Display device

Abstract

To provide a support tool for supporting a flexible component.SOLUTION: A support tool of a flexible component can be folded without losing reliability of the flexible component. The support tool has an area in which two different hinges overlap, and can perform bending operation only in one direction from a state forming a plane in the area. Accordingly, even if unintended inverse bending stress is applied to the area, a flexible component or the support tool can be protected. The two hinges have a mechanism for calibrating positions mutually, and can perform stable bending operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an article, a method, or a manufacturing method. Alternatively, the present invention relates to a process, a machine, relating to the manufacture or composition of matter, especially One embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor device, a light-emitting device, a display device, an electronic device, a lighting device, or any of them. In particular, one aspect of the present invention relates to a method for supporting a flexible component, The present invention relates to a holder and a display device having a support for the flexible part.

[0002] In this specification and the like, a semiconductor device is a device that can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics. Transistors, semiconductor circuits, arithmetic units, memory devices, etc. are examples of semiconductor devices. Furthermore, a light-emitting device, a display device, a lighting device, and an electronic device each have a semiconductor device. There are cases where this happens. [Background technology]

[0003] Mobile phones, smartphones, tablet computers, laptop computers, etc. Electronic devices are sized appropriately for their functionality, ease of use, and portability. On the other hand, it is inconvenient to carry multiple electronic devices. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a tri-fold light-emitting panel. By using this light-emitting panel, the functions of multiple electronic devices can be integrated and This makes it possible to create electronic devices with variable noise. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-130320 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] A display panel formed on a flexible substrate can be folded to improve portability. On the other hand, bending the display panel, the housing, or the housing in a direction opposite to the design intent may cause damage to the display panel, the housing, or the housing. There is a risk of damaging the connecting hinges, so it is designed not to bend in the opposite direction easily. It is preferable that:

[0006] Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention aims to provide a support for supporting a flexible component. Or, it is one of the objectives to provide support for bending without impairing the reliability of the flexible parts. One of the objectives is to provide a holder for a flexible part. Another object is to provide a novel light-emitting device.

[0007] Another object is to provide a foldable display device that is highly portable. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a foldable display device with excellent display visibility. Another object is to provide a foldable display device that has a power-saving function. Another object is to provide a novel display device. One of the purposes is to provide a method for doing so.

[0008] Note that the description of these problems does not preclude the existence of other problems. It is not necessary to solve all of these problems. It is clear from the description of the specification, etc. that the problems other than those mentioned above cannot be extracted from the description of the specification, etc. It is possible to issue it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is a flexible display panel support or a tri-fold display panel with excellent portability. This relates to a folding display device of this type.

[0010] One aspect of the present invention is a device having a first housing, a second housing, a first joint, and a second joint. The first housing and the second housing are connected via a first joint and a second joint, and the first The first joint and the second joint have an overlapping area, and the first joint and the second joint each have The first joint has a movable portion, and the first joint has a plurality of first pillars, and the plurality of first pillars The first surfaces of the respective joints are connected to form a continuous surface, and the second joint is a hinge. The opening angle of the flexible part is approximately 180° at maximum.

[0011] One of the plurality of first columns has a second column having a major axis substantially perpendicular to the first surface. The hinge has a notch, and when the opening angle of the hinge is approximately 180°, the second columnar body A portion of the first electrode may be located in the cutout.

[0012] Alternatively, one of the plurality of first pillars may have a second pillar having a major axis substantially perpendicular to the first surface. One of the ends of the columnar body in the longitudinal direction is fixed, and the hinge has a shaft tube that is not fixed to the blade, and the second The other end of the columnar body in the longitudinal direction may be fixed to the barrel.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention is a device including a first housing, a second housing, a first joint, and a second joint. and each of the first housing and the second housing has a first surface and an opposite surface to the first surface. and a second surface located at the first joint and the second joint. The first joint and the second joint have an overlapping area, and the second joint is connected via the first joint. The first joint and the second joint each have a movable portion, and the first joint has a plurality of first columnar members. The first column has a substantially trapezoidal cross section perpendicular to the long axis thereof, and the first column has a substantially trapezoidal cross section. A first side including one leg, a second side including the other leg of a generally trapezoidal shape, and a generally trapezoidal bottom. and a third side surface including a first column and a second side surface including a first column. The first side surface and the second side surface of the other first columnar body are adjacent to each other, and the third side surfaces of the first columnar body and the second side surfaces of the other first columnar body are continuous with each other. The first and second blades are connected to each other so as to form a surface. The second joint connects the first and second blades. The angle that the first blade and the second blade can make is approximately 180° at most. The first joint and the second joint are respectively connected to the first surface of the first housing and the second housing. A flexible part support that can move the parts from the same orientation to an opposing orientation. be.

[0014] The third side surface of the first columnar body is continuous with the second surface of the first housing and the second surface of the second housing. The configuration can be such that:

[0015] The number of first columns is odd, and the first column located in the center has a third first column. A second pillar having a long axis substantially perpendicular to the side surface is fixed, and the first blade and the second blade are provided with Each of the first and second blades has a notch, and the angle formed by the first and second blades is approximately 180°. At this time, a part of the second column can be positioned in the notch.

[0016] Two connecting portions are provided between the first blade and the second blade, and the notch It can be provided between the knots.

[0017] Alternatively, the number of first columns is odd, and the first column located in the center has a first column. one end of the second columnar body in the long axis direction, the second columnar body having a long axis substantially perpendicular to the third side surface of the second columnar body, The hinge has a first shaft tube that is not fixed to the first blade and the second blade, and the length of the second pillar is The other axial end may be fixed to the first barrel.

[0018] A second barrel is fixed to the first blade, a third barrel is fixed to the second blade, and the first barrel The barrel can be disposed between the second barrel and the third barrel.

[0019] The first blade has an area overlapping with the first surface of the first housing, and the first blade and the first housing The first surfaces of the first and second housings are slidable relative to each other, and the second blade overlaps with the first surface of the second housing. The second wing and the first surface of the second housing have a sliding area, allowing the second wing and the first surface of the second housing to slide relative to each other.

[0020] The third housing further includes a third joint, and the third housing has a first surface and a surface opposite to the first surface. and a second surface located at the second housing, and the second housing and the third housing are connected via a third joint. The third joint has a movable portion, the third joint has a plurality of third columnar bodies, and the third columnar bodies The cross section perpendicular to the long axis of the third columnar body is substantially rectangular, and the third columnar body has a fourth side including one side of the substantially rectangular shape. a fifth side surface opposite to the fourth side surface; and a sixth side surface perpendicular to the fourth and fifth side surfaces. and a side surface, and in two adjacent third columns, the fourth side of one of the third columns The fifth side of the third pillar is adjacent to the first side, and the sixth side of each pillar is continuous to form a surface. The third joint is connected to each of the second housing and the third housing. The first surfaces of the two are moved from a state in which they are facing the same direction to a state in which their second surfaces are facing each other. The configuration may be such that

[0021] The sixth side surface of the third columnar body is continuous with the second surface of the second housing and the second surface of the third housing. The configuration can be such that:

[0022] A display device is constructed by providing a flexible display panel on the support for the flexible component. can be done.

[0023] In the support for flexible parts having the first to third housings, a flexible display panel is provided from the first housing to the second surface of the third housing, thereby forming a display device. It is possible.

[0024] The display panel preferably comprises a light emitting device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] By using one aspect of the present invention, a support for supporting a flexible component can be provided. Or, it can provide support for bending without compromising the reliability of the flexible part. Alternatively, a novel support for the flexible component may be provided. Thus, a novel light emitting device can be provided.

[0026] Alternatively, a foldable display device with excellent portability can be provided. It is possible to provide a foldable display device with excellent visibility. It is possible to provide a foldable display device that is easy to hold. Alternatively, a novel display device can be provided. Alternatively, a method for operating a display device can be provided.

[0027] The description of these effects does not preclude the existence of other effects. The embodiment does not necessarily have to have all of these effects. , the specification, drawings, claims, etc., and It is possible to extract other effects from the claims and other descriptions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a support tool. [Figure 2] 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating the support. [Figure 3] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the support tool. [Figure 4] 4A to 4C are diagrams illustrating the support. [Figure 5] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating the support tool. [Figure 6] 6A to 6C are diagrams illustrating the notch mechanism. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating the support tool. [Figure 8] 8A and 8B are diagrams illustrating the support tool. [Figure 9] 9A and 9B are diagrams illustrating the support tool. [Figure 10] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating a support tool. [Figure 11] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating a display device. [Figure 12] 12A to 12C are diagrams illustrating the hinge portion. [Figure 13]13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating the hinge portion. [Figure 14] 14A to 14C are diagrams illustrating the operation of the display device. [Figure 15] 15A to 15C are diagrams illustrating the operation of the display device. [Figure 16] 16A to 16C are diagrams illustrating the operation of the display device. [Figure 17] 17A and 17B are diagrams illustrating application examples of the display device. [Figure 18] 18A to 18D are diagrams illustrating application examples of the display device. [Figure 19] 19A and 19B are diagrams illustrating application examples of the display device. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a display panel. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a display panel. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a display panel. [Figure 23] Fig. 23A is a block diagram of a display panel, and Fig. 23B and Fig. 23C are circuit diagrams of pixels. [Figure 24] Figures 24A, 24C and 24D are circuit diagrams of the pixel, and Figure 24B is a timing chart illustrating the operation of the pixel. [Figure 25] 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D, and 25E are diagrams for explaining examples of pixel configurations. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following description. and variations in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made thereto. The invention described below should not be construed as being limited to the description of the embodiments. In the configuration of the present invention, the same parts or parts having similar functions are designated by the same reference numerals in different drawings. The same elements that make up the figure are used in common and their repeated explanations may be omitted. The hatching may be omitted or changed as appropriate between different drawings.

[0030] In addition, even if a circuit diagram shows a single element, there may be functional problems. If there is no need for a single element, the element may be composed of multiple elements. For example, a transistor that operates as a switch may be used. In some cases, multiple resistors may be connected in series or in parallel. In some cases, the sensor may be divided and placed in multiple positions.

[0031] In addition, one conductor may have multiple functions such as wiring, electrode, and terminal. In this specification, the same element may be referred to by multiple names. Even if the circuit diagram shows direct connections between elements, in reality The elements may be connected via one or more conductors, and in this specification Such a configuration is also included in the category of direct connection.

[0032] (Embodiment 1) In this embodiment, a support for a flexible part and a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification, a display panel is taken as a representative example of a flexible component. However, other components may also be used. For example, solar cells, primary batteries, secondary batteries, antennas, Speakers, microphones, cables, lighting, various terminals, various sensors, various circuits, and Examples include a composite device that includes either one of the above.

[0033] In addition, in this specification, the term "display device" refers to any device that has a display function. That is, electronic devices having a display unit are included in the display device. For example, mobile phones, smartphones, etc. smartphones, smart watches, tablet computers, television sets, etc. The electronic device that performs this is included in the display device.

[0034] One aspect of the present invention is a support for a flexible part that allows the flexible part to be folded. The support has an area that allows bending in only one direction from a flat state. If unintentional reverse bending stress is applied to the area, the flexible part or The support can be protected.

