Display device

Abstract

To reduce the power consumption of a display device.SOLUTION: The display device includes: a first display region; and a second display region with a smaller pixel density than the first display region. A first pixel circuit in the first display region includes: a first driving transistor for controlling a driving current amount to a light emitting element; a first holding capacity for holding the control voltage of the first driving transistor; and a first switch transistor for writing a data signal to the first holding capacity. A second pixel circuit in the second display region includes: a second driving transistor for controlling a driving current amount to a light emitting element; a second holding capacity for holding the control voltage of the second driving transistor; and a second switch transistor for writing a data signal to the second holding capacity. The channel width of the second driving transistor is larger than the channel width of the first driving transistor. The channel width of the second switch transistor is larger than the channel width of the first switch transistor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a display device. [Background technology]

[0002] OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) elements are current-driven self-luminous elements that do not require a backlight, and have the advantages of low power consumption, a wide viewing angle, and a high contrast ratio, making them promising for the development of flat panel displays.

[0003] The display area of ​​an OLED display device may include areas with different pixel densities. For example, in some mobile terminals such as smartphones and tablet computers, a camera for capturing images is placed under the display area. In order for the camera to receive light from the outside, the camera is placed under the area with a lower pixel density than the surrounding area. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0345367 [Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0115226 [Patent Document 3] US Patent Application Publication No. 2003 / 0030601 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In order to prevent deterioration of the display quality of the image in the display area, the luminance of each pixel in the area with a relatively low pixel density needs to be higher than the luminance of each pixel in the normal area with a relatively high pixel density. Since the OLED element is a current-driven element, more current is supplied to the pixels in the area with a low pixel density than to the pixels in the normal area with a high pixel density.

[0006] It is possible to change the brightness by adjusting the data signal so that more current is supplied to pixels in areas with low pixel density than to pixels in normal areas with high pixel density; however, in this case the data signal amplitude width increases significantly, which also increases the power consumption of the display device.

[0007] Therefore, by making the channel width of the driving transistor in the region where the pixel density is 1 / n times larger than the channel width of the driving transistor in the region where the pixel density is high by n times, the brightness of the pixel in the region where the pixel density is low can be increased by n times even if the same data signal is used. In this case, since the data signal amplitude does not increase, the power consumption of the display device does not increase even if there are regions with different pixel densities.

[0008] The drive transistor is controlled by the voltage of the storage capacitor. The voltage of the storage capacitor changes as the switch transistor, which transmits a data signal to the storage capacitor, changes from ON to OFF. The amount of this change depends on the gate capacitance of the drive transistor. Since the gate capacitance of the drive transistor depends on the channel width, if the channel width of the drive transistor is different, the voltage held by the storage capacitor for the same data signal will be different.

[0009] For this reason, if the channel width of the drive transistor in an area with a low pixel density is made n times larger than the channel width of the drive transistor in an area with a high pixel density, the gate potential of the same drive transistor will change, and the current will not be n times larger, making the boundary between areas with different pixel densities more noticeable. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first display region and a second display region having a pixel density lower than that of the first display region. A first pixel circuit in the first display region includes a first drive transistor that controls an amount of drive current to a light-emitting element, a first holding capacitance that holds a control voltage of the first drive transistor, and a first switch transistor that writes a data signal to the holding capacitance. A second pixel circuit in the second display region includes a second drive transistor that controls an amount of drive current to a light-emitting element, a second holding capacitance that holds a control voltage of the second drive transistor, and a second switch transistor that writes a data signal to the second holding capacitance. A channel width of the second drive transistor is larger than a channel width of the first drive transistor. A channel width of the second switch transistor is larger than a channel width of the first switch transistor. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the difference in gate potential of the driving transistor in display areas with different pixel densities while suppressing an increase in power consumption of the display device, thereby improving the uniformity of display luminance, and as a result, the boundary line between the areas with different pixel densities becomes less visible. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic configuration example of an OLED display device. [Diagram 2] 2 shows a configuration example of a pixel circuit. [Diagram 3] 3 shows a schematic diagram of a display area. [Figure 4] The area enclosed by the dashed line in FIG. 3 is shown in detail. [Diagram 5] The layout of the control wiring on the TFT substrate is shown diagrammatically. [Figure 6] 13 shows a graph of the emission luminance characteristics of sub-pixels in a low-density region. [Figure 7] 4 shows another example of the configuration of the pixel circuit. [Figure 8] 4 shows another example of the configuration of the pixel circuit. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a schematic structure of a driving transistor in a normal region. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a schematic structure of a driving transistor in a low-density region. [Figure 11] 11 shows a schematic cross-sectional structure taken along line XI-XI in FIG. [Figure 12] 1 shows some components of a drive transistor in the normal region. [Figure 13] 1 shows some components of the drive transistor in a low density region. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment is merely an example for implementing the present disclosure and does not limit the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0014] In the following description, a pixel is the smallest unit in a display area, and indicates an element that emits light of a single color, and may also be called a subpixel. A set of pixels of different colors, for example, red, blue, and green pixels, constitutes an element that displays one color dot, and may also be called a main pixel. In the following, when an element that displays a single color and an element that displays a color are to be distinguished for clarity of explanation, they are called a subpixel and a main pixel, respectively. Note that the features of this specification can be applied to a display device that displays monochrome, and the display area thereof is composed of monochrome pixels.

[0015] An example of the configuration of the display device will be described below. The display area of ​​the display device includes a second display area (also called a low-density or low-resolution area) with a relatively low pixel density, and a first display area (also called a normal area or normal-resolution area) with a relatively high pixel density. In order to suppress deterioration of the display quality of the image in the display area, the luminance of the pixels in the low-density area is configured to be greater than the luminance of the pixels in the normal area for the same gradation level of image data. Note that a plurality of low-density areas with a lower pixel density than the normal area may be arranged, and these pixel densities may be different.

[0016] In the example described below, the light emitting element of the pixel is a current-driven element, such as an OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) element, and therefore, for image data of the same gradation level, a larger current is supplied to the pixel in the low-density region than to the pixel in the normal region.

[0017] It is possible to change the brightness by adjusting the data signal so that more current is supplied to pixels in areas with low pixel density than to pixels in normal areas with high pixel density; however, in this case the data signal amplitude width increases significantly, which also increases the power consumption of the display device.

[0018] In the following, an OLED display device is described that includes transistors with different channel widths for normal and low-density regions. The channel width of the drive transistor in the low-density region is larger than the channel width of the drive transistor in the normal region. The drive transistor in the low-density region provides a larger drive current to the OLED element than the drive transistor in the normal region for video pixel data representing the same gray level (luminance) in a video frame.

[0019] This makes it possible to increase the brightness in the low-density region while suppressing the data signal voltage range (also simply referred to as the data signal range) in the low-density region, thereby reducing the power consumption of the entire OLED display device.

