Display device and electronic device

Abstract

Provided is a display device (101) that achieves an improvement in stability of connection between connection parts (15) and a third electrode (14).　The display device (101) comprises: a plurality of light-emitting elements (12W) that each include a first electrode (121), a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode (123) in this order, and are arranged in a two-dimensional array; a plurality of protective layers (13) that are respectively provided on the plurality of second electrodes; the plurality of connection parts (15) that respectively cover side surfaces of the plurality of protective layers; and the third electrode (14) that is provided so as to cover the plurality of protective layers and is connected to each second electrode via the plurality of connection parts. Each connection part includes a conductive layer (151) and a coating layer (152) that covers the conductive layer.

Description

Display devices and electronic equipment

[0001] This disclosure relates to a display device and an electronic device equipped therewith.

[0002] In recent years, display devices in which multiple light-emitting elements, including a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode, are arranged in a two-dimensional manner have become widely known. In this type of display device, a technique for electrically connecting the multiple two-dimensionally arranged light-emitting elements by a third electrode (auxiliary electrode) has been investigated. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a display device comprising an element protection layer covering a first cathode electrode, a second cathode electrode provided on the element protection layer, and a connection portion for electrically connecting the second cathode electrode and the first cathode electrode, wherein the connection portion is formed along the side wall of the element protection layer.

[0003] International Publication No. 2022 / 239576

[0004] However, in the display device described in Patent Document 1, the connection between the connection part and the third electrode (second cathode electrode) tends to be unstable.

[0005] The object of this disclosure is to provide a display device and an electronic device equipped therewith that can improve the stability of the connection between the connection part and the third electrode.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems, a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in two dimensions, each including a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode; a plurality of protective layers provided on each of the plurality of second electrodes; a plurality of connection parts covering each of the sides of the plurality of protective layers; and a third electrode provided so as to cover the plurality of protective layers and connected to each second electrode via the plurality of connection parts, wherein the connection part includes a conductive layer and a coating layer covering the conductive layer.

[0007] Figure 1 is a plan view of a display device according to one embodiment. Figure 2A is a plan view showing an enlarged portion of the display area. Figure 2B is a plan view showing an enlarged sub-pixel. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III in Figure 2A. Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view of an OLED layer having a single-layer light-emitting unit. Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view of an OLED layer having two-layer light-emitting units. Figures 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are cross-sectional views of the manufacturing process of a display device according to one embodiment. Figures 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D are cross-sectional views of the manufacturing process of a display device according to one embodiment. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to a comparative example. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a modified display device. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a modified display device. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a modified display device. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a modified display device. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of a modified display device. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of a modified display device. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of a modified display device. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of a modified display device. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of a modified display device. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of a modified display device. Figure 18 is a plan view of a modified display device. Figure 19 is a plan view of a modified display device. Figure 20 is a plan view of a modified display device. Figure 21 is a plan view of a modified display device. Figure 22 is a plan view of a modified display device. Figure 23 is a plan view of a modified display device. Figure 24A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a first example of a resonator structure. Figure 24B is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a second example of a resonator structure. Figure 25A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a third example of a resonator structure. Figure 25B is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a fourth example of a resonator structure. Figure 26A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a fifth example of a resonator structure. Figure 26B is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a sixth example of a resonator structure. Figure 27 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a seventh example of a resonator structure. Figure 28A is a front view of a digital still camera. Figure 28B is a rear view of a digital still camera. Figure 29 is a perspective view of a head-mounted display. Figure 30 is a perspective view of a television system.Figure 31 is a perspective view of a see-through head-mounted display. Figure 32 is a perspective view of a smartphone. Figure 33A is a schematic diagram of the interior of a vehicle as seen from the rear. Figure 33B is a schematic diagram of the interior of a vehicle as seen from diagonally behind the vehicle.

[0008] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in the following order: 1. General description of a display device according to one embodiment of this disclosure 2. One embodiment (example of a display device) 3. Modifications 4. Example of a resonator structure 5. Application example (example of an electronic device)

[0009] The embodiments described below are preferred examples of the present disclosure, and the content of the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. In all the figures of the following embodiments, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In addition, in order to prevent the illustration from becoming complicated, only some components may be denoted by reference numerals, or the illustration may be simplified, enlarged, or reduced.

[0010] <1. General Description of a Display Device According to One Embodiment of the Present Disclosure> According to a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a coating layer covers the conductive layer. This makes it possible to suppress the dry etching of the conductive layer covering the side surface of the protective layer when the conductive layer, the second electrode, and the light-emitting layer are separated into light-emitting elements by dry etching. Therefore, the stability of the connection between the conductive layer and the third electrode can be improved.

[0011] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the coating layer may contain at least one of the constituent elements of the conductive layer and at least one of the constituent elements of the second electrode. Such a coating layer can be formed as a deposit film using reaction products generated when the conductive layer and the second electrode are separated into individual light-emitting elements by dry etching. Therefore, a coating layer can be formed that protects the conductive layer covering the side surface of the protective layer from dry etching while separating the conductive layer and the second electrode into individual light-emitting elements by dry etching. Thus, the stability of the connection between the conductive layer and the third electrode can be improved while suppressing an increase in the manufacturing process of the display device.

[0012] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an insulating layer is further provided between adjacent first electrodes, and the coating layer may further contain at least one of the constituent elements of the insulating layer. Such a coating layer can be formed using reaction products generated by further dry etching the insulating layer when the conductive layer, second electrode, and light-emitting layer are separated into light-emitting elements by dry etching. By further containing reaction products from the dry etching of the insulating layer, the thickness of the coating layer can be increased, thereby improving the coating layer's resistance to dry etching.

[0013] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the conductive layer and the second electrode contain a transparent conductive oxide containing indium, and the coating layer may also contain indium. Such a coating layer can be formed as a deposit film using reaction products generated when the conductive layer and the second electrode are separated into individual light-emitting elements by dry etching. Therefore, a coating layer can be formed that protects the conductive layer covering the side surface of the protective layer from dry etching while separating the conductive layer and the second electrode into individual light-emitting elements by dry etching. Thus, the stability of the connection between the conductive layer and the third electrode can be improved while suppressing an increase in the manufacturing process of the display device.

[0014] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the conductive layer may include at least one of a metal layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer. From the viewpoint of improving the reflective properties of the connection, it is preferable that the conductive layer includes a metal layer. From the viewpoint of improving the transmittance properties of the connection, it is preferable that the conductive layer includes a transparent conductive oxide layer. From the viewpoint of reducing the resistance of the connection, it is preferable that the conductive layer includes a metal layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer.

[0015] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the connection portion may further include an insulating layer between the conductive layer and the coating layer. This allows the two layers of the coating layer and the insulating layer to suppress dry etching of the conductive layer when the conductive layer, the second electrode, and the light-emitting layer are separated for each light-emitting element by dry etching. This further improves the stability of the connection between the conductive layer 151 and the third electrode.

[0016] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the coating layer has a first end located on the side of the light-emitting element and a second end located on the side of the third electrode, and the thickness of the conductive layer may decrease from the first end toward the second end. A coating layer of this shape is easily formed using reaction products generated when the conductive layer, the second electrode, and the light-emitting layer are separated for each light-emitting element by dry etching. Therefore, a coating layer of the above shape can be easily formed using a process of separating the conductive layer, the second electrode, and the light-emitting layer for each light-emitting element by dry etching.

[0017] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the coating layer has a first end located on the side of the light-emitting element and a second end located on the side of the third electrode, and the thickness of the conductive layer may be substantially the same from the first end to the second end. Since a coating layer of this shape has high resistance to dry etching, the stability of the connection between the conductive layer 151 and the third electrode can be further improved.

[0018] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the conductive layer preferably has an outer peripheral surface on the side opposite to the side of the protective layer, and the coating layer preferably covers the entire outer peripheral surface. This improves the protective function of the coating layer against dry etching. Therefore, the stability of the connection between the conductive layer 151 and the third electrode can be further improved.

[0019] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the protective layer comprises a first layer and a second layer in order, wherein the etching rate of the second layer is preferably lower than that of the first layer. The protective layer can be used as a mask when separating the conductive layer, the second electrode, and the light-emitting layer into light-emitting elements by dry etching. The etching resistance of the protective layer can be improved when used as a mask by having the above-described relationship between the etching rates of the first layer and the second layer.

[0020] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second layer is preferably a transparent conductive oxide layer. This allows for both direct connection of the connection portion and the third electrode, as well as connection of the connection portion and the third electrode via the transparent conductive oxide layer. Therefore, the stability of the electrical connection between the connection portion and the third electrode can be further enhanced.

[0021] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the protective layer preferably has a top surface on the side of the third electrode, and the connecting portion preferably has an end on the side of the third electrode, with the end protruding from the top surface. This increases the contact area between the connecting portion and the third electrode. Therefore, the stability of the connection between the connecting portion and the third electrode can be further enhanced.

[0022] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is preferable that the portion of the third electrode located between adjacent protective layers in a plan view is arranged in a groove provided between adjacent protective layers.

[0023] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is preferable that a filler material is provided to fill a groove between adjacent protective layers, and the third electrode passes over the groove filled with the filler material. This improves the flatness of the third electrode and thus reduces the sheet resistance of the third electrode.

[0024] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the protective layer is a first protective layer, further comprising a filler material that fills a groove provided between adjacent protective layers, and a second protective layer provided between the filler material and a connecting portion, wherein the refractive index of the filler material is preferably lower than that of the second protective layer. This allows at least a portion of the light emitted obliquely from the light-emitting element and incident on the interface between the second protective layer and the filler material to be refracted at the interface and directed toward the front. Therefore, the front brightness of the display device can be improved.

[0025] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is preferable that the device further comprises a resin layer provided directly above or above the third electrode and having a flat surface on the side opposite to the protective layer, a color filter provided on the resin layer, and a lens array provided directly above or above the color filter.

[0026] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of light-emitting elements may include a plurality of light-emitting elements capable of emitting white light.

[0027] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of light-emitting elements may include a plurality of first light-emitting elements capable of emitting red light, a plurality of second light-emitting elements capable of emitting green light, and a plurality of third light-emitting elements capable of emitting blue light.

[0028] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of light-emitting elements may be arranged in a stripe arrangement, a delta arrangement, a square arrangement, or an S-stripe arrangement.

