Display substrate and manufacturing method therefor, and display apparatus

Abstract

A display substrate and a manufacturing method therefor, and a display apparatus. The display substrate includes a base substrate (01), and a plurality of sub-pixels (100), a pixel defining pattern (200) and a plurality of isolation pillar structures (300), which are located on the base substrate (01). Each sub-pixel (100) includes a first electrode (110), a light-emitting material layer (130) and a second electrode (120), which are arranged in a stacked manner, wherein the first electrode (110) is located between the light-emitting material layer (130) and the base substrate (01); the pixel defining pattern (200) includes a plurality of openings (210) and a pixel defining portion (220) surrounding the plurality of openings (210), wherein the plurality of openings (210) are configured to define a light-emitting region of at least some of the sub-pixels (100); and the plurality of isolation pillar structures (300) are located on the side of the pixel defining portion (220) that is away from the base substrate (01). At least one recess (410) is provided on the side of the pixel defining portion (220) that is away from the base substrate (01), and the at least one recess (410) is located between at least one isolation pillar structure (300) and the opening (210) closest thereto. Thus, it is conducive to improving the uniformity of the first electrode and preventing the occurrence of dark spots, so as to improve a display effect when the display substrate is used in a display apparatus.

Description

Display substrate, manufacturing method thereof, and display device

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410809271.5, filed on June 21, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety as part of the present application. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a display substrate, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device. BACKGROUND

[0003] An organic light-emitting display (OLED) is a self-luminous device with a series of advantages such as high brightness, full view angle, fast response speed, and flexible display. With the development of display technology, the pixel density (PPI) of display devices is getting higher and higher to achieve better display effect. SUMMARY

[0004] The present disclosure provides a display substrate, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a display substrate, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device.

[0006] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a shape of a projection of each of the at least one groove on the substrate is annular, and the annular shape surrounds the opening.

[0007] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the light-emitting material layer fills the at least one groove.

[0008] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a thickness of the light-emitting material layer is not less than a depth of the groove.

[0009] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, the at least one groove does not overlap the first electrode.

[0010] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the pixel defining part comprises a side surface surrounding the plurality of openings, and an included angle formed by the side surface surrounding at least one opening and the first electrode is provided with a protective material between the first electrode and the light-emitting material layer.

[0011] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the protective material comprises a photoresist.

[0012] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display device comprising any of the display substrates described above.

[0013] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a manufacturing method of a display substrate, comprising: providing a substrate; patterning a plurality of first electrodes on the substrate using a mask plate; forming a pixel defining pattern on a side of the plurality of first electrodes away from the substrate, wherein the pixel defining pattern comprises a plurality of openings and a pixel defining part surrounding the plurality of openings, the plurality of openings are configured to expose at least part of the plurality of first electrodes; and patterning a plurality of isolation column structures on a side of the pixel defining part away from the substrate. Before forming at least part of layer structures of the plurality of isolation column structures, the method further comprises: forming a first protective layer covering the plurality of first electrodes on a side of the plurality of first electrodes away from the substrate.

[0014] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, before forming at least part of layer structures of the plurality of isolation column structures, the method further comprises: patterning a first photoresist pattern on a side of an isolation material layer away from the substrate, wherein each isolation column structure comprises an isolation column and an isolation layer stacked, the isolation column is between the isolation layer and the substrate, the at least part of layer structures comprises at least one of the isolation column and the isolation layer, the isolation material layer comprises at least one of a conductive layer configured to form the isolation column and an insulating material layer configured to form the isolation layer; and after forming at least part of layer structures of the plurality of isolation column structures, the method further comprises: removing the first photoresist pattern and the first protective layer together to expose at least part of layer structures of the isolation column structures and the plurality of first electrodes. The material of the first protective layer comprises a photoresist.

[0015] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first protective layer is formed by patterning the mask plate.

[0016] For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the pixel defining part comprises a side surface surrounding the plurality of openings, and the first protective layer completely covers the side surface.

[0017] For example, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, in a process of forming at least part of a layer structure of the plurality of isolation column structures, a portion of the pixel defining part between the first protective layer and the plurality of isolation column structures forms a groove.

[0018] For example, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the pixel defining part includes a side surface surrounding the plurality of openings, and after the first protective layer is removed, a portion of the first protective layer remaining at an included angle formed between the side surface and at least one first electrode serves as a protective material.

[0019] For example, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, forming the isolation column includes: forming the conductive layer on a side of the first protective layer and the pixel defining part away from the substrate; and patterning the conductive layer to form the isolation column using the first photoresist pattern as a mask.

[0020] For example, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, forming the isolation layer includes: forming the insulating material layer on a side of the first protective layer and the isolation column away from the substrate; and patterning the insulating material layer to form the isolation layer using the first photoresist pattern as a mask.

[0021] For example, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the isolation material layer is the conductive layer, and before the insulating material layer is formed, the method further includes: forming a second protective layer covering the plurality of first electrodes on a side of the plurality of first electrodes away from the substrate.

[0022] For example, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the second protective layer is formed by patterning the mask plate.

[0023] For example, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the pixel defining part includes a side surface surrounding the plurality of openings, and the second protective layer completely covers the side surface.

[0024] For example, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, after the insulating material layer is formed, the method further includes: patterning a second photoresist pattern on a side of the insulating material layer away from the substrate; patterning the insulating material layer to form the isolation layer using the second photoresist pattern as a mask; and removing the second photoresist pattern together with the second protective layer to expose the isolation layer and the plurality of first electrodes, wherein a material of the second protective layer includes photoresist.