[0020] For example, by making the channel width of the driving transistor in an area with a pixel density of 1 / n times larger than the channel width of the driving transistor in an area with a high pixel density, the brightness of the pixel in the area with a low pixel density can be increased by n times even if the same data signal is used. In this case, the data signal amplitude does not increase, so the power consumption of the display device does not increase even if there are areas with different pixel densities.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present specification, the channel width of a switch transistor that writes a data signal to a storage capacitor in the low-density region is greater than the channel width of a switch transistor that writes a data signal to a storage capacitor in the normal region.

[0022] The drive transistor is controlled by the drive voltage held by the storage capacitor. The drive voltage of the drive transistor varies according to the change from ON to OFF of the switch transistor, which writes a data signal to the storage capacitor. The amount of this variation depends on the gate capacitances of the drive transistor and the switch transistor. These gate capacitances depend on their channel widths.

[0023] For this reason, if the channel width of the drive transistor in an area with a low pixel density is made n times larger than the channel width of the drive transistor in an area with a high pixel density, the gate potential of the same drive transistor will change, and the current will not be n times larger, making the boundary between areas with different pixel densities more noticeable.

[0024] By increasing the channel width of the data write switch transistor together with the drive transistor, the amount of change in the drive voltage fluctuation of the storage capacitor caused by increasing the channel width of the drive transistor can be reduced. In one embodiment of this specification, the OLED display device writes the same data signal to the normal area and the low-density area for the same gray level (luminance) of video data input from the outside. As described above, by increasing the channel width of the data write switch transistor together with the drive transistor, the difference in the final gate voltage of the drive transistor held by the storage capacitor between the normal area and the low-density area can be reduced.

[0025] As a result, the difference in gate potential of the driving transistors in display areas with different pixel densities can be reduced while suppressing an increase in power consumption of the display device, thereby improving the uniformity of display luminance, and as a result, the boundary lines between areas with different pixel densities become less visible.

[0026] For the manufacture of pixel circuits including different channel widths, a device layout that ensures a process margin and reduces manufacturing variations is important. In one embodiment of the present specification, a common pixel electrode shape is adopted in the normal region and the low-density region, and the channel width of the transistor is changed by changing the channel width in the semiconductor layer. This makes it easier to design and manufacture the structure of the pixel circuit. In addition, by adopting a predetermined pixel electrode structure (including the shape and position), the size adjustment ratio accuracy of the transistor can be improved.

[0027] [Display device configuration] The overall configuration of a display device according to an embodiment of the present specification will be described with reference to Fig. 1. For ease of understanding, the dimensions and shapes of the objects shown in the drawings may be exaggerated. In the following, an OLED display device will be described as an example of the display device.

[0028] 1 shows a schematic configuration example of an OLED display device 10. The OLED display device 10 includes a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) substrate 100 on which OLED elements (light-emitting elements) are formed, and a sealing structure 200 that seals the OLED elements. A control circuit is disposed around a cathode electrode formation region 114 outside a display region 125 of the TFT substrate 100. Specifically, a scan driver 131, an emission driver 132, an electrostatic discharge protection circuit 133, a driver IC 134, and a demultiplexer 136 are disposed.

[0029] The driver IC 134 is connected to an external device via a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 135. The scan driver 131 drives the scan lines of the TFT substrate 100. The emission driver 132 drives the emission control lines to control the emission of each pixel. The electrostatic discharge protection circuit 133 prevents electrostatic damage to elements in the TFT substrate. The driver IC 134 is implemented using, for example, an anisotropic conductive film (ACF).

[0030] The driver IC 134 provides power and control signals including timing signals to the scan driver 131 and the emission driver 132. Furthermore, the driver IC 134 provides power and data signals to the demultiplexer 136. The demultiplexer 136 sequentially outputs the output of one pin of the driver IC 134 to d data lines (d is an integer equal to or greater than 2). The demultiplexer 136 switches the output data line of the data signal from the driver IC 134 d times within a scanning period, thereby driving d times as many data lines as the number of output pins of the driver IC 134.

[0031] [Pixel circuit configuration] On the TFT substrate 100, a plurality of pixel circuits are formed, which control the currents supplied to the anode electrodes of the sub-pixels. Fig. 2 shows an example of the configuration of the pixel circuits. Each pixel circuit includes a drive transistor T1, a selection transistor T2, an emission transistor T3, and a storage capacitor C1. The pixel circuit controls the emission of the OLED element E1. The transistors are TFTs.

[0032] In the pixel circuit of Fig. 2, a circuit configuration for compensating for the threshold voltage of the driving transistor is omitted. The pixel circuit of Fig. 2 is an example, and the pixel circuit may have other circuit configurations. Although the pixel circuit of Fig. 2 uses a P-type TFT, the pixel circuit may also use an N-channel TFT.

[0033] The selection transistor T2 is a switch for selecting a subpixel. The selection transistor T2 is a P-channel (P-type) TFT, and the gate terminal is connected to the scanning line 106. The source terminal is connected to the data line 105. The drain terminal is connected to the gate terminal of the driving transistor T1.

[0034] The driving transistor T1 is a transistor (driving TFT) for driving the OLED element E1. The driving transistor T1 is a P-type TFT, and its gate terminal is connected to the drain terminal of the selection transistor T2. The source terminal of the driving transistor T1 is connected to a power supply line 108 that transmits an anode power supply potential VDD. The drain terminal is connected to the source terminal of the emission transistor T3. A storage capacitor C1 is formed between the gate terminal and the source terminal of the driving transistor T1.

[0035] The emission transistor T3 is a switch that controls the supply and stop of the drive current to the OLED element E1. The emission transistor T3 is a P-type TFT, and the gate terminal is connected to the emission control line 107. The source terminal of the emission transistor T3 is connected to the drain terminal of the drive transistor T1. The drain terminal of the emission transistor T3 is connected to the OLED element E1. The cathode of the OLED element E1 is supplied with the cathode power supply potential VSS.

[0036] Next, the operation of the pixel circuit will be described. The scan driver 131 outputs a selection pulse to the scan line 106 to turn on the selection transistor T2. The data voltage supplied from the driver IC 134 via the data line 105 is stored in the storage capacitor C1. The storage capacitor C1 holds the stored voltage throughout one frame period. The conductance of the drive transistor T1 changes in an analog manner due to the hold voltage, and the drive transistor T1 supplies a forward bias current corresponding to the light emission gradation to the OLED element E1.

[0037] The emission transistor T3 is located on a supply path of the driving current. The emission driver 132 outputs a control signal to the emission control line 107 to control the on / off of the emission transistor T3. When the emission transistor T3 is in the on state, the driving current is supplied to the OLED element E1. When the emission transistor T3 is in the off state, the supply is stopped. By controlling the on / off of the emission transistor T3, the lighting period (duty ratio) within one frame period can be controlled.