[0029] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the statement "including, in order, a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode" includes not only a state in which the light-emitting layer is located directly above the first electrode without any other member being sandwiched between the first electrode and the light-emitting layer, but also a state in which the light-emitting layer is located above the first electrode with at least one other member (for example, at least one of a hole injection layer and a hole transport layer) sandwiched between the first electrode and the light-emitting layer. Similarly, the above statement includes not only a state in which the second electrode is located directly above the light-emitting layer without any other member being sandwiched between the light-emitting layer and the second electrode, but also a state in which the second electrode is located above the light-emitting layer with at least one other member (for example, at least one of an electron transport layer and an electron injection layer) sandwiched between the light-emitting layer and the second electrode. In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the light-emitting element may include a plurality of light-emitting layers.

[0030] In a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the light-emitting element includes at least one self-emissive light-emitting element selected from the group consisting of, for example, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) element, a light-emitting diode (LED) element, a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) element, and a semiconductor laser element.

[0031] In this disclosure, the refractive index refers to the refractive index for light with a wavelength of 589.3 nm (sodium D-line). In the display device according to this disclosure, visible light refers to light in the wavelength range of 380 nm to 780 nm.

[0032] A display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be provided in an electronic device. For example, a display device according to the present disclosure may be provided in an eyewear device such as a VR (Virtual Reality) device, an MR (Mixed Reality) device, or an AR (Augmented Reality) device. The eyewear device shall also include a headset.

[0033] In this disclosure, when a statement such as "member B is provided on member A" is made, "on member A" refers to the relative positional relationship between member A and member B, and includes not only the state in which member B is located directly above member A without any other member in between, but also the state in which member B is located above member A with at least one other member in between.

[0034] In this disclosure, of the two surfaces of each layer constituting the display device, the surface that is the display surface side (top side) of the display device is referred to as the first surface (or top surface), and the surface that is opposite to the display surface of the display device (bottom side) is referred to as the second surface (or bottom surface). In this disclosure, the peripheral edge of the first surface refers to a portion having a predetermined width extending inward from the peripheral edge of the first surface, and the peripheral edge of the second surface refers to a portion having a predetermined width extending inward from the peripheral edge of the second surface. In this disclosure, a plan view refers to a plan view when the object is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface or the second surface. In this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the in-plane direction refers to the in-plane direction of the first surface of the drive substrate. In this disclosure, upward refers to the direction from the bottom side (opposite side of the display surface) of the display device toward the top side (display surface side) of the display device. Downward refers to the direction from the top side (display surface side) of the display device toward the bottom side (opposite side of the display surface) of the display device.

[0035] The shapes expressed in this disclosure mean not only shapes that are mathematically or geometrically defined, but also similar shapes that include tolerances (e.g., errors or distortions) in the operation of the device and the manufacturing process of the device.

[0036] <2 One Embodiment> [Outline Configuration of Display Device 101] Figure 1 is a plan view of a display device 101 according to one embodiment. The display device 101 has a display area RE1 and a peripheral area RE2 provided around the display area RE1. In one embodiment, the display area RE1 has a rectangular shape in plan view. However, the shape of the display area RE1 is not limited to a rectangular shape and may be a shape other than a rectangle.

[0037] In this specification, the first and second directions perpendicular to each other within the display surface of the display device 101 are referred to as the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively, and the third direction perpendicular to the display surface of the display device 101 (i.e., the thickness direction of the display device 101) is referred to as the Z-axis direction. Below, an example in which the X-axis direction is the horizontal direction of the display surface and the Y-axis direction is the vertical direction of the display surface will be described.

[0038] In one embodiment, the display device 101 is an OLED display device. The display device 101 may also be a microdisplay. In one embodiment, an example in which the display device 101 is a top-emission type display device is described, but the type of display device 101 is not limited to this example.

[0039] Figure 2A is a plan view showing an enlarged portion of the display area RE1. Multiple sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B are arranged two-dimensionally within the display area RE1 in a predetermined arrangement pattern. In Figure 2A, the sections labeled "R," "G," and "B" represent sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B, respectively. In one embodiment, the predetermined arrangement pattern is a delta arrangement, but the predetermined arrangement pattern is not limited to this example. A pad section 113 and a driver for video display (not shown) are provided in the peripheral area RE2. A flexible printed circuit board (FPC), not shown, may be connected to the pad section 113.

[0040] Sub-pixel 10R can emit red light. Sub-pixel 10G can emit green light. Sub-pixel 10B can emit blue light. In the following description, when sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B are not specifically distinguished and are referred to collectively, they may simply be called sub-pixel 10. One pixel (one pixel) 10P is composed of, for example, multiple adjacent sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B. However, the configuration of one pixel 10P is not limited to this example.

[0041] Examples of the shape of the sub-pixel 10 in a plan view include, but are not limited to, polygonal, circular, or elliptical shapes. Examples of polygonal shapes include rectangular or hexagonal shapes, but are not limited to these shapes. In this disclosure, polygonal shapes also include polygons with rounded corners. In this disclosure, rectangular shapes also include square shapes. Figure 2A shows an example where the shape of the sub-pixel 10 in a plan view is hexagonal.

[0042] [Layer structure of display device 101] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III in Figure 2A. The display device 101 comprises a drive substrate 11, a plurality of light-emitting elements 12W, a plurality of protective layers 13, a third electrode 14, a connection portion 15, a protective layer 16, a protective layer 17, a low refractive index layer 18, a planarization layer 19, and a color filter 20.

[0043] (Driver substrate 11) The driver substrate 11 is a so-called backplane and can drive a plurality of light-emitting elements 12W. The driver substrate 11 has, for example, a substrate 111 and an insulating layer 112 in that order.

[0044] Multiple drive transistors (not shown) are provided on the first surface side of the substrate 111. The substrate 111 may be, for example, a semiconductor substrate that facilitates the formation of drive transistors, or it may be a glass substrate or resin substrate with low permeability to moisture and oxygen. The semiconductor substrate includes, for example, amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, or single-crystal silicon. The glass substrate includes, for example, high-strain-point glass, soda glass, borosilicate glass, forsterite, lead glass, or quartz glass. The resin substrate includes, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylphenol, polyethersulfone, polyimide, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyethylene naphthalate.

[0045] The insulating layer 112 is provided on the first surface of the substrate 111 and covers a plurality of drive transistors, etc. The insulating layer 112 contains a plurality of contact plugs and a plurality of wires (none of which are shown) inside. The contact plugs and wires electrically connect the light-emitting element 12W and the drive transistors. The contact plugs include, for example, at least one metal selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu) and titanium (Ti). The wires are composed of, for example, a metal layer. The metal layer includes, for example, at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten (W) and copper (Cu). A barrier metal may be provided on the surface of the wires. The barrier metal may be, for example, tantalum (Ta) or tantalum nitride (TaN). ｘ ) and others.

[0046] The insulating layer 112 is, for example, an organic insulating layer, an inorganic insulating layer, or a laminate of these. The organic insulating layer includes, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of polyimide resins, acrylic resins, and novolac resins. The inorganic insulating layer is, for example, silicon oxide (SiO2). ｘ ), silicon nitride (Si ｘ N ｙ ) and silicon oxynitride (SiO ｘ N ｙ It includes at least one species selected from the group consisting of the following:

[0047] (Light-emitting element 12W) The light-emitting element 12W can emit white light based on control of a drive circuit, etc. In one embodiment, the light-emitting element 12W is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) element. The light-emitting element 12W is included in the sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B of each color.

[0048] Multiple light-emitting elements 12W are arranged in a two-dimensional manner on the first surface of the drive substrate 11 in a predetermined arrangement pattern. The predetermined arrangement pattern is as described in the predetermined arrangement pattern for multiple sub-pixels 10. Each light-emitting element 12W includes, in order, a first electrode 121, an OLED layer 122W, and a second electrode 123 on the first surface of the drive substrate 11.

[0049] (First electrode 121) The first electrode 121 is provided on the second surface side of the OLED layer 122W. The first electrode 121 is an individual electrode provided separately for each of the multiple light-emitting elements 12W. That is, the first electrode 121 is separated between adjacent light-emitting elements 12W in the in-plane direction. The first electrode 121 is an anode. When a voltage is applied between the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 123, holes are injected from the first electrode 121 into the OLED layer 122W.

[0050] The periphery of the first electrode 121 may be located outside the periphery of the OLED layer 122 and the periphery of the second electrode 123 in a plan view. That is, the periphery of the first surface of the first electrode 121 may be exposed and not covered by the OLED layer 122 and the second electrode 123. However, the light-emitting element 12W is not limited to this example, and the periphery of the first electrode 121 may overlap with the periphery of the OLED layer 122 and the periphery of the second electrode 123 in a plan view.

[0051] The first electrode 121 may be composed of, for example, a metal layer, or a metal layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer. When the first electrode 121 is composed of a metal layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer, it is preferable that the transparent conductive oxide layer be provided on the OLED layer 122W side, from the viewpoint of having a layer with a high work function adjacent to the OLED layer 122W.

[0052] The metal layer may function as a reflective layer that reflects light emitted by the OLED layer 122W. The metal layer contains, for example, at least one metallic element selected from the group consisting of chromium (Cr), gold (Au), platinum (Pt), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), tungsten (W), and silver (Ag). The metal layer may also contain the above at least one metallic element as a constituent element of an alloy. Specific examples of alloys include aluminum alloys and silver alloys. Specific examples of aluminum alloys include, for example, aluminum neodymium (AlNd) alloys and aluminum copper (AlCu) alloys.

[0053] An underlayer (not shown) may be provided adjacent to the second surface of the metal layer. The underlayer may improve the crystal orientation of the metal layer during film formation. The underlayer contains, for example, at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti) and tantalum (Ta). The underlayer may also contain the above at least one metal element as a constituent element of the alloy.

[0054] The transparent conductive oxide layer contains a transparent conductive oxide. The transparent conductive oxide includes, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of indium-containing transparent conductive oxides (hereinafter referred to as "indium-based transparent conductive oxides"), tin-containing transparent conductive oxides (hereinafter referred to as "tin-based transparent conductive oxides"), and zinc-containing transparent conductive oxides (hereinafter referred to as "zinc-based transparent conductive oxides").

[0055] Indium-based transparent conductive oxides include, for example, indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), indium gallium oxide (IGO), indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), or fluorine-doped indium oxide (IFO). Among these transparent conductive oxides, indium tin oxide (ITO) is particularly preferred. Indium tin oxide (ITO) has a particularly low work function in terms of the hole injection barrier to the OLED layer 122W, which allows for a particularly low driving voltage for the display device 101. Tin-based transparent conductive oxides include, for example, tin oxide, antimond-doped tin oxide (ATO), or fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). Zinc-based transparent conductive oxides include, for example, zinc oxide, aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), boron-doped zinc oxide, or gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO).

