate includes a plurality of pixel driving circuits respectively corresponding to the light-emitting elements, and the pixel driving circuits are superimposed and bonded to the first electrodes of the corresponding light-emitting elements; 13. The display panel according to claim 12.

14. the light-transmitting openings correspond one-to-one to the first light-transmitting and shielding units, and an orthogonal projection of a position where the pixel driving circuit and the first electrode are superimposed and bonded on the substrate is outside the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting openings; 14. The display panel according to claim 13.

15. the light-transmitting openings include a first type of light-transmitting opening and a second type of light-transmitting opening, and an orthogonal projection of a position on the substrate where the pixel driving circuit and the first electrode are superimposed and joined is located outside the orthogonal projection of the first type of light-transmitting opening and is located inside the orthogonal projection of the second type of light-transmitting opening; the light-transmitting shielding layer further includes a plurality of second light-transmitting shielding units, the second light-transmitting shielding units are connected to the isolation structure, the first light-transmitting shielding units correspond to the first type of light-transmitting openings, and the second light-transmitting shielding units correspond to the second type of light-transmitting openings, and the second light-transmitting shielding units are located on a side of the pixel defining layer facing away from the substrate; In the substrate, the orthogonal projection of the second type of light-transmitting opening is located within the orthogonal projection of the corresponding second light-transmitting shielding unit; the second light-transmitting shielding unit is in the same layer as the second electrode and is made of the same material; the first electrode includes a light-shielding sub-electrode and a light-transmitting sub-electrode stacked on each other, the orthogonal projection of the light-shielding sub-electrode on the substrate is located within the orthogonal projection of the light-transmitting sub-electrode and the orthogonal projection of the light-shielding sub-electrode is located outside the orthogonal projection of the second-type light-transmitting opening, and the light-transmitting sub-electrode is superimposed and bonded to the pixel driving circuit such that a part of the orthogonal projection on the substrate is located within the orthogonal projection of the second-type light-transmitting opening on the substrate; 14. The display panel according to claim 13.

16. A method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising: providing a substrate; and forming a pixel defining layer, an isolation structure, a plurality of first light-transmitting and shielding units, and a plurality of first electrodes on the substrate, wherein the isolation structure has a plurality of light-transmitting openings and a plurality of isolation openings respectively corresponding to the first electrodes; the pixel defining layer is formed between the isolation structure and the substrate, and the pixel defining layer has a plurality of pixel openings each corresponding to the isolation openings; the first light-transmitting and shielding units are formed between the pixel defining layer and the substrate and correspond to at least some of the light-transmitting openings, and the orthogonal projections of the first light-transmitting and shielding units on the substrate at least partially overlap with the orthogonal projections of the corresponding light-transmitting openings; and via holes are formed in the pixel defining layer, and the first light-transmitting and shielding units are connected to the isolation structure through the via holes; sequentially depositing a light-emitting functional material layer and a conductive material layer, wherein the light-emitting functional material layer and the conductive material layer both cover the isolation structure, the isolation opening and the light-transmitting opening; forming a first encapsulation material layer on a side of the conductive material layer facing away from the substrate; performing a patterning process on the light-emitting functional material layer, the conductive material layer and the first sealing material layer to remove the light-emitting functional material layer, the conductive material layer and the first sealing material layer corresponding to at least a part of the light-transmitting openings and a part of the isolating openings, wherein the remaining light-emitting functional material layer forms a light-emitting functional layer, the remaining conductive material layer forms a second electrode, the remaining first sealing material layer forms a sealing unit, and the light-emitting functional layer and the second electrode cooperate with the first electrode corresponding to the existing isolating opening to form a light-emitting element; repeating a process of manufacturing the light-emitting functional layer, the second electrode, and the sealing unit in the isolation opening where the light-emitting functional layer is not formed until the light-emitting element and the sealing unit are formed in each of the isolation openings, wherein the light-emitting element constitutes a display function layer and the sealing unit constitutes a first sealing layer; 10. A display panel manufacturing method comprising:

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