[0035] Another embodiment of the present invention is a foldable display device having a flexible display panel. The display device has a tri-folding mechanism, and the first surface of the display device faces The area that folds together and the surface opposite the first surface are folded together. Therefore, for example, 16:9, 18:9, 21:9, etc. Even for display panels with a relatively large aspect ratio, the fold can be aligned along the minor axis. It can be folded into a small size, which improves portability. By hiding the display area that cannot be seen, power consumption can be significantly reduced. .

[0036] <Support for flexible parts 1> FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a support 100A for a flexible component according to one embodiment of the present invention in an unfolded state. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along a plane F1 perpendicular to the support 100A. A plan view corresponding to the state of FIG. 1A is shown in FIG. 4A, a front view in FIG. 4B, and a side view in FIG. 4C.

[0037] The support 100A includes a housing 102a, a housing 102b, a hinge 10, and a hinge 20. The hinges 10 and 20 have an overlapping region where their movable directions are the same.

[0038] The housing is a box-shaped member in which components can be mounted inside or on the surface. If parts are provided only on the surface, they may be plate-shaped. The whole including the hinge is called the housing. A hinge is a joint with a movable part, and the relative position of the two connected parts The hinge is a part that controls the relative position. In addition, the housing and hinge are formed continuously from the same material. There are also cases where this is the case.

[0039] The housing in this embodiment is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped, and has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. In this embodiment, the first surface and the second surface Although the surface is shown as a flat surface, it may have a curved surface. The corners of the rectangular parallelepiped may be rounded. In other words, one of the first surface and the second surface can be referred to as the upper surface, and the other as the lower surface.

[0040] The hinge 10 has a hinge configuration, and includes blades 11a, 11b, a shaft tube 12a, a shaft tube 13a, and a shaft. It has a cylinder 12 b, a shaft cylinder 13 b, a core rod 14, a core rod 15, and a plurality of stoppers 17.

[0041] The blade 11a is fixed to a shaft cylinder 12a and a shaft cylinder 13a. The blade 11b is fixed to a shaft cylinder 12a. The shaft tubes 12a and 12b are fixed to the shaft tubes 12a and 12b. A core rod 14 is inserted into the shaft tubes 12a and 12b. A core rod 15 is inserted into the shaft tube 13a and the shaft tube 13b, and the first connecting portion is formed. With the above configuration, the blade 11a and the blade 11b are connected to the first and second connecting portions. The first connecting portion can be moved around the first connecting portion as a rotation axis (fulcrum).

[0042] The shaft cylinder 12a and the shaft cylinder 13a may be a part of the blade 11a. 2b and the barrel 13b may be part of the blade 11b.

[0043] In addition, blade 11a and blade 11b are provided with a cutout between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion. The notch 30 is provided (see FIG. 4A). The notch 30 is provided together with the pin 16 described later. It is used for position correction.

[0044] The blade 11a has an area overlapping with the first surface of the housing 102a. The blade 11a and the housing 102a have an area overlapping with a part of the jig 19 fixed to the housing 102a. A gap is provided between the blade 11a and the jig 19, and between the blade 11a and the jig 19. The vane 11a and the first surface of the housing 102a can slide relative to one another.

[0045] The blade 11b has an area overlapping with the first surface of the housing 102b. The blade 11b and the housing 102b have an area overlapping with a part of the jig 19 fixed to the housing 102b. There are gaps between blade 11b and jig 19, and between blade 11b and jig 19. The vane 11b and the first surface of the housing 102b can slide relative to each other.

[0046] A stopper 17 is provided on the blade 11a and the blade 11b, and a jig 19 is attached to the blade 11a. By touching the stopper 17, the amount of sliding can be limited. This can prevent the hinge 10 from falling off.

[0047] The slide mechanism may be configured in a different way from that shown in FIG. 1A. For example, as shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the blade 11a is provided with a slot 22, and a stopper 23 is provided through the slot 22. That's fine.

[0048] The stopper 23 has a shaft whose diameter is smaller than the minor diameter of the slot 22 and a head whose diameter is larger than the minor diameter. The shaft is fixed to the housing 102a through a slot 22. A gap is provided between the blade 11a and the head of the stopper 23. The vane 11a and the first surface of the housing 102a can slide relative to each other. The same structure can be used on the 1b side. In addition, a slide using rails and bearings can also be used. It may also be a hand mechanism.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 4A, in the unfolded state, hinge 10 has an end face of blade 11a and an end face of blade 11b. The upper surface of each blade (the side where the core rod is provided) and the above-mentioned By making the angle formed by the end faces approximately 90°, the opening angle of the hinge 10 (the angle between the blades 11a and 11b) can be adjusted. The angle formed by the hinge 10 and the hinge b can be set to a maximum of approximately 180°. The hinge 20 can bend in the opposite direction, but not in the opposite direction. Even if the hinge 10 can handle bending, it can suppress bending in the opposite direction. It is possible to protect flexible parts or the supporting fixtures even when bending stress is applied to them. can.

[0050] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5B, a support plate 24 is provided on the underside of the blade to prevent reverse bending. When the receiving plate 24 fixed to one blade comes into contact with the other blade, Therefore, the angle formed by the blade 11a and the blade 11b is approximately 180°. If the receiving plate 24 and the blade are in contact with each other at this time, the opening angle of the hinge 10 can be increased to a maximum of It can be controlled to about 180°.

[0051] In this case, the angle between the top surface and the end surface of the blade does not need to be sufficiently accurate. Although an example in which the receiving plate 24 is fixed to the blade 11b is shown, it is not necessarily fixed to the blade 11a. Furthermore, the backing plate 24 may be a part of the blade 11a (blade 11b).

[0052] The hinge 20 has a plurality of pillar-shaped bodies 21 each having a trapezoidal or substantially trapezoidal cross section perpendicular to the long axis. The trapezoidal or substantially trapezoidal body 21 has a first side surface (a surface including one leg of the trapezoidal or substantially trapezoidal shape) and a second side surface ( The two adjacent pillars 21 have a surface including the other leg of the trapezoid or approximately trapezoid. The first side surface of one pillar 21 and the second side surface of the other pillar 21 are adjacent to each other. Two adjacent columns 21 are connected to each other in part directly or via other members. , their relative positions to each other can be changed.

[0053] Each of the pillars 21 has a third side surface (a surface including the lower base of the trapezoid or approximately trapezoid) that is continuous. The third pillar 21 at one end of the hinge 20 is connected to the second pillar 21 so as to form a plane. The side surface is connected to the second surface of the housing 102a so as to be continuous with the second surface of the housing 102a. The third side surface of the columnar body 21 at the end of the housing 102b is connected to the second surface of the housing 102b so as to be continuous with the second surface of the housing 102b. The fourth side surface of each columnar body 21 (including the upper base of the trapezoid or approximately trapezoid) The shape of the surface) is such that there is no interference with other pillars 21, hinge 10, and housings 102a and 102b. Therefore, the cross section perpendicular to the long axis of the columnar body 21 is triangular or approximately triangular. It may be in the form of

[0054] Note that a nearly trapezoidal shape is a shape that can be roughly considered a trapezoid. For example, a trapezoid with curved lines on some sides There are shapes such as a trapezoid with rounded corners, and a roughly triangular shape.

[0055] The hinge 20 has an odd number of pillars 21, and the pillar 21 located in the center has a pin. The long axis of the pillar 16 is fixed to the third side surface of the pillar 21 at a substantially perpendicular angle. The support 100A is a columnar body, and when the support 100A is in the unfolded state as shown in FIG. 1B, The pin 16 has a cross section perpendicular to its major axis that is, for example, a circular cross section. In this case, the upper surface shape of the notch 30 of one of the wings of the hinge 10 is It is preferable that the shape of the semicircle be larger than the radius of curvature of the shaft 16.

[0056] FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a state in which a bending motion is applied to the support 100A. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along a plane F1 perpendicular to the holder 100A.

[0057] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, when a bending motion is applied to the support 100A, the hinge 20 In two adjacent columns 21, the first side surface of one column 21 and the second side surface of the other column 21 are The second side surfaces of the adjacent two pillars 21 are deformed so as to approach each other. Since the third side surface is continuous at a certain angle, there is an area where the cross section as a whole is approximately arc-shaped. Therefore, if a flexible part is provided so as to overlap the area, The part can form a curved surface at the portion that overlaps with the region.

[0058] When the cross section of the hinge 20 is deformed into an arc, the length of the inner arc of the hinge 20 is Therefore, the length of the arc of the hinge 10 located inside the hinge 20 is shorter than the length of the arc of the side. Blade 11a slides to absorb the change, and blade 11b slides in the same way.

[0059] The hinge 10 and the housings 102a and 102b constitute a simple slide mechanism. Therefore, one of the blades 11a and 11b slides more than the other. If one side slides too much, the bending center position may become biased and the subsequent bending operation may become unstable. This may cause problems such as making it impossible to

[0060] In one embodiment of the present invention, the end of the notch 30 of one of the blades that has slid far is in contact with the pin 16. When it comes into contact with the blade, it forcibly stops the sliding motion and encourages the other blade to slide. Therefore, the rotation axis of the hinge 10 can be corrected to be near the center of the hinge 20, and the hinge 10 can be safely It is possible to perform a constant bending operation.

[0061] FIG. 3A shows the support device 100A in a folded state after further bending. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along a plane F1 perpendicular to the support 100A. 3A and 3B, for clarity, the housing 102a is shown with dashed lines.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 3B, even when the support device 100A is fully folded, the hinge 10 and The hinge 20 does not interfere with the pin 16 .

[0063] In addition, the folded state shown in FIG. 3A changes to the unfolded state shown in FIG. 1A via the state shown in FIG. 2A. During the process of moving the hinge 10, one of the blades 11a and 11b of the hinge 10 is larger than the other. It may slide a lot.

[0064] In this case, as in the above, the end of the notch 30 of one of the blades that has slid widely is in contact with the pin 1. 6, forcibly stopping the sliding motion and encouraging the other blade to slide. Therefore, the rotation axis of the hinge 10 can be corrected to be near the center of the hinge 20. Stable deployment operation can be performed.

[0065] In the above description, the position of the hinge 10 is corrected relative to the operation of the hinge 20. However, relatively speaking, the position of hinge 20 is corrected relative to the operation of hinge 10. Alternatively, both the hinge 10 and the hinge 20 may correct each other's positions. It can also be done as follows.

[0066] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6A, the hinge 10 may be provided with a notch mechanism. The mechanism is composed of a locking part 29 having a ball 28 at the end of a spring 27, and a locking part 29 provided on the shaft tube 12b. The hole 25 formed in the shaft cylinder 12a and the recess 26 formed in the shaft cylinder 12a can be used. Here, the notch mechanism provided in the barrel 12a and the barrel 12b will be described. A latch mechanism may be provided on the barrel tube 13a and the barrel tube 13b.

[0067] The locking part 29 is inserted into the hole 25, and the shaft tube 12a and the shaft tube 12b are assembled. 6B, the ball 28 is pushed into the recess by the elasticity of the spring 27. 26 and is locked simply. If you bend it with a certain amount of force, the lock will be released. The blades move, and the ball 28 enters another recess 26, where it is simply locked again. .

[0068] For example, if five recesses 26 are provided at intervals of 45° from 180° around the core rod 14, the two blades When the angle of the root is 180°, 135°, 90°, 45°, or 0°, the lock is simple. By locking it at the appropriate angle, you can prevent it from accidentally changing position during use or transport. Or, when using it at the same angle every time, This can improve the convenience of the system.