[0056] (OLED layer 122W) The OLED layer 122W can emit white light. The OLED layer 122W is an example of an organic material-containing layer including an organic light-emitting layer. The OLED layer 122W is provided between the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 123. The OLED layer 122W is provided individually for each of the multiple light-emitting elements 12W, similar to the first electrode 121. That is, the OLED layer 122W is divided between adjacent light-emitting elements 12W in the in-plane direction.

[0057] The OLED layer 122W may be composed of a laminated film including an organic light-emitting layer, in which case some of the layers of the laminated film (for example, an electron injection layer) may be an inorganic layer. The OLED layer 122W may be an OLED layer having a single light-emitting unit U, as shown in Figure 4A, or an OLED layer having two light-emitting units U1 and U2 (tandem structure), as shown in Figure 4B, or an OLED layer with any other structure. The OLED layer 122W having a single light-emitting unit U may have a configuration in which, for example, a hole injection layer 1221, a hole transport layer 1222, a red light-emitting layer 1220R, a light-emitting separation layer 1223, a blue light-emitting layer 1220B, a green light-emitting layer 1220G, an electron transport layer 1224, and an electron injection layer 1225 are stacked in this order from the first electrode 121 toward the second electrode 123. An OLED layer having two light-emitting units U1 and U2 has a configuration in which, for example, a hole injection layer 1221, a hole transport layer 1222, a blue light-emitting layer 1220B, an electron transport layer 1226, a charge generation layer 1227, a hole transport layer 1228, a yellow light-emitting layer 1220Y, an electron transport layer 1224, and an electron injection layer 1225 are stacked in this order from the first electrode 121 toward the second electrode 123.

[0058] The hole injection layer 1221 can increase the hole injection efficiency to the light-emitting layers 1220R, 1220G, and 1220B while suppressing leakage. The hole transport layers 1222 and 1228 can increase the hole transport efficiency to the light-emitting layers 1220R, 1220B, and 1220Y. The electron injection layer 1225 can increase the electron injection efficiency to the light-emitting layers 1220G and 1220Y. The electron transport layers 1224 and 1226 can increase the electron transport efficiency to the light-emitting layers 1220G, 1220B, and 1220Y. The emission separation layer 1223 is a layer for adjusting the carrier injection into the light-emitting layers 1220R, 1220G, and 1220B, and the emission balance of each color is adjusted by injecting electrons and holes into the light-emitting layers 1220R, 1220G, and 1220B via the emission separation layer 1223. The charge generation layer 1227 can supply electrons and holes, respectively, to the blue light-emitting layer 1220B and the yellow light-emitting layer 1220Y, which are provided so as to sandwich the charge generation layer 1227.

[0059] When an electric field is applied to the red light-emitting layer 1220R, the green light-emitting layer 1220G, the blue light-emitting layer 1220B, and the yellow light-emitting layer 1220Y, recombination occurs between holes injected from the first electrode 121 or the charge generation layer 1227 and electrons injected from the second electrode 123 or the charge generation layer 1227, causing the emission of red, green, blue, and yellow light, respectively.

[0060] (Second electrode 123) The second electrode 123 is provided on the first surface side of the OLED layer 122W. Similar to the first electrode 121, the second electrode 123 is an individual electrode provided separately for each of the multiple light-emitting elements 12W. That is, the second electrode 123 is separated between adjacent light-emitting elements 12W in the in-plane direction.

[0061] The second electrode 123 is a cathode. When a voltage is applied between the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 123, electrons are injected from the second electrode 123 into the OLED layer 122W. The second electrode 123 is transparent to light emitted from the OLED layer 122W. Preferably, the second electrode 123 is a transparent electrode that is transparent to visible light.

[0062] To improve luminescence efficiency, it is preferable that the second electrode 123 be made of a material that has as high light transmittance as possible and a small work function. The second electrode 123 is made of, for example, at least one of a metal layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer. More specifically, the second electrode 123 is made of a single layer of a metal layer or a transparent conductive oxide layer, or a laminated film of a metal layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer. When the second electrode 123 is made of a laminated film, the metal layer may be provided on the OLED layer 122W side, or the transparent conductive oxide layer may be provided on the OLED layer 122W side.

[0063] The metal layer contains, for example, at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), calcium (Ca), and sodium (Na). The metal layer may also contain the above at least one metal element as a constituent element of the alloy. Specific examples of alloys include magnesium-silver (MgAg) alloy, magnesium-aluminum (MgAl) alloy, or aluminum-lithium (AlLi) alloy. The transparent conductive oxide layer contains a transparent conductive oxide. Examples of the transparent conductive oxide include materials similar to the transparent conductive oxide of the first electrode 121 described above.

[0064] (Protective layer 13) The protective layer 13 is provided on the first surface of the plurality of light-emitting elements 12W, specifically on the first surface of the second electrode 123. The protective layer 13 is provided individually for each of the plurality of light-emitting elements 12W. That is, the protective layer 13 is divided between adjacent light-emitting elements 12W in the in-plane direction in a plan view. The protective layer 13 is an example of a first protective layer.

[0065] The protective layer 13 is transparent to light emitted from the light-emitting element 12W. The protective layer 13 can protect the light-emitting element 12W and the like. For example, the protective layer 13 can suppress the intrusion of moisture into the light-emitting element 12W and the like from the external environment. Furthermore, the protective layer 13 can be used as an etching mask in the manufacturing process of the display device 101.

[0066] The side surface of the protective layer 13 may be a vertical plane parallel to the Z-axis or an inclined plane inclined with respect to the Z-axis. In FIG. 3, an example of the latter is shown. However, from the viewpoints of improving the light extraction efficiency and facilitating the formation of the coating layer 152 as a deposition film, the side surface of the protective layer 13 is preferably a vertical plane parallel to the Z-axis. The lower end portion (the end portion on the light-emitting element 12W side) of the side surface of the protective layer 13 is located on the peripheral portion of the first surface of the light-emitting element 12W. The protective layer 13 has, for example, a columnar or frustum shape. Specific examples of the columnar shape include, but are not limited to, a circular columnar shape, an elliptical columnar shape, or a polygonal columnar shape. Specific examples of the polygonal columnar shape include, but are not limited to, a quadrangular columnar shape or a hexagonal columnar shape. Specific examples of the frustum shape include, but are not limited to, a frustum of a circular cone shape, a frustum of an elliptical cone shape, or a frustum of a polygonal pyramid shape. Specific examples of the frustum of a polygonal pyramid shape include, but are not limited to, a frustum of a quadrangular pyramid shape or a frustum of a hexagonal pyramid shape.

[0067] The protective layer 13 contains, for example, at least one of an inorganic material and an organic material having low hygroscopicity. The inorganic material contains, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide (SiO ｘ ), silicon nitride (Si ｘ N ｙ ), silicon oxynitride (SiO ｘ N ｙ ), titanium oxide (TiO ｘ ), and aluminum oxide (Al ｘ O ｙ ), etc. The organic material contains, for example, a cured product of at least one resin selected from the group consisting of a thermosetting resin and a photosensitive resin. The photosensitive resin contains, for example, an ultraviolet curable resin. Specifically, the organic material contains, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of an acrylic resin, a polyimide resin, a novolak resin, an epoxy resin, a norbornene resin, and a parylene resin.

[0068] The protective layer 13 preferably includes an ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) layer, which is a deposited layer in which atomic layers are deposited. By including an ALD layer in the protective layer 13, the effect of suppressing moisture penetration by the protective layer 13 can be improved. The ALD layer includes, for example, a metal oxide or a metal nitride. The metal oxide is, for example, aluminum oxide (Al ｘ O ｙ ) or titanium dioxide (TiO ｘ ) contains. Metal nitrides include, for example, titanium nitride (TiN ｘ ) includes.

[0069] (Connection part 15) A connection part 15 is provided individually for each of the multiple light-emitting elements 12W. The connection part 15 connects the second electrode 123 and the third electrode 14 of the light-emitting element 12W. In one embodiment, the connection part 15 is transparent to light emitted from the light-emitting element 12W. However, the connection part 15 does not have to be transparent to light emitted from the light-emitting element 12W.

[0070] Figure 2B is a plan view showing an enlarged sub-pixel 10G. The connecting portion 15 is provided on the side surface of the protective layer 13 and covers the side surface of the protective layer 13. The connecting portion 15 has an annular shape. Specific examples of the annular shape include circular, elliptical, or polygonal annular shapes, but it is not limited to these shapes. Specific examples of polygonal annular shapes include quadrilateral or hexagonal annular shapes, but it is not limited to these shapes. Figure 2B shows an example where the connecting portion 15 is circular.

[0071] The connector 15 has a lower end (first end) on the side of the light-emitting element 12W and an upper end (second end) on the side of the third electrode 14. The lower end of the connector 15 is connected to the peripheral edge of the first surface (upper surface) of the second electrode 123. The upper end of the connector 15 is connected to the second surface (lower surface) of the third electrode 14.

[0072] The connection portion 15 is a laminated film including a conductive layer 151 and a coating layer 152. The conductive layer 151 electrically connects the second electrode 123 and the third electrode 14 of the light-emitting element 12W. The conductive layer 151 is provided on the side surface of the protective layer 13 and covers the side surface of the protective layer 13. The conductive layer 151 has an annular shape. The conductive layer 151 has a lower end (first end) on the side of the light-emitting element 12W and an upper end (second end) on the side of the third electrode 14. The lower end of the conductive layer 151 is connected to the peripheral edge of the first surface (upper surface) of the second electrode 123. The upper end of the conductive layer 151 is connected to the second surface (lower surface) of the third electrode 14.

[0073] The conductive layer 151 is composed of, for example, a transparent conductive oxide layer or a metal layer. From the viewpoint of increasing the reflectivity of the connection portion 15, it is preferable that the conductive layer 151 is composed of a metal layer. From the viewpoint of increasing the transmittance of the connection portion 15, it is preferable that the conductive layer 151 is composed of a transparent conductive oxide layer.

[0074] The transparent conductive oxide layer contains a transparent conductive oxide. Examples of the transparent conductive oxide include materials similar to those used for the transparent conductive oxide of the first electrode 121. Examples of the metal included in the metal layer include materials similar to those used for the metal of the second electrode 123. Among the above materials, the conductive layer 151 preferably contains indium zinc oxide (IZO). This is because indium zinc oxide (IZO) can be uniformly deposited at low temperatures.

