Display substrate, display motherboard, and display device
By setting a groove extending along a first direction in the bonding area and using an inorganic encapsulation layer, the problem of moisture intrusion in the bending area of the OLED display device is solved, improving encapsulation reliability and display quality.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-16
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-04
AI Technical Summary
Existing OLED display devices are prone to moisture intrusion in the bending area, resulting in poor packaging reliability and affecting display quality.
A first groove extending along a first direction is provided in the bonding area, and an inorganic encapsulation layer is distributed inside the groove. The groove wall structure, which combines organic and inorganic materials, forms a complete encapsulation to prevent moisture from entering the display area.
This improves the packaging reliability of the bonding area, prevents moisture intrusion, and enhances the display quality and electrical connection reliability of the display substrate.
Smart Images
Figure CN2025128071_04062026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Display substrate, display motherboard and display device
[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411709595.8, filed on November 26, 2024, entitled “Display Substrate, Display Motherboard and Display Device”, the contents of which are to be understood as incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field
[0002] This article relates to, but is not limited to, the field of display technology, and in particular to a display substrate, a display motherboard, and a display device. Background Technology
[0003] Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are active-matrix display devices with advantages such as self-illumination, wide viewing angle, high contrast, low power consumption, and extremely fast response speed. With the continuous development of display technology, display devices that use OLEDs as light-emitting elements and are controlled by thin-film transistors (TFTs) have become the mainstream products in the display field. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The following is an overview of the subject matter described in detail herein. This overview is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.
[0005] This disclosure provides a display substrate, a display motherboard, and a display device.
[0006] On one hand, this disclosure provides a display substrate, including a substrate, a display area, and a bonding area located on one side of the display area; the bonding area includes a bending area and at least one first groove, and the first groove extends along a first direction and penetrates the bonding area; the first groove is located on the side of the bending area close to the display area, or on the side of the bending area away from the display area, or a plurality of first grooves are respectively located on both sides of the bending area along a second direction, the first direction intersects the second direction and the plane formed thereby is parallel to the plane of the substrate;
[0007] The first groove includes a first groove bottom and a first groove wall. The first groove bottom extends along the plane of the substrate, and the first groove wall extends away from the substrate. At least a portion of the material of the first groove wall is an organic material.
[0008] The display substrate further includes an inorganic encapsulation layer, which is at least partially located within the first groove.
[0009] In some exemplary embodiments, the material of the first tank bottom is an inorganic material.
[0010] In some exemplary embodiments, the first tank wall includes an organic segment and an inorganic segment connected together. The organic segment is made of an organic material, and the inorganic segment is made of an inorganic material. The inorganic segment is located between the organic segment and the bottom of the first tank, and the inorganic segment is connected to the bottom of the first tank.
[0011] In some exemplary embodiments, the first trench wall includes an organic segment, and the organic segment is made of an organic material; the organic segment includes a first sub-wall and a second sub-wall connected together, the first sub-wall being closer to the substrate than the second sub-wall, and the orthographic projection of the second sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate surrounding the outside of the orthographic projection of the first sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate; or, the organic segment includes a first sub-wall, a second sub-wall, and a third sub-wall connected together, and the first sub-wall, the second sub-wall, and the third sub-wall are arranged sequentially in a direction away from the substrate; the orthographic projection of the second sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate surrounding the outside of the orthographic projection of the first sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate, and the orthographic projection of the third sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate surrounding the outside of the orthographic projection of the second sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate.
[0012] In some exemplary embodiments, the bonding region includes a plurality of leads extending along the second direction and spaced apart along the first direction; the leads include a plurality of sub-segments located in different conductive layers, the orthographic projection of the first groove on the plane where the substrate is located overlaps with the orthographic projection of at least one of the sub-segments on the plane where the substrate is located, and the sub-segment is located between the first groove and the substrate.
[0013] In some exemplary embodiments, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, the bonding region includes a first gate metal layer, a first source / drain metal layer, and a second source / drain metal layer sequentially located on the substrate; the first groove is located on the side of the bending region closer to the display area; the lead includes a first sub-segment, a second sub-segment, and a third sub-segment sequentially connected, and the first sub-segment overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first groove onto the plane of the substrate; the first sub-segment is located in the first gate metal layer or in the first source / drain metal layer.
[0014] In some exemplary embodiments, another first groove is located on the side of the bending region away from the display area, and the third sub-segment overlaps with the orthographic projection of the other first groove onto the plane where the substrate is located; the third sub-segment is located in the first gate metal layer or in the first source / drain metal layer.
[0015] In some exemplary embodiments, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, the bonding region includes a first gate metal layer, a second gate metal layer, a first source / drain metal layer, and a second source / drain metal layer sequentially located on the substrate; the first groove is located on the side of the bending region closer to the display area; the lead wire includes a first sub-segment, a second sub-segment, and a third sub-segment connected sequentially, and the first sub-segment overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first groove onto the plane of the substrate;
[0016] The first sub-segment includes a first section and a second section, the first section being located in one of the first gate metal layer and the second gate metal layer, and the second section being located in the other of the first gate metal layer and the second gate metal layer; the first section and the second section are connected via a via disposed in an insulating layer between the first gate metal layer and the second gate metal layer.
[0017] In some exemplary embodiments, the display substrate further includes at least one second groove, the second groove being located on one or both sides of the bending region along the first direction, at least a portion of the second groove extending along the second direction and communicating with the first groove; a portion of the inorganic encapsulation layer is located within the second groove.
[0018] In some exemplary embodiments, the second groove includes a second groove bottom and a second groove wall, the second groove bottom extending along the plane of the substrate, and the second groove wall extending away from the substrate; the material of the second groove bottom is an inorganic material.