[0025] For example, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, after the isolation column structure is formed, the method further includes: forming a light-emitting material layer and a second electrode on a side of the plurality of first electrodes away from the substrate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present disclosure and not limiting of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a partial planar structure view of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional structure schematic view of a display substrate according to an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIGS. 4 to 12 are partial flowcharts of forming the display substrate shown in FIG. 1 according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIGS. 13 and 14 are partial flowcharts of a display substrate according to different examples in embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIGS. 15 to 17 are partial flowcharts of a display substrate according to another example in embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram of a display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present disclosure and not limiting of the present disclosure. Based on the described embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without any creative effort fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, technical terms or scientific terms used in the present disclosure shall have the meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The terms "first", "second", and similar terms are used herein to distinguish one element from another, and are not necessarily used in a sequence or to denote importance or quantity. The terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including" and the like can mean the presence of a stated element or item but do not preclude the presence or addition of other elements or items. The terms "parallel", "perpendicular", and "identical" and the like used in the embodiments of the present disclosure include the strict meanings of "parallel", "perpendicular", "identical" and the like, and also include cases where there is a certain error, i.e., "approximately parallel", "approximately perpendicular", "approximately identical", and the like, considering measurement and error related to measurement of a specific value (e.g., limitation of a measurement system), and mean within an acceptable deviation range for a specific value determined by one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, "approximately" can mean within one or more standard deviations, or within 10% or 5% of the value. When the number of a component is not specifically indicated in the following embodiments of the present disclosure, it means that the component can be one or more, or can be understood as at least one. "At least one" means one or more, and "a plurality of" means at least two.

[0036] A technology of forming a light emitting material layer by a mask etching process is advantageous to reduce the pitch between sub-pixels and improve the pixel density by adjusting the manufacturing process of a display substrate. For example, the light emitting material layers of sub-pixels of different colors are formed by an etching method. For example, the above-mentioned advanced pattern technology includes forming a pixel defining layer by using inorganic non-metallic material; forming a metal isolation column on the pixel defining layer; forming an inorganic pattern on the metal isolation column to cover the metal isolation column; forming a stacked film layer of a first color light emitting material layer, a cathode, and an inorganic encapsulation layer on the anode of a sub-pixel and patterning, the boundary of the stacked film layer covering the edge of the metal isolation column to realize the conductive connection of the cathode; forming a stacked film layer of a second color light emitting material layer, a cathode, and an inorganic encapsulation layer on the anode of a sub-pixel and patterning; forming a stacked film layer of a third color light emitting material layer, a cathode, and an inorganic encapsulation layer on the anode of a sub-pixel and patterning, the first color light emitting material layer, the second color light emitting material layer, and the third color light emitting material layer being a red light emitting material layer, a green light emitting material layer, and a blue light emitting material layer, respectively; inkjet printing an organic encapsulation layer on the inorganic encapsulation layer; and depositing another layer of inorganic encapsulation layer on the organic encapsulation layer.

[0037] In the research, the inventors of the present application found that in addition to being etched in the process of patterning the pixel defining layer, the part of the anode exposed by the opening in the pixel defining layer is etched multiple times in the subsequent etching process to form metal isolation columns, inorganic patterns and the above-mentioned laminated film layer, which causes the surface of the anode to be damaged. In addition to causing the display substrate to have poor optical uniformity, it also causes abnormal display or dark spots and other problems.

[0038] The present disclosure provides a display substrate, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device.

[0039] The display substrate provided by the present disclosure includes a substrate, a plurality of sub-pixels, a pixel defining pattern, and a plurality of isolation column structures on the substrate. Each of at least some of the sub-pixels includes a first electrode, a light-emitting material layer, and a second electrode arranged in layers, with the first electrode located between the light-emitting material layer and the substrate. The pixel defining pattern includes a plurality of openings and a pixel defining portion surrounding the plurality of openings, and the plurality of openings are configured to define a light-emitting area of at least some of the sub-pixels. The plurality of isolation column structures are located on a side of the pixel defining portion away from the substrate. At least one groove is provided on the side of the pixel defining portion away from the substrate, and the at least one groove is located between at least one isolation column structure and the nearest opening.

[0040] The manufacturing method of the display substrate provided by the present disclosure includes providing a substrate, patterning a plurality of first electrodes on the substrate using a mask, forming a pixel defining pattern on a side of the plurality of first electrodes away from the substrate, wherein the pixel defining pattern includes a plurality of openings and a pixel defining portion surrounding the plurality of openings, and the plurality of openings are configured to expose at least some of the plurality of first electrodes, and patterning a plurality of isolation column structures on a side of the pixel defining portion away from the substrate. Before forming at least some of the layer structures of the plurality of isolation column structures, the method further includes forming a first protective layer covering the plurality of first electrodes on a side of the plurality of first electrodes away from the substrate.

[0041] The manufacturing method of the display substrate provided by the present disclosure can prepare the display substrate provided by the present disclosure. In the manufacturing process of the display substrate, before forming at least some of the layer structures of the plurality of isolation column structures, by covering the first electrode surface with the first protective layer, the number of times the first electrode is etched in the process of forming the above-mentioned at least some of the layer structures can be reduced, which is beneficial to improve the uniformity of the first electrode and prevent dark spots from appearing, thereby improving the display effect of the display substrate when used in a display device.

[0042] The display substrate, the manufacturing method thereof, and the display device provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view along the line AA' shown in FIG. 2.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, the display substrate includes a substrate 01 and a plurality of sub-pixels 100, a pixel definition pattern 200, and a plurality of isolation column structures 300 on the substrate 01. Each of at least some of the sub-pixels 100 includes a first electrode 110, a light-emitting material layer 130, and a second electrode 120 stacked in this order, with the first electrode 110 between the light-emitting material layer 130 and the substrate 01.