[0075] The coating layer 152 may function as a protective layer capable of suppressing etching of the conductive layer 151 during the manufacturing process. The coating layer 152 may or may not be conductive. If the coating layer 152 is conductive, it can compensate for the conductivity of the conductive layer 151, thereby reducing the resistance of the connection portion 15.

[0076] The coating layer 152 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the conductive layer 151. The coating layer 152 may partially cover the outer circumferential surface of the conductive layer 151, or it may cover the entire outer circumferential surface of the conductive layer 151. However, in the manufacturing process of the display device 101, from the viewpoint of improving the protective function of the coating layer 152 against dry etching, it is preferable that the coating layer 152 covers the entire outer circumferential surface of the conductive layer 151. Furthermore, by improving the protective function of the coating layer 152 against dry etching as described above, the stability of the connection between the conductive layer 151 and the third electrode can be further improved.

[0077] The coating layer 152 has an annular shape. The coating layer 152 has a lower end (first end) on the side of the light-emitting element 12W and an upper end (second end) on the side of the third electrode 14. The lower end of the coating layer 152 may be connected to the peripheral edge of the first surface (upper surface) of the second electrode 123. The upper end of the coating layer 152 may be connected to the second surface (lower surface) of the third electrode 14.

[0078] In one embodiment, the thickness of the coating layer 152 decreases from the lower end to the upper end. A coating layer 152 of this shape is easily formed by utilizing reaction products generated when the conductive layer 151, the second electrode 123, and the OLED layer 122 are separated into light-emitting elements 12W each by dry etching during the manufacturing process. Therefore, a coating layer 152 of the above shape can be easily formed by utilizing a process in which the conductive layer 151, the second electrode 123, and the OLED layer 122 are separated into light-emitting elements 12W each by dry etching.

[0079] The coating layer 152 may be composed of a deposit film. The coating layer 152, which is a deposit film, may contain a first reaction product generated when the conductive layer 151 and the second electrode 123 are separated by dry etching during the manufacturing process. The first reaction product includes, for example, at least one metal contained in the conductive layer 151 and at least one metal contained in the second electrode 123. The coating layer 152, which is a deposit film, can be formed by adjusting the dry etching conditions during the manufacturing process.

[0080] More specifically, the first reaction product may include some or all of the constituent materials of the conductive layer 151 and some or all of the constituent materials of the second electrode 123. Some of the constituent materials of the conductive layer 151 include, for example, at least one metal contained in the conductive layer 151. Some of the constituent materials of the second electrode 123 include, for example, at least one metal contained in the second electrode 123.

[0081] For example, if the conductive layer 151 and the second electrode 123 contain indium zinc oxide (IZO), the first reaction product may contain at least one of indium (In) and zinc (Zn). In addition to at least one of indium (In) and zinc (Zn), the first reaction product may also contain oxygen (O).

[0082] The coating layer 152, which is a deposit film, may further contain a second reaction product generated when the insulating layer 112 is dry-etched during the manufacturing process. The second reaction product may contain, for example, at least one metal contained in the insulating layer 112. More specifically, the second reaction product may contain some or all of the constituent materials of the insulating layer 112. Some of the constituent materials of the insulating layer 112 may contain, for example, at least one metal contained in the insulating layer 112. For example, if the insulating layer 112 is silicon oxide (SiO ｘ ), silicon nitride (Si ｘ N ｙ ) and silicon oxynitride (SiO ｘ N ｙ If the second reaction product includes at least one silicon-based compound selected from the group consisting of the following, the second reaction product may include, for example, silicon (Si). In this disclosure, silicon (Si) is defined as a metal.

[0083] The coating layer 152, which is a deposit film, may further contain a third reaction product generated when the OLED layer 122 is divided by dry etching during the manufacturing process. The third reaction product may, for example, contain some or all of the constituent materials of the OLED layer 122. More specifically, the third reaction product may contain carbon (C).

[0084] The light-emitting element 12W, the protective layer 13, and the connecting portion 15 form a convex structure 13a on the first surface of the drive substrate 11. A groove 13b is provided between adjacent structures 13a in the in-plane direction.

[0085] (Protective layer 16) The protective layer 16 is provided in the groove 13b so as to conform to the groove 13b between adjacent structures 13a, and covers the side surface of the structure 13a. The protective layer 17 is transparent to light emitted from the light-emitting element 12W. The protective layer 17 can protect the light-emitting element 12W, etc. For example, the protective layer 13 can suppress the intrusion of moisture into the light-emitting element 12W, etc. from the external environment. Examples of materials for the protective layer 17 include the same material as the protective layer 13. The protective layer 13 and the protective layer 16 may be made of the same material or different materials.

[0086] (Third Electrode 14) The third electrode 14 is provided so as to cover a plurality of structures 13a. Of the third electrode 14, the portion located between adjacent structures 13a in a plan view is placed in a groove 13b and conforms to the shape of the groove 13b. The third electrode 14 is a common electrode for a plurality of light-emitting elements 12W provided in the display area RE1, and the upper end of each connection portion 15 in the display area RE1 is connected to the second surface of the third electrode 14. That is, the third electrode 14 is connected to each second electrode 123 separated for each light-emitting element 12W via the connection portion 15. The third electrode 14 is transparent to light emitted from the light-emitting elements 12W. The third electrode 14 may be a transparent electrode that is transparent to visible light.

[0087] The third electrode 14 is formed over the entire display area RE1 and extends from the display area RE1 to the peripheral area RE2. The peripheral edge of the second surface of the third electrode 14 is connected to a contact electrode (not shown) in the peripheral area RE2. Another conductive layer may be sandwiched between the peripheral edge of the third electrode 14 and the contact electrode.

[0088] The third electrode 14 is composed of, for example, at least one of a metal layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer. More specifically, the third electrode 14 is composed of a single layer of the metal layer or the transparent conductive oxide layer, or a laminated film of the metal layer and the transparent conductive oxide layer. When the third electrode 14 is composed of a laminated film, the metal layer may be provided on the side of the protective layer 13, or the transparent conductive oxide layer may be provided on the side of the protective layer 13.

[0089] Examples of metals included in the metal layer include materials similar to those used for the second electrode 123 described above. Examples of transparent conductive oxides included in the transparent conductive oxide layer include materials similar to those used for the first electrode 121 described above.

[0090] (Protective layer 17) The protective layer 17 is provided on the first surface of the third electrode 14 so as to conform to the shape of the third electrode 14. Of the protective layer 17, the portion located between adjacent structures 13a in a plan view is placed in the groove 13b and conforms to the shape of the groove 13b. As a result, the protective layer 17 has a projection 17a at a position corresponding to the structure 13a, and a groove 17b at a position corresponding to the groove 13b between adjacent structures 13a. The top surface of the projection 17a may be exposed and not covered by the low refractive index layer 18. The protective layer 17 is an example of a second protective layer.

[0091] The protective layer 17 is transparent to light emitted from the light-emitting element 12W. The protective layer 17 can protect the light-emitting element 12W, etc. For example, the protective layer 13 can suppress the intrusion of moisture into the light-emitting element 12W, etc. from the external environment. Examples of materials for the protective layer 17 include the same material as the protective layer 13. The protective layer 13 and the protective layer 17 may be made of the same material or different materials.

[0092] (Low refractive index layer 18) The low refractive index layer 18 is provided in the groove 17b between adjacent structures 13a. The low refractive index layer 18 is an example of a filler material. The low refractive index layer 18 has a refractive index lower than that of the protective layer 17 adjacent to the low refractive index layer 18. As a result, at least a portion of the light emitted obliquely from the light-emitting element 12W and incident on the interface between the protective layer 17 and the low refractive index layer 18 can be refracted at the interface and directed towards the front. Therefore, the front brightness of the display device 101 can be improved. In addition, of the light emitted obliquely from the light-emitting element 12W, light that is incident on the interface at an incident angle of a predetermined value or greater may be totally reflected at the interface. The low refractive index layer 18 is transparent to light emitted from the light-emitting element 12W.

[0093] The low refractive index layer 18 includes, for example, at least one of an organic material and an inorganic material. The organic material includes, for example, a cured product of a photosensitive resin composition such as an ultraviolet curable resin composition. The inorganic material is, for example, silicon oxide (SiO2). ｘ ), silicon oxynitride (SiO ｘ N ｙ ), magnesium fluoride (MgF ｘ ) and lithium fluoride (LiF ｘ It includes at least one species selected from the group consisting of the following:

[0094] The low refractive index layer 18 may contain a filler. The refractive index of the low refractive index layer 18 can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of filler contained in the low refractive index layer 18. The filler may be a hollow filler. The filler may be an inorganic filler. An inorganic filler is, for example, aluminum oxide (Al ｘ O ｙ ), titanium oxide (TiO ｘ ) and zirconium oxide (ZrO ｘ It includes at least one species selected from the group consisting of the following:

[0095] (Planarization layer 19) The planarization layer 19 is provided on the first surface of the low refractive index layer 18 and on the top surface of the protrusion 17a of the protective layer 17. The planarization layer 19 fills in the irregularities formed by the low refractive index layer 18 and the protective layer 17, and can form a flat first surface above the low refractive index layer 18 and the protective layer 17. The planarization layer 19 is an example of a resin layer. The planarization layer 19 is transparent to light emitted from the light-emitting element 12W.

[0096] The planarization layer 19 includes, for example, a resin material. The resin material includes, for example, a cured product of a photosensitive resin composition. The photosensitive resin composition may include either a positive-type photosensitive resin composition or a negative-type photosensitive resin composition. Specifically, the photosensitive resin composition includes, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyimide precursor, polybenzoxazole, polybenzoxazole precursor, acrylic resin, phenolic resin, and siloxane resin.

[0097] (Color filter 20) The color filter 20 is a so-called on-chip color filter (OCCF). The color filter 20 is provided above the plurality of light-emitting elements 12W. More specifically, the color filter 20 is provided on the first surface of the planarization layer 19. The color filter 20 includes, for example, a plurality of colored layers 201R, a plurality of colored layers 201G, and a plurality of colored layers 201B. In the following description, when the colored layers 201R, 201G, and 201B are referred to collectively without particular distinction, they may simply be called colored layer 201.

[0098] Multiple colored layers 201 are arranged two-dimensionally on the first surface of the planarization layer 19 in a predetermined arrangement pattern. The predetermined arrangement pattern is as described in relation to the predetermined arrangement pattern of multiple sub-pixels 10. Each colored layer 201 is provided above the light-emitting element 12W. Sub-pixel 10R includes the light-emitting element 12W and a colored layer 201R provided above the light-emitting element 12W. Sub-pixel 10G includes the light-emitting element 12W and a colored layer 201G provided above the light-emitting element 12W. Sub-pixel 10B includes the light-emitting element 12W and a colored layer 201B provided above the light-emitting element 12W.