[0019] In some exemplary embodiments, the first groove and the second groove are integrally formed.
[0020] In some exemplary embodiments, the display substrate further includes at least one stepped structure located on one or both sides of the bending area along the first direction, and at least a portion of the stepped structure extends along the second direction and is connected to the first groove;
[0021] The stepped structure includes a first step, a connecting step, and a second step connected together, with the connecting step located between the first step and the second step. The first step is closer to the substrate than the second step, and the second step is closer to the center of the bonding region than the first step. The material of the first step includes an inorganic material, and the inorganic encapsulation layer is in contact with the first step, the connecting step, and the second step.
[0022] On the other hand, embodiments of this disclosure provide a display motherboard, including a plurality of display substrate regions and a cutting region surrounding the plurality of display substrate regions, wherein the cutting region is provided with at least one cutting track and the cutting track surrounds the display substrate regions; the display substrate regions include the display substrates described in any of the foregoing embodiments.
[0023] In some exemplary embodiments, when the display substrate includes at least one stepped structure, the cutting path includes the stepped structure.
[0024] On the other hand, this disclosure provides a display device including the display substrate described in any of the foregoing embodiments.
[0025] After reading and understanding the accompanying diagrams and detailed descriptions, the other aspects can be understood.
[0026] Overview of the attached figures
[0027] The accompanying drawings are used to provide an understanding of the technical solutions of this disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this disclosure to explain the technical solutions of this disclosure and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions of this disclosure.
[0028] Figure 1 is a plan view of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0029] Figure 2 is a partial enlarged planar schematic diagram of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0030] Figure 3A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the section marked AA in Figure 2;
[0031] Figure 3B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the section marked BB in Figure 2;
[0032] Figure 3C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area marked CC in Figure 2;
[0033] Figure 4 is a partial enlarged planar schematic diagram of a display substrate according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0034] Figure 5A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the section marked DD in Figure 4;
[0035] Figure 5B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the section marked EE in Figure 4;
[0036] Figure 6 is a partial enlarged planar schematic diagram of a display substrate according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0037] Figure 7A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the section marked FF in Figure 6;
[0038] Figure 7B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the section marked GG in Figure 6;
[0039] Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first groove according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0040] Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first groove according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0041] Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first groove according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0042] Figure 11 is a partial enlarged planar schematic diagram of a display substrate according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0043] Figure 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the section marked HH in Figure 11;
[0044] Figure 13 is a partial enlarged planar schematic diagram of a display substrate according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0045] Figure 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the section marked KK in Figure 13;
[0046] Figure 15 is a plan view of a display motherboard according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0047] Detailed Explanation
[0048] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The implementation can be carried out in many different forms. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the methods and content can be changed to one or more forms without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure should not be construed as limited to the content described in the following embodiments. Without conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this disclosure can be arbitrarily combined with each other.
[0049] In the accompanying drawings, the size of one or more constituent elements, the thickness of layers, or areas are sometimes exaggerated for clarity. Therefore, this disclosure is not necessarily limited to these dimensions, and the shapes and sizes of the components in the drawings do not reflect true proportions. Furthermore, the drawings schematically illustrate ideal examples, and this disclosure is not limited to the shapes or values shown in the drawings.
[0050] The ordinal numbers such as "first," "second," and "third" in this disclosure are used to avoid confusion among the constituent elements, not to limit the quantity. "Multiple" in this disclosure includes two or more quantities.
[0051] In this disclosure, for convenience, terms such as "middle," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer" are used to indicate orientation or positional relationships in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. This is solely for the purpose of facilitating the description and simplification of the specification, and does not imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure. The positional relationships of the constituent elements may be appropriately changed depending on the direction in which the constituent elements are described. Therefore, the description is not limited to the terms used in the specification and may be appropriately replaced as appropriate.
[0052] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linkage" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; a direct connection or an indirect connection via an intermediate component, or a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the meaning of these terms in this disclosure as appropriate.
[0053] In this disclosure, a transistor is a device that includes at least three terminals: a gate electrode, a drain electrode, and a source electrode. A transistor has a channel region between the drain electrode (drain electrode terminal, drain region, or drain) and the source electrode (source electrode terminal, source region, or source), and current can flow through the drain electrode, the channel region, and the source electrode. In this disclosure, the channel region refers to the region through which current primarily flows.
[0054] In this disclosure, the first electrode can be the drain electrode and the second electrode can be the source electrode, or vice versa. In cases where transistors with opposite polarities are used or the current direction changes during circuit operation, the functions of the "source electrode" and the "drain electrode" are sometimes interchanged. Therefore, in this disclosure, the "source electrode" and the "drain electrode" can be interchanged.
[0055] In this disclosure, "electrical connection" includes the situation where constituent elements are connected together by a component having a certain electrical function. There are no particular limitations on the "component having a certain electrical function," as long as it enables the transmission of electrical signals between the connected constituent elements. Examples of "component having a certain electrical function" include not only electrodes and wiring, but also switching elements such as transistors, resistors, inductors, capacitors, and other components having one or more functions.
[0056] In this disclosure, "parallel" refers to a state in which the angle formed by two straight lines is greater than or equal to -10° and less than 10°, and therefore can include a state in which the angle is greater than or equal to -5° and less than 5°. Furthermore, "perpendicular" refers to a state in which the angle formed by two straight lines is greater than or equal to 80° and less than 100°, and therefore can include a state in which the angle is greater than or equal to 85° and less than 95°.
[0057] In this disclosure, the terms "film" and "layer" can be interchanged. For example, sometimes "conductive layer" can be replaced with "conductive film". Similarly, sometimes "insulating film" can be replaced with "insulating layer".
[0058] In this disclosure, “about” means a value that is not strictly limited and allows for process and measurement errors.