[0045] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the substrate 01 can be a rigid substrate such as glass or quartz, or a flexible substrate such as polyimide or resin.

[0046] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, each of the plurality of sub-pixels 100 includes the first electrode 110, the light-emitting material layer 130, and the second electrode 120. For example, the light-emitting material layer 130 can include an organic light-emitting material layer 130. For example, the light-emitting material layer 130 can include a light-emitting layer and functional layers, such as a hole injection layer (HIL), a hole transport layer (HTL), an electron transport layer (ETL), and an electron injection layer (EIL). For example, the first electrode 110 can be an anode, and the second electrode 120 can be a cathode. For example, the cathode can be formed of a material with high conductivity and a low work function, for example, the cathode can be made of a metal material. For example, the anode can be formed of a transparent conductive material with a high work function.

[0047] For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of sub-pixels 100 can include sub-pixels 100 that emit different colors of light. For example, the plurality of sub-pixels 100 includes a first sub-pixel 101, a second sub-pixel 102, and a third sub-pixel 103. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the second sub-pixel 102 and the third sub-pixel 103 are arranged along the X direction.

[0048] For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the first sub-pixel 101 can be a red sub-pixel 100 that emits red light, the second sub-pixel 102 can be a green sub-pixel 100 that emits green light, and the third sub-pixel 103 can be a blue sub-pixel 100 that emits blue light. Of course, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the colors of the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, and the third sub-pixel can be interchanged.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 1, the pixel defining pattern 200 includes a plurality of openings 210 configured to define at least part of the light emitting region of the sub-pixel 100 and a pixel defining portion 220 surrounding the plurality of openings 210. For example, one sub-pixel 100 corresponds to at least one opening 210, at least part of the light emitting material layer 130 of the sub-pixel 100 is located in the opening 210 corresponding to the sub-pixel 100, and the opening 210 is configured to expose the first electrode 110.

[0050] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, when the light emitting material layer 130 is formed in the opening 210 of the pixel defining pattern 200, the first electrode 110 and the second electrode 120 located on both sides of the light emitting material layer 130 can drive the light emitting material layer 130 in the opening 210 to emit light. For example, the opening 210 of the pixel defining pattern 200 is used to define the light emitting region of the sub-pixel 100. The above-mentioned light emitting region can refer to the area of the effective light emission of the sub-pixel 100, and the shape of the light emitting region refers to a two-dimensional shape, for example, the shape of the light emitting region can be the same as the shape of the opening 210 of the pixel defining pattern 200. The gray part shown in FIG. 2 can be the opening 210 in the pixel defining pattern 200, that is, the light emitting region of each sub-pixel 100, for example, the area of the light emitting region of one first sub-pixel 101 and one third sub-pixel 103 is greater than the area of the light emitting region of one second sub-pixel 102.

[0051] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the material of the pixel defining portion 220 includes inorganic non-metallic materials. For example, the pixel defining portion 220 can adopt one or more of inorganic insulating materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride. However, the material of the pixel defining portion 220 can also be an organic material, such as polyimide, resin, and the like.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of isolation column structures 300 are located on the side of the pixel defining portion 220 away from the substrate 01. For example, along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 01, such as the Y direction shown in FIG. 1, the isolation column structure 300 does not overlap with the opening 210. For example, along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 01, the isolation column structure 300 does not overlap with the first electrode 110.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 1, the side of the pixel defining portion 220 away from the substrate 01 is provided with at least one groove 410, and the at least one groove 410 is located between the at least one isolation column structure 300 and the opening 210 closest to it.

[0054] In the manufacturing process of the display substrate provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first electrode is protected by the protective layer, so that the exposed part of the first electrode by the opening of the pixel definition pattern can be prevented from being damaged by etching in the process of patterning the isolation column structure, thereby improving the display effect of the display substrate when applied to a display device; in the process of patterning the isolation column structure, the surface between the opening and the isolation column structure of the pixel definition part 220 is etched to form a groove, and thus the presence of the groove embodies the technical solution of protecting the first electrode by the protective layer.

[0055] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the isolation column structure 300 includes the isolation column 310 and the isolation layer 320 which are stacked, and the isolation column 310 is located between the isolation layer 320 and the pixel definition part 220. For example, the material of the isolation column 310 includes a conductive material, such as a metal material; the material of the isolation layer 320 includes an insulating material. For example, the thickness of the isolation column structure 300 in the Y direction is greater than the thicknesses of the light-emitting material layer 130 and the second electrode 120 in the Y direction. For example, the isolation column 310 can include three layers of metal materials which are stacked, such as titanium / aluminum / titanium, and the middle layer of the three layers of metal materials is recessed inward relative to the edges of the two side metal materials to block the light-emitting material layer 130, thereby isolating the light-emitting material layers 130 of the adjacent sub-pixels 100 which have different colors of light-emitting colors. For example, the recessed design of the isolation column 310 also blocks the second electrode 120, but the isolation column 310 has a conductive property and can electrically connect the second electrodes 120 of the adjacent sub-pixels 100, thereby the isolation column 310 plays a role of transmitting the electrical signals of the second electrode 120, which is beneficial to ensuring the display uniformity. The embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the isolation column including three layers of metal materials, for example, the isolation column can also include two layers of film layers, for example, one layer of the two layers of film layers close to the substrate 01 is a conductive film layer; for example, the isolation column can also include four or more layers of film layers, at least one layer of which is a conductive film layer.