[0099] The colored layer 201R has a red color. The colored layer 201R transmits the red light component of the white light emitted from the light-emitting element 12W, while absorbing the visible light components other than red light. The colored layer 201G has a green color. The colored layer 201G transmits the green light component of the white light emitted from the light-emitting element 12W, while absorbing the visible light components other than green light. The colored layer 201B has a blue color. The colored layer 201B transmits the blue light component of the white light emitted from the light-emitting element 12W, while absorbing the visible light components other than blue light.

[0100] The colored layer 201R includes, for example, a red color resist. The colored layer 201G includes, for example, a green color resist. The colored layer 201B includes, for example, a blue color resist.

[0101] [Manufacturing Method for Display Device 101] An example of a manufacturing method for a display device 101 according to one embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 5A to 6D.

[0102] (Process for forming the first electrode 121) First, a metal layer and a metal oxide layer are sequentially formed on the first surface of the drive substrate 11, for example by sputtering, and then the metal layer and metal oxide layer are patterned, for example by photolithography. As a result, a plurality of first electrodes 121 are formed on the first surface of the drive substrate 11.

[0103] (Process for forming the OLED layer 122) Next, for example by vapor deposition, a hole injection layer 1221, a hole transport layer 1222, a red light-emitting layer 1220R, a light-emitting separation layer 1223, a blue light-emitting layer 1220B, a green light-emitting layer 1220G, an electron transport layer 1224, and an electron injection layer 1225 are laminated on the first surface of the drive substrate 11 in this order so as to cover a plurality of first electrodes 121. This forms an OLED layer 122 having a single-layer light-emitting unit U. Note that the OLED layer 122 is not limited to an OLED layer having a single-layer light-emitting unit U, but may also be an OLED layer having two layers of light-emitting units U1 and U2, or an OLED layer with a different structure.

[0104] (Process for forming the second electrode 123) Next, the second electrode 123 is formed on the first surface of the OLED layer 122, for example, by a vapor deposition method or a sputtering method.

[0105] (Process for forming protective layer 13) Next, a protective layer 13 is formed on the first surface of the second electrode 123, for example by CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), as shown in Figure 5A. Next, the protective layer 13 is patterned, for example by photolithography. As a result, a plurality of island-shaped protective layers 13 are formed on the first surface of the second electrode 123, as shown in Figure 5B.

[0106] (Process for forming the conductive layer 151) Next, a conductive layer 151, composed of a metal layer or a metal oxide layer, is formed on the first surface of the second electrode 123, for example, by sputtering, so as shown in Figure 5C, that it conforms to the shape of the multiple protective layers 13.

[0107] (Processing steps for conductive layer 151, second electrode 123, and OLED layer 122) Next, the conductive layer 151, second electrode 123, and OLED layer 122 are processed sequentially by dry etching using the protective layer 13 as a mask, thereby separating the OLED layer 122, the second electrode 123, and the conductive layer 151 into light-emitting elements 12W each. During dry etching, reaction products are deposited on the portion of the conductive layer 151 located on the side surface of the protective layer 13, forming a coating layer 152 which is a deposit film, as shown in Figure 5D. This prevents the portion of the conductive layer 151 located on the side surface of the protective layer 13 from being dry-etched. In particular, it prevents the portion of the conductive layer 151 located near the upper end of the side surface of the protective layer 13 from being dry-etched. Therefore, the connection between the third electrode 14 and the conductive layer 151 can be stabilized. Alternatively, the conductive layer 151 may be removed from the first surface of the protective layer 13, which is used as a mask, during dry etching. The deposit film can be formed by adjusting the dry etching conditions. Through the processing steps of the conductive layer 151, the second electrode 123, and the OLED layer 122 described above, a plurality of structures 13a, each consisting of a light-emitting element 12W, a protective layer 13, and a connecting portion 15, are formed on the first surface of the drive substrate 11.

[0108] (Process for forming protective layer 16) Next, a protective layer 16 is formed on the first surface of the drive substrate 11, for example by CVD, following the shape of the multiple structures 13a as shown in Figure 6A.

[0109] (Processing steps for protective layer 16) Next, the entire first surface of the protective layer 16 is subjected to etch-back treatment, for example, by dry etching. As a result, as shown in Figure 6B, the first surface of the protective layer 13 and the upper end of the connecting portion 15 are exposed from the protective layer 16.

[0110] (Process for forming the third electrode 14) Next, for example, by a vapor deposition method or a sputtering method, the third electrode 14 is formed on the first surfaces of the multiple protective layers 13 and the first surface of the protective layer 16, following the example of the multiple structures 13a whose sides are covered by the protective layer 16 as shown in Figure 6C. At this time, the upper end of the connecting portion 15 and the second surface of the third electrode 14 are connected.

[0111] (Protective layer 17 formation process) Next, a protective layer 17 is formed on the first surface of the third electrode 14, following the shape of the third electrode 14, for example, by CVD, as shown in Figure 6D. As a result, a groove 17b is formed in the portion between adjacent structures 13a.

[0112] (Process for forming the low refractive index layer 18) Next, for example, a resin composition is applied to the first surface of the protective layer 17 to fill the grooves 17b, and then the low refractive index layer 18 is formed by curing it by light irradiation or heating, for example. Next, the entire first surface of the low refractive index layer 18 is subjected to etch-back treatment by dry etching, for example. As a result, the portion of the low refractive index layer 18 located on the top surface of the protrusion 17a is removed, and the top surface of the protrusion 17a is exposed from the low refractive index layer 18. On the other hand, the portion of the low refractive index layer 18 located within the grooves 17b remains within the grooves 17b.

[0113] (Process for forming the planarization layer 19) Next, the resin composition is applied to the first surface of the protective layer 17 and the first surface of the low refractive index layer 18, and then cured by, for example, light irradiation or heating to form the planarization layer 19.

[0114] (Process for forming the color filter 20) Next, a green color resist is applied to the first surface of the planarization layer 19, and after pattern exposure by irradiating with ultraviolet light through a photomask, the material is developed to form a green colored layer 201G. Next, a red color resist is applied to the first surface of the planarization layer 19, and after pattern exposure by irradiating with ultraviolet light through a photomask, the material is developed to form a red colored layer 201R. Next, a blue color resist is applied to the first surface of the planarization layer 19, and after pattern exposure by irradiating with ultraviolet light through a photomask, the material is developed to form a blue colored layer 201B. As a result, a color filter 20 is formed on the first surface of the planarization layer 19. The display device 101 according to one embodiment is obtained.

[0115] [Effects and Effects] To facilitate understanding of the effects and effects of the display device 101 according to one embodiment, the configuration and problems of the display device 101A according to a comparative example will be described first, and then the effects and effects of the display device 101 according to one embodiment will be described.

[0116] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a comparative example display device 101A. In the comparative example display device 101A, the connection portion 15A includes only the conductive layer 151 on the side surface of the protective layer 13. In a display device 101A having such a configuration, the conductive layer 151 is easily dry-etched during the processing steps of the conductive layer 151, the second electrode 123, and the OLED layer 122. As a result, the thickness of the conductive layer 151 is likely to decrease, and the stability of the connection between the upper end of the conductive layer 151 and the second surface of the third electrode 14 may decrease. In other words, the robustness of the conductive layer 151 against processing variations during the processing steps of the conductive layer 151, the second electrode 123, and the OLED layer 122 is low.

[0117] In contrast, in the display device 101 according to one embodiment, the connection portion 15 includes a conductive layer 151 and a coating layer 152 in order on the side surface of the protective layer 13. The coating layer 152 functions as a protective layer that can suppress dry etching of the conductive layer 151 during the processing steps of the conductive layer 151, the second electrode 123, and the OLED layer 122. As a result, the reduction in the thickness of the conductive layer 151 due to dry etching can be suppressed, and the stability of the connection between the upper end of the conductive layer 151 and the second surface of the third electrode 14 can be improved. In other words, robustness against processing variations of the conductive layer 151 during the processing steps of the conductive layer 151, the second electrode 123, and the OLED layer 122 can be increased.

[0118] <3 Modifications> [Modification 1] As shown in Figure 8, the protective layer 13 may be a laminated film. Specifically, the protective layer 13 may sequentially include a first protective layer 131 and a second protective layer 132 on the first surface of the light-emitting element 12W. The first protective layer 131 is an example of a first layer. The second protective layer 132 is an example of a second layer.

[0119] The etching rate of the second protective layer 132 is preferably lower than that of the first protective layer 131. In this case, the second protective layer 132 can be used as an etching stopper layer in the processing steps of the conductive layer 151, the second electrode 123, and the OLED layer 122. The height of the upper end of the connection portion 15 may be the same as the height of the first surface of the protective layer 13. The height of the upper end of the connection portion 15 may be the same as the height of the upper end of the portion of the protective layer 16 that covers the outer circumferential surface of the connection portion 15.

[0120] As the material for the first protective layer 131, examples include materials similar to the material for the protective layer 13 in one embodiment. The second protective layer 132 may be aluminum oxide (Al) from the viewpoint of improving reliability. ｘ O ｙ It is preferable that the material contains metal oxides such as ). The second protective layer 132 is preferably a transparent conductive oxide layer from the viewpoint of ensuring the stability of the connection between the upper end of the conductive layer 151 and the second surface of the third electrode 14. Examples of materials for the transparent conductive oxide layer include the same materials as those for the transparent conductive oxide layer of the first electrode 121 described above.

[0121] A specific example of a multilayer film is silicon nitride (Si ｘ N ｙ ) a first protective layer 131 containing aluminum oxide (Al ｘ O ｙ A laminated film having a second protective layer 132 containing ) laminated on top of it, or silicon nitride (Si ｘ N ｙ An example is a laminated film in which a first protective layer 131 containing ) and a second protective layer 132 containing indium zinc oxide (IZO) are laminated together.

[0122] In the above explanation, an example was described in which the protective layer 13 has two layers. However, the number of layers in the protective layer 13 is not limited to this example and may be three or more. In this case, it is preferable that the uppermost layer among the multiple layers constituting the protective layer 13 has the lowest etching rate among the layers constituting the protective layer 13.

[0123] Furthermore, although the above description described an example in which the protective layer 13 is a multilayer film, either or both of the protective layer 16 and the protective layer 17 may be multilayer films similar to the protective layer 13.