[0038] [Pixel layout] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a display area 125. The OLED display device 10 is implemented in a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. The display area 125 includes a normal area 451 having a normal pixel density and a low-density area 453 having a pixel density (resolution) lower than the pixel density (resolution) of the normal area 451. One or more cameras 465 are disposed below the low-density area 453. In FIG. 3, one of the multiple cameras is indicated by reference numeral 465 as an example. In the following, a subpixel or a main pixel in the display area 125 may be referred to as a display subpixel or a display main pixel.

[0039] The low-density region 453 is disposed on the viewing side of the camera 465, and the camera 465 captures an object on the viewing side by using the low-density region 453 and light passing through the low-density region 453. The pixel density of the low-density region 453 is lower than the pixel density of the surrounding normal region 451 so as not to hinder the camera 465 from capturing an image. A control device (not shown) transmits, for example, data of an image captured by the camera 465 to the OLED display device 10. Note that while FIG. 3 shows an area under which a camera is disposed as an example of a low-density region, the features in this specification can be applied to a display device including an area with a relatively low pixel density for other purposes.

[0040] The low-density region 453 is composed of N columns and M rows of main pixels. The main pixel column is composed of main pixels arranged along the Y axis, which is the vertical direction in Fig. 3. The main pixel row is composed of main pixels arranged along the X axis, which is the horizontal direction in Fig. 3.

[0041] Fig. 4 shows details of the area 455 surrounded by the dashed line in Fig. 3. Fig. 4 shows a pixel layout of a delta nabla arrangement (also simply called a delta arrangement). Note that the features of this embodiment can be applied to display devices having other pixel layouts.

[0042] Region 455 is a region near a part of the boundary between normal region 451 and low-density region 453. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the pixel density of low-density region 453 is 1 / 4 of that of normal region 451. Sub-pixels in low-density region 453 are controlled to emit light with four times the luminance of sub-pixels in normal region 451 for the same image data.

[0043] The display region 125 is composed of a plurality of red subpixels 51R, a plurality of green subpixels 51G, and a plurality of blue subpixels 51B arranged in a plane. In Fig. 4, one red subpixel, one green subpixel, and one blue subpixel are indicated by symbols as an example. In Fig. 4, identically hatched squares (with rounded corners) indicate subpixels of the same color. In Fig. 4, the shape of the subpixels is square, but the shape of the subpixels may be any shape, for example, a hexagon or an octagon.

[0044] A subpixel column is an array extending along the Y axis and made up of subpixels at the same X axis position. In a subpixel column, red subpixels 51R, blue subpixels 51B, and green subpixels 51G are arranged cyclically. For example, the subpixels in a subpixel column are connected to the same data line. A subpixel row is an array extending along the X axis and made up of subpixels of the same color at the same Y axis position. For example, the subpixels in a subpixel row are connected to the same scan line.

[0045] In the configuration example of Fig. 4, the normal region 451 includes two types of main pixels, a first type main pixel 53A and a second type main pixel 53B, which are arranged in a matrix. In Fig. 4, only one first type main pixel is indicated by reference numeral 53A as an example, and only one second type main pixel is indicated by reference numeral 53B as an example. Note that when the subpixel rendering technique is used, the main pixels of the external image data do not match the main pixels of the panel.

[0046] 4, the first type main pixel 53A is represented by a triangle with one vertex on the left and two vertices on the right, and the second type main pixel 53B is represented by a triangle with one vertex on the right and two vertices on the left.

[0047] In the first type main pixel 53A, the red subpixel 51R and the blue subpixel 51B are arranged consecutively in the same subpixel column. The subpixel column including the green subpixel 51G is adjacent to the left side of the subpixel column including the red subpixel 51R and the blue subpixel 51B. The green subpixel 51G is located in the middle of the red subpixel 51R and the blue subpixel 51B in terms of the Y axis position.

[0048] In the second type main pixel 53B, the red subpixel 51R and the blue subpixel 51 B are arranged consecutively in the same subpixel column. The subpixel column including the green subpixel 51G is adjacent to the right side of the subpixel column including the red subpixel 51R and the blue subpixel 51B. The green subpixel 51G is located in the center between the red subpixel 51R and the blue subpixel 51B in the Y direction.

[0049] The low-density region 453 is composed of main pixels 53C having the same configuration as the first type main pixels 53A. C The main pixels 53C are arranged regularly, and the distance between the main pixels along the X-axis and Y-axis is constant. Adjacent main pixel rows are shifted from each other by half a pitch.

[0050] Between adjacent main pixels 53C and between the low-density region 453 and the normal region 451, transmissive regions (not shown) are suitably arranged so that light can be taken into the camera 465 from the viewing side in order to capture images with the camera 465.

[0051] The sub-pixel layout of the low-density region 453 has a configuration in which some sub-pixels are removed from the layout of the normal region 451. The sub-pixels of the low-density region 453, together with the sub-pixels of the normal region, form sub-pixel rows and sub-pixel columns. Each sub-pixel column of the low-density region 453, together with the corresponding sub-pixel column of the normal region 451, forms one sub-pixel column and is connected to the same data line. Each sub-pixel row of the low-density region 453, together with the corresponding sub-pixel row of the normal region 451, forms one sub-pixel row and is connected to the same scan line.

[0052] [Wiring layout] An example of the wiring layout of the OLED display device 10 will be described below. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the layout of the control wiring on the TFT substrate 100. In the configuration example of Fig. 5, the layout of the pixel circuits in the normal region 451 is a stripe arrangement. Specifically, the subpixel column extending along the Y axis is composed of subpixels of the same color. The subpixel row extending along the X axis is composed of red, green and blue subpixels that are cyclically arranged. The low-density region 453 has a configuration in which some pixels are thinned out from the pixel layout of the normal region 451. In the blank region of the low-density region 453, no pixel circuit including an OLED element is formed, and only a transmissive region and wiring are arranged.

[0053] The transistors constituting the pixel circuits of the main pixels 53A and 53C adjacent to the transmissive region are appropriately shielded from light (not shown). The reason for this is that, when an image is taken with a camera, external light is incident on the transparent region from the viewing side, and external light also enters the pixel circuit through the thin film layers forming the TFT substrate 100 and the OLED element, preventing the optical assist effect from occurring in the transistors. If the optical assist effect occurs, it causes a shift in the threshold voltage of the transistor, which changes the drive current.

[0054] A plurality of scan lines 106 extend along the X-axis from the scan driver 131. A plurality of emission control lines 107 extend along the X-axis from the emission driver 132. Fig. 5 exemplarily indicates one scan line and one emission control line with reference numerals 106 and 107, respectively.

[0055] 5, the scanning line 106 transmits selection signals for the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453. In addition, the emission control line 107 transmits emission control signals for the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453.

[0056] The driver IC 134 transmits a control signal to the scan driver 131 via a wiring 711, and transmits a control signal to the emission driver 132 via a wiring 713. The driver IC 134 controls the timing of the scan signal (selection pulse) from the scan driver 131 and the emission control signal of the emission driver 132, based on image data (image signal) from the outside.