[0069] In addition, in the case of the shallow recess 26 as shown in FIG. 6B, the locking of the ball 28 is relatively easy. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6C, In the recess 26 having an asymmetric shape, for example, rotation in a direction increasing the angle can be suppressed. can be done.

[0070] A slope is formed in one area of ​​the recess 26 shown in FIG. 6C, so that the ball 28 can be moved. However, there is no slope in the area opposite to the one area, and the ball 28 cannot move. Therefore, for example, in the recess 26 where the angle formed by the two blades is approximately 180°, as shown in FIG. By using the recess 26, the angle formed by the blades 11a and 11b can be set to a maximum of approximately 180°. It can be controlled as follows.

[0071] <Support for flexible parts 2> FIG. 7A is a diagram showing a support device 100B, which is different from the support device 100A described above, in an unfolded state. The support 100B differs from the support 100A in the configuration of the hinge 10. 7A is a cross-sectional view of the device 100B taken along a plane F1 perpendicular to the device 100B. The corresponding plan view is shown in FIG. 10A, a front view in FIG. 10B, and a side view in FIG. 10C.

[0072] In the following, the hinge 10 of the support 100B will be mainly described, and the hinge 10 common to the support 100A will be described. A description of certain housings 102a, 102b and hinge 20, as well as the wings and housing of hinge 10. The explanation of the slides between them will be omitted. The same reference numerals are used for the elements common to the support 100A. do.

[0073] The hinge 10 of the support 100B has a hinge structure, and includes a blade 11a, a blade 11b, and a shaft cylinder. 41a, a shaft cylinder 41b, a shaft cylinder 42, a core rod 45, and a plurality of stoppers 17.

[0074] A shaft cylinder 41a is fixed to the blade 11a, and a shaft cylinder 41b is fixed to the blade 11b. The shaft cylinder 42 is not fixed to either the blades 11a or 11b. A shaft cylinder 42 is provided between the shaft cylinders 41a, 42 and 41b, and a core rod 45 is inserted into the shaft cylinders 41a, 42 and 41b. With the above configuration, the blades 11a and 11b are inserted into the connecting portion. It can be moved around the axis of rotation (fulcrum).

[0075] The shaft tube 41a may be a part of the blade 11a. The pin 46 is fixed to the shaft tube 42, and the pin 46 has a hinge 20. The columnar member 21 is fixed to the columnar member 21.

[0076] As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, hinge 10 has an end surface of blade 11a and a Therefore, the area 31 where the end face of the blade 11b contacts the blade 11b is generated. As with the hinge 10, the opening angle of the hinge 10 can be set to a maximum of approximately 180°, and the opening angle in the opposite direction can be set to approximately 180°. Bending can be suppressed.

[0077] Similar to the support 100A, the hinge 20 has an odd number of pillars 21. As shown in FIG. 10B, the centrally located columnar body 21 has a third side surface and a long axis that are approximately One of the ends of the pin 46 in the longitudinal direction, which forms a perpendicular angle, is fixed. The pin 46 is a columnar body. The other end of the pin 46 in the longitudinal direction is fixed to the shaft tube 42. Furthermore, the shape of the cross section perpendicular to the long axis of the pin 46 is not particularly limited. do not have.

[0078] 8A is a diagram showing a state in which a bending motion is applied to the support 100B. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along a plane F1 perpendicular to the holder 100B.

[0079] As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, when a bending motion is applied to the support device 100B, the hinge 20 Since the third side surfaces of the pillars 21 are continuous at a certain angle, the entire hinge 20 A region that is approximately arc-shaped is formed in the cross section of the body. The length of the inner arc of the hinge 20 is shorter than the length of the outer arc. The blade 11a of the hinge 10 slides to absorb the change. The same is true for b.

[0080] In the support 100B, the shaft tube 42 located at the center of the rotation axis (connection part) of the hinge 10 and the hinge The pillar 21 located at the center of the hinge 10 is fixed via the pin 46. The rotation axis and the center of the hinge 20 always overlap. One of the blades 11b does not slide more than the other, and a stable bending operation is performed. It is possible.

[0081] FIG. 9A shows the support device 100B in a folded state after further bending. 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along a plane F1 perpendicular to the support 100B. 9A and 9B, for clarity, the housing 102a is shown with dashed lines.

[0082] The folded state shown in FIG. 9A is changed to the unfolded state shown in FIG. 7A via the state shown in FIG. 8A. During this process, the rotation axis of the hinge 10 and the center of the hinge 20 always overlap. Therefore, stable deployment operation can be performed.

[0083] In addition, in the support 100B, the elongated hole 22 and the stopper 23 of the hinge 10 shown in FIG. The configuration of the receiving plate 24 shown in FIG. 5B can also be applied. Also, the configuration of the notch mechanism shown in Figures 6A and 6B can be applied.

[0084] <Display device> The support 100A or the support 100B is provided with a flexible display panel to support the display device. can be applied.

[0085] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display device that can be folded into three. Here, the combination of the hinge 10 and the hinge 20 of the support 100A is referred to as a hinge portion 1. A hinge part 101a is provided between the housing 102a and the housing 102b. A hinge part 101b is provided between the housing 102b and the housing 102c. Here, the housing 102c is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped similar to the other housings, and has a first surface and a second surface. The flexible display panel 103 is the first one of the housings 102a to 102c. It may be provided on a second surface opposite the first surface.

[0086] FIG. 11A shows the first surface side of the housings 102a to 102c when the display device is unfolded. The hinge portion 101a is shown to have two hinges 10. 1A, etc., or may be three or more. The number of the folding portions may be determined in consideration of the width of the housing so as to ensure stable folding operation.

[0087] The hinge portion 101b may have the configuration shown in FIGS. 12A to 12C. .

[0088] The hinge portion 101b has a plurality of pillars 115 each having a rectangular or substantially rectangular cross section perpendicular to the long axis. The pillar 115 has a first side surface (a surface including one side of the rectangular or approximately rectangular shape) and a first The two adjacent columns 115 have a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to the first side surface. The first side surface of the pillar 115 is adjacent to the second side surface of the other pillar 115. The pillars 115 are connected to each other by direct connection or through other members. The relative positions can be changed.

[0089] Each pillar 115 has a third side surface that is perpendicular to the first and second side surfaces. The pillars 115 at one end of the hinge portion 101b are connected to form a plane. The third side surface is connected to the second surface of the housing 102b so as to be continuous with the second surface of the housing 102b. The third side of the pillar 115 at the other end of the housing 102b is continuous with the second surface of the housing 102c. The fourth side opposite to the third side of each pillar 115 is connected to the third side. The shape of the surface is arbitrary as long as it does not interfere with other pillars or the housing.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 12A, in two adjacent columns 115, the first column of one of the columns 115 The first side surface of the pillar 115 and the second side surface of the other pillar 115 are deformed in a direction away from each other, so that the pillar 115 is folded. At this time, the third side surfaces of the two adjacent pillars 115 are fixed. Since the hinge portion 101b is connected at an angle of 100°, the cross section of the hinge portion 101b as a whole has an area that is approximately arc-shaped. Therefore, the flexible display panel has a concave shape at the portion overlapping the area. A curved surface can be formed.

[0091] When a transformation (deployment) is performed from the state of FIG. 12A, two adjacent In the two pillars 115, the first side of one pillar 115 and the second side of the other pillar 115 The side surfaces of the two elements move in a direction approaching each other, and the radius of curvature of the approximately circular arc changes to become larger. When the display panel is turned on, the radius of curvature of the curved surface portion also changes to become larger.

[0092] When a further deformation operation is performed from the state of FIG. 12B, the first deformation of the housing 102b occurs as shown in FIG. 12C. The second surface, the third side surface of each pillar 115, and the second surface of the housing 102c are flat. At this time, the curved surface of the display panel also becomes flat, and the entire surface becomes flat. It will be in the unfolded state. You can fold it by performing the transformation operations in the reverse order of the above.

[0093] Since the cross section of the columnar body 115 is rectangular, when it is flattened out, two adjacent columns are In the columns 115, the first side of one column 115 and the second side of the other column 115 Therefore, the hinge portion 101b is bent in the opposite direction to the display panel. Therefore, a mechanism for suppressing reverse bending may not be necessary. A spacer may be provided to maintain a gap between the housings when the housings are mounted. The shape of the holder may be changed appropriately to suit the installation of the display panel.

[0094] 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating another example of the hinge portion 101b.

[0095] The hinge portion 101b has a gear 116a and a gear 116b. 2b. Gear 116b is fixed to housing 102c. Central axis of gear 116a It is preferable that the gear 11 overlaps with a second surface of the housing 102b that is opposite to the first surface. The central axis of 6b preferably overlaps with a second surface of the housing 102c that is opposite to the first surface.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 13A, when the folding state is in a folded state, gear 116a and gear At this time, the central axes of the two gears are aligned with the housing. Since the display panel is located on the second surface of the body, a gap occurs between the housings (between the opposing display surfaces of the display panel). Therefore, the flexible display panel has a radius of curvature that is approximately half of the gap. It is possible to form a curved surface.

[0097] When a transformation operation (unfolding operation) is performed from the state of FIG. 13A, the housings 102b and 102c The gears 116a and 116b are synchronized in accordance with their engagement, and the hinge portion 101b is used as a fulcrum. At this time, the display panel also moves in a curved position. The radius changes to become larger.

[0098] When a further deformation operation is performed from the state of FIG. 13B, the first deformation of the housing 102b occurs as shown in FIG. 13C. The second surface of the display panel 102c and the first surface of the housing 102c are connected to each other so as to be flat. However, the curved surface will become flat, and the whole will be flattened. You can fold it by performing the transformation operation with .

[0099] It is also possible to provide a mechanism for maintaining the meshing of the gears 116a and 116b. In addition, when the device is deployed flat, the side of the housing 102b and the side of the housing 102c come into contact with each other. Therefore, the hinge portion 101b does not cause the display panel to bend in the opposite direction. Therefore, a mechanism for suppressing reverse bending may not be necessary. A spacer may be provided to maintain the gap. The gear 116a and the gear 116b may have a mechanism. The shape may be appropriately modified to suit the installation of the panel.

[0100] FIG. 11B shows the second surfaces of the housings 102a to 102c when the display device is unfolded. A flexible display panel is provided on the second surface side of each of the housings 102a to 102c. A rule 103 is provided.

[0101] In this embodiment, for the sake of clarity, the display panel 103 is referred to as the area 103a, the area The area is divided into three regions: area 103a, area 103b, and area 103c. When the display panel 103 is unfolded flat, the horizontal direction (the surface of the display panel 103 extends The area is parallel to the direction of the hinge portion, and the boundary is the position where the hinge portion is provided or the vicinity thereof. In reality, each of the areas 103a to 103c and their boundaries There is no structural difference between the two. The display panel 103 is a seamless, flexible display panel. A panel can be used.

[0102] FIG. 11C is a perspective view showing the display device in a folded state. The hinge portion 101b corresponds to the outward bending of the display surface of the panel 103 so that the display surface of the panel 103 is convex. Therefore, the three-folded shape shown in Fig. 11C corresponds to the inward bending of the display surface of the paper. It becomes possible.

[0103] <Display operation example 1> 14A to 14C illustrate an operation example of a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 4A shows that when the flat surface of the area 103a is in the display state in the folded state, the curved surface An operation in which 104a (part of area 103a and part of area 103b) is hidden At this time, as shown in the cross section B1-B2 in FIG. 14B, the It is preferable that the unrecognizable areas (area 103b and area 103c) are also hidden. .