[0124] [Modification 2] The height of the upper end of the connecting portion 15 may be higher than the height of the first surface of the protective layer 13, as shown in Figure 9. That is, the upper end of the connecting portion 15 may protrude from the first surface (top surface) of the protective layer 13. In this case, the contact area between the upper end of the conductive layer 151 and the second surface of the third electrode 14 can be increased. Therefore, the stability of the connection between the upper end of the conductive layer 151 and the second surface of the third electrode 14 can be improved.

[0125] The height of the upper end of the connection portion 15 may be higher than the height of the upper end of the portion of the protective layer 16 that covers the outer circumferential surface of the connection portion 15, as shown in Figure 9. In other words, the upper end of the connection portion 15 may protrude from the upper end of the portion of the protective layer 16 that covers the outer circumferential surface of the connection portion 15. If the coating layer 152 is conductive, the upper end of the connection portion 15 protruding from the upper end of the portion of the protective layer 16 that covers the outer circumferential surface of the connection portion 15, as described above, can increase the contact area between the upper end of the coating layer 152 and the second surface of the third electrode 14. Therefore, the stability of the connection between the upper end of the coating layer 152 and the second surface of the third electrode 14 can be improved.

[0126] [Modification 3] In one embodiment, an example was described in which the portion of the third electrode 14 located between adjacent structures 13a in a plan view is arranged in a groove 13b and conforms to the shape of the groove 13b. However, the third electrode 14 is not limited to this example. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the portion of the third electrode 14 located between adjacent structures 13a in a plan view may be provided on the first surface of the low refractive index layer 18 that fills the groove 17b. That is, the portion of the third electrode 14 located between adjacent structures 13a in a plan view may pass over the groove 13b filled with the low refractive index layer 18. In this case, the third electrode 14 becomes flat or nearly flat in the display area RE1, so the sheet resistance of the third electrode 14 is reduced. Therefore, the voltage drop in the central part of the display area R1 can be suppressed.

[0127] [Modification 4] In one embodiment, an example was described in which the connection portion 15 is a laminated film including a conductive layer 151 and a coating layer 152, but the configuration of the connection portion 15 is not limited to this example. For example, as shown in Figure 11, the connection portion 15 may be a laminated film including a first conductive layer 151a, a second conductive layer 151b, and a coating layer 152.

[0128] The first conductive layer 151a, the second conductive layer 151b, and the coating layer 152 are laminated in this order on the side surface of the protective layer 13. The first conductive layer 151a is the same as the conductive layer 151 in one embodiment, so a description of the first conductive layer 151a is omitted. The second conductive layer 151b differs from the conductive layer 151 in one embodiment in that it is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the first conductive layer 151a.

[0129] The first conductive layer 151a and the second conductive layer 151b contain different materials. For example, one of the first conductive layer 151a and the second conductive layer 151b is composed of a metal layer, and the other is composed of a transparent conductive oxide layer. More specifically, for example, the first conductive layer 151a may be composed of a transparent conductive oxide layer containing indium zinc oxide (IZO), and the second conductive layer 151b may be composed of a metal layer containing a magnesium silver (MgAg) alloy. Conversely, the first conductive layer 151a may be a metal layer containing a magnesium silver (MgAg) alloy, and the second conductive layer 151b may be composed of a transparent conductive oxide layer containing indium zinc oxide (IZO).

[0130] The coating layer 152 is provided on the outer surface of the second conductive layer 151b. The coating layer 152, which is a deposit film, may contain a fourth reaction product generated when the first conductive layer 151a, the second conductive layer 151b, and the second electrode 123 are separated by dry etching during the manufacturing process. The fourth reaction product includes, for example, at least one metal contained in the first conductive layer 151a, at least one metal contained in the second conductive layer 151b, and at least one metal contained in the second electrode 123.

[0131] More specifically, the fourth reaction product may include some or all of the constituent materials of the first conductive layer 151a, some or all of the constituent materials of the second conductive layer 151b, and some or all of the constituent materials of the second electrode 123. Some of the constituent materials of the first conductive layer 151a include, for example, at least one metal contained in the first conductive layer 151a. Some of the constituent materials of the second conductive layer 151b include, for example, at least one metal contained in the second conductive layer 151b. Some of the constituent materials of the second electrode 123 include, for example, at least one metal contained in the second electrode 123.

[0132] For example, if the first conductive layer 151a and the second electrode 123 contain indium zinc oxide (IZO) and the second conductive layer 151b contains a magnesium-silver (MgAg) alloy, the fourth reaction product may contain at least one of indium (In) and zinc (Zn), and at least one of magnesium (Mg) and silver (Ag). In addition to at least one of indium (In) and zinc (Zn), and at least one of magnesium (Mg) and silver (Ag), the fourth reaction product may also contain oxygen (O).

[0133] When the second conductive layer 151b and the second electrode 123 contain indium zinc oxide (IZO) and the first conductive layer 151a contains a magnesium silver (MgAg) alloy, the fourth reaction product may contain the same material as when the first conductive layer 151a and the second electrode 123 contain indium zinc oxide (IZO) and the second conductive layer 151b contains a magnesium silver (MgAg) alloy or the like.

[0134] The coating layer 152, which is a deposit film, may further contain a second reaction product generated when the insulating layer 112 is etched during the manufacturing process. Specific examples of the second reaction product are as described in one embodiment.

[0135] The coating layer 152, which is a deposit film, may further contain a third reaction product generated when the OLED layer 122 is etched during the manufacturing process. Specific examples of the third reaction product are as described in one embodiment.

[0136] As described above, since the connection portion 15 is a laminated film including a first conductive layer 151a, a second conductive layer 151b, and a coating layer 152, the resistance of the connection portion 15 can be reduced. Furthermore, since one of the first conductive layer 151a and the second conductive layer 151b is composed of a metal layer and the other is composed of a transparent conductive oxide layer, the reflectivity of the connection portion 15 can be increased. Therefore, the luminous efficiency can be improved.

[0137] [Modification 5] In one embodiment, an example was described in which the conductive layer 151 and the coating layer 152 are adjacent to each other, but the conductive layer 151 and the coating layer 152 do not have to be adjacent to each other. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the connection portion 15 may further include an insulating layer 153 between the conductive layer 151 and the coating layer 152. The insulating layer 153 includes, for example, an inorganic material. As for the inorganic material, from the viewpoint of etching resistance, aluminum oxide (Al ｘ O ｙ ) etc. are preferred.

[0138] In modified example 5, the coating layer 152, which is a deposit film, may include a fifth reaction product generated when the conductive layer 151, the insulating layer 153, and the second electrode 123 are separated by dry etching during the manufacturing process. The fifth reaction product includes, for example, at least one metal contained in the first conductive layer 151a, at least one metal contained in the insulating layer 153, and at least one metal contained in the second electrode 123.

[0139] More specifically, the coating layer 152 may include some or all of the constituent materials of the conductive layer 151, some or all of the constituent materials of the insulating layer 153, and some or all of the constituent materials of the second electrode 123. Some of the constituent materials of the conductive layer 151 include, for example, at least one metal contained in the conductive layer 151. Some of the constituent materials of the insulating layer 153 include, for example, at least one metal contained in the insulating layer 153. Some of the constituent materials of the second electrode 123 include, for example, at least one metal contained in the second electrode 123.

[0140] The coating layer 152, which is a deposit film, may further contain a second reaction product generated when the insulating layer 112 is etched during the manufacturing process. The coating layer 152, which is a deposit film, may further contain a third reaction product generated when the OLED layer 122 is etched during the manufacturing process.

[0141] In the display device 101 according to Modification 5, the conductive layer 151 is covered by an insulating layer 153 and a coating layer 152, which further suppresses etching of the conductive layer 151 during the processing steps of the conductive layer 151, insulating layer 153, second electrode 123, and OLED layer 122. This further improves the stability of the connection between the upper end of the conductive layer 151 and the second surface of the third electrode 14.

[0142] [Modification 6] In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, an example was described in which the thickness of the coating layer 152 decreases from the lower end to the upper end. However, the coating layer 152 is not limited to this example, and for example, as shown in Figure 13, the thickness of the coating layer 152 may be substantially the same from the lower end to the upper end. In Figure 13, an example is shown in which the protective layer 13 is a laminated film in which a first protective layer 131 and a second protective layer 132 are sequentially laminated on the first surface of the light-emitting element 12W, but the configuration of the protective layer 13 is not limited to this, and it may be a single layer film as in the one embodiment.

[0143] In the display device 101 according to Modification 6, the thickness of the coating layer 152 is substantially the same from the lower end to the upper end, thus the coating layer 152 has high resistance to dry etching. Therefore, the stability of the connection between the upper end of the conductive layer 151 and the second surface of the third electrode 14 can be further improved.

[0144] [Modification 7] As shown in Figure 14, the display device 101 may further include a lens array 21. The lens array 21 may be provided on the first surface of the color filter 20. However, a planarization layer (not shown) may be provided between the lens array 21 and the color filter 20. In Figure 14, an example is shown in which the lens array 21 is provided directly above the first surface of the color filter 20, but at least one layer (e.g., a planarization layer) may be provided between the lens array 21 and the color filter 20. That is, the lens array 21 may be provided above the first surface of the color filter 20.

[0145] The lens array 21 includes a plurality of lenses 211. Each lens 211 is positioned above the light-emitting element 12W. The lenses 211 can focus light incident from the light-emitting element 12W in a forward direction. The lenses 211 are convex lenses having a convex focusing surface on the side opposite to the light-emitting element 12W. The focusing surface is preferably a convex curved surface. The plurality of lenses 211 are so-called on-chip microlenses (OCLs) and are arranged two-dimensionally on the first surface of the planarization layer 19 in a predetermined arrangement pattern. The predetermined arrangement pattern is as described in one embodiment as a predetermined arrangement pattern of a plurality of subpixels 10. The center of the lens 211 may substantially coincide with the center of the light-emitting region of the light-emitting element 12W in a plan view.

[0146] The lens 211 includes, for example, an organic resin material or an inorganic material that is transparent to visible light. The organic resin material includes, for example, a cured product of a photosensitive resin composition such as an ultraviolet curable resin composition. The inorganic material is, for example, silicon nitride (Si ｘ N ｙ ) and silicon oxynitride (SiO ｘ N ｙ It includes at least one selected from the group consisting of ) etc. Lens 211 may also contain fillers. The refractive index of lens 211 can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of filler contained in lens 211.

[0147] As described above, by including the lens array 21 in the display device 101, the light emitted from the colored layer 201 can be focused by the lens array 21. Therefore, the light extraction efficiency of the display device 101 can be increased.