[0057] The driver IC 134 supplies data signals of the sub-pixels in the normal area 451 and the low-density area 453 to the demultiplexer 136 via wiring 705. In FIG. 5, one wiring is shown by the reference symbol 705 as an example. The driver IC 134 outputs the data signals of the sub-pixels in the normal area 451 and the low-density area 453 from the grayscale levels of one or more sub-pixels in a frame of video data from the outside. Deputy A data signal for each pixel circuit corresponding to a pixel is determined.

[0058] The demultiplexer 136 sequentially outputs one output of the driver IC 134 to N (N is an integer equal to or greater than 2) data lines 105 during a scanning period. In Fig. 5, one data line among the multiple data lines extending along the Y axis is indicated by the reference symbol 105 as an example.

[0059] [Light emission control method] The following describes a method for controlling the emission of sub-pixels of the OLED display device 10. The driver IC 134 controls the emission brightness of each of the sub-pixels (pixel circuits) in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453. In general, for the same gate voltage, the driving current of the driving transistor T1 is proportional to the channel width. In one embodiment of this specification, the channel width of the driving transistor T1 in the low-density region 453 is larger than that of the driving transistor in the normal region 451. This allows high brightness to be achieved with a smaller data signal voltage in the low-density region 453, and reduces power consumption. The configuration of the pixel circuit, i.e., the number of transistors and capacitors and their connection relationship, is common to the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453.

[0060] In one embodiment of the present specification, the driver IC 134 determines the same data signal for pixel circuits of the same luminance (grayscale level) in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453. Therefore, when the luminance of the sub-pixel in the low-density region 453 is required to be four times that of the sub-pixel in the normal region 451, the channel width of the driving transistor T1 in the low-density region 453 is set to, for example, four times that of the driving transistor T1 in the normal region 451. The channel length is the same. Note that different data signals may be transmitted to pixel circuits of the same luminance in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453. The design of the channel width of the driving transistor T1 in the low-density region 453 is based on the applied data signal voltage.

[0061] 6 shows a graph of the emission luminance characteristics of the sub-pixels in the low-density region 453. The density of the low-density region 453 is 1 / 4 of the density of the normal region 451, and the luminance of the sub-pixels in the low-density region 453 is four times that of the sub-pixels in the normal region 451 for the same video signal.

[0062] The X-axis represents the data signal voltage, and the Y-axis represents the light emission luminance. A line 891 is a luminance characteristic curve of the sub-pixel (OLED element) of the low-density region 453 when the channel width of the driving transistor T1 of the low-density region 453 is equal to the channel width of the driving transistor T1 of the normal region 451. This characteristic coincides with the characteristic of the sub-pixel of the normal region 451.

[0063] In order to realize the white gradation level, it is necessary to apply to the sub-pixels of the low-density region 453 a data signal voltage Vd 1 that is higher than the data signal voltage Vd 0 applied to the sub-pixels of the normal region 451 .

[0064] A line 892 is a luminance characteristic curve of a sub-pixel in the low-density region 453 when the channel width of the driving transistor T1 in the low-density region 453 is four times that of the driving transistor T1 in the normal region 451. By quadrupling the channel width, the luminance of the sub-pixel in the low-density region 453 becomes 400% at the same data signal voltage Vd0. In other words, the luminance of the sub-pixel in the low-density region 453 can be four times that of the sub-pixel in the low-density region 453 in the same voltage range (from minimum luminance to maximum luminance) as that of the normal region 451. By narrowing the data signal voltage range of the low-density region 453, the power consumption of the entire OLED display device can be reduced.

[0065] The data signal voltage range of the low-density region 453 does not have to be the same as the data signal voltage range of the normal region 451. By making the channel width of the driving transistor T1 in the low-density region 453 larger than the channel width of the driving transistor T1 in the normal region 451, it is possible to narrow the data signal voltage range of the low-density region 453 where high brightness is required.

[0066] [Data signal write transistor] Next, the configuration of a transistor that writes a data signal to a storage capacitor will be described. In one embodiment of this specification, the channel width of a transistor that writes a data signal to a storage capacitor in the low-density region 453 is larger than the channel width of a transistor that writes a data signal to a storage capacitor in the normal region 451. In the example of the pixel circuit configuration described with reference to FIG. 2, the transistor T2 is an example of a first or second switch transistor that writes a data signal to a storage capacitor.

[0067] When the transistor T2 changes from ON to OFF and ends the transmission of the data signal from the data line 105 to the storage capacitor C1, the voltage held by the storage capacitor C1 (the gate potential of the driving transistor T1) changes in response to the change in the gate potential of the transistor T2. The driving transistor T1 is controlled by the voltage finally held by the storage capacitor C1.

[0068] The driving voltage fluctuation ΔV (the gate potential fluctuation of the driving transistor T1) when the transistor T2 is turned off can be expressed by the following formula. ΔV=(VGH-VGL)Cgd / (Cgd+Cstg+Cdtft) VGH and VGL represent the high-level and low-level potentials of the scanning line 106. Cgd represents the gate-drain capacitance of the data write switch transistor T2. Cstg represents the capacitance of the storage capacitor C1. Cdtft represents the channel capacitance of the drive transistor T1.

[0069] When the channel width of the driving transistor T1 increases, the gate capacitance Cdtft of the driving transistor T1 increases. As the above formula shows, when the gate capacitance Cdtft of the driving transistor T1 increases, the driving voltage fluctuation ΔV becomes smaller. In other words, when only the channel width of the driving transistor T1 in the low-density region 453 is increased, the voltage of the storage capacitance C1 in the low-density region 453 becomes a different value from the voltage of the storage capacitance in the normal region 451.

[0070] Increasing the channel width of the data write switch transistor T2 increases the gate-drain capacitance Cgd of the data write switch transistor T2. As the above formula shows, when the gate-drain capacitance Cgd of the data write switch transistor T2 increases, the drive voltage fluctuation ΔV increases. In other words, by increasing the channel width of the switch transistor T2, it is possible to reduce the amount of change in voltage fluctuation of the storage capacitance caused by an increase in the channel width of the drive transistor T1.

[0071] In one embodiment of the present specification, the gate potential fluctuation of the drive transistor T1 caused by the change of the switch transistor T2 from ON to OFF is equal in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453. The channel width of the switch transistor T2 is determined so that the drive voltage fluctuation ΔV in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453 are the same.

[0072] For example, the pixel circuit is designed to determine the channel width of the driving transistor T1 according to the luminance required for the low-density region 453. After that, the channel width of the switch transistor T2 may be determined by an arithmetic formula or simulation so as to offset the amount of change in the driving voltage fluctuation caused by an increase in the channel width of the driving transistor T1.

[0073] The configuration of the pixel circuit is not limited to the configuration example of Fig. 2. In the pixel circuit shown in Fig. 2, the switch transistor T2 is connected to the gate side of the drive transistor, but in other pixel circuit configuration examples, the data write switch transistor may be connected to the source side of the drive transistor.