[0104] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 14C, when the flat portion of the region 103a is in a non-display state, the curved surface 1 14A and 14B, the display state may be set to 04a. In this way, in the folded state, some areas are hidden. By displaying only the display area, power saving operation can be performed.

[0105] <Display operation example 2> 15A to 15C show a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which the display portion is divided into three screens and used. FIG.

[0106] 15A, the angle formed between the housing 102c and the housing 102b is an obtuse angle, and the angle formed between the housing 102b and the housing 102c is an obtuse angle. This is a diagram showing an example of how the angle formed by a can be set to an acute angle, allowing the device to be placed in a well-balanced position on a desk or the like. By using the housing 102a as legs, it can be used like a laptop computer. For example, the keyboard 131 is located in the area 103c, and the curved surface 104b (part of the area 103b and The area 103b displays an icon 132 and the area 103c displays an image of the application software. The image 130 is displayed and can be operated by touching the screen.

[0107] At this time, as shown in FIG. 15B, the same image 130 is also displayed in the area 103a. If you do this, the person in front of you can see the same image with good visibility. As shown in FIG. 1, the area 103a may be hidden to operate in a power saving mode.

[0108] <Display operation example 3> 16A to 16C show a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which the display portion is divided into two screens. FIG.

[0109] FIG. 16A shows an example in which the angle formed between the housing 102a and the housing 102b is approximately 60° or more and less than 180° (for example, For example, the angle between the housings 102b and 102c is set to approximately 180°. This shows an example of a well-balanced installation on a desk or the like by using the area 103b and the area 103c. The display surface 103c is made large by forming it into a continuous plane, and the housing 102a is used as a leg. By tilting the areas (103b and 103c), visibility can be improved.

[0110] At this time, as shown in FIG. 16B, the area 103a is in a non-display state and the device operates in a power-saving mode. It is also acceptable to do so.

[0111] FIG. 16C shows a case where the angle formed between the housing 102c and the housing 102b is less than approximately 180° and is equal to or less than 90°. (for example, about 135°), and the angle formed by the housing 102b and the housing 102a is about 18°. 10 is a diagram showing an example in which the camera can be installed on a desk or the like in a well-balanced manner by setting the angle to 0°. By placing the housing 102b parallel to a plane, input using a stylus 150 or the like can be easily performed. Moreover, by tilting the area 103c, visibility can be improved. Cut.

[0112] <Application example 1> 17A and 17B show the display device according to the present embodiment as an information terminal such as a smartphone. It should be noted that the elements common to the above-mentioned display device include the same The display device 200 includes audio input / output units 135a and 135b, The sensor includes sensors 136a and 136b, sensors 137, and sensors 120.

[0113] When one of the audio input / output units 135a and 135b functions as a microphone, the other functions as a It can also function as a speaker. You can hold the device in either direction and still have a conversation without any issues. The camera 136a can be switched by the sensor 120 that detects the tilt. , 136b can also be prioritized by the sensor 120.

[0114] The input / output units 135a and 135b are devices that function as microphones and speakers. Alternatively, a single device may be provided that functions as both the may have

[0115] In addition, both the input / output units 135a and 135b can be used as microphones to produce stereo sound. In addition, both the input / output units 135a and 135b can be used as speakers. It can also function as a stereophonic ...

[0116] It is also possible to operate both cameras 136a and 136b to capture 3D images. The sensor 137 is an optical sensor that adjusts the brightness of the display to make it easier to see according to the ambient illuminance. can be adjusted.

[0117] 17B, ​​the front surface of the display device 200 on which the display panel 103 is provided is A display panel 138 may be provided on the rear surface on the opposite side. It can display the same images as the Ner103, as well as simple information, pictures, patterns, photos, etc. The display panel 138 can also be used as a display or lighting. In addition to being able to use a display panel that uses an optical device or a liquid crystal device, The display panel 138 may be made of a hard substrate. A display panel may also be used.

[0118] As shown in FIG. 18A, the display panel 138 is provided on each of the housings 102a to 102c. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 18B, a display device 200 may be provided on the rear surface thereof. A flexible display panel 139 may be provided. In this case, the display panel 139 can be bent. Therefore, the housings 102a to 102c can be mounted on the front panel 103 as well as the display panel 103. It can be provided over a range of.

[0119] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 18C, a solar cell 140 may be provided on the rear surface of the display device 200. The power generated by the solar cell 140 can be charged into the battery in the display device 200. In addition, power can be supplied to the outside via the external interface 145 .

[0120] FIG. 18C shows an example of a solar cell having a hard support. Examples of such solar cells include silicon solar cells with crystalline silicon as a photoelectric conversion layer, and silicon solar cells. It is possible to use solar cells with a tandem structure of a solar cell and a perovskite solar cell. Cut.

[0121] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 18D, a solar cell using a flexible substrate as a support may be mounted on the display device 200. The solar cell may be, for example, an amorphous silicon solar cell, a CIG S(Cu-In-Ga-Se) solar cells, organic solar cells, or perovskite solar cells A thin-film solar cell 141 such as a battery can be used. The solar cells may be provided across the housings 102a to 102c, similar to the display panel 139. can.

[0122] <Application example 2> 19A and 19B show examples of cases in which the display portion of the display device of one embodiment of the present invention is used depending on the application. FIG.

[0123] 19A and 19B show a case in which the display device according to the present embodiment is used as an order terminal in a restaurant or the like. It should be noted that elements common to the display device described above are denoted by the same reference numerals. The display device 210 includes a transmitting / receiving unit 146, a speaker 147, a camera 148, and a 48, a microphone 149, etc. In addition to the functions of one embodiment of the present invention, the display device 210 Alternatively, it may have the functionality of a general tablet computer.

[0124] Normally, it can be folded as shown in FIG. 19A, and the function of calling a store clerk is When unfolded, the menu is displayed and you can place your order. The order contents can be transmitted via the transmitting and receiving unit 146. In addition, the total amount of the order can be displayed and payment can be made using a barcode captured by the camera 148. .

[0125] When unfolded, the housing 102a and the housing 102b form an obtuse angle. It is preferable that the angle between the housing 102c and the housing 102b is approximately 90 degrees. The 02c can be used as legs, making it easier to fold.

[0126] The configuration examples exemplified in this embodiment and the corresponding drawings etc. are at least partly The above can be implemented in appropriate combination with other configuration examples or drawings, etc.

[0127] This embodiment may be appropriately combined with at least a part of another embodiment described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination.

[0128] (Embodiment 2) In this embodiment, a structural example of a display panel that can be applied to a display device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described. explain.

[0129] <Configuration example> 20 shows a top view of the display panel 700. The display panel 700 is made of a flexible support. A display panel to which the substrate 745 is applied and which can be used as a flexible display. The display panel 700 has a pixel portion provided on a flexible support substrate 745. 702. On the support substrate 745, a source driver circuit portion 704 and a pair of gate electrodes 702 are provided. The pixel section 702 is provided with a driver circuit section 706, wiring 710, etc. A device is provided.

[0130] In addition, a part of the support substrate 745 is provided with an FPC 716 (FPC: Flexible Printed Circuit). An FPC terminal portion 708 to which the FPC 71 is connected is provided. 6, the pixel section 702, the source driver 704, and the like are connected to each other via the FPC terminal section 708 and the wiring 710. Various signals are supplied to the gate driver circuit section 704 and the gate driver circuit section 706. can be.

[0131] The pair of gate driver circuit units 706 are provided on both sides of the pixel unit 702. The gate driver circuit section 706 and the source driver circuit section 704 are semiconductor It may be in the form of an IC chip that is separately formed on a substrate or the like and packaged. The chip is mounted on a support substrate 745 by COF (Chip On Film) technology or the like. It is possible.

[0132] The pixel portion 702, the source driver circuit portion 704, and the gate driver circuit portion 706 have It is preferable to use an OS transistor as the transistor.

[0133] A light-emitting device or the like can be used as a display device provided in the pixel portion 702. Optical devices include LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) and OLEDs. (Organic LED), QLED (Quantum-dot LED), semiconductor Examples of display devices include self-luminous light-emitting devices such as transparent type lasers. liquid crystal devices such as reflective liquid crystal devices and semi-transmissive liquid crystal devices Also, shutter-type or optical interference-type MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) Electro Mechanical Systems devices and microcapsules electrophoresis, electrowetting, or electronic liquid powder (registered trademark) A display device to which the method or the like is applied can also be used.

[0134] 20, the portion of the support substrate 745 where the FPC terminal portion 708 is provided is protruding. A part of the support substrate 745 including the FPC terminal portion 708 is shown in FIG. 0, it can be folded back to the back side in the region P1. Then, with the FPC 716 placed on the back side of the pixel section 702, the display panel 700 is turned on. It can be mounted on child devices, etc., and can save space and reduce the size of electronic devices, etc. .

[0135] An IC 717 is mounted on an FPC 716 connected to the display panel 700 . The IC 717 functions as, for example, a source driver circuit. The source driver circuit section 704 in 700 includes a protection circuit, a buffer circuit, a demultiplexer, The configuration may include at least one of a crossover circuit, a crossover circuit, and the like.

[0136] <Example of cross-sectional configuration> In the following, a configuration using an organic EL display as a display device will be explained using FIGS. 21 and 22. 21 and 22 are diagrams showing the display panel 700 shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the dashed dotted line ST.

[0137] First, common parts of the display panels shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 will be described.

[0138] 21 and 22 show a pixel section 702, a gate driver circuit section 706, and an FPC terminal. The pixel portion 702 includes a transistor 750 and a capacitor 708. The gate driver circuit portion 706 includes a transistor 752.

[0139] The transistor 750 and the transistor 752 are formed by adding an oxide to a semiconductor layer in which a channel is formed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the semiconductor layer may be a silicon nitride semiconductor. Silicon (amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, or single crystal silicon) and organic semiconductors A transistor may also be applied.

[0140] The transistor used in this embodiment is a highly purified oxide semiconductor in which the formation of oxygen vacancies is suppressed. The transistor has a conductive film. The off-state current of the transistor can be significantly reduced. Pixels using such transistors can hold electrical signals such as image signals for a longer period of time, The interval between writing signals can also be set longer, reducing the frequency of refresh operations. Therefore, power consumption can be reduced.

[0141] In addition, the transistor used in this embodiment has a relatively high field-effect mobility. For example, a transistor capable of such high speed driving can be used for a display panel. By using this in the driver, the switching transistor in the pixel section and the driver circuit section can be The transistors can be formed on the same substrate, i.e., a silicon wafer. It is also possible to configure the display device without using a drive circuit formed by the above method, thereby reducing the number of components in the display device. In addition, by using a transistor that can be driven at high speed in the pixel portion, High quality images can be provided.

[0142] The capacitor 790 is formed by processing the same film as the first gate electrode of the transistor 750. The lower electrode is formed by processing the same metal oxide film as the semiconductor layer. The top electrode has a structure similar to the source and drain regions of transistor 750. The resistance of the first transistor 750 is reduced between the lower electrode and the upper electrode. A part of the insulating film that functions as the gate insulating layer of the capacitor 79 is provided. 0 has a laminated structure in which an insulating film that functions as a dielectric film is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. The upper electrode is made of the same film as the source electrode and drain electrode of the transistor 750. The wiring obtained by processing the above is connected.