[0059] This disclosure provides a display substrate, including a substrate, a display area, and a bonding area located on one side of the display area; the bonding area includes a bending area and at least one first groove, and the first groove extends along a first direction and penetrates the bonding area; the first groove is located on the side of the bending area close to the display area, or on the side of the bending area away from the display area, or multiple first grooves are respectively located on both sides of the bending area along a second direction, the first direction intersecting the second direction and the plane formed by them being parallel to the plane of the substrate; the first groove includes a first groove bottom and a first groove wall, the first groove bottom extending along the plane of the substrate, and the first groove wall extending in a direction away from the substrate; at least a portion of the material of the first groove wall is an organic material; the display substrate further includes an inorganic encapsulation layer, the inorganic encapsulation layer being at least partially located within the first groove.
[0060] In this embodiment of the disclosure, by providing a first groove that extends along the first direction and penetrates the bonding area, the bending area can be fully encapsulated along the first direction, preventing moisture from entering the display area through the bending area, thereby improving the encapsulation reliability of the bonding area and enhancing the display quality of the display substrate.
[0061] Figure 1 is a planar schematic diagram of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, the display substrate may include a substrate, a display area 100 located on the substrate, and a peripheral area located on the substrate and surrounding the display area 100. The peripheral area may include a bonding area 200 located on one side of the display area 100 and a border area 300 located on other sides of the display area 100. For example, the bonding area 200 may be the lower border of the display substrate, and the border area 300 may include the upper border, left border, and right border of the display substrate. In some examples, the display area 100 may be a flat area, and the display area 100 may include a plurality of subpixels PX constituting a subpixel array, the plurality of subpixels PX being configured to display moving images or still images. In some examples, the display substrate may be a flexible substrate, and thus the display substrate may be deformable, such as rolled, bent, or folded.
[0062] In some exemplary embodiments, as shown in FIG1, the display area 100 may include at least a plurality of gate lines GL and a plurality of data lines DL. The plurality of gate lines GL may extend along a first direction X, and the plurality of data lines DL may extend along a second direction Y. The first direction X and the second direction Y may intersect, and the plane formed by the first direction X and the second direction Y is parallel to the plane of the substrate; alternatively, the first direction X and the second direction Y may be perpendicular to each other. The orthographic projections of the plurality of gate lines GL and the plurality of data lines DL onto the plane of the substrate intersect to form a plurality of sub-pixel regions, each sub-pixel region containing a sub-pixel PX. The plurality of data lines DL are electrically connected to the plurality of sub-pixels PX, and the plurality of data lines DL may be configured to provide data signals to the plurality of sub-pixels PX. For example, portions of the plurality of data lines DL may extend to the bonding area 200. The plurality of gate lines GL are electrically connected to the plurality of sub-pixels PX, and the plurality of gate lines GL may be configured to provide gate control signals to the plurality of sub-pixels PX. In some examples, the gate control signals may include scan signals and light emission control signals.
[0063] In some exemplary embodiments, the display area 100 itself may be symmetrical about a centerline O extending along the second direction Y. For example, the bonding area 200 may be symmetrical about the centerline O. For example, the border area 300 may be symmetrical about the centerline O. For example, the display substrate may be symmetrical about the centerline O. The centerline O may be a straight line passing through the midpoint of the edge of the display area 100 and extending along the second direction Y.
[0064] In some exemplary embodiments, the bezel region 300 may include a circuit region, a power line region, and a crack dam region sequentially disposed along the direction of the display region 100. The circuit region may be connected to the display region 100 and may include at least gate drive circuitry (e.g., including multiple cascaded shift registers), which may be electrically connected to multiple gate lines in the display region 100. The power line region is connected to the circuit region and may include at least low-level power lines extending parallel to the edge of the display region and connected to a cathode located in the display region 100. The crack dam region is connected to the power line region and may include at least multiple cracks disposed on a composite insulating layer.
[0065] In some exemplary embodiments, as shown in FIG1, along a direction away from the display area 100, the bonding area 200 may include a fan-out area 201, a bending area 202, and a bonding pin area 203. The fan-out area 201 may communicate with the left and right side bezel areas 300 at both ends along a first direction X. The fan-out area 201 may be connected to the display area 100 and may include multiple data connection lines, which may be configured to be electrically connected to multiple data lines DL of the display area 100 and extend in a fan-out routing manner. The bending area 202 is configured to bend the bonding pin area 203 to the back of the display area. The bonding pin area 203 may include multiple bonding pins, which may be configured to be bonded to at least one corresponding circuit board, such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC). The bonding pin area 203 may further include driver chip pins, which can be electrically connected to the bonding pins via pin connection lines. The driver chip (Integrated Circuit, IC) can be electrically connected to the data lines of the display area 100 via driver chip pins and data leads. The driver chip can be configured to generate signals required to drive sub-pixels and provide these driving signals to the data lines of the display area. For example, the driving signal may be a data signal that drives the brightness of the sub-pixels. The bonding pin area 203 may also include an electrostatic discharge circuit, which can be configured to prevent electrostatic damage to the display substrate by eliminating static electricity.
[0066] In some exemplary embodiments, as shown in FIG1, the bonding region 200 may further include at least one first groove 401. The first groove 401 extends along a first direction X and is recessed toward the side closer to the substrate. The first groove 401 extends along the first direction X and penetrates the bonding region 200. The first groove 401 is located on the side of the bending region 202 closer to the display region 100, or the first groove 401 is located on the side of the bending region 202 away from the display region 100, or multiple first grooves 401 are respectively located on both sides of the bending region 202 along the second direction Y. The number of first grooves 401 located on both sides of the bending region 202 along the second direction Y may be the same or different. In the embodiments of this disclosure, "each" is not limited to being equally distributed; it may be equally distributed or unevenly distributed.