[0056] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the isolation layer 320 is used to shield the electrical signals transmitted in the isolation column 310, for example, it can prevent the electrical signals transmitted in the isolation column 310 from affecting other electrical signals, such as touch signals, transmitted on the side away from the substrate 01. For example, the isolation layer 320 can adopt inorganic materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride. For example, the isolation layer 320 completely covers the isolation column 310. For example, the orthogonal projection of the isolation layer 320 and the isolation column 310 on the substrate 01 completely overlaps.

[0057] For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the isolation column structure 300 can have a grid shape. For example, the isolation column structure 300 is arranged between the adjacent sub-pixels 100.

[0058] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 1, in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 01, the at least one groove 410 does not overlap with the plurality of first electrodes 110. By setting the positional relationship between the groove 410 and the first electrode 110, it is beneficial to improve the protection of the part of the pixel definition part 220 close to the light-emitting area by the protective layer, and prevent the part of the pixel definition part 220 close to the opening 210 from being unevenly etched to affect the display effect.

[0059] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the distance between the groove 410 and the isolation column 310 is smaller than the distance between the groove 410 and the edge of the opening 210. The area between the groove 410 and the opening 210 is the area where the protective layer for protecting the first electrode 110 is arranged, and in addition to the first electrode 110 being protected by the protective layer, the pixel definition part 220 in this area is also protected by the protective layer to improve the display effect.

[0060] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the shape of the orthographic projection of each of the at least one groove 410 on the substrate 01 is annular, and the annular shape surrounds the opening 210. The shape of the isolation column structure 300 and the shape of the protective layer for protecting the first electrode 110 jointly determine the shape and size of the groove 410, for example, when the distance between the isolation column structure 300 and the protective layer is large, the ring width of the groove 410 at this position is large; when the distance between the isolation column structure 300 and the protective layer is small, the ring width of the groove 410 at this position is small. For example, the area between the grid-shaped isolation column structure 300 and the block-shaped protective layer is the area where the groove 410 is formed, and the shape of this area is annular around the protective layer, or around the first electrode 110 or the opening 210.

[0061] For example, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the shapes of the grooves 410 surrounding the light-emitting areas of different sub-pixels 100 can be the same or different. For example, the at least one groove 410 can be annular in shape with uniform ring width. For example, the at least one groove 410 can be annular in shape with non-uniform ring width. For example, the groove 410 surrounding the light-emitting area of the third sub-pixel 103 can have uniform ring width. For example, the groove 410 surrounding the light-emitting area of the first sub-pixel 101 can have uniform ring width. For example, the groove 410 surrounding the light-emitting area of the second sub-pixel 102 can be annular in shape with non-uniform ring width. However, the ring width of the groove can be set according to the positional relationship between the isolation column structure and the opening in the pixel definition pattern.

[0062] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the depths of the different grooves 410 can be the same or different. For example, the included angle between the side surface 230 of the groove 410 and the bottom surface of the groove 410 is greater than 90 degrees. For example, the included angle between the side surface 230 of the groove 410 and the bottom surface of the groove 410 is a first included angle, and the included angle between the side surface 230 of the pixel defining portion 220 surrounding the opening 210 and the side surface of the first electrode 110 away from the substrate 01 is a second included angle, and the first included angle can be not less than the second included angle, such as the first included angle can be greater than the second included angle.

[0063] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 1, the light emitting material layer 130 fills at least one groove 410. For example, the light emitting material layer 130 fills each groove 410. For example, the same groove 410 is filled with a light emitting material layer 130 of one color.

[0064] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 1, the thickness of the light emitting material layer 130 is not less than the depth of the groove 410. For example, the thickness of the light emitting material layer 130 is greater than the depth of the groove 410. For example, the surface of the part of the light emitting material layer 130 away from the substrate 01 in the groove 410 and near the groove 410 is a plane, and the second electrode 120 away from the substrate 01 of the light emitting material layer 130 will not be broken at the groove 410.

[0065] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the display substrate further includes a drive circuit layer 02 located on the substrate 01. For example, the drive circuit layer 02 includes a pixel driving circuit for each of the plurality of sub-pixels 100, and each pixel driving circuit includes a plurality of transistors and a storage capacitor and the like structure.

[0066] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the drive circuit layer 02 includes a transistor 1020, a storage capacitor 1030, and a plurality of signal lines 1010, the transistor 1030 includes an active layer 1021, a gate 1022, a source 1023, and a drain 1024, the storage capacitor 1030 includes a first capacitor electrode 1031 and a second capacitor electrode 1032, and the plurality of signal lines 1010 can include various signal lines that the display substrate has, such as each scan line, data line, reset voltage line, power supply line, etc. For example, the above-mentioned plurality of conductive patterns include the gate 1022, the source / drain electrode 1023 / 1024, the first capacitor electrode 1031, the second capacitor electrode 1032 of each transistor, and the plurality of signal lines 1010, and the isolation column structure 300 can be electrically connected to the conductive patterns through the via, and the conductive patterns can be one or more of the above-mentioned various patterns, as long as signal crosstalk does not occur.

[0067] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the display substrate can further include a barrier layer B1 and a buffer layer B2 disposed on the substrate 01, which can prevent impurities in the substrate 01 from entering the plurality of functional layers on the display substrate, thereby playing a protective role. For example, the barrier layer B1 and the buffer layer B2 can adopt one or more of inorganic insulating materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride.

[0068] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the display substrate can further include a first gate insulating layer GI1 disposed on the active layer 1021 away from the substrate 01, a second gate insulating layer GI2 disposed on the gate 1022 and the first capacitor electrode 1031 away from the substrate 01, and an interlayer insulating layer IDL disposed on the second capacitor electrode 1032 away from the substrate 01. For example, the first gate insulating layer GI1, the second gate insulating layer GI2, and the interlayer insulating layer IDL can adopt one or more of inorganic insulating materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride.