[0143] Also, a flat surface is formed on the transistor 750, the transistor 752, and the capacitor 790. An insulating layer 770 is provided, which functions as a dielectric film.

[0144] The transistor 750 in the pixel portion 702 and the transistor 750 in the gate driver circuit portion 706 are A transistor having a different structure from the transistor 752 may be used. A top-gate transistor is applied to one side, and a bottom-gate transistor is applied to the other side. The source driver circuit section 704 may also be configured as a gate driver. This is similar to the driver circuit section 706.

[0145] The FPC terminal portion 708 includes wiring 760, a part of which functions as a connection electrode, an anisotropic conductive film 780, and a The wiring 760 is connected to the FPC 71 via an anisotropic conductive film 780. 7. Here, the wiring 760 is electrically connected to a terminal of the transistor 750, etc. The source electrode and the drain electrode are formed of the same conductive film.

[0146] Next, a display panel 700 shown in FIG. 21 will be described.

[0147] The display panel 700 shown in FIG. 21 includes a support substrate 745 and a support substrate 740. The substrate 745 and the support substrate 740 may be, for example, a glass substrate or a plastic substrate. A flexible substrate such as the above can be used.

[0148] The transistor 750, the transistor 752, the capacitor 790, etc. are provided on the insulating layer 744. The support substrate 745 and the insulating layer 744 are bonded together by an adhesive layer 742. .

[0149] The display panel 700 also includes a light-emitting device 782, a colored layer 736, a light-shielding layer 738, etc. .

[0150] The light emitting device 782 includes a conductive layer 772, an EL layer 786, and a conductive layer 788. The electrode layer 772 is electrically connected to a source electrode or a drain electrode of the transistor 750. The conductive layer 772 is provided over the insulating layer 770 and functions as a pixel electrode. An insulating layer 730 is provided to cover the end of the conductive layer 772, and the insulating layer 730 and the conductive layer 772 An EL layer 786 and a conductive layer 788 are stacked on top of it.

[0151] The conductive layer 772 can be formed using a material that is reflective to visible light. A material containing aluminum, silver, or the like can be used. For example, a material that is transparent to light can be used. Therefore, the light-emitting device 782 is preferably formed on the surface opposite to the surface on which it is to be formed. It is a top-emission light-emitting device that emits light to the side (support substrate 740 side).

[0152] The EL layer 786 may comprise an organic compound or an inorganic compound such as quantum dots. 6 contains a luminescent material that emits blue light when an electric current is passed through it.

[0153] The light-emitting materials include fluorescent materials, phosphorescent materials, and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TFA). activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials, mineralization Compounds (quantum dot materials, etc.) can be used. The materials that can be used include colloidal quantum dot materials, alloy-type quantum dot materials, and core-shell type quantum dot materials. Examples include child dot materials, core quantum dot materials, etc.

[0154] The light-shielding layer 738 and the colored layer 736 are provided on one surface of the insulating layer 746. The light-shielding layer 738 is provided at a position overlapping the light-emitting device 782. In the element portion 702, the light emitting device 782 is not overlapped with the light emitting device 782. The layer 738 may also be provided over the gate driver circuit section 706 and the like.

[0155] The support substrate 740 is attached to the other surface of the insulating layer 746 by an adhesive layer 747. The support substrate 740 and the support substrate 745 are bonded together by a sealing layer 732. .

[0156] Here, the EL layer 786 of the light-emitting device 782 is made of a light-emitting material that emits white light. The white light emitted by the light-emitting device 782 is colored by the colored layer 736. The EL layer 786 is provided across the pixels that exhibit different colors. The pixel area has a colored layer that transmits either red (R), green (G), or blue (B). By arranging the pixels provided with 736 in a matrix, the display panel 700 can be It is possible to display the error.

[0157] Alternatively, a semi-transparent and semi-reflective conductive film may be used as the conductive layer 788. A microcavity structure is realized between the conductive layer 772 and the conductive layer 788. In this case, the conductive layer 7 can be configured to intensify and emit light of a specific wavelength. An optical adjustment layer for adjusting the optical distance is disposed between the conductive layer 788 and the optical adjustment layer 782. By varying the thickness of the layer between pixels of different colors, the amount of light emitted from each pixel can be A configuration for increasing color purity may also be used.

[0158] The EL layer 786 is formed in an island shape for each pixel or in a stripe shape for each pixel row, that is, in a color-coded manner. In the case where the colored layer 736 and the optical adjustment layer described above are not provided, You may do so.

[0159] Here, the insulating layer 744 and the insulating layer 746 each function as a barrier film with low moisture permeability. It is preferable to use an inorganic insulating film between the insulating layer 744 and the insulating layer 746. By sandwiching the light emitting device 782, the transistor 750, etc., Deterioration is suppressed, and a highly reliable display panel can be realized.

[0160] The display panel 700A shown in FIG. 22 has a structure in which the adhesive layer 742 and the insulating layer 744 shown in FIG. A resin layer 743 is provided on the support substrate 740. A protective layer 749 is provided instead of the support substrate 740. do.

[0161] The resin layer 743 is a layer containing an organic resin such as polyimide or acrylic. The resin layer 743 includes an inorganic insulating film such as silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or silicon nitride. The support substrate 745 is bonded to the support substrate 745 by an adhesive layer 742. The resin layer 743 It is preferably thinner than the carrier substrate 745 .

[0162] The protective layer 749 is bonded to the sealing layer 732. The protective layer 749 is made of a glass substrate. A polarizing plate (circular polarizing plate), a resin film, or the like can be used as the protective layer 749. optical components such as optical plates, scattering plates, and input devices such as touch sensor panels, A configuration in which two or more of these are stacked may also be applied.

[0163] The light-emitting device 782 also includes an EL layer 786 formed on the insulating layer 730 and the conductive layer 772. The EL layer 786 is formed so that each sub-pixel emits a different color. This makes it possible to realize a color display without using the coloring layer 736.

[0164] A protective layer 741 is provided to cover the light-emitting device 782. The protective layer 741 has a function of preventing impurities such as water from diffusing into the optical device 782. From the conductive layer 788 side, an insulating layer 741a, an insulating layer 741b, and an insulating layer 741c are formed in this order. At this time, the insulating layer 741a and the insulating layer 741c have a laminated structure in which The insulating layer 741b is made of an inorganic insulating film having a high barrier property against impurities such as water. It is preferable to use an organic insulating film that functions as a gate insulating film. It is preferable that the wiring is extended to the light driver circuit section 706 as well.

[0165] In addition, the transistor 750, the transistor 752, and the like are disposed inside the sealing layer 732. It is preferable that the covering organic insulating film is formed in an island shape. The portion is preferably located inside the sealing layer 732 or in a region overlapping the edge of the sealing layer 732. In FIG. 22, the insulating layer 770, the insulating layer 730, and the insulating layer 741b are formed in an island shape. For example, in the portion overlapping with the sealing layer 732, the insulating layer 741c and The insulating layer 741a is provided in contact with the transistor 750. The surface of the organic insulating film covering the resistor 752 is not exposed outside the sealing layer 732. By doing so, the transistor 750 and the transistor 752 can be externally connected via the organic insulating film. This effectively prevents the diffusion of water and hydrogen, thereby improving the electrical characteristics of the transistor. This suppresses fluctuations in properties, making it possible to realize a highly reliable display device.

[0166] In addition, in FIG. 22, in the bendable region P1, the support substrate 745 and the adhesive layer 742 In addition, there are portions where inorganic insulating films such as the insulating layer 744 are not provided. In order to prevent the wiring 760 from being exposed, an insulating layer 770 containing an organic material is formed on the wiring 760. The bendable region P1 is configured to cover the insulating film as little as possible. In addition, the structure is such that only a conductive layer containing a metal or an alloy and a layer containing an organic material are laminated. Therefore, it is possible to prevent cracks from occurring when the substrate is bent. 5, it is possible to bend a part of the display panel 700A with an extremely small radius of curvature. can be done.

[0167] 22, a conductive layer 761 is provided on the protective layer 741. 1 can be used as wiring or electrodes.

[0168] In addition, when a touch sensor is provided over the display panel 700A, the conductive layer 761 Electrostatic discharge to prevent electrical noise from being transmitted to the touch sensor when driving the pixel At this time, a predetermined constant potential is applied to the conductive layer 761. It is sufficient to have a configuration that allows this.

[0169] Alternatively, the conductive layer 761 can be used as an electrode of a touch sensor, for example. This allows the display panel 700A to function as a touch panel. The layer 761 can be used as an electrode or wiring for a capacitive touch sensor. At this time, the conductive layer 761 is a wiring or electrode to which the detection circuit is connected, or a wiring or electrode to which a sensor signal is input. In this way, the light-emitting device 782 can be provided with a wiring or an electrode. By incorporating a touch sensor, the number of parts can be reduced, reducing the manufacturing costs of electronic devices. It is possible.

[0170] The conductive layer 761 is preferably provided in a portion that does not overlap with the light-emitting device 782. For example, the conductive layer 761 can be provided in a position overlapping with the insulating layer 730. As the conductive layer 761, it is not necessary to use a transparent conductive film having a relatively low conductivity, and a gold film having a high conductivity can be used. Since metals and alloys can be used, the sensitivity of the sensor can be increased.

[0171] The conductive layer 761 can be used to configure a touch sensor. Not limited to the volume type, but also includes resistive film type, surface acoustic wave type, infrared type, optical type, pressure sensitive type, etc. A variety of methods can be used, or two or more of these can be used in combination. .

[0172] <Components> Components such as transistors that can be applied to a display device will be described below.

[0173] [Transistor] A transistor includes a conductive layer that functions as a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode that functions as a source electrode. a conductive layer acting as a drain electrode; a conductive layer acting as a gate insulating layer; and an edge layer.

[0174] Note that the structure of a transistor included in a display device of one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, a planar type transistor or a staggered type transistor may be used. Alternatively, a top-gate or bottom-gate transistor may be used. Alternatively, gate electrodes may be provided above and below the channel. It may also be used.

[0175] The crystallinity of the semiconductor material used in the transistor is not particularly limited. A semiconductor with crystallinity (microcrystalline semiconductor, polycrystalline semiconductor, single crystal semiconductor, or semiconductor with a partially crystalline region) If a semiconductor having crystallinity is used, This is preferable because it can suppress deterioration of the resistor characteristics.

[0176] In the following, we will particularly discuss transistors that use a metal oxide film as a semiconductor layer in which a channel is formed. and explain.

[0177] The semiconductor material used for the transistor has an energy gap of 2 eV or more, preferably Metal oxides having a valence of 2.5 eV or more, more preferably 3 eV or more, can be used. A typical example is an oxide semiconductor containing indium, such as the CAAC-O S or CAC-OS can be used. CAAC-OS is the atom that makes up the crystal. CAC-OS is suitable for transistors where reliability is important. Because it exhibits mobility characteristics, it is suitable for transistors that operate at high speed.

[0178] Since the energy gap of the semiconductor layer of an OS transistor is large, the current is several yA / μm (channel It is possible to exhibit extremely low off-state current characteristics (current value per 1 μm of channel width). OS transistors have many drawbacks, such as impact ionization, avalanche breakdown, and short channel effects. It has characteristics different from Si transistors, such as no defects, and forms highly reliable circuits. In addition, the electrical conductivity caused by the non-uniformity of the crystallinity, which is a problem in Si transistors, can be reduced. OS transistors are also less likely to have variations in characteristics.