[0148] [Modification 8] The display device 101 may further include an insulating layer 22, as shown in Figure 15. The insulating layer 22 is provided on the first surface of the drive substrate 11, corresponding to the portion between the separated first electrodes 121. The insulating layer 22 is a so-called pixel define layer (PDL) and can separate adjacent subpixels 10 in the in-plane direction.

[0149] The insulating layer 22 has a plurality of openings 22a. Each of the plurality of openings 22a is provided corresponding to each light-emitting element 12W. Each of the plurality of openings 22a may be provided on the first surface (the surface on the OLED layer 122 side) of each first electrode 121. That is, the peripheral edge of the first surface of each first electrode 121 may be covered by the insulating layer 22. The first electrode 121 and the OLED layer 122 are in contact through the openings 22a. The shape of the openings 22a in plan view is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be substantially rectangular, substantially circular, or substantially elliptical.

[0150] The insulating layer 22 is, for example, an inorganic insulating layer. The inorganic insulating layer is, for example, silicon oxide (SiO₂ ｘ ), silicon nitride (Si ｘ N ｙ ) and silicon oxynitride (SiO ｘ N ｙ It includes at least one species selected from the group consisting of the following:

[0151] If the display device 101 includes an insulating layer 22, the coating layer 152, which is a deposit film, may further include a sixth reaction product generated when the insulating layer 22 is etched during the manufacturing process. The sixth reaction product may include, for example, at least one metal contained in the insulating layer 22. More specifically, the sixth reaction product may include some or all of the constituent materials of the insulating layer 22. Some of the constituent materials of the insulating layer 22 include, for example, at least one metal contained in the insulating layer 22. For example, if the insulating layer 22 is silicon oxide (SiO ｘ ), silicon nitride (Si ｘ N ｙ ) and silicon oxynitride (SiO ｘ N ｙ If the sixth reaction product includes at least one silicon-based compound selected from the group consisting of the above, the sixth reaction product may also include silicon (Si).

[0152] [Modification 9] In one embodiment, an example was described in which the display device 101 comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements 12W capable of emitting white light and a color filter 20, and a color image can be displayed by a combination of these. However, the method of colorizing the display device 101 is not limited to this. For example, instead of a plurality of light-emitting elements 12W capable of emitting white light, the display device 101 may comprise a plurality of light-emitting elements 12R capable of emitting red light, a plurality of light-emitting elements 12G capable of emitting green light, and a plurality of light-emitting elements 12B capable of emitting blue light, as shown in Figure 16. Figure 16 shows an example in which the display device 101 does not have a color filter 20, but the display device 101 may also have a color filter 20. Also, Figure 16 shows an example in which the display device 101 comprises a planarization layer 19, but the planarization layer 19 is not an essential component, and the display device 101 may not have a planarization layer 19.

[0153] In the modified example 9, the light-emitting elements 12R, 12G, and 12B are OLED elements. The light-emitting element 12R can emit red light based on control of a drive circuit, etc. The light-emitting element 12G can emit green light based on control of a drive circuit, etc. The light-emitting element 12B can emit blue light based on control of a drive circuit, etc. Sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B each include the light-emitting elements 12R, 12G, and 12B, respectively.

[0154] The light-emitting element 12R differs from the light-emitting element 12W in that it includes an OLED layer 122R instead of an OLED layer 122W. The OLED layer 122R includes an organic light-emitting layer capable of emitting red light. The light-emitting element 12G differs from the light-emitting element 12W in that it includes an OLED layer 122G instead of an OLED layer 122W. The OLED layer 122G includes an organic light-emitting layer capable of emitting green light. The light-emitting element 12B differs from the light-emitting element 12W in that it includes an OLED layer 122B instead of an OLED layer 122W. The OLED layer 122B includes an organic light-emitting layer capable of emitting blue light.

[0155] [Modification 10] In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, an example was described in which the low refractive index layer 18 is provided only in the groove 17b and does not cover the top surface of the protrusion 17a of the protective layer 17. However, the low refractive index layer 18 is not limited to this example, and as shown in Figure 17, the low refractive index layer 18 may be provided in the groove 17b and also cover the top surface of the protrusion 17a of the protective layer 17. That is, the low refractive index layer 18 may cover the entire first surface of the protective layer 17 in the display area RE1.

[0156] [Modification 11] In one embodiment, an example was described in which a plurality of subpixels 10 are arranged in a delta array. However, the arrangement pattern of the plurality of subpixels 10 is not limited to this example. The plurality of subpixels 10 may be arranged in a square array, a stripe array, or a π array (S-stripe array), for example.

[0157] (Example of a square arrangement) When the arrangement pattern of multiple subpixels 10 is a square arrangement, one pixel 10P may be composed of four subpixels 10R, 10G, 10B, and 10B, as shown in Figure 18. Subpixels 10R and 10G included in one pixel 10P may be arranged to be adjacent to each other in a diagonal direction, and subpixels 10B and 10B included in one pixel 10P may be arranged to be adjacent to each other in a diagonal direction. Subpixels 10R, 10G, and 10B may have a square shape in a plan view. However, the type, arrangement, and shape of the subpixels 10 constituting the square arrangement are not limited to this example.

[0158] (Example of a stripe array) When the array pattern of multiple subpixels 10 is a stripe array, one pixel 10P may be composed of three subpixels 10G, 10R, and 10B, as shown in Figure 19. The subpixels 10G, 10R, and 10B may be arranged repeatedly in this order along the X-axis. The subpixels 10G, 10R, and 10B may have a rectangular shape in plan view. However, the type, arrangement, and shape of the subpixels 10 constituting the stripe array are not limited to this example.

[0159] (Example of a π array) When the array pattern of multiple subpixels 10 is a π array (S-stripe array), one pixel 10P may be composed of three subpixels 10R, 10G, and 10B, as shown in Figure 20. A pair of subpixels 10R and 10G aligned in the Y-axis direction and subpixel 10B may be arranged alternately and repeatedly in the X-axis direction. Subpixels 10R and 10G may have the same size square shape. Subpixel 10B may have a rectangular shape with a long side that is about twice the length of the side of subpixel 10R (or subpixel 10G) and a short side that is about equal in length to the side of subpixel 10R (or subpixel 10G). However, the type, arrangement, and shape of the subpixels 10 constituting the π array are not limited to this example.

[0160] [Modification 12] In one embodiment, an example was described in which one pixel 10P includes three sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B of different colors (see Figure 2A). However, the pixel configuration of one pixel 10P is not limited to this example. For example, one pixel 10P may include a sub-pixel 10W in addition to the three sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B of different colors, as shown in Figure 21. More specifically, one pixel 10P may have an arrangement in which one sub-pixel 10W is further added to three delta-arranged sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B.

[0161] When the arrangement pattern of the multiple subpixels 10 is a square arrangement, one pixel 10P may be composed of four subpixels 10R, 10G, 10B, and 10W, as shown in Figure 22.

[0162] When the arrangement pattern of multiple subpixels 10 is a stripe arrangement, one pixel 10P may be composed of four subpixels 10G, 10R, 10B, and 10W, as shown in Figure 23.

[0163] In the display device 101 according to modified example 12, one pixel 10P is composed of four adjacent sub-pixels 10R, 10G, 10B, and 10W. This allows the brightness of sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B to be supplemented by the white sub-pixel 10W.

[0164] [Modification 13] The display device 101 may include a filling resin layer and a cover glass. The filling resin layer is filled between the color filter 20 and the cover glass. The filling resin layer is light-transmitting to light of each color emitted from the color filter. The filling resin layer may also function as an adhesive layer to bond the color filter 20 and the cover glass.

[0165] The filling resin layer includes, for example, a curable resin. The curable resin includes at least one selected from the group consisting of thermosetting resins and UV-curable resins. However, the filling resin layer is not limited to thermosetting resins and UV-curable resins, and may also include curable resins of other types.

[0166] The cover glass is provided on the first surface of the filling resin layer. The cover glass seals the display side of the display device 101. The cover glass is light-transmitting to light of each color emitted from the color filter 20. The cover glass is made of, for example, a glass substrate.

[0167] [Modification 14] In Modification 13, an example was described in which the cover glass is a sealing layer that seals the display surface side of the display device 101, but the sealing layer is not limited to this example. For example, the display device 101 may have a protective layer instead of a cover glass. In this case, a filling resin layer may or may not be provided.

[0168] The protective layer may be an inorganic layer formed by vacuum deposition technology, or an organic layer (coating layer) formed by coating with a resin composition. The inorganic layer may be, for example, a chemically deposited film formed by CVD. The organic layer may be a hard coat layer. The protective layer includes, for example, at least one of an inorganic material and an organic material. Examples of the inorganic material include an inorganic material similar to the protective layer 13 in one embodiment. The organic material includes, for example, at least one curable resin, such as a thermosetting resin and an ultraviolet curable resin.

[0169] [Modification 15] From the viewpoint of improving light extraction efficiency and / or color purity, the light-emitting element 12W may have a resonator structure.

[0170] If the first electrode 121 is a reflective electrode that functions as a reflective layer, a resonator structure may be formed by the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 123. In this case, the optical distance between the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 123 may be set by the thickness of the OLED layer 122W, by the selection of the material of the first electrode 121, or by a combination of these.

[0171] If the first electrode 121 is a transparent electrode, a reflective layer may be provided below the transparent electrode, and the resonator structure may be formed by the reflective layer and the second electrode 123. In this case, the optical distance between the reflective layer and the second electrode 123 may be set by the thickness of the OLED layer 122W, by the selection of the material of the reflective layer, by the thickness of the insulating layer provided between the first electrode 121 (transparent electrode) and the reflective layer, or by a combination of two or more of these. Details of the resonator structure will be explained in "4. Examples of Resonator Structures".

[0172] [Modification 16] In one embodiment, an example in which a color filter 20 is provided has been described, but a quantum dot layer may be provided instead of the color filter 20, or a quantum dot layer may be provided together with the color filter 20. The quantum dot layer is a color conversion layer that contains quantum dots (semiconductor particles) and can convert the color of the light emitted from a plurality of light-emitting elements 12W. In this case, the plurality of light-emitting elements 12W may be configured to emit blue light.

[0173] [Modification 17] In one embodiment, an example was described in which the light-emitting element 12W is an OLED element. However, the light-emitting element 12W is not limited to this example, and may be, for example, a light-emitting diode (LED) element, a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) element, or a self-emissive light-emitting element such as a semiconductor laser element. Two or more types of light-emitting elements 12W may be provided in the display device 101.