[0074] 7 shows another example of the configuration of the pixel circuit. The pixel circuit includes transistors T4, T5, and T6 in addition to the driving transistor T1, the data signal writing transistor T2, and the light emission control transistor T3. The transistors T1 to T6 are all P-type TFTs. The transistor T2 is connected between the source of the driving transistor T1 and the data line 105. The transistor T2 is an example of a first or second transistor that writes a data signal to the storage capacitor. The transistor T4 is an example of a third or fourth switch transistor that connects the gate and drain of the driving transistor T1 in the ON state.

[0075] The transistor T4 is connected to the gate and drain of the driving transistor T1. When the transistor T4 is in the ON state, the gate and drain of the driving transistor T1 are conductive. The transistor T5 is connected to the gate of the driving transistor T1 and a power supply line that provides a power supply potential VINIT. The transistor T6 is connected to the source of the driving transistor T1 and a power supply line 108 that provides a power supply potential VDD.

[0076] The scanning line 106N-1 transmits a scanning signal from an output terminal of the (N-1)th stage of the scanning driver 131. The scanning line 106N transmits a scanning signal from an output terminal of the Nth stage of the scanning driver 131. The transistors T2 and T4 are controlled by the scanning signal of the scanning line 106N. The transistor T5 is controlled by the scanning signal of the scanning line 106N-1. The transistor T6 is controlled by a light emission control signal transmitted by an emission control line 107.

[0077] After the scanning line 106N-1 applies a low level pulse to the pixel circuit, the scanning line 106N1 provides a low-level pulse to the pixel circuit. During the period in which these pulses are provided, the emission control signal transmitted by the emission control line 107 is at a high level. While the level of the scanning line 106N-1 is low, the transistor T5 is ON and the other transistors are OFF. Therefore, an initial potential VINIT is provided to the gate of the driving transistor T1, and the gate potential is initialized.

[0078] Next, while the level of the scanning line 106N is low, the transistors T2 and T4 are ON. The other transistors are OFF. Since the transistor T4 is ON, the driving transistor T1 is in a diode-connected state. The data signal from the data line 105 is written to the holding capacitor C1 via the transistors T2, T1, and T4. At this time, a voltage compensated for the threshold voltage of the driving transistor T1 is written to the holding capacitor C1.

[0079] After that, the transistors T2 and T4 are turned OFF, and the light emission control transistors T3 and T6 are turned ON. A driving current from the driving transistor T1 is applied to the OLED element E1, and the OLED element E1 emits light.

[0080] 7, the data write switch transistor T2 generates a voltage fluctuation in the series capacitance between the channel capacitance of the drive transistor T1 and the storage capacitance C1. The drive voltage fluctuation ΔV when the switch transistor T2 changes from ON to OFF is expressed by the following formula. ΔV=(VGH-VGL)Cgd / (Cgd+Cdtft2) 1 / Cdtft2=1 / Cstg+1 / Cdtft

[0081] VGH and VGL represent the high and low levels of the scanning lines. Cgd represents the gate-drain capacitance of the switch transistor T2. Cstg represents the capacitance of the storage capacitor C1. Cdtft represents the channel capacitance of the drive transistor T1.

[0082] As described for the pixel circuit example of FIG. 2, the channel width of the switch transistor T2 in the low-density region 453 is larger than that of the switch transistor T2 in the normal region 451. This reduces the amount of change in voltage fluctuation of the storage capacitance caused by an increase in the channel width of the drive transistor T1. In addition, in one embodiment of this specification, the gate potential fluctuation of the drive transistor T1 caused by the change of the switch transistor T2 from ON to OFF is equal in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453. The channel width of the switch transistor T2 in the low-density region 453 is set so that the drive voltage fluctuation ΔV caused by the switch transistor T2 is the same in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453.

[0083] In the configuration example shown in Fig. 7, the switch transistor T4, which makes the drive transistor T1 diode-connected and enables threshold compensation, is also turned on / off at the same time as the data write switch transistor T2. When the transistor T4 is turned off, a drive voltage fluctuation occurs. The effect of turning off the transistor T4 is transmitted to the gate side of the drive transistor T1, causing a voltage fluctuation in the parallel capacitance of the channel capacitance of the drive transistor T1 and the storage capacitance C1. The drive voltage fluctuation ΔV is expressed by the following formula. ΔV=(VGH-VGL)Cgd2 / (Cgd2+Cdtft+Cstg)

[0084] VGH and VGL represent the high and low levels of the scanning lines. Cgd2 represents the gate-drain capacitance of the switch transistor T4. Cstg represents the capacitance of the storage capacitor C1. Cdtft represents the channel capacitance of the drive transistor T1.

[0085] The above description of the data write transistor T2 can also be applied to the switch transistor T4 for diode connection. That is, the channel width of the switch transistor T4 in the low-density region 453 may be larger than the channel width of the switch transistor T4 in the normal region 451.

[0086] In addition, in one embodiment of the present specification, , connoisseur The gate potential fluctuation of the drive transistor T1 caused by the switch transistor T4 changing from ON to OFF is equal in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453. The channel width of the switch transistor T4 in the low-density region 453 is set so that the drive voltage fluctuation ΔV caused by the switch transistor T4 is equal in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453.

[0087] 8 shows another example of the pixel circuit configuration. The pixel circuit includes a driving transistor T1, a data signal writing transistor T2, and a light emission control transistor T9, as well as transistors T7 and T8. The transistor T9 is an N-type TFT, and the other transistors are P-type TFTs. The storage capacitor C10 is composed of two capacitors C11 and C12 connected in series.

[0088] The transistor T2 is connected between a node P1 between the capacitors C11 and C12 and the data line 105. The transistor T2 is an example of a first or second switch transistor that writes a data signal to the storage capacitor. The transistor T7 is connected to the gate and drain of the driving transistor T1. In the ON state, the transistor T7 makes the gate and drain of the driving transistor T1 conductive. The transistor T8 is connected to a node P1 between the capacitors C11 and C12 and a power line 108 that provides a power supply potential VDD. The transistor T9 is connected between the drain of the driving transistor T1 and the OLED element E1.

[0089] The scanning line 106N-1 transmits a scanning signal from an output terminal of the (N-1)th stage of the scanning driver 131. The scanning line 106N transmits a scanning signal from an output terminal of the Nth stage of the scanning driver 131. The transistor T2 is controlled by the scanning signal of the scanning line 106N. T9 , T7 and T8 are controlled by the scan signal on scan line 106N-1.

[0090] After the scanning line 106N-1 applies a low level pulse to the pixel circuit, the scanning line 106N1 provides a low-level pulse to the pixel circuit. While the level of the scan line 106N-1 is low, the transistors T7 and T8 are ON and the transistors T2 and T9 are OFF. During this period, the threshold compensation voltage is written to the storage capacitor C10.

[0091] Next, the scanning line 106N-1 changes to a high level, and then the scanning line 106N changes to a low level. While the level of the scanning line 106N is low, the transistor T2 is ON. During this period, a data signal is written to the storage capacitor C10 through the transistor T2. After that, the level of the scanning line 106N becomes high, and the light-emitting period of the OLED element E1 begins.