[0179] The semiconductor layer may be, for example, indium, zinc, and M (aluminum, titanium, gallium, Al, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, cerium, tin, neodymium or halide The film can be a film represented by an In-M-Zn oxide containing a metal such as fluorine. In-M-Zn oxides can be formed by, for example, sputtering or ALD (Atomic Laid-Open) deposition. er deposition) method or MOCVD (Metal organic chemical vapor deposition) method It can be formed using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods. Cut.

[0180] When forming an In-M-Zn oxide film by sputtering, the sputtering target The atomic ratio of the metal elements in the above preferably satisfies In≧M and Zn≧M. The atomic ratio of the metal elements in the target is In:M:Zn=1:1:1, In :M:Zn=1:1:1.2, In:M:Zn=3:1:2, In:M:Zn=4:2: 3, In:M:Zn=4:2:4.1, In:M:Zn=5:1:6, In:M:Zn= In:M:Zn=5:1:7, In:M:Zn=5:1:8, etc. are preferred. The atomic ratios are the proportions of the atomic ratios of the metal elements contained in the sputtering target. Including a fluctuation of minus 40%.

[0181] The semiconductor layer is made of a metal oxide film with a low carrier density. Carrier density is 1×10 17 / cm 3 Less than 1 × 10 15 / cm 3 Further details are as follows: Preferably 1 x 10 13 / cm 3 Less than 1×10, more preferably 11 / cm 3 Below, further Preferably 1 x 10 10 / cm 3 Less than 1 x 10 -9 / cm 3 More than metal oxides Such metal oxides can be used in high purity or substantially high purity intrinsic. The oxide semiconductor has a low density of defect states and is a metal oxide with stable properties. It can be said to be an oxide.

[0182] However, the semiconductor characteristics and electrical characteristics (field effect) of the required transistors are not limited to these. An oxide semiconductor having an appropriate composition may be used depending on the characteristics of the semiconductor (e.g., the electron mobility, the threshold voltage, etc.). To obtain the required semiconductor characteristics of a transistor, the carrier density and impurity concentration of the semiconductor layer must be adjusted. The degree of crystallization, defect density, atomic ratio of metal elements to oxygen, interatomic distance, density, etc. must be appropriate. is preferred.

[0183] The metal oxides that make up the semiconductor layer contain silicon and carbon, which are elements of Group 14. When the semiconductor layer is filled with oxygen, oxygen vacancies increase in the semiconductor layer, causing it to become n-type. The silicon and carbon concentrations (obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry) in 0 18 atoms / cm 3 Less than or equal to 2 x 10 17 atoms / cm3 The following .

[0184] In addition, alkali metals and alkaline earth metals generate carriers when bonded with metal oxides. This may increase the off-state current of the transistor. of alkali metals or alkaline earth metals obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry in the layer The concentration is 1 x 10 18 atoms / cm 3 Less than or equal to 2 x 10 16 atoms / c m 3 Do the following:

[0185] In addition, if the metal oxide that makes up the semiconductor layer contains nitrogen, electrons that act as carriers are generated. As a result, the carrier density increases and it becomes easier to make the material n-type. Transistors using this material tend to be normally-on. The nitrogen concentration obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry is 5 × 10 18 atoms / cm 3 Below It is preferable to do so.

[0186] In addition, if hydrogen is contained in the oxide semiconductor that constitutes the semiconductor layer, the oxide that bonds with the metal atoms Since the oxygen reacts with oxygen to form water, oxygen vacancies may be formed in the oxide semiconductor. If the channel formation region in the conductor contains oxygen vacancies, the transistor will be normally on. Furthermore, defects in which hydrogen has entered the oxygen vacancies act as donors, In addition, some of the hydrogen atoms bond with the metal atoms, resulting in the generation of carrier electrons. It may combine with hydrogen to generate electrons, which are carriers. A transistor including an oxide semiconductor having such a structure tends to be normally on.

[0187] A defect in which hydrogen is inserted into an oxygen vacancy can function as a donor in an oxide semiconductor. However, it is difficult to quantitatively evaluate the defects. Therefore, in this specification, the acid As a parameter of the compound semiconductor, we assume a state in which no electric field is applied, rather than the donor concentration. In other words, the "carrier concentration" described in this specification and the like is This can sometimes be rephrased as "donor concentration."

[0188] Therefore, it is preferable that the amount of hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor be reduced as much as possible. In oxide semiconductors, secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) The hydrogen concentration obtained by mass spectrometry was calculated as 1×10 20 a toms / cm 3 Less than 1 x 10 19 atoms / cm 3 Less than, more preferably is 5 x 10 18 atoms / cm 3 less than 1×10 18 atoms / c m 3 The oxide semiconductor in which impurities such as hydrogen are sufficiently reduced is used as the transistor chip. By using it in the channel forming region, stable electrical characteristics can be imparted.

[0189] In addition, oxide semiconductors (metal oxides) are divided into single-crystal oxide semiconductors and other non-single-crystal oxides. As a non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor, for example, CAAC-OS( C-Axis Aligned Crystalline Oxide Semicon ductor), polycrystalline oxide semiconductor, nc-OS (nanocrystalline oxide semiconductor, pseudo-amorphous oxide semiconductor (a-like OS: amorphous-like oxide semiconductor), Among non-single crystal structures, the amorphous structure has the most defect levels. The density of defect states is high in CAAC-OS, and the density of defect states is lowest in CAAC-OS.

[0190] An amorphous oxide semiconductor film has, for example, a disordered atomic arrangement and does not contain crystalline components. Alternatively, the amorphous oxide film may have a completely amorphous structure and no crystalline portion. stomach.

[0191] The semiconductor layer may have an amorphous structure, a microcrystalline structure, a polycrystalline structure, or a CAAC structure. The film may be a mixed film having two or more of the -OS region and the single crystal structure region. The film may have a single layer structure including two or more of the above-mentioned regions, or a laminated structure. It may have a structure.

[0192] In addition, a semiconductor layer of a transistor disclosed in one embodiment of the present invention may contain CAC-OS (Clo ud-Aligned Composite oxide semiconductor ) may also be used.

[0193] Note that the semiconductor layer of the transistor disclosed in one embodiment of the present invention may be formed using the above-described non-single-crystal oxide. A non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor or CAC-OS can be preferably used. As such, nc-OS or CAAC-OS can be preferably used.

[0194] In one aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to use CAC-OS as the semiconductor layer of the transistor. By using CAC-OS, high electrical characteristics or high reliability can be imparted to the transistor.

[0195] Note that, among the regions of CAAC-OS, polycrystalline oxide semiconductor, nc-OS, pseudo-amorphous oxide semiconductor, and amorphous oxide semiconductor, a mixed film having two or more of them may be used. The mixed film may have, for example, a single-layer structure or a laminated structure including any two or more of the above-described regions.

[0196] <Configuration of CAC-OS> Hereinafter, the configuration of CAC (Chlorine-Aligned Composite)-OS that can be used for the transistor disclosed in one aspect of the present invention will be described.

[0197] CAC-OS is, for example, a structure of a material in which elements constituting a metal oxide are unevenly distributed in a size of 0.5 nm or more and 10 nm or less, preferably 1 nm or more and 2 nm or less, or in the vicinity thereof. In the following, in the metal oxide, one or more metal elements are unevenly distributed, and a region having the metal element is mixed in a size of 0.5 nm or more and 10 nm or less, preferably 1 nm or more 2 nm or less, or in the vicinity thereof, and this state is also referred to as a mosaic state or a patch state.

[0198] The metal oxide preferably contains at least indium. Particularly, it preferably contains indium and zinc. In addition to them, aluminum, gallium, yttrium ​​​​​Sodium, copper, vanadium, beryllium, boron, silicon, titanium, iron, nickel, gel Al, zirconium, molybdenum, lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, hafnium, Contains one or more selected from the group consisting of tantalum, tungsten, and magnesium. It may also be used.

[0199] For example, CAC-OS made of In-Ga-Zn oxide (In-Ga-Zn oxide among CAC-OS) α-Zn oxide may be specifically referred to as CAC-IGZO. (Hereinafter, InO X1 (X1 is a real number greater than 0) or indium zinc oxide compound (hereinafter referred to as In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 (X2, Y2, and Z2 are real numbers greater than 0) ) and gallium oxide (hereinafter referred to as GaO X3 (X3 is a real number greater than 0) . ), or gallium zinc oxide (Ga X4 Zn Y4 O Z4 (X4, Y4, and Z4 is a real number greater than 0.) The material is separated into two parts, forming a mosaic pattern. Mosaic InO X1 , or In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 is uniformly distributed in the film This is a cloud-like configuration (hereinafter also referred to as "cloud-like").

[0200] In other words, CAC-OS is X3 The region where In is the main component and X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 A composite metal oxide having a mixed structure with a region in which In this specification, for example, when the atomic ratio of In to the element M in the first region is , the atomic ratio of In to the element M in the second region is greater than the atomic ratio of In in the first region. The concentration of In is higher than in the region

[0201] IGZO is a common name and refers to a compound of In, Ga, Zn, and O. A typical example is InGaO3(ZnO) m1 (m1 is a natural number), or In ( 1+x0) Ga (1-x0) O3(ZnO) m0 (-1≦x0≦1, m0 is an arbitrary number) Examples of such crystalline compounds include:

[0202] The crystalline compound has a single crystal structure, a polycrystalline structure, or a CAAC structure. The CAAC structure is a structure in which multiple IGZO nanocrystals have a c-axis orientation and are aligned in the ab plane. is a non-oriented connected crystal structure.

[0203] On the other hand, CAC-OS is a material structure of metal oxide. In a material composition containing Zn and O, nanoparticles with Ga as the main component were observed in some areas. The region where In is observed as a nanoparticle and the region where In is observed as a nanoparticle are the main component are shown in the model. Therefore, in CAC-OS, The crystal structure is a secondary factor.

[0204] It should be noted that the CAC-OS does not include a laminated structure of two or more films with different compositions. For example, a structure consisting of two layers, one containing In as the main component and the other containing Ga as the main component, is not included. do not have.

[0205] In addition, GaO X3 The region where In is the main component and X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 but In some cases, a clear boundary between the main component region and the main component region cannot be observed.

[0206] Instead of gallium, aluminum, yttrium, copper, vanadium, and beryllium can be used. , boron, silicon, titanium, iron, nickel, germanium, zirconium, molybdenum , lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, or magnesium If one or more selected elements such as sodium are included, CAC-OS will The nanoparticle-like regions are observed in the region where the metal element is the main component, and the region where In is the main component. The nanoparticle-like regions are randomly dispersed in a mosaic pattern. say.

[0207] CAC-OS is formed by sputtering without intentionally heating the substrate. In addition, when the CAC-OS is formed by a sputtering method, the deposition gas is The gas is selected from an inert gas (typically argon), oxygen gas, and nitrogen gas. One or more of these may be used. The lower the flow rate ratio of the gas, the more preferable. For example, the flow rate ratio of oxygen gas is preferably 0% or more and less than 30%. It is more preferable to set the content to 0% or more and 10% or less.

[0208] CAC-OS is a type of X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement method. When measured using the θ / 2θ scan by the out-of-plane method, In other words, from the X-ray diffraction measurement, It can be seen that the orientation of the regions in the ab plane direction and the c axis direction is not observed.