[0174] [Other Modifications] Although one embodiment of the present disclosure and its modifications (hereinafter referred to as "Embodiment, etc.") have been described in detail above, the present disclosure is not limited to Embodiment, etc., and various modifications based on the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure are possible.

[0175] For example, the configurations, methods, processes, shapes, materials, and numerical values ​​listed in one embodiment are merely examples, and different configurations, methods, processes, shapes, materials, and numerical values ​​may be used as needed.

[0176] The configuration, methods, processes, shapes, materials, and numerical values ​​of one embodiment, etc., can be combined with each other without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0177] Unless otherwise specified, the materials exemplified in one embodiment, etc., can be used individually or in combination of two or more types.

[0178] Furthermore, the present disclosure may adopt the following configurations: (1) A display device comprising: a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in two dimensions, each including a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode in that order; a plurality of protective layers provided on each of the plurality of second electrodes; a plurality of connection portions covering each of the sides of the plurality of protective layers; and a third electrode provided so as to cover the plurality of protective layers and connected to each of the second electrodes via the plurality of connection portions, wherein the connection portions include a conductive layer and a coating layer covering the conductive layer. (2) The display device according to (1), wherein the coating layer includes at least one of the constituent elements of the conductive layer and at least one of the constituent elements of the second electrode. (3) The display device according to (2), further comprising an insulating layer provided between adjacent first electrodes, wherein the coating layer further includes at least one of the constituent elements of the insulating layer. (4) The display device according to (1), wherein the conductive layer and the second electrode contain a transparent conductive oxide containing indium, and the coating layer contains indium. (5) The display device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the conductive layer comprises at least one of a metal layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer. (6) The display device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the connection portion further comprises an insulating layer between the conductive layer and the coating layer. (7) The display device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the coating layer has a first end located on the side of the light-emitting element and a second end located on the side of the third electrode, and the thickness of the conductive layer decreases from the first end toward the second end. (8) The display device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the coating layer has a first end located on the side of the light-emitting element and a second end located on the side of the third electrode, and the thickness of the conductive layer is substantially the same from the first end toward the second end. (9) The display device according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the conductive layer has an outer peripheral surface on the side opposite to the side of the protective layer, and the coating layer covers the entire outer peripheral surface.(10) The display device according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the protective layer comprises a first layer and a second layer in order, and the etching rate of the second layer is lower than that of the first layer. (11) The display device according to (10), wherein the second layer is a transparent conductive oxide layer. (12) The display device according to any one of (1) to (11), wherein the protective layer has a top surface on the side of the third electrode, the connecting portion has an end on the side of the third electrode, and the end protrudes from the top surface. (13) The display device according to any one of (1) to (12), wherein the portion of the third electrode located between adjacent protective layers in a plan view is arranged in a groove provided between adjacent protective layers. (14) The display device according to any one of (1) to (12), further comprising a filler material for filling a groove provided between adjacent protective layers, wherein the third electrode passes over the groove filled with the filler material. (15) The display device according to any one of (1) to (14), wherein the protective layer is a first protective layer, further comprising a filler that fills a groove provided between adjacent protective layers, and a second protective layer provided between the filler and the connecting portion, wherein the refractive index of the filler is lower than that of the second protective layer. (16) The display device according to any one of (1) to (15), further comprising a resin layer provided directly above or above the third electrode and having a flat surface on the side opposite to the protective layer, a color filter provided on the resin layer, and a lens array provided directly above or above the color filter. (17) The display device according to any one of (1) to (16), wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements include a plurality of light-emitting elements capable of emitting white light. (18) The display device according to any one of (1) to (17), wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements include a plurality of first light-emitting elements capable of emitting red light, a plurality of second light-emitting elements capable of emitting green light, and a plurality of third light-emitting elements capable of emitting blue light. (19) The display device according to any one of (1) to (18), wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in a stripe arrangement, a delta arrangement, a square arrangement, or an S-stripe arrangement.(20) Electronic device equipped with a display device as described in any one of items (1) to (19).

[0179] <4. Example of Resonator Structure> The sub-pixels 10 included in the display device 101 according to one embodiment and the display device 101 according to a modified example thereof (hereinafter referred to as "display device 101, etc." according to one embodiment) can be configured to have a resonator structure that resonates the light generated by the light-emitting element 12W. The resonator structure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the first surface of each layer may be referred to as the top surface.

[0180] (Resonator Structure: First Example) Figure 24A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the first example of a resonator structure. In the following description, when the light-emitting elements 12W provided in correspondence with sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B are referred to collectively without special distinction, these light-emitting elements may be referred to as light-emitting elements 12. When the light-emitting elements provided in correspondence with sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B are distinguished, these light-emitting elements 12W may be referred to as light-emitting elements 12. Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ This is the case. The parts of the OLED layer 122 that correspond to the sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B are the OLED layer 122 Ｒ , OLED layer 122 Ｇ , OLED layer 122 Ｂ That happens.

[0181] In the first example, the first electrode 121 is formed with a common film thickness in each light-emitting element 12. The same applies to the second electrode 123.

[0182] A reflector 71 is positioned below the first electrode 121 of the light-emitting element 12, with an optical adjustment layer 72 in between. A resonator structure is formed between the reflector 71 and the second electrode 123 to resonate the light generated by the OLED layer 122. In the following description, the optical adjustment layer 72 provided in accordance with the sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B will be referred to as the optical adjustment layer 72 Ｒ , 72 Ｇ , 72 Ｂ That happens.

[0183] The reflector 71 is formed with a common film thickness for each light-emitting element 12. The film thickness of the optical adjustment layer 72 differs depending on the color that the sub-pixel should display. Optical adjustment layer 72 Ｒ , 72 Ｇ , 72 Ｂ By having different film thicknesses, it is possible to set the optical distance that produces the optimal resonance for the wavelength of light corresponding to the color to be displayed.

[0184] In the example shown in Figure 24A, the light-emitting element 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ The upper surfaces of the reflectors 71 are aligned. As described above, the thickness of the optical adjustment layer 72 varies depending on the color that the subpixels should display, so the position of the upper surface of the second electrode 123 is such that the light-emitting element 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ It varies depending on the type.

[0185] The reflector 71 can be formed using, for example, a metal such as aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), or copper (Cu), or an alloy mainly composed of these metals.

[0186] The optical adjustment layer 72 is made of silicon nitride (Si ｘ N ｙ ), silicon oxide (SiO ｘ ), silicon oxynitride (SiO ｘ N ｙ It can be constructed using inorganic insulating materials such as ) or organic resin materials such as acrylic resins or polyimide resins. The optical adjustment layer 72 may be a single layer or a laminated film of multiple materials. The number of layers may also differ depending on the type of light-emitting element 12.

[0187] The first electrode 121 can be formed using a transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), or zinc oxide (ZnO).

[0188] The second electrode 123 needs to function as a semi-transmissive reflective film. The second electrode 123 can be formed using magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag), or a magnesium-silver alloy (MgAg) having these as main components, and further, an alloy containing an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, etc.

[0189] (Resonator structure: Second example) FIG. 24B is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining a second example of the resonator structure.

[0190] Also in the second example, the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 123 are formed with a common film thickness in each light-emitting element 12.

[0191] And also in the second example, below the first electrode 121 of the light-emitting element 12, the reflector 71 is disposed in a state where the optical adjustment layer 72 is interposed therebetween. A resonator structure for resonating the light generated by the OLED layer 122 is formed between the reflector 71 and the second electrode 123. Similar to the first example, the reflector 71 is formed with a common film thickness in each light-emitting element 12, and the film thickness of the optical adjustment layer 72 differs according to the color that the sub-pixel is to display.

[0192] In the first example shown in FIG. 24A, the light-emitting elements 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ are arranged such that the upper surfaces of the reflectors 71 are aligned, and the position of the upper surface of the second electrode 123 differed according to the type of the light-emitting elements 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ .

[0193] On the other hand, in the second example shown in FIG. 24B, the upper surfaces of the second electrodes 123 are arranged to be aligned in the light-emitting elements 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ . In order to align the upper surfaces of the second electrodes 123, in the light-emitting elements 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ , the upper surfaces of the reflectors 71 differ in the light-emitting elements 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 ＢThey are arranged differently according to the type. For this reason, the lower surface of the reflector 71 (in other words, the upper surface of the base layer (insulating layer) 73) has a stepped shape according to the type of the light-emitting element 12.

[0194] Regarding the materials and the like that constitute the reflector 71, the optical adjustment layer 72, the first electrode 121, and the second electrode 123, since they are the same as those described in the first example, the description thereof is omitted.

[0195] (Resonator structure: Third example) Fig. 25A is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining a third example of the resonator structure. In the following description, the reflectors 71 provided corresponding to the sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B are referred to as reflectors 71 Ｒ , 71 Ｇ , 71 Ｂ and so on.

[0196] Also in the third example, the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 123 are formed with a common film thickness in each light-emitting element 12.

[0197] And also in the third example, below the first electrode 121 of the light-emitting element 12, the reflector 71 is disposed with the optical adjustment layer 72 interposed therebetween. A resonator structure that resonates the light generated by the OLED layer 122 is formed between the reflector 71 and the second electrode 123. Similar to the first example and the second example, the film thickness of the optical adjustment layer 72 is different according to the color that the sub-pixel is to display. And similar to the second example, the position of the upper surface of the second electrode 123 is arranged so as to be aligned in the light-emitting elements 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ .

[0198] In the second example shown in Fig. 25B, in order to align the upper surfaces of the second electrodes 123, the lower surface of the reflector 71 has a stepped shape according to the type of the light-emitting element 12.

[0199] On the other hand, in the third example shown in Fig. 25A, the film thickness of the reflector 71 is set to be different according to the type of the light-emitting element 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ . More specifically, the reflectors 71 <00001​​​​The film thickness is set so that the bottom surfaces are aligned.

[0200] The materials and other components constituting the reflector 71, optical adjustment layer 72, first electrode 121, and second electrode 123 are the same as those described in the first example, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0201] (Resonator Structure: Fourth Example) Figure 25B is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the fourth example of a resonator structure. In the following description, the first electrode 121 provided corresponding to the sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B will be referred to as the first electrode 121 Ｒ , 121 Ｇ , 121 Ｂ That happens.

[0202] In the first example shown in Figure 25A, the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 123 of each light-emitting element 12 are formed with a common film thickness. A reflector 71 is placed below the first electrode 121 of the light-emitting element 12, with an optical adjustment layer 72 in between.

[0203] In contrast, in the fourth example shown in Figure 25B, the optical adjustment layer 72