[0092] 8, the storage capacitor C10 is made up of two capacitors C11 and C12. When the writing of the data signal is completed, the potential fluctuation ΔVp1 of the node P1 is expressed by the following equation. ΔVp1=(VGH-VGL)Cgd / (Cgd+Cstg1+Cvth2)

[0093] VGH and VGL represent the high and low levels of the scanning lines. Cgd represents the gate-drain capacitance of the switch transistor T2. Cstg1 represents the capacitance of the capacitor C11. Cvth2 represents the series capacitance of the capacitor C12 and the drive transistor T1 as viewed from the node P1.

[0094] The change in the potential of the P1 node changes the potential of the node P2 through capacitive coupling. Therefore, the final gate potential fluctuation amount Vp2 of the driving transistor T1 is expressed by the following formula. ΔVp2=ΔVp1·Cstg2 / (Cstg2+Cdtft)

[0095] Cstg2 represents the capacitance of the capacitor C12. Cdtft represents the channel capacitance of the drive transistor T1. ΔVp1 and ΔVp2 decrease when the channel width of the drive transistor T1 is increased. By increasing the channel width of the data write switch transistor T2, it is possible to reduce the change in the gate potential fluctuation amount caused by increasing the channel width of the drive transistor T1.

[0096] [Device structure] The structure of the driving transistor in the pixel circuit is described below. In one embodiment of this specification, the driving transistors in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453 have common configuration parameters other than the channel width of the semiconductor layer. This makes it easier to design and manufacture the pixel circuit.

[0097] 9 is a plan view showing a schematic structure of the driving transistor 601 in the normal region 451. For ease of explanation, some components are omitted. The driving transistor 601 includes a channel portion 611 in a semiconductor layer 610 and a gate electrode 621 that covers the channel portion 611 in a plan view.

[0098] The channel portion 611 is rectangular and extends in the left-right direction in FIG. 9. The width W1 of the channel portion 611 is the dimension in the up-down direction in FIG. 9 and is constant. The length of the channel portion 611 is the dimension in the left-right direction in FIG. 9. The gate electrode 621 is rectangular. In the configuration example of FIG. 9, the channel portion 611 is a portion of the semiconductor layer that is covered by the gate electrode 621, and the length L1 of the channel portion 611 matches the dimension in the left-right direction of the gate electrode 621.

[0099] The gate electrode 621 and the channel portion 611 are vertically symmetrical in FIG. 9. The central axis extending in the left-right direction (length direction) of the channel portion 611 coincides with the central axis extending in the length direction of the gate electrode 621. Also, the distance D1 (minimum value) from the end of the channel portion 611 in the up-down direction (width direction) to the end of the gate electrode 621 coincides on both sides. The distance D1 is sometimes called the channel margin or gate margin. In the configuration example of FIG. 9, the distance D1 is constant.

[0100] The driving transistor 601 includes a capacitance electrode 631 that covers the gate electrode 621 in a plan view. A storage capacitance is formed between the gate electrode 621 and the capacitance electrode 631. An opening 632 is formed in the capacitance electrode 631, and an electrode 641 of the source / drain metal layer is connected to the gate electrode 621 by a contact portion 642 that passes through the opening 632. The electrode 641 connects the gate electrode 621 of the driving transistor to other circuit elements in the pixel circuit.

[0101] A drain electrode 644 of the source / drain metal layer is connected to the semiconductor layer at a contact portion 643, and is connected to an anode electrode 651 at a contact portion 652. The channel portion 611 is connected to the anode electrode 651 via the drain electrode 644.

[0102] Fig. 10 is a plan view showing a schematic structure of the driving transistor 602 in the low-density region 453. For ease of explanation, some components are omitted. Parts indicated by the same reference numerals as those in the configuration example shown in Fig. 9 are the same components. The following mainly describes the differences from the configuration example shown in Fig. 9.

[0103] The driving transistor 602 includes a channel portion 811 in a semiconductor layer 610. The channel portion 811 is rectangular and extends in the left-right direction in FIG. 10. The width W2 of the channel portion 811 is the dimension in the up-down direction in FIG. 10 and is constant. The width W2 of the channel portion 811 is greater than the width W1 of the channel portion of the driving transistor 601 in the normal region 451.

[0104] The drive transistors 601, 602 in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453 have the same structure except for the channel width. Since the channel widths are different, the channel margin or gate margin between the channel end and the gate electrode end is different. In the configuration example of FIG. 10, the distance D2 (minimum value) from the end of the channel portion 811 in the vertical direction (width direction) to the end of the gate electrode 621 is the same on both sides. The distance D2 is smaller than the distance D1 of the drive transistor 601 in the normal region.

[0105] Fig. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI in Fig. 10. In the following description, the substrate is a flexible substrate. In other configurations, a rigid substrate may be used. In the following description, up and down refer to up and down in the drawings.

[0106] The flexible substrate is composed of multiple layers. Specifically, from the bottom, it includes a polyimide film 851, an amorphous silicon film 852, a polyimide film 853, a silicon nitride film 854, and a silicon oxide film 855. The amorphous silicon film 852 improves the adhesion of the polyimide films 851 and 853. The silicon nitride film 854 prevents the transfer of moisture to the pixel circuit.

[0107] A pixel circuit for controlling the OLED element is formed on the silicon oxide film 855. The OLED element includes a lower electrode (e.g., an anode electrode 651), an upper electrode (e.g., a cathode electrode), and an organic light-emitting multilayer film. Of these elements, only the anode electrode 651 is shown in FIG.

[0108] 11 is an example of a top-emission pixel structure. In a top-emission pixel structure, a cathode electrode (not shown) common to multiple pixels is arranged on the side from which light is emitted (the upper side and viewing side of the drawing). The cathode electrode has a shape that covers the entire surface of the display area 125. In a top-emission pixel structure, the anode electrode 651 reflects light, and the cathode electrode is optically transparent.

[0109] The bottom-emission pixel structure has a transparent anode electrode and a reflective cathode electrode, and emits light to the outside (viewing side) through the substrate. A transparent display device can also be realized by forming both the anode electrode and the cathode electrode from a light-transmitting material. The pixel circuit of the present disclosure can be applied to any of these types of OLED display devices, and can also be applied to display devices including light-emitting elements other than OLEDs.

[0110] The drive transistor shown in Fig. 11 has a top gate structure. Other transistors also have a top gate structure. A polysilicon layer exists on a silicon oxide film 855. In the polysilicon layer, a channel portion 811 made of intrinsic polysilicon that provides transistor characteristics exists at a position where a gate electrode 621 will be formed later. On both ends of the channel portion 811, there are source / drain regions 812, 813 doped with high concentration impurities to electrically connect with the upper wiring layer.