[0209] In addition, the CAC-OS uses an electron beam with a probe diameter of 1 nm (also called a nanobeam electron beam). In the electron diffraction pattern obtained by irradiating the electron beam, a ring-shaped area of ​​high brightness (ring The electron diffraction pattern shows that the ring region is a region of the nucleus, and multiple bright spots are observed in the ring region. Therefore, the crystal structure of CAC-OS does not have orientation in the planar direction and the cross-sectional direction. It is clear that it has an nc (nano-crystal) structure.

[0210] For example, in the case of CAC-OS, an In-Ga-Zn oxide, energy dispersive X-ray Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) EDX mapping obtained using a copy of the GaO X3 The region where is the principal component and , In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 The area where the main component is unevenly distributed and mixed. It can be confirmed that it has the structure shown in the figure.

[0211] CAC-OS has a structure different from that of IGZO compounds, in which metal elements are uniformly distributed. CAC-OS has different properties from ZO compounds. X3 The main ingredients are In a certain area, X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 The region where is the principal component and The phases are separated into two, and the regions containing each element as the main component are arranged in a mosaic pattern.

[0212] Here, In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 The region where is the main component is GaO X3 This is a region with high conductivity compared to regions where the main components are In. X2 Zn Y 2O Z2 , or InO X1 When carriers flow through the region where the main component is metal, The conductivity of the oxide is exhibited. X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 The region where the main component is distributed in a cloud-like shape in the metal oxide provides a high electric field effect. Mobility (μ) can be achieved.

[0213] On the other hand, GaO X3 The region where the main components are In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X This region has higher insulating properties than the region where GaO is the main component. X3 etc. The main component is distributed in the metal oxide, which suppresses leakage current and provides good switching performance. This allows for switching operations.

[0214] Therefore, when CAC-OS is used in a semiconductor device, GaO X3 Insulation caused by And, In X2 Zn Y2 O Z2 , or InO X1 The conductivity caused by the This results in a high on-state current (I on ) and high field-effect mobility (μ) This can be done.

[0215] Furthermore, semiconductor devices using CAC-OS have high reliability. This is ideal for various semiconductor devices including displays.

[0216] In addition, a transistor having a CAC-OS semiconductor layer has high field-effect mobility and Because of its high performance, the transistor is connected to a driving circuit, typically a scan line that generates a gate signal. By using it in a driver circuit, a display device with a narrow frame width (also called a narrow frame) can be provided. In addition, the transistor can be used in a signal line driver circuit (particularly, a signal line driver By using it as a demultiplexer connected to the output terminal of the shift register in the circuit This makes it possible to provide a display device with a small number of wires connected to the display device.

[0217] In addition, the transistor with CAC-OS in the semiconductor layer is a transistor using low-temperature polysilicon. Unlike the conventional LCD, no laser crystallization process is required. Even for the device, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs. ("4K resolution", "4K2K", "4K"), Super Hi-Vision ("8K resolution" ", "8K4K" and "8K"). By using transistors with CAC-OS in the conductor layer in the drive circuit and display section, This is preferable because it is possible to write in a short time and reduce display defects.

[0218] Alternatively, silicon may be used as the semiconductor in which the channel of the transistor is formed. Although amorphous silicon may be used as the silicon, silicon having crystallinity is particularly preferred. For example, it is preferable to use microcrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, single crystal silicon, etc. In particular, polycrystalline silicon can be formed at a lower temperature than single-crystalline silicon, It also has higher field effect mobility and higher reliability than amorphous silicon.

[0219] <Conductive layer> In addition to the gate, source, and drain of the transistor, various wiring and Materials that can be used for conductive layers such as electrodes include aluminum, titanium, chromium, and the like. , nickel, copper, yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, silver, tantalum, or tungsten Examples of such materials include metals such as tin and tin, and alloys containing these as the main component. Films containing silicon can be used as single layers or as laminated structures. a single layer structure of aluminum film containing titanium, a two-layer structure of aluminum film laminated on titanium film, Two-layer structure with aluminum film laminated on stainless steel film, copper-magnesium-aluminum alloy Two-layer structure with copper film laminated on top of titanium film, two-layer structure with copper film laminated on top of titanium film, tungsten film A two-layer structure with a copper film laminated on top, a titanium film or titanium nitride film laminated on top of that, and an aluminum film laminated on top of that. A three-layer structure in which an aluminum or copper film is laminated and a titanium or titanium nitride film is formed on top of that. Structure: Molybdenum film or molybdenum nitride film with aluminum film or copper film on top Three-layer structure in which a film is laminated and then a molybdenum film or molybdenum nitride film is formed on top of that It is also possible to use oxides such as indium oxide, tin oxide, or zinc oxide. The use of copper containing manganese is preferable because it improves the controllability of the shape by etching.

[0220] <Insulating layer> Examples of insulating materials that can be used for each insulating layer include resins such as acrylic and epoxy. In addition to resins with siloxane bonds, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, and silicon nitride oxide Inorganic insulating materials such as silicon, silicon nitride, and aluminum oxide can also be used.

[0221] Furthermore, the light emitting device is preferably provided between a pair of insulating films having low water permeability. This prevents impurities such as water from entering the light-emitting device, improving the reliability of the device. The decline can be suppressed.

[0222] Insulating films with low water permeability include those containing nitrogen and silicon, such as silicon nitride film and silicon nitride oxide film. and films containing nitrogen and aluminum, such as an aluminum nitride film. Alternatively, a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxynitride film, an aluminum oxide film, or the like may be used.

[0223] For example, the water vapor permeation rate of a low-permeability insulating film is 1×10 -5 [g / (m 2 ·day)] Less than 1 × 10 -6 [g / (m 2 ·day)] or less, more preferably 1 × 10 -7 [g / (m 2 ·day)] or less, more preferably 1 × 10 -8 [g / (m 2 ·da y)] or less.

[0224] This concludes the description of the components.

[0225] The configuration examples exemplified in this embodiment and the corresponding drawings etc. are at least partly The above can be implemented in appropriate combination with other configuration examples or drawings, etc.

[0226] This embodiment may be appropriately combined with at least a part of another embodiment described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination.

[0227] (Embodiment 3) In this embodiment, a configuration example of a display device will be described with reference to FIGS. 23A to 23C. cormorant.

[0228] The display device shown in FIG. 23A includes a pixel portion 502, a driver circuit portion 504, a protection circuit 506, and and a terminal portion 507. Note that the protection circuit 506 may not be provided.

[0229] The pixel unit 502 is made up of a plurality of pixels arranged in X rows and Y columns (X and Y are each independently a natural number of 2 or more). The display device has a plurality of pixel circuits 501 for driving the display device.

[0230] The driving circuit unit 504 includes a gate driver that outputs scanning signals to the gate lines GL_1 to GL_X. a source driver 504a that supplies data signals to the data lines DL_1 to DL_Y; The gate driver 504a has at least a shift register. The source driver 504b may be configured to have, for example, a plurality of analog switches. Also, the source driver 504b is configured using a shift register or the like. may be configured.

[0231] The terminal unit 507 is used to input power, control signals, image signals, etc. from an external circuit to the display device. This refers to the part where terminals for connecting the power supply to the power source are provided.

[0232] When a potential outside a certain range is applied to the wiring to which the protection circuit 506 is connected, the protection circuit 506 protects the wiring. The protection circuit 506 shown in FIG. 23A is a circuit that connects a line to another line. , the scanning line GL which is the wiring between the gate driver 504a and the pixel circuit 501, or the source The driver 504b is connected to various wirings such as the data line DL which is the wiring between the pixel circuit 501. can be.

[0233] The gate driver 504a and the source driver 504b are the same as the pixel section 502. The gate driver circuit or the source driver circuit may be provided on the same substrate, or the gate driver circuit or the source driver circuit may be provided on a separate substrate. A substrate formed in the process (for example, a driving circuit formed of a single crystal semiconductor film or a polycrystalline semiconductor film) Substrate) to COF, TCP (Tape Carrier Package), COG (Ch It may also be configured to be mounted on a substrate using a method such as IPS On Glass.

[0234] Furthermore, the plurality of pixel circuits 501 shown in FIG. 23A may have the configurations shown in, for example, FIGS. 23B and 23C. It can be said that:

[0235] The pixel circuit 501 shown in FIG. 23B includes a liquid crystal device 570, a transistor 550, and a capacitor. The pixel circuit 501 also includes a data line DL_n, a scanning line GL_ m, a potential supply line VL, etc. are connected.

[0236] The potential of one of the pair of electrodes of the liquid crystal device 570 is set appropriately according to the specifications of the pixel circuit 501. The alignment state of the liquid crystal device 570 is set by the written data. In addition, one of a pair of electrodes of a liquid crystal device 570 included in each of the plurality of pixel circuits 501 is A common potential may be applied. A different potential may be applied to one of the pair of electrodes 570 .

[0237] The pixel circuit 501 shown in FIG. 23C includes transistors 552 and 554 and a capacitor 556. 62 and a light emitting device 572. The pixel circuit 501 also includes a data line DL_n , scanning line GL_m, potential supply line VL_a, potential supply line VL_b, etc. are connected to the pixel electrodes GL_m, GL_m, GL_a, GL_b, etc.

[0238] A high power supply potential VDD is applied to one of the potential supply lines VL_a and VL_b. The other terminal is supplied with a low power supply potential VSS. The current flowing through the light-emitting device 572 is controlled in accordance with the applied potential. The brightness of the light emitted from device 572 is controlled.

[0239] The configuration examples exemplified in this embodiment and the corresponding drawings etc. are at least partly The above can be implemented in appropriate combination with other configuration examples or drawings, etc.

[0240] This embodiment may be appropriately combined with at least a part of another embodiment described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination.

[0241] (Fourth embodiment) Hereinafter, a pixel circuit having a memory for correcting the gradation displayed in a pixel and a A display device that uses the same will now be described.

[0242] <Circuit configuration> FIG. 24A shows a circuit diagram of a pixel circuit 400. The pixel circuit 400 includes a transistor M1, a transistor M2, a transistor M3, a transistor M4, a transistor M5, a transistor M6, a transistor M7, a transistor M8, a transistor M9, a transistor M10, a transistor M11, a transistor M12, a transistor M13, a transistor M14, a transistor M15, a transistor M16, a transistor M17, a transistor M18, a The pixel circuit 400 includes a transistor M2, a capacitor C1, and a circuit 401. S1, the wiring S2, the wiring G1, and the wiring G2 are connected.

[0243] The transistor M1 has a gate connected to the wiring G1, a source and a drain connected to the wiring S1, The other terminal is connected to one electrode of the capacitor C1. The gate of the transistor M2 is connected to the wiring. G2, one of the source and drain is the wiring S2, and the other is the other electrode of the capacitance C1, and and circuit 401, respectively.

[0244] The circuit 401 is a circuit including at least one display device. Various devices can be used, but typical examples include organic EL devices and LED devices. Any light emitting device, liquid crystal device, or MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) Mechanical Systems devices, etc. can be applied.

[0245] The node connecting the transistor M1 and the capacitor C1 is the node N1, and the transistor M2 and the circuit The node connecting to 401 is node N2.