[0067] As shown in Figure 1, the bonding area 200 may include two first grooves 401, which are located on both sides of the bending area 202 along the second direction Y. However, the present invention does not limit the number of first grooves included in the bonding area. In the present invention, by providing first grooves that penetrate the bonding area along the first direction, moisture can be prevented from entering the display area or the bonding pin area through the bending area, thus avoiding the corrosion of signal lines, electrostatic discharge circuits, and other components by moisture, and improving the reliability of the electrical connection of the display substrate and the display quality.
[0068] In some exemplary embodiments, a pixel unit of the display area 100 may include multiple sub-pixels. For example, a pixel unit may include three sub-pixels, which may be a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, and a blue sub-pixel, respectively. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. In some examples, a pixel unit may include four sub-pixels, which may be a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, a blue sub-pixel, and a white sub-pixel, respectively.
[0069] In some exemplary embodiments, the shape of a sub-pixel can be rectangular, rhomboid, pentagonal, or hexagonal, etc. When a pixel unit includes three sub-pixels, the three sub-pixels can be arranged horizontally, vertically, or in a triangular arrangement. When a pixel unit includes four sub-pixels, the four sub-pixels can be arranged horizontally, vertically, or in a square arrangement. However, the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited in this respect.
[0070] In some exemplary embodiments, a sub-pixel may include a circuit unit and a light-emitting element electrically connected to the circuit unit. The circuit unit includes at least a pixel driving circuit, which may include multiple transistors and at least one capacitor. For example, the pixel driving circuit may be a 3T1C, 4T1C, 5T1C, 5T2C, 6T1C, 7T1C, or 8T1C structure. In the above pixel driving circuit, T refers to a thin-film transistor, C refers to a capacitor, the number before T represents the number of thin-film transistors in the pixel driving circuit, and the number before C represents the number of capacitors in the pixel driving circuit. In some examples, the multiple transistors in the pixel driving circuit may be P-type transistors or N-type transistors. Using the same type of transistors in the pixel driving circuit can simplify the process flow, reduce the processing difficulty of the display substrate, and improve product yield. In other examples, the multiple transistors in the pixel driving circuit may include both P-type and N-type transistors.
[0071] In some exemplary embodiments, the display area of the display substrate may include a circuit structure layer, a light-emitting structure layer, and an encapsulation layer sequentially disposed on the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the display substrate. In some possible implementations, the display area of the display substrate may include other film layers, such as a touch structure layer, etc., which are not limited in the embodiments disclosed herein.
[0072] Figure 2 is a partial enlarged planar schematic diagram of a display substrate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is also a partial enlarged schematic diagram of the area marked P in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the bonding area 200 may include multiple leads 500, which are spaced apart along a first direction X and extend along a second direction Y. For example, only fourteen leads are shown in Figure 2. For example, the multiple leads 500 may include gate drive circuit leads, low-level power leads, data leads, and high-level power leads, etc. For example, the fourteen leads shown in Figure 2, along the extension direction of the first direction X, may sequentially include two gate drive circuit leads, two low-level power leads, eight data leads, and two high-level power leads. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the signal type transmitted by the leads is not limited. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, low-level power leads and high-level power leads are collectively referred to as power leads.
[0073] As shown in Figure 2, the lead wire 500 includes sub-segments located in different conductive layers. The orthographic projection of the first groove 401 onto the plane of the substrate 10 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the sub-segment onto the plane of the substrate 10, and the sub-segment is located between the first groove 401 and the substrate 10. In this embodiment, by placing the sub-segment that overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first groove onto the plane of the substrate between the first groove and the substrate, the first groove can be prevented from being blocked by the sub-segment, allowing the first groove to penetrate the bonding area along the first direction. This improves the ability of the bending area to block moisture. Furthermore, the first groove can also play a role in stress relief, avoiding defects such as tearing and film separation caused by local stress concentration in the bonding area due to bending of the bending area.
[0074] In some exemplary embodiments, as shown in FIG2, taking a power lead as an example, the power lead may include a first sub-segment 501, a second sub-segment 502, and a third sub-segment 503 connected in sequence. Adjacent sub-segments are located in different conductive layers. For example, the first sub-segment 501 and the third sub-segment 503 may both be located in the first source / drain metal layer, and the second sub-segment 502 may be located in the second source / drain metal layer.
[0075] In some possible exemplary embodiments, the power leads are located in the same conductive layer and between the first groove 401 and the substrate 10.
[0076] In some possible exemplary embodiments, the lead 500 is located in the same conductive layer and between the first groove 401 and the substrate 10.
[0077] Figure 3A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area marked AA in Figure 2, Figure 3B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area marked BB in Figure 2, and Figure 3C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area marked CC in Figure 2. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate 10 is located is defined as the third direction Z. As shown in Figures 3A, 3B, and 3C, the bonding region 200 further includes a first conductive layer 11, a first inorganic insulating layer 21, a second conductive layer 12, a second inorganic insulating layer 22, a first organic insulating layer 31, a third conductive layer 13, a second organic insulating layer 32, a third organic insulating layer 33, and an inorganic encapsulation layer 40, which are sequentially stacked on the substrate 10.
[0078] The power lead may include a first sub-segment 501, a second sub-segment 502, and a third sub-segment 503 connected in sequence. The first sub-segment 501 and the third sub-segment 503 are both located in the second conductive layer 12, and the second sub-segment 502 is located in the third conductive layer 13. In this embodiment, the first conductive layer may also be referred to as the first gate metal (GATE1) layer, the second conductive layer may also be referred to as the first source / drain metal (SD1) layer, the third conductive layer may also be referred to as the second source / drain metal (SD2) layer, the first inorganic insulating layer may also be referred to as the interlayer insulating (ILD) layer, the second inorganic insulating layer may also be referred to as the passivation (PVX) layer, the first organic insulating layer may also be referred to as the first planarization (PLN1) layer, the second organic insulating layer may also be referred to as the second planarization (PLN2) layer, and the third organic insulating layer may also be referred to as the pixel definition (PDL) layer.
[0079] In some exemplary embodiments, as shown in FIG3B, the first groove 401 may include a first groove bottom 401a and a first groove wall 401b. The first groove bottom 401a extends along the direction of the substrate 10, and the first groove wall 401b extends in a direction away from the substrate 10. For example, the first groove bottom 401a extends in a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 10, and the first groove wall 401b extends in a third direction Z. At least a portion of the material of the first groove wall 401b is an organic material. The material of the first groove bottom 401a may be an inorganic material. For example, a portion of the second inorganic insulating layer 22 forms the first groove bottom 401a. At least a portion of the inorganic encapsulation layer 40 is located within the first groove 401, which can realize the encapsulation of inorganic materials with inorganic materials and improve the reliability of the display substrate encapsulation.
[0080] In some exemplary embodiments, the substrate 10 may be a flexible substrate, and the substrate 10 may include a first flexible material layer, a first inorganic material layer, and a second flexible material layer stacked on a glass substrate. The materials of the first and second flexible material layers may be polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or surface-treated polymer soft film, etc. The material of the first inorganic material layer may include silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx), etc., to improve the water and oxygen resistance of the entire display substrate. The first inorganic material layer may also be referred to as a barrier layer.
[0081] In some exemplary embodiments, the materials of the first inorganic insulating layer and the second inorganic insulating layer may be the same or different. The materials of the first and second inorganic insulating layers may include at least one of silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride (SiON), aluminum oxide (AlOx), hafnium oxide (HfOx), and tantalum oxide (TaOx). The first and second inorganic insulating layers may be single layers, multiple layers, or composite layers.
[0082] In some exemplary embodiments, the materials of the first organic insulating layer, the second organic insulating layer, and the third organic insulating layer may be the same or different. The materials of the first organic insulating layer, the second organic insulating layer, and the third organic insulating layer may include any one or more of epoxy resin, phenolic resin, urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, furan resin, silicone resin, polyester resin, polyamide resin, acrylic resin, polyurethane, vinyl resin, hydrocarbon resin, and polyether resin.
[0083] In some exemplary embodiments, the materials of the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer may be the same or different. The materials of the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer may be metallic materials, such as silver (Ag), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), molybdenum (Mo), or alloys of the above metals, such as aluminum-neodymium alloy (AlNd) or molybdenum-niobium alloy (MoNb), and may be a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure.
[0084] In some exemplary embodiments, the material of the inorganic encapsulation layer may be the same as or different from the material of the first inorganic insulating layer.
[0085] In some exemplary embodiments, the structure of the third sub-segment 503 may be the same as or different from that of the first sub-segment 501.
[0086] Figure 4 is a partial enlarged planar view of a display substrate according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 5A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area marked DD in Figure 4; Figure 5B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area marked EE in Figure 4; and Figure 4 is another partial enlarged view of the area marked P in Figure 1. As shown in Figures 4, 5A, and 5B, the power lead may include a first sub-segment 501, a second sub-segment 502, and a third sub-segment 503 connected in sequence. The first sub-segment 501 and the third sub-segment 503 are both located in the first conductive layer 11, and the second sub-segment 502 is located in the third conductive layer 13.
[0087] As shown in Figure 5B, the first groove 401 may include a first groove bottom 401a and a first groove wall 401b. The first groove bottom 401a extends along the plane of the substrate 10, and the first groove wall 401b extends away from the substrate 10. For example, the first groove bottom 401a extends along a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 10, and the first groove wall 401b extends along a third direction Z. At least a portion of the material of the first groove wall 401b is an organic material. The material of the first groove bottom 401a can be an inorganic material. For example, a portion of the second inorganic insulating layer 22 forms the first groove bottom 401a. At least a portion of the inorganic encapsulation layer 40 is located within the first groove 401, which enables encapsulation of inorganic materials with inorganic materials, improving the reliability of the display substrate encapsulation.
[0088] In some possible exemplary embodiments, the bonding region 200 further includes a first conductive layer 11, a first inorganic insulating layer 21, a first organic insulating layer 31, a third conductive layer 13, a second organic insulating layer 32, a third organic insulating layer 33, and an inorganic encapsulation layer 40, which are sequentially stacked on the substrate 10. The material of the first trench bottom 401a can be an inorganic material; for example, a portion of the first inorganic insulating layer 21 forms the first trench bottom 401a.
[0089] In some exemplary embodiments, the structure of the third sub-segment 503 may be the same as or different from that of the first sub-segment 501.
[0090] Figure 6 is a partial enlarged planar view of a display substrate according to another embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 7A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area marked FF in Figure 6; Figure 7B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area marked GG in Figure 6; and Figure 6 is another partial enlarged view of the area marked P in Figure 1. As shown in Figures 6, 7A, and 7B, the bonding region 200 further includes a first conductive layer 11, a first inorganic insulating layer 21, a conductive layer 14, a third inorganic insulating layer 23, a second conductive layer 12, a second inorganic insulating layer 22, a first organic insulating layer 31, a third conductive layer 13, a second organic insulating layer 32, a third organic insulating layer 33, and an inorganic encapsulation layer 40, which are sequentially stacked on the substrate 10. In this embodiment of the disclosure, the conductive layer can also be referred to as the second gate metal (GATE2) layer.
[0091] The power lead may include a first sub-segment 501, a second sub-segment 502, and a third sub-segment 503 connected in sequence. The second sub-segment 502 may be located in the third conductive layer 13. The first sub-segment 501 includes a first section 511 and a second section 512 connected in sequence. The first section 511 is located in the first conductive layer 11, and the second section 512 is located in the conductive layer 14. The first section 511 and the second section 512 are connected via a via provided in the first inorganic insulating layer 21. The first section 511 includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other. The second end is located on the side opposite to the first end along the second direction Y, and the second end is connected to the second sub-segment 502. In the embodiments of this disclosure, by setting the first sub-segment as a first section and a second section connected in parallel, the resistance of the first sub-segment can be reduced, the power consumption of the power lead can be reduced, and the quality of the display substrate can be improved.
[0092] In some possible exemplary embodiments, the conductive layer 14 and the third inorganic insulating layer 23 may be disposed between the first conductive layer 11 and the substrate 10.
[0093] In some exemplary embodiments, the structure of the third sub-segment 503 may be the same as or different from the structure of the first sub-segment 501. For example, the third sub-segment 503 may include two segments located on the first conductive layer 11 and the conductive layer 14, and the two segments are connected in parallel, which can reduce the resistance of the third sub-segment, reduce the power consumption of the power lead, and improve the quality of the display substrate.
[0094] Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a first groove according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 8, the first groove 401 may include a first groove bottom 401a and a first groove wall 401b. For example, the first groove bottom 401a extends along a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 10, and the first groove wall 401b extends along a third direction Z. At least a portion of the material of the first groove wall 401b is an organic material. The material of the first groove bottom 401a may be an inorganic material. For example, a portion of the second inorganic insulating layer 22 forms the first groove bottom 401a.
[0095] As shown in Figure 8, the first trench wall 401b may include a first sub-wall 411 and a second sub-wall 412 connected to each other, with the first sub-wall 411 closer to the substrate 10 than the second sub-wall 412. The orthographic projection of the first sub-wall 411 onto the plane of the substrate 10 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the second sub-wall 412 onto the plane of the substrate 10. The orthographic projection of the second sub-wall 412 onto the plane of the substrate 10 surrounds the outside of the orthographic projection of the first sub-wall 411 onto the plane of the substrate 10, and the first sub-wall 411 and the second sub-wall 412 together form a step feature. In this embodiment, the formed step feature can increase the contact area between the inorganic encapsulation layer 40 and the first trench wall 401b, thereby improving the reliability of the encapsulation. Furthermore, the first sub-wall 411 and the second sub-wall 412 can form a tortuous surface, which can block the transmission of moisture.
[0096] Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a first groove according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 9, the first groove 401 may include a first groove bottom 401a and a first groove wall 401b. For example, the first groove bottom 401a extends along a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 10, and the first groove wall 401b extends along a third direction Z. At least a portion of the material of the first groove wall 401b is an organic material. The material of the first groove bottom 401a may be an inorganic material. For example, a portion of the second inorganic insulating layer 22 forms the first groove bottom 401a.
[0097] As shown in Figure 9, the first trench wall 401b may include a first sub-wall 411, a second sub-wall 412, and a third sub-wall 413 connected to each other, and the first sub-wall 411, the second sub-wall 412, and the third sub-wall 413 are arranged sequentially in a direction away from the substrate 10. The orthographic projections of the first sub-wall 411, the second sub-wall 412, and the third sub-wall 413 onto the plane of the substrate 10 do not overlap. The orthographic projection of the second sub-wall 412 onto the plane of the substrate 10 surrounds the outside of the orthographic projection of the first sub-wall 411 onto the plane of the substrate 10, and the orthographic projection of the third sub-wall 413 onto the plane of the substrate 10 surrounds the outside of the orthographic projection of the second sub-wall 412 onto the plane of the substrate 10. The first sub-wall 411 and the second sub-wall 412 together form a step feature, and the second sub-wall 412 and the third sub-wall 413 together form a step feature. In this embodiment, the formed step features can increase the contact area between the inorganic encapsulation layer 40 and the first trench wall 401b, thereby improving the reliability of the encapsulation. Furthermore, the first sub-wall 411, the second sub-wall 412, and the third sub-wall 413 can form tortuous surfaces, which can block the transmission of moisture.
[0098] Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a first groove according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 10, the first groove 401 may include a first groove bottom 401a and a first groove wall 401b. For example, the first groove bottom 401a extends along a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 10, and the first groove wall 401b extends along a third direction Z. The first groove wall 401b includes an organic segment and an inorganic segment 414. The organic segment is made of an organic material, and the inorganic segment 414 is made of an inorganic material. For example, the organic segment includes a first sub-wall 411 and a second sub-wall 412 connected together, or the organic segment includes a first sub-wall 411, a second sub-wall 412, and a third sub-wall 413 connected together. The inorganic segment 414 is closer to the substrate 10 than the organic segment. The inorganic segment 414 includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other. The first end is connected to the organic segment, and the second end is located on the side of the first end in the opposite direction to the third direction Z and is connected to the first groove bottom 401a. The material of the first groove bottom 401a can be an inorganic material. For example, a portion of the second inorganic insulating layer 22 forms the first groove bottom 401a, and a portion of the second inorganic insulating layer 22 forms the inorganic segment 414. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, by designing a portion of the first groove wall as an inorganic segment, the contact area between the inorganic encapsulation layer and the inorganic material in the first groove can be increased, thereby improving the reliability of the encapsulation.
[0099] Figure 11 is a partially enlarged planar schematic diagram of a display substrate according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 11, the display substrate may further include at least one second groove 402, which extends along a second direction Y. The second groove 402 may be located at an end of the first groove 401 and communicate with the first groove 401. For example, the display substrate may include two second grooves 402, which are respectively located at both ends of the extension direction (first direction X) of the first groove 401, and are respectively communicated with the ends of the first groove 401. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, by providing the second groove, the second groove and the first groove can jointly achieve encapsulation of the periphery of the bending area, which can improve the reliability of the encapsulation and improve the display quality of the display substrate.
[0100] In some possible exemplary embodiments, the second groove 402 may extend to the border region 300 of the display substrate. The second groove 402 may surround the display region 100 except for the side near the bonding region 200. For example, the second groove 402 may be provided on the top border, left border, and right border of the display substrate. The second groove 402 may extend to the side of the bonding region 200 away from the display region 100. For example, the second groove 402 may surround the bonding region 200 except for the side near the display region 100.
[0101] Figure 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the section marked HH in Figure 11. As shown in Figure 12, the second groove 402 includes a second groove bottom 402a and a second groove wall 402b connected to each other. The second groove bottom 402a extends along the plane of the substrate 10, and the second groove wall 402b extends away from the substrate 10. For example, the second groove bottom 402a extends along a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate 10, and the second groove wall 402b extends along a third direction Z. At least a portion of the material of the second groove wall 402b is an organic material. The material of the second groove bottom 402a can be an inorganic material. For example, a portion of the second inorganic insulating layer 22 forms the second groove bottom 402a. At least a portion of the inorganic encapsulation layer 40 is located within the second groove 402, which enables encapsulation of inorganic materials with inorganic materials, improving the reliability of the display substrate encapsulation.
[0102] In some exemplary embodiments, the second groove 402 and the first groove 401 can be integrally formed. During fabrication, the first and second grooves can be fabricated using the same patterning process. For example, the second groove bottom 402a and the first groove bottom 401a are located in the same inorganic insulating layer, and the second groove wall 402b and the first groove wall 401b are located in the same organic insulating layer, which can simplify the fabrication process of the display substrate and improve fabrication efficiency.
[0103] In some exemplary embodiments, the structure of the second groove 402 may be the same as that of the first groove 401. The structure of the second groove 402 can be referred to in FIG8, FIG9 and FIG10 regarding the structure of the first groove 401, and will not be described in detail here.
[0104] Figure 13 is a partially enlarged planar schematic diagram of a display substrate according to another embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 13, the display substrate may further include at least one stepped structure 403, which extends along the second direction Y. The stepped structure 403 is located at the end of the first groove 401 and can be connected to the first groove 401. For example, the display substrate may include two stepped structures 403, which are located at opposite ends of the extension direction (first direction X) of the first groove 401, and are respectively connected to the end of the first groove 401. In the embodiments of this disclosure, by providing the stepped structure, the stepped structure and the first groove can jointly achieve encapsulation of the periphery of the bending area, which can improve the reliability of the encapsulation and improve the display quality of the display substrate.
[0105] In some possible exemplary embodiments, the stepped structure 403 may extend to the bezel region 300 of the display substrate. The stepped structure 403 may surround the display region 100 except for the side closest to the bonding region 200. For example, the stepped structure 403 may be disposed on the top bezel, left bezel, and right bezel of the display substrate. The stepped structure 403 may extend to the side of the bonding region 200 away from the display region 100. For example, the stepped structure 403 may surround the bonding region 200 except for the side closest to the display region 100.
[0106] Figure 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area marked KK in Figure 13. As shown in Figure 14, the stepped structure 403 may include a first step 403a, a connecting step 403b, and a second step 403c connected together. The connecting step 403b is located between the first step 403a and the second step 403c. The first step 403a is closer to the substrate 10 than the second step 403c, and the second step 403c is closer to the center of the bonding region than the first step 403a. The material of the first step 403a may include inorganic materials, while the materials of the connecting step 403b and the second step 403c may include organic materials. The inorganic encapsulation layer 40 is in contact with the first step 403a, the connecting step 403b, and the second step 403c, enabling encapsulation of inorganic materials with inorganic materials and improving the reliability of the display substrate encapsulation.
[0107] In some exemplary embodiments, the first step 403a and the first trench bottom 401a are located in the same inorganic insulating layer, and the connecting step 403b, the second step 403c and the first trench wall 401b are located in the same organic insulating layer, which can simplify the manufacturing process of the display substrate and improve the manufacturing efficiency.
[0108] Figure 15 is a plan view of a display motherboard according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 15, currently, the fabrication of a flexible OLED display device involves first fabricating a display motherboard, and then cutting the display motherboard to divide it into multiple display substrates. For example, one display motherboard can be divided into four display substrates, and each of the separate display substrates can be used to form a single OLED display device.
[0109] As shown in Figure 15, the display motherboard may include at least two display substrate regions 100A and a cutting region 100B surrounding the display substrate regions 100A. For example, the display motherboard may include four display substrate regions 100A, which may be arranged in a periodic and regular pattern. The cutting region 100B is located outside the display substrate regions 100A. The edge of the cutting region 100B may be rectangular or the like. The display substrate regions 100A are used to form a display substrate. The display substrate regions 100A may include a display region 100 and a peripheral region surrounding the display region 100. The peripheral region may include a bonding region 200 located on one side of the display region 100 and a border region 300 located on the other sides of the display region 100.
[0110] As shown in Figure 15, at least one cutting path 100C can be provided within the cutting area 100B. The cutting path 100C surrounds the display substrate area 100A. After all film layers of the display motherboard are prepared, the cutting equipment can cut along the cutting path 100C to form multiple display substrates. For example, the orthographic projection of the cutting path 100C onto the plane of the display motherboard can overlap with the orthographic projection of the boundary of the display substrate area 100A onto the plane of the display motherboard. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, by providing multiple display substrate areas on a single display motherboard, the manufacturing cost of a single display substrate can be reduced.
[0111] In some exemplary embodiments, the stepped structure 403 may be part of the cutting channel 100C, and at least a portion of the cutting channel 100C after being cut becomes the stepped structure 403.
[0112] This disclosure also provides a display device, including the display substrate provided in any of the foregoing embodiments. The display device can be any product or component with display function, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, television, monitor, laptop computer, digital photo frame, or navigator.
[0113] While the embodiments disclosed in this invention have been described above, the content is merely for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention. It should be noted that the above embodiments or implementation methods are merely exemplary and not restrictive. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the content specifically shown and described herein. Various modifications, substitutions, or omissions can be made to the form and details of the implementation without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
Claims
1. A display substrate, comprising a substrate, a display area, and a bonding area located on one side of the display area, the bonding area comprising a bending area and at least one first groove, wherein the first groove extends along a first direction and penetrates the bonding area; the first groove is located on the side of the bending area close to the display area, or on the side of the bending area away from the display area, or a plurality of first grooves are respectively located on both sides of the bending area along a second direction, wherein the first direction intersects the second direction and the plane formed thereby is parallel to the plane of the substrate; The first groove includes a first groove bottom and a first groove wall. The first groove bottom extends along the plane of the substrate, and the first groove wall extends away from the substrate. At least a portion of the material of the first groove wall is an organic material. The display substrate further includes an inorganic encapsulation layer, which is at least partially located within the first groove. 2.The display substrate of claim 1, wherein, The material at the bottom of the first tank is an inorganic material. 3.The display substrate of claim 2, wherein, The first tank wall includes an organic section and an inorganic section connected to each other. The organic section is made of organic material, and the inorganic section is made of inorganic material. The inorganic section is located between the organic section and the bottom of the first tank, and the inorganic section is connected to the bottom of the first tank. 4.The display substrate of claim 1, wherein, The first tank wall includes an organic segment, and the organic segment is made of an organic material; the organic segment includes a first sub-wall and a second sub-wall connected together, the first sub-wall being closer to the substrate than the second sub-wall, and the orthographic projection of the second sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate surrounding the outside of the orthographic projection of the first sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate; or, the organic segment includes a first sub-wall, a second sub-wall, and a third sub-wall connected together, and the first sub-wall, the second sub-wall, and the third sub-wall are arranged sequentially in a direction away from the substrate; the orthographic projection of the second sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate surrounding the outside of the orthographic projection of the first sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate, and the orthographic projection of the third sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate surrounding the outside of the orthographic projection of the second sub-wall onto the plane of the substrate. 5.The display substrate of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The bonding area includes multiple leads, which extend along the second direction and are spaced apart along the first direction; the leads include multiple sub-segments located in different conductive layers, the orthographic projection of the first groove on the plane where the substrate is located overlaps with the orthographic projection of at least one of the sub-segments on the plane where the substrate is located, and the sub-segment is located between the first groove and the substrate. 6.The display substrate of claim 5, wherein, In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, the bonding region includes a first gate metal layer, a first source / drain metal layer, and a second source / drain metal layer sequentially located on the substrate; the first groove is located on the side of the bending region closer to the display area; the lead includes a first sub-segment, a second sub-segment, and a third sub-segment connected sequentially, and the first sub-segment overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first groove onto the plane of the substrate; the first sub-segment is located in the first gate metal layer or in the first source / drain metal layer. 7.The display substrate of claim 6, wherein, Another first groove is located on the side of the bending area away from the display area, and the third sub-segment overlaps with the orthographic projection of the other first groove on the plane where the substrate is located; the third sub-segment is located in the first gate metal layer or in the first source / drain metal layer. 8.The display substrate of claim 5, wherein, In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, the bonding region includes a first gate metal layer, a second gate metal layer, a first source / drain metal layer, and a second source / drain metal layer sequentially located on the substrate; the first groove is located on the side of the bending region closer to the display area; the lead wire includes a first sub-segment, a second sub-segment, and a third sub-segment connected in sequence, and the first sub-segment overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first groove onto the plane of the substrate. The first sub-segment includes a first section and a second section, the first section being located in one of the first gate metal layer and the second gate metal layer, and the second section being located in the other of the first gate metal layer and the second gate metal layer; the first section and the second section are connected via a via disposed in an insulating layer between the first gate metal layer and the second gate metal layer.
9. The display substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising at least one second groove, the second groove being located on one or both sides of the bending region along the first direction, at least a portion of the second groove extending along the second direction and communicating with the first groove; a portion of the inorganic encapsulation layer being located within the second groove. 10.The display substrate of claim 9, wherein, The second groove includes a second groove bottom and a second groove wall. The second groove bottom extends along the plane of the substrate, and the second groove wall extends away from the substrate. The material of the second groove bottom is an inorganic material. 11.The display substrate of claim 10, wherein, The first groove and the second groove are integrally formed.
12. The display substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising at least one stepped structure, the stepped structure being located on one or both sides of the bending area along the first direction, and at least a portion of the stepped structure extending along the second direction and connected to the first groove; The stepped structure includes a first step, a connecting step, and a second step connected together, with the connecting step located between the first step and the second step. The first step is closer to the substrate than the second step, and the second step is closer to the center of the bonding region than the first step. The material of the first step includes an inorganic material, and the inorganic encapsulation layer is in contact with the first step, the connecting step, and the second step.
13. A display motherboard, comprising a plurality of display substrate regions and a cutting region surrounding the plurality of display substrate regions, the cutting region having at least one cutting path, and the cutting path surrounding the display substrate regions; the display substrate regions comprising the display substrate as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.
14. The display motherboard of claim 13, wherein, In a state where the display substrate includes at least one stepped structure, the cutting path includes the stepped structure.
15. A display device comprising a display substrate as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.