[0111] Between the channel portion 811 and the source / drain regions 812, 813, an LDD (Lightly Doped Drain) doped with a low concentration of impurities may be formed. Note that the LDD is not shown in the figure to avoid complication. A gate electrode 621 is formed on the polysilicon layer via a gate insulating film 856. The gate electrode can be made of, for example, molybdenum. An interlayer insulating film 857 is formed on the layer of the gate electrode 621.

[0112] A capacitance electrode 631 is formed on the interlayer insulating film 857. The capacitance electrode 631 can be formed of, for example, the same material as the gate electrode 621. In the capacitance electrode 631, an opening 632 is formed.

[0113] An insulating organic planarization film 858 covers the layers below the capacitor electrode 631. A source / drain metal layer including source / drain electrodes is formed on the planarization film 858. The source / drain metal layer may have, for example, a Ti / Al / Ti laminated structure. FIG. 11 shows an electrode 641 and a drain electrode 644 included in the source / drain metal layer.

[0114] The electrode 641 is connected to the gate electrode 621 via a contact portion 642 that penetrates the planarization film 858, the opening 632 of the capacitance electrode 631, and the interlayer insulating film 857. An insulating organic planarization film 859 is formed on the source / drain electrode layer. An anode electrode 651 is formed on the planarization film 859.

[0115] The anode electrode 651 is connected to the drain electrode 644 via a contact portion 652 of a planarization film 859. The anode electrode 651 is composed of, for example, a central reflective metal layer and transparent conductive layers sandwiching the reflective metal layer. An insulating pixel defining layer (PDL) 860 is formed on the anode electrode 651 to separate the OLED elements. The OLED elements are formed in the openings of the pixel defining layer 860.

[0116] An organic light-emitting multilayer film (not shown) is formed on the anode electrode 651. An organic light-emitting material is deposited for each color of RGB to form a film on the anode electrode 651. The organic light-emitting multilayer film is composed of, from the bottom up, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer. The layered structure of the organic light-emitting multilayer film is determined by design.

[0117] A cathode electrode (not shown in FIG. 11) is formed on the organic light-emitting multilayer film. The cathode electrode is an electrode having optical transparency. The cathode electrode transmits a part of visible light from the organic light-emitting multilayer film. The layer of the cathode electrode is formed of, for example, a metal such as Al or Mg, or an alloy containing these metals. A sealing structure is formed on the cathode electrode.

[0118] The structural parameters of the driving transistor are described below. Fig. 12 shows some components of the driving transistor 601 in the normal region 451. Specifically, Fig. 12 shows a semiconductor layer including a channel portion 611, a gate electrode 621, and an opening 632 of a capacitance electrode.

[0119] The channel portion 611 and the gate electrode 621 have a vertically and horizontally symmetrical shape and arrangement in a plan view. In Fig. 12, the gate electrode 621 and the channel portion 611 are rectangular linearly extending in the horizontal direction, and the central axes extending in the horizontal direction coincide with each other. In the width direction of the channel portion 611, a distance D1 from the channel portion 611 to the end of the gate electrode is the same on both sides.

[0120] 12, the distance L11 from the right end 623A of the gate electrode 621 to the bent portion 615A of the semiconductor layer is the same as the distance L11 from the left end 623B of the gate electrode 621 to the bent portion 615B of the semiconductor layer. In the configuration example of FIG. 12, the bent portions 615A and 615B of the semiconductor layer are T-shaped, but the bent portions may be L-shaped. The angle of the bent portion does not have to be a right angle.

[0121] 9, the capacitance electrode 631 is disposed so as to cover the channel portion 611 and the gate electrode 621. Furthermore, the gate electrode 621 is connected to the source / drain metal layer by a contact portion 642 through an opening 632 formed in the capacitance electrode 631.

[0122] 12, the central axis of the gate electrode 621 passes through a region where the contact portion 642 contacts the gate electrode. In addition, a gap of a distance (minimum value) D3 exists between the inner end (opening end) of the opening 632 formed in the capacitance electrode 631 and the contact portion 642.

[0123] 13 shows some components of the driving transistor 602 in the low-density region 453. Specifically, FIG. 13 shows a semiconductor layer including a channel portion 811, a gate electrode 621, and an opening 632 of a capacitance electrode. Compared to the driving transistor 601 in the normal region 451 shown in FIG. 12, the width W2 of the channel portion 811 is larger. That is, the width of the semiconductor overlapping with the gate electrode 621 (second gate electrode) in the low-density region 453 is larger than the width of the semiconductor overlapping with the gate electrode 621 (first gate electrode) in the normal region 451. Other structures including the shape of the gate electrode 621 are similar to those of the driving transistor 601.

[0124] The channel portion 811 and the gate electrode 621 have a vertically and horizontally symmetrical shape and arrangement in a plan view. In FIG. 13, the gate electrode 621 and the channel portion 811 are rectangular linearly extending in the horizontal direction, and the central axes extending in the horizontal direction coincide with each other. 811A distance D2 from the gate electrode to the end of the gate electrode is common to both sides. The distance D2 is smaller than the distance D1 of the driving transistor 601 in the normal region.

[0125] A distance L11 from a right end 623A of the gate electrode 621 to a bent portion 617A of the semiconductor layer is the same as a distance L11 from a left end 623B of the gate electrode 621 to a bent portion 617B of the semiconductor layer. The distance L11 is the same as the distance L11 of the driving transistor 601 in the normal region. In the configuration example of FIG. 13, the bent portions 617A and 617B of the semiconductor layer are T-shaped, but the bent portions may be L-shaped. The angle of the bent portion does not have to be a right angle.

[0126] 10, the capacitance electrode 631 is disposed so as to cover the channel portion 811 and the gate electrode 621. Furthermore, the gate electrode 621 is connected to the source / drain metal layer by a contact portion 642 through an opening 632 formed in the capacitance electrode 631.

[0127] 13, the central axis of the gate electrode 621 passes through the region where the contact portion 642 contacts the gate electrode. In addition, a gap having a distance (minimum value) D3 exists between the inner end of the opening 632 formed in the capacitance electrode 631 and the contact portion 642. The gap distance D3 is the same as the gap distance D3 of the driving transistor 601 in the normal region.

[0128] As described above, the center of the gate electrode and the channel portion of the driving transistor shaft are the same, and the distance (gate margin) D1 or D2 in the width direction between them is the same on both sides. This makes it possible to reduce the influence of fluctuation factors in the manufacturing process of drive transistors having different channel widths. Furthermore, the distance between the end of the gate electrode and the bent portion of the semiconductor layer is the same on both sides. This makes it possible to reduce the influence of fluctuation factors in the manufacturing process of drive transistors having different channel widths. Note that one of these distances may be different on both sides.

[0129] As described above, the capacitance electrode 631 is disposed so as to cover the channel portion 611 or 811, and constitutes a storage capacitance together with the gate electrode 621 on the lower side. Furthermore, through the opening 632 formed in the capacitance electrode 631, a contact portion 642 between the source / drain metal layer and the gate electrode 621 is formed.