[0246] The pixel circuit 400 maintains the potential of the node N1 by turning off the transistor M1. In addition, by turning off the transistor M2, the potential of the node N2 In addition, when the transistor M2 is in the off state, the transistor By writing a predetermined potential to node N1 via capacitor M1, a voltage is applied to the node N1 by capacitive coupling via capacitor C1. This allows the potential of the node N2 to be changed in accordance with the change in the potential of the node N1.

[0247] Here, one or both of the transistors M1 and M2 may be The transistor using an oxide semiconductor, which is exemplified in , can be used. The extremely low off-state current allows the potentials of the nodes N1 and N2 to be maintained for a long period of time. In addition, when the period for which the potential of each node is held is short (specifically, when the frame In cases where the system frequency is 30 Hz or more, a transistor using a semiconductor such as silicon is used. A printer may also be used.

[0248] <Driving method example> Next, an example of the operation method of the pixel circuit 400 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 is a timing chart relating to the operation of the pixel circuit 400. Therefore, various resistances such as wiring resistance, parasitic capacitance of transistors and wiring, and The influence of the threshold voltage of the transistor is not taken into consideration.

[0249] In the operation shown in FIG. 24B, one frame period is divided into periods T1 and T2. Period T1 is A period T1 is a period during which a potential is written to the node N2, and a period T2 is a period during which a potential is written to the node N1. be.

[0250] In the period T1, a potential that turns on the transistor is applied to both the wiring G1 and the wiring G2. In addition, the wiring S1 is supplied with a fixed potential V ref and the first data is supplied to the wiring S2. Potential V w supply.

[0251] The node N1 is connected to the line S1 via the transistor M1. ref is given. In addition, the node N2 receives the first data potential V w is given Therefore, the potential difference V w -V ref is maintained.

[0252] Subsequently, in a period T2, a potential that turns on the transistor M1 is applied to the wiring G1. A potential that turns off the transistor M2 is applied to the wiring G2. Voltage V data A predetermined constant potential is applied to the wiring S2, or a floating potential is applied to the wiring S3. It can also be used as a guide.

[0253] The node N1 receives a second data potential V data is given At this time, the second data potential V data Depending on The potential of the node N2 changes by the potential dV. Place V w In Figure 24B, the potential obtained by adding the potential dV to the Although the potential V is shown as a positive value, it may also be a negative value. data is the potential V ref It may be lower.

[0254] Here, the potential dV is roughly determined by the capacitance value of the capacitor C1 and the capacitance value of the circuit 401. If the capacitance value of the capacitor C1 is sufficiently larger than the capacitance value of the circuit 401, the potential dV becomes equal to the second data Voltage V data The potential is close to

[0255] In this way, the pixel circuit 400 includes a display device by combining two types of data signals. Since the potential to be supplied to the circuit 401 can be generated, the gradation correction can be performed within the pixel circuit 400. It becomes possible to do the following.

[0256] Furthermore, the pixel circuit 400 generates a potential that exceeds the maximum potential that can be supplied to the wiring S1 and the wiring S2. For example, when a light-emitting device is used, high dynamic range can be achieved. In addition, when a liquid crystal device is used, it is possible to perform over-the-top (HDR) display. It is possible to realize drivetrain operation, etc.

[0257] <Application example> [Example using a liquid crystal device] The pixel circuit 400LC shown in FIG. 24C includes a circuit 401LC. The semiconductor device has a crystal device LC and a capacitor C2.

[0258] The liquid crystal device LC has one electrode connected to the node N2 and one electrode of the capacitor C2, and the other electrode The pole has a potential V com2 The other electrode of the capacitor C2 is connected to a wiring to which a potential V co m1 Connect with the wiring given.

[0259] The capacitor C2 functions as a storage capacitor. If unnecessary, the capacitor C2 can be omitted. do.

[0260] The pixel circuit 400LC can supply a high voltage to the liquid crystal device LC, so that For example, high-speed display can be achieved by overdrive driving, and liquid crystal materials with high driving voltages can be used appropriately. In addition, by supplying a correction signal to the wiring S1 or the wiring S2, The gradation can also be corrected according to the operating temperature and the deterioration state of the liquid crystal device LC.

[0261] [Example using a light-emitting device] The pixel circuit 400EL shown in FIG. 24D includes a circuit 401EL. It has an optical device EL, a transistor M3, and a capacitor C2.

[0262] The transistor M3 has a gate connected to the node N2 and one electrode of the capacitor C2, and a source and a One side of the drain is at potential VH and the other is one electrode of the light-emitting device EL. , respectively. The other electrode of the capacitor C2 is connected to a potential V com Wiring and connections are given The light-emitting device EL has the other electrode connected to a potential V L Connect with the wiring given.

[0263] The transistor M3 has a function of controlling the current supplied to the light emitting device EL. 2 functions as a storage capacitor. Capacitor C2 can be omitted if not required.

[0264] In this example, the anode side of the light-emitting device EL is connected to the transistor M3. However, a transistor M3 may be connected to the cathode side. H and potential V L The value of can be changed as appropriate.

[0265] The pixel circuit 400EL applies a high potential to the gate of the transistor M3. Since a large current can be passed through the EL, it is possible to realize HDR display, for example. Also, by supplying a correction signal to the wiring S1 or wiring S2, the transistor It is also possible to correct variations in the electrical characteristics of the capacitor M3 and the light-emitting device EL.

[0266] The circuit is not limited to the circuits shown in FIGS. 24C and 24D, and may be formed by adding transistors, capacitors, etc. It may also be configured with an additional

[0267] This embodiment may be appropriately combined with at least a part of another embodiment described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination.

[0268] (Embodiment 5) An example of the structure of a pixel in a display panel of one embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0269] 25A to 25E show examples of the configuration of the pixel 300. FIG.

[0270] The pixel 300 includes a plurality of pixels 301. Each of the plurality of pixels 301 includes a sub-pixel. A single pixel 300 is made up of multiple pixels 301 each exhibiting a different color. This allows the display unit to display in full color.

[0271] Each of the pixels 300 shown in FIGS. 25A and 25B has three sub-pixels. The pixel 300 shown in FIG. 1 has a pixel 301, which exhibits a combination of red (R), green (G), and The color combinations exhibited by the pixel 301 included in the pixel 300 shown in FIG. The combination is cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y).

[0272] Each of the pixels 300 shown in Figures 25C to 25E has four sub-pixels. The color combination of the pixel 301 of the pixel 300 shown in FIG. Blue (B) and white (W). By using a sub-pixel that displays white, the brightness of the display area is increased. The color combination of the pixel 301 in the pixel 300 shown in FIG. , red (R), green (G), blue (B), and yellow (Y). The color combination exhibited by pixel 301 is cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and white. (W).

[0273] By increasing the number of sub-pixels that function as one pixel, red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, and By appropriately combining sub-pixels that exhibit colors such as red and yellow, it is possible to improve the reproducibility of intermediate tones. Therefore, the display quality can be improved.

[0274] Furthermore, the display device of one embodiment of the present invention can reproduce color gamuts conforming to various standards. For example, PAL (Phase Alternating Line) used in television broadcasting Standards and NTSC (National Television System Com Mitee standard, personal computers, digital cameras, printers and other electronic devices The sRGB (standard RGB) standard is widely used in display devices for electronic equipment. and Adobe RGB standard, HDTV (High Definition Television) ITU-R BT.709 (International Television System ational Telecommunication Union Radiocom munication Sector Broadcasting Service(T 709) standard, and DCI-P3 (Digital Cinema) standard used in digital cinema projection. igital Cinema Initiatives P3) standard, UHDTV (Ul tra High Definition Television, Super Hi-Vision ITU-R BT.2020 (REC.2020 (Recommendation)) It is possible to reproduce color gamuts such as the HDMI 2.0 (2020) standard.

[0275] In addition, if the pixels 300 are arranged in a 1920 x 1080 matrix, it becomes a so-called full high-definition image. Vision (also known as "2K resolution," "2K1K," or "2K") resolution In addition, for example, the pixel 300 can be divided into 38 When arranged in a 40 x 2160 matrix, it produces what is known as ultra high definition (4K resolution). "4K2K" or "4K" resolution capable of full color display In addition, for example, the pixel 300 can be converted into a 7680 x 4320 matrix. When arranged in a trix pattern, it can produce what is known as super high-definition ("8K resolution" or "8K4K" " or "8K" resolution) By increasing the number of pixels by 300, full color display is possible at 16K or 32K resolution. It is also possible to realize a display device that can display images.

[0276] This embodiment may be appropriately combined with at least a part of another embodiment described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination. [Explanation of symbols]

[0277] 10: hinge, 11a: blade, 11b: blade, 12a: shaft tube, 12b: shaft tube, 13a: shaft Cylinder, 13b: shaft cylinder, 14: core rod, 15: core rod, 16: pin, 17: stopper, 19: jig 20: hinge, 21: columnar body, 22: slot, 23: stopper, 24: receiving plate, 25: hole part, 26: recess, 27: spring, 28: ball, 29: locking part, 30: notch Part, 31: area, 41a: barrel, 41b: barrel, 42: barrel, 45: core rod, 46: pin, 100A: support, 100B: support, 101a: hinge portion, 101b: hinge portion, 10 2a: housing, 102b: housing, 102c: housing, 103: display panel, 103a: area, 103b: area, 103c: area, 104a: curved surface, 104b: curved surface, 115: columnar body, 116a: gear, 116b: gear, 120: sensor, 130: image, 131: keyboard , 132: Icon, 135a: Input / Output Unit, 135b: Input / Output Unit, 136a : camera, 136b: camera, 137: sensor, 138: display panel, 139: display panel 140: Solar cell, 141: Thin-film solar cell, 145: External interface, 146 : Transmitting / receiving unit, 147: Speaker, 148: Camera, 149: Microphone, 150: Stand Illustration, 200: Display device, 210: Display device, 300: Pixel, 301: Pixel, 400: Pixel circuit, 400EL: pixel circuit, 400LC: pixel circuit, 401: circuit, 401EL: Circuit, 401LC: Circuit, 501: Pixel circuit, 502: Pixel unit, 504: Drive circuit unit, 5 04a: Gate driver, 504b: Source driver, 506: Protection circuit, 507: Terminal part, 550: transistor, 552: transistor, 554: transistor, 560: Capacitor, 562: Capacitor, 570: Liquid crystal device, 572: Light emitting device, 700 : display panel, 700A: display panel, 702: pixel section, 704: source driver circuit section 706: Gate driver circuit section, 708: FPC terminal section, 710: Wiring, 716: FP C, 717: IC, 730: insulating layer, 732: sealing layer, 736: colored layer, 738: light-shielding layer , 740: supporting substrate, 741: protective layer, 741a: insulating layer, 741b: insulating layer, 741c : insulating layer, 742: adhesive layer, 743: resin layer, 744: insulating layer, 745: supporting substrate, 74 6: insulating layer, 747: adhesive layer, 749: protective layer, 750: transistor, 752: transistor resistor, 760: wiring, 761: conductive layer, 770: insulating layer, 772: conductive layer, 780: different tropotropic conductive film, 782: light-emitting device, 786: EL layer, 788: conductive layer, 790: capacitor Shita

Claims

[Claim 1] a first housing, a second housing, a first joint, a second joint, and a flexible display panel; the first housing and the second housing are connected via the first joint and the second joint, the first joint and the second joint have an overlapping region; the first joint and the second joint each have a movable part, the first joint has a plurality of first columns; The display device, wherein the plurality of first columns are connected so that their first surfaces form a continuous surface.

Images