[0069] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the display substrate can further include a planarization layer PLN disposed on the source / drain electrode 1023 / 1024 away from the substrate 01, which can planarize the pixel driving circuit, thereby forming a relatively flat surface for disposing the light-emitting material layer 130 of the sub-pixel 100.

[0070] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the active layer 1021 of each transistor can be a semiconductor layer in various forms such as an amorphous silicon layer, a polysilicon layer, or a metal oxide semiconductor layer. For example, the polysilicon can be high-temperature polysilicon or low-temperature polysilicon, and the oxide semiconductor can be indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), or gallium zinc oxide (GZO), etc.

[0071] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the gate 1022 of each transistor can adopt a metal material or an alloy material such as copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), etc., for example, in a single-layer conductive layer structure or a multi-layer conductive layer structure, such as a multi-layer conductive layer structure of titanium / aluminum / titanium, etc. The source / drain electrode 1023 / 1024 of each transistor can adopt a metal material or an alloy material such as copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), etc., for example, in a single-layer conductive layer structure or a multi-layer conductive layer structure, such as a multi-layer conductive layer structure of titanium / aluminum / titanium, etc.

[0072] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the second electrode 120 is provided with an encapsulation layer 700 on the side away from the substrate 01, and the encapsulation layer 700 is an inorganic encapsulation layer. For example, the encapsulation layer 700 is further provided with an organic encapsulation layer and another layer of inorganic encapsulation layer (not shown in the figure) on the side away from the substrate 01, and the organic encapsulation layer is located between the two layers of inorganic encapsulation layer.

[0073] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of a display substrate provided according to an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. The display device shown in FIG. 3 differs from the display substrate shown in FIG. 1 in that the display substrate shown in FIG. 3 further includes a protective material 420. The other structures in the display substrate shown in FIG. 3 have the same features as the corresponding structures in the display substrate shown in FIG. 1, and will not be described again here.

[0074] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 3, the pixel defining portion 220 includes a side surface 230 surrounding the plurality of openings 210, and the side surface 230 surrounding at least one of the openings 210 is provided with the protective material 420 at an included angle formed with the first electrode 110, and the protective material 420 is located between the first electrode 110 and the light-emitting material layer 130. The protective material 420 is left over in a protective layer removal process for protecting the first electrode 110, and the protective material 420 does not affect the light-emitting effect of the sub-pixel 100. The presence of the protective material embodies the technical solution of protecting the first electrode by using a protective layer.

[0075] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the protective material 420 is in contact with the side surface 230 of the pixel defining portion 220. The protective material 420 is only located at the included angle formed with the first electrode 110, so as to prevent the protective material 420 from affecting the light-emitting effect of the sub-pixel 100.

[0076] For example, FIG. 3 only schematically shows that the first electrode 110 of the third sub-pixel 103 is provided with the protective material 420, but is not limited thereto, and the first electrode 110 of the sub-pixel 100 of other colors can also be provided with the protective material 420, or the first electrode 110 of part of the sub-pixels 100 is provided with the protective material 420.

[0077] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the protective material 410 can be a ring of material surrounding the center of the opening, so as to avoid color cast. However, the protective material can also be located only at part of the position in the same opening.

[0078] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 3, the protective material 420 includes photoresist. By setting the protective material 420 as photoresist, on the one hand, a mask plate used to form the first electrode 110 can be used to form a protective layer for protecting the first electrode 110, so as to save masks; on the other hand, the protective layer of photoresist can be removed in a subsequent process after the formation of the first electrode 110, such as a process of forming the isolation column structure 300, so as to save process steps.

[0079] FIGS. 4 to 12 are partial flowcharts of forming the display substrate shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0080] As shown in FIGS. 1, 4-12, the method for manufacturing the display substrate includes: providing a substrate 01; patterning a plurality of first electrodes 110 on the substrate 01 using a mask plate; forming a pixel definition pattern 200 on a side of the plurality of first electrodes 110 away from the substrate 01, the pixel definition pattern 200 including a plurality of openings 210 configured to expose at least part of the plurality of first electrodes 110 and a pixel definition portion 220 surrounding the plurality of openings 210; and patterning a plurality of isolation column structures 300 on a side of the pixel definition portion 220 away from the substrate 01. Before forming at least part of a layer structure of the plurality of isolation column structures 300, the method for manufacturing the display substrate further includes: forming a first protective layer 510 covering the plurality of first electrodes 110 on a side of the plurality of first electrodes 110 away from the substrate 01. For example, each of the first electrodes 110 is protected by the first protective layer 510. For example, the first protective layer 510 can also be referred to as a sacrificial layer.

[0081] The method for manufacturing the display substrate provided by the present disclosure forms a first protective layer covering the plurality of first electrodes before forming at least part of a layer structure of the plurality of isolation column structures, so that the part of the first electrode exposed by the opening of the pixel definition pattern can be prevented from being damaged by etching during the process of patterning at least part of the layer structure of the isolation column structure, thereby improving the display effect of the display substrate when applied to a display device.

[0082] For example, as shown in FIG. 4, after patterning the first electrodes 110 on the substrate 01 using a mask plate, the pixel definition pattern 200 is etched on a side of the first electrodes 110 away from the substrate 01.

[0083] In some examples, as shown in FIGS. 4-12, before forming at least part of a layer structure of the plurality of isolation column structures 300, the method for manufacturing the display substrate further includes: patterning a first photoresist pattern 610 on a side of an isolation material layer away from the substrate 01, wherein each of the plurality of isolation column structures 300 includes an isolation column 310 and an isolation layer 320 stacked, the isolation column 310 is located between the isolation layer 320 and the substrate 01, at least part of the layer structure includes at least one of the isolation column 310 and the isolation layer 320, the isolation material layer includes at least one of a conductive layer 3100 configured to form the isolation column 310 and an insulating material layer 3200 configured to form the isolation layer 320; and after forming at least part of the layer structure of the plurality of isolation column structures 300, the method for manufacturing the display substrate further includes: removing the first photoresist pattern 610 and the first protective layer 510 together to expose at least part of the layer structure of the isolation column structure 300 and the plurality of first electrodes 110, wherein the material of the first protective layer 510 includes photoresist.

[0084] The manufacturing method for manufacturing the display substrate provided by the present disclosure includes forming a first protective layer covering the plurality of first electrodes and made of a photoresist before etching the isolation columns and / or the isolation layer, and removing the first protective layer together with the first photoresist pattern after etching the isolation columns and / or the isolation layer, so that the first electrodes can be protected and the step of removing the first protective layer is avoided.

[0085] For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the first protective layer 510 is formed on the side of the first electrode 110 away from the substrate 01.

[0086] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 5, the first protective layer 510 is formed by patterning a mask. The first protective layer 510 is formed by patterning a mask for forming the first electrode 110, so that the number of masks is not increased.

[0087] For example, as shown in FIG. 5, before forming the first protective layer 510, a photoresist layer is coated on the first electrode 110 and the pixel defining part 220, and the photoresist layer is exposed or weakly exposed by using the mask for forming the first electrode 110, and then developed to form the first protective layer 510. For example, the size of the first protective layer 510 can be adjusted by adjusting the intensity of exposure, so that the first protective layer 510 completely covers the surface of the first electrode 110 exposed by the opening 210 of the pixel defining pattern 200.

[0088] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 5, the pixel defining part 220 includes a side surface 230 surrounding the plurality of openings 210, and the first protective layer 510 completely covers the side surface 230. For example, the orthographic projection of the first electrode 110 on the substrate 01 is completely within the orthographic projection of the first protective layer 510 on the substrate 01. For example, the first protective layer 510 can cover part of the surface of the pixel defining part 220 away from the substrate 01 in addition to covering the first electrode 110 and the side surface 230 of the pixel defining part 220, so as to improve the flatness of the part of the surface of the pixel defining part 220 close to the light-emitting area of the sub-pixel 100.

[0089] In some examples, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the isolation material layer is a conductive layer 3100. Forming the isolation column 310 includes: forming the conductive layer 3100 on the first protective layer 510 and the side of the pixel defining part 220 away from the substrate 01; and patterning the conductive layer 3100 to form the isolation column 310 by using the first photoresist pattern 610 as a mask. FIG. 6 schematically shows that the conductive layer 3100 includes three film layers, but is not limited thereto, and can include two or more layers.

[0090] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 7, during the process of forming at least part of the layer structure of the plurality of isolation column structures 300, the part of the pixel defining part 220 between the first protective layer 510 and the plurality of isolation column structures 300 forms the groove 410. For example, during the process of patterning the conductive layer 3100 to form the isolation column 310, the surface of the pixel defining part 220 not covered by the first protective layer 510 and the surface not covered by the isolation column 310 are etched to form the groove 410. The groove 410 has the characteristics described in the above display substrate embodiments, which will not be described here again.

[0091] For example, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the first photoresist pattern 610 and the first protective layer 510 are removed together. For example, the material of the first protective layer 510 can be the same as the material of the first photoresist pattern 610, and the etching liquid can be used to etch the first photoresist pattern 610 and the first protective layer 510 to remove them.

[0092] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the isolation material layer is the conductive layer 3100, and before the insulating material layer 3200 is formed, the method for manufacturing the display substrate further comprises: forming a second protective layer 520 covering the plurality of first electrodes 110 on the side of the plurality of first electrodes 110 away from the substrate 01.

[0093] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 9, the second protective layer 520 is formed by patterning a mask plate. The second protective layer 520 is formed by patterning a mask plate for forming the first electrode 110 to avoid increasing the number of masks.

[0094] For example, as shown in FIG. 9, before the second protective layer 520 is formed, a photoresist layer is coated on the first electrode 110 and the isolation column 310, and the photoresist layer is exposed or weakly exposed to the mask plate for forming the first electrode 110, and then developed to form the second protective layer 520. For example, the size of the second protective layer 520 can be adjusted by adjusting the intensity of the exposure, so that the second protective layer 520 completely covers the surface of the first electrode 110 exposed by the opening 210 of the pixel defining pattern 200.

[0095] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 9, the pixel defining part 220 includes a side surface 230 surrounding the plurality of openings 210, and the second protective layer 520 completely covers the side surface 230. For example, the orthographic projection of the first electrode 110 on the substrate 01 is completely within the orthographic projection of the second protective layer 520 on the substrate 01. For example, the second protective layer 520 can cover part of the surface of the pixel defining part 220 away from the substrate 01 in addition to covering the first electrode 110 and the side surface 230 of the pixel defining part 220, so as to improve the flatness of the part of the surface of the pixel defining part 220 close to the light emitting area of the sub-pixel 100.

[0096] For example, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 9, the first protective layer 510 and the second protective layer 520 can have the same shape and size.

[0097] For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the insulating material layer 3200 is formed on the side of the second protective layer 520 and the isolation column 310 away from the substrate substrate 01.

[0098] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 10 to FIG. 12, after the insulating material layer 3200 is formed, the manufacturing method of the display substrate further includes: patterning a second photoresist pattern 620 on the side of the insulating material layer 3200 away from the substrate substrate 01; and patterning the insulating material layer 3200 to form an isolation layer 320 using the second photoresist pattern 620 as a mask; and removing the second photoresist pattern 620 together with the second protective layer 520 to expose the isolation layer 320 and the plurality of first electrodes 110, wherein the material of the second protective layer 520 includes photoresist.

[0099] The manufacturing method of the display substrate provided by the present disclosure includes forming a second protective layer covering the plurality of first electrodes and made of photoresist before etching the isolation layer, and removing the second protective layer together with the second photoresist pattern after etching the isolation layer, thereby protecting the first electrodes while avoiding the additional step of removing the second protective layer.

[0100] For example, the groove shown in FIG. 1 can be a groove formed by etching the pixel defining portion when etching at least one of the isolation column and the isolation layer.

[0101] In the manufacturing method of the display substrate provided by the present disclosure, by forming the first protective layer to protect the first electrodes before etching the isolation column and forming the second protective layer to protect the first electrodes before etching the isolation layer, the damage to the first electrodes during the process of etching the isolation column structure can be significantly reduced, the flatness of the first electrodes can be improved, and the performance of the display substrate can be improved.

[0102] For example, as shown in FIG. 10 to FIG. 12, the material of the second protective layer 520 can be the same as the material of the second photoresist pattern 620, and the second photoresist pattern 620 and the second protective layer 520 can be etched using an etching liquid to remove them.

[0103] FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 are partial flowcharts of a display substrate provided according to different examples in embodiments of the present disclosure. The display substrate shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 is different from the display substrate shown in FIG. 8 in that the display substrate shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 includes a protective material 420. The flowcharts shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 form the display substrate shown in FIG. 3. Other processes in the manufacturing method of the display substrate shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 are the same as the corresponding processes in the manufacturing method of the display substrate shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 12, and will not be described here.

[0104] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 13, the pixel defining part 220 includes a side surface 230 surrounding the plurality of openings 210, and the portion of the protective material 420 remaining from the first protective layer 510 is located at an angle formed between the side surface 230 and the at least one first electrode 110 after the first protective layer 510 is removed. In the example shown in FIG. 13, the first protective layer 510 is a protective layer formed on the first electrode 110 before the formation of the isolation column 310.

[0105] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 14, the pixel defining part 220 includes a side surface 230 surrounding the plurality of openings 210, and the portion of the protective material 420 remaining from the first protective layer 510 is located at an angle formed between the side surface 230 and the at least one first electrode 110 after the first protective layer 510 is removed. In the example shown in FIG. 14, the first protective layer 510 is a protective layer formed on the first electrode 110 after the formation of the isolation column 310 and before the formation of the isolation layer 320.

[0106] However, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the protective material 420 can also be the protective material 420 remaining after the second protective layer 520 shown in FIG. 11 is removed, or the protective material 420 remaining after the first protective layer 510 and the second protective layer 520 are removed. The protective material 420 can have the same features as the protective material 420 shown in FIG. 3, and will not be described again here.

[0107] FIGS. 15-17 are partial flowcharts of a display substrate provided according to another example in the embodiments of the present disclosure. The difference between the manufacturing method of the display substrate shown in FIGS. 15-17 and the manufacturing method of the display substrate shown in FIG. 8 is that the first protective layer 510 is a protective layer formed after the formation of the isolation column 310 and before the formation of the isolation layer 320. In the manufacturing method of the display substrate shown in FIGS. 15-17, no protective layer is formed to protect the first electrode 110 before the formation of the isolation column 310, and the other steps are the same as the corresponding steps in the manufacturing method shown in FIGS. 4-12, which will not be described again here.

[0108] For example, as shown in FIG. 15, after the formation of the isolation column 310, a photoresist layer is coated on the first electrode 110 and the isolation column 310, and the photoresist layer is exposed or weakly exposed to light with the first electrode 110 as a mask, and then developed to form the first protective layer 510. In the example shown in FIG. 15, the first protective layer 510 is formed after the isolation column 310, so that after the isolation column 310 is etched, the portion of the pixel defining part 220 located between the opening 210 and the isolation column 310 can not form the groove in the above examples, but is not limited thereto, for example, the thickness of the pixel defining part under the isolation column can be greater than the thickness of the pixel defining part except at the side surface position.

[0109] In some examples, as shown in FIGS. 15-17, the isolation material layer includes an insulating material layer 3200, and forming the isolation layer 320 includes: forming the insulating material layer 3200 on the first protective layer 510 and the side of the isolation column 310 away from the substrate 01; and patterning the insulating material layer 3200 to form the isolation layer 320 using the first photoresist pattern 610 as a mask.

[0110] For example, as shown in FIG. 17, in the process of etching the insulating material layer 3200 to form the isolation layer 320, the portion of the pixel defining portion 220 exposed by the first protective layer 510 and the isolation column 310 is etched to form the groove 410.

[0111] For example, the first photoresist pattern 610 and the first protective layer 510 are removed together to expose the isolation layer 320 and the first electrode 110. For example, in another example, part of the protective material of the first protective layer remains in the angle formed by the side of the pixel defining portion and the first electrode.

[0112] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 1, after forming the isolation column structure 300, the manufacturing method further includes: forming a light-emitting material layer 130 and a second electrode 120 on the side of the plurality of first electrodes 110 away from the substrate 01. For example, the manufacturing method of the display substrate further includes: forming an encapsulation layer 700 on the side of the second electrode 120 away from the substrate 01.

[0113] FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram of a display device provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 18, the display device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure includes any of the display substrates described above.

[0114] For example, the display substrate provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure can be an organic light-emitting diode display substrate. For example, the display substrate can be provided with a color filter layer, or can not be provided with a color filter layer.

[0115] For example, the display device further includes a cover plate located on the light-emitting side of the display substrate.

[0116] For example, the display device can be a display device such as an organic light-emitting diode display device, and any product or component having a display function such as a television, a digital camera, a mobile phone, a watch, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a navigator, or the like, and the embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0117] The following points need to be explained:

[0118] (1) In the drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure, only the structures related to the embodiments of the present disclosure are involved, and other structures can be referred to the general design.

[0119] (2) The features in the same and different embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0120] The above-described exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are merely for the purpose of illustration, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A display substrate, comprising: a substrate; a plurality of sub-pixels on the substrate, each of at least part of the sub-pixels comprising a first electrode, a light-emitting material layer and a second electrode arranged in a stack, the first electrode being between the light-emitting material layer and the substrate; a pixel defining pattern on the substrate, the pixel defining pattern comprising a plurality of openings configured to define light-emitting areas of the at least part of the sub-pixels and a pixel defining portion surrounding the plurality of openings; a plurality of spacer structures on a side of the pixel defining portion distal to the substrate, wherein the side of the pixel defining portion distal to the substrate is provided with at least one recess between at least one spacer structure and the opening closest thereto. 2.The display substrate of claim 1, wherein, each of the at least one recess has a shape of a projection on the substrate in orthographic projection that is annular, the annulus surrounding the opening. 3.The display substrate according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, the light-emitting material layer fills the at least one recess. 4.The display substrate of claim 3, wherein, a thickness of the light-emitting material layer is not less than a depth of the recess. 5.The display substrate of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, the at least one recess does not overlap the first electrode. 6.The display substrate of any one of claims 1-5, wherein, the pixel defining portion comprises a side surface surrounding the plurality of openings, the side surface surrounding at least one opening is provided with a protective material at an included angle formed with the first electrode, the protective material being between the first electrode and the light-emitting material layer. 7.The display substrate of claim 6, wherein, the protective material comprises a photoresist.

8. A display device comprising the display substrate of any one of claims 1-7.

9. A method of manufacturing a display substrate, comprising: providing a substrate; forming a plurality of first electrodes on the substrate using a mask pattern; forming a pixel defining pattern on a side of the plurality of first electrodes distal to the substrate, wherein the pixel defining pattern comprises a plurality of openings configured to expose at least part of the plurality of first electrodes and a pixel defining portion surrounding the plurality of openings; forming a plurality of spacer structures on a side of the pixel defining portion distal to the substrate, wherein before forming at least part of layer structures of the plurality of spacer structures, the method further comprises: forming a first protective layer covering the plurality of first electrodes on a side of the plurality of first electrodes distal to the substrate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, before forming at least part of layer structures of the plurality of spacer structures, the method further comprises: forming a first photoresist pattern on a side of a spacer material layer distal to the substrate, wherein each spacer structure comprises a spacer and a spacer layer arranged in a stack, the spacer being between the spacer layer and the substrate, the at least part of layer structures comprising at least one of the spacer and the spacer layer, the spacer material layer comprising at least one of a conductive layer configured to form the spacer and an insulating material layer configured to form the spacer layer; after forming the at least part of layer structures of the plurality of spacer structures, the method further comprises: The first photoresist pattern and the first protective layer are removed together to expose at least part of the layer structure of the isolation column structure and the plurality of first electrodes. The material of the first protective layer comprises photoresist.

11. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein, The first protective layer is formed by patterning the mask plate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, The pixel defining part comprises a side surface surrounding the plurality of openings, and the first protective layer completely covers the side surface.

13. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein, During the process of forming the at least part of the layer structure of the plurality of isolation column structures, the part of the pixel defining part between the first protective layer and the plurality of isolation column structures forms a groove.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10-13, wherein, The pixel defining part comprises a side surface surrounding the plurality of openings, and after the first protective layer is removed, the side surface and at least one first electrode form an angle, and the part of the first protective layer remaining at the angle forms a protective material.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein, The forming of the isolation column comprises: forming the conductive layer on the side of the first protective layer and the pixel defining part away from the substrate; patterning the conductive layer to form the isolation column by taking the first photoresist pattern as a mask.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein, The forming of the isolation layer comprises: forming the insulating material layer on the side of the first protective layer and the isolation column away from the substrate; patterning the insulating material layer to form the isolation layer by taking the first photoresist pattern as a mask.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein, The isolation material layer is the conductive layer, and before the insulating material layer is formed, the method further comprises: forming a second protective layer covering the plurality of first electrodes on the side of the plurality of first electrodes away from the substrate.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, The second protective layer is formed by patterning the mask plate.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, The pixel defining part comprises a side surface surrounding the plurality of openings, and the second protective layer completely covers the side surface.

20. The method of any one of claims 17-19, wherein, After the insulating material layer is formed, the method further comprises: patterning a second photoresist pattern on the side of the insulating material layer away from the substrate; patterning the insulating material layer to form the isolation layer by taking the second photoresist pattern as a mask; The second photoresist pattern and the second protective layer are removed together to expose the isolation layer and the plurality of first electrodes, wherein the material of the second protective layer comprises photoresist.

21. The method of any one of claims 9-20, wherein, After the isolation column structure is formed, the method further comprises: forming a luminescent material layer and a second electrode on the side of the plurality of first electrodes away from the substrate.

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