[0130] To prevent the influence of differences in channel width on circuit operation, it is important to reduce the difference in fringe capacitance of the wiring (electrode) directly connected to the gate electrode. By locating the contact part near the center of the opposite side of the gate electrode as viewed from the channel side, the difference in fringe capacitance can be reliably reduced.

[0131] As described above, by shielding the gate electrode of the drive transistor with a capacitive electrode layer and drawing out the gate electrode through a small opening, it is possible to effectively suppress fluctuations in Vgs due to capacitive coupling with other wiring, which directly affects the output current.

[0132] In one embodiment of this specification, in the driving transistor 602 in the low-density region, the distance D3 (minimum value) between the inner end of the opening 632 of the capacitance electrode and the contact portion 642 of the gate electrode is greater than the distance D2 (minimum value) between the end of the gate electrode 621 and the end of the channel portion 811. This can reduce the influence of errors in the manufacturing process.

[0133] Specifically, the formation of the gate electrode 621 layer is aligned with respect to the semiconductor layer, and the formation of the capacitive electrode 631 layer is aligned with respect to the gate electrode 621 layer. The formation of the source / drain metal layer is aligned with respect to the gate electrode 621 layer or the semiconductor layer. Therefore, the alignment of the contact portion 642 of the source / drain metal layer with the opening 632 of the capacitive electrode is a combination of two alignments (indirect alignment). Therefore, by making the distance D3 larger than the distance D2, the possibility of contact between the contact portion 642 and the capacitive electrode 631 due to manufacturing process variations can be reduced.

[0134] Note that the description with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 can also be applied to other switch transistors in which different channel widths are applied in the normal region 451 and the low-density region 453, except for the portion related to the distance D3.

[0135] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments. A person skilled in the art can easily change, add, or convert each element of the above embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure. It is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0136] 10 OLED display device 51 subpixels 53 Main Pixels 100 TFT Substrate 106 scan lines 107 Emission Control Line 125 Display area 131 Scan Driver 132 Emission Driver 134 Driver IC 451 Normal area 453 Low density area 465 Camera 601, 602 Drive transistor 611 Channel section 615A, 615B, 617A, 617B bends 621 Gate electrode 623A, 623B Gate electrode end 631 Capacitive electrode 632 Aperture 641, 642, 643 Contact part 811 Channel section C1, C10 holding capacity C11, C12 capacity E1 OLED element P1, P2 nodes T1-T9 Transistors

Claims

1. A first display area; a second display area having a pixel density smaller than that of the first display area; Including, a first pixel circuit in the first display area, a first driving transistor that controls an amount of driving current to the first light emitting element; a first storage capacitor that stores a control voltage of the first drive transistor; a first switch transistor that writes a data signal to the first storage capacitor; Including, a second pixel circuit in the second display area, a second driving transistor that controls an amount of driving current to the second light emitting element; a second storage capacitor that stores a control voltage of the second drive transistor; a second switch transistor that writes a data signal to the second storage capacitor; Including, The channel width of the second driving transistor is larger than the channel width of the first driving transistor; a channel width of the second switch transistor is larger than a channel width of the first switch transistor; the electrode of the first light emitting element and the electrode of the second light emitting element have the same shape, the first storage capacitor and the second storage capacitor have the same size; The first pixel circuit and the second pixel circuit are connected to the same scanning line. Display device.

2. A first display area; a second display area having a pixel density smaller than that of the first display area; Including, a first pixel circuit in the first display area, A first driving transistor that controls an amount of driving current to the light emitting element; a first storage capacitor that stores a control voltage of the first drive transistor; a first switch transistor that writes a data signal to the first storage capacitor; Including, a second pixel circuit in the second display area, A second driving transistor that controls the amount of driving current to the light emitting element; a second storage capacitor that stores a control voltage of the second drive transistor; a second switch transistor that writes a data signal to the second storage capacitor; Including, The channel width of the second driving transistor is larger than the channel width of the first driving transistor; a channel width of the second switch transistor is larger than a channel width of the first switch transistor; the first pixel circuit further includes a third switch transistor that, in an ON state, causes a gate and a drain of the first driving transistor to be conductive; the second pixel circuit further includes a fourth switch transistor that, in an ON state, causes a gate and a drain of the second driving transistor to be conductive; The channel width of the fourth switch transistor is larger than the channel width of the third switch transistor. Display device.

3. A display device according to claim 1 or 2, a gate potential fluctuation of the first drive transistor caused by a change of the first switch transistor from ON to OFF is equal to a gate potential fluctuation of the second drive transistor caused by a change of the second switch transistor from ON to OFF; Display device.

4. A display device according to claim 1, the first pixel circuit further includes a third switch transistor that, in an ON state, causes a gate and a drain of the first driving transistor to be conductive; the second pixel circuit further includes a fourth switch transistor that, in an ON state, causes a gate and a drain of the second driving transistor to be conductive; The channel width of the fourth switch transistor is larger than the channel width of the third switch transistor. Display device.

5. A display device according to claim 2 or 4, a gate potential fluctuation of the first drive transistor caused by a change of the third switch transistor from ON to OFF is equal to a gate potential fluctuation of the second drive transistor caused by a change of the fourth switch transistor from ON to OFF; Display device.

6. A display device according to claim 1 or 2, the first driving transistor includes a first gate electrode; the second drive transistor includes a second gate electrode; the first gate electrode has a common shape with the second gate electrode; a width of the semiconductor layer overlapping the second gate electrode is greater than a width of the semiconductor layer overlapping the first gate electrode; Display device.

7. The display device according to claim 6, the distances from both ends of the first gate electrode to the bent portion in the semiconductor layer are equal; the distances from both ends of the second gate electrode to the bent portion in the semiconductor layer are equal; Display device.

8. The display device according to claim 6, a central axis of the first gate electrode and a central axis of a channel of the first driver transistor coincide with each other in a plan view; a central axis of the second gate electrode and a central axis of a channel of the second driver transistor coincide with each other in a plan view; Display device.

9. The display device according to claim 8, a first capacitance electrode of the first storage capacitance, the first capacitance electrode covering the channel and the first gate electrode of the first driving transistor and having an opening; a second capacitance electrode of the second storage capacitance, the second capacitance electrode covering the channel and the second gate electrode of the second driving transistor and having an opening; a first contact portion passing through an opening of the first capacitance electrode and contacting the first gate electrode; a second contact portion passing through the opening of the second capacitance electrode and contacting the second gate electrode; Further comprising: a central axis of the first gate electrode passes through a region where the first contact portion is in contact with the first gate electrode; a central axis of the second gate electrode passes through a region where the second contact portion is in contact with the second gate electrode; Display device.

10. The display device according to claim 9, a minimum value of a distance between the second contact portion and an edge of the opening of the second capacitance electrode is greater than a minimum value of a distance between an edge of the second gate electrode and an edge of the channel of the second driving transistor in a direction of a channel width of the second driving transistor; Display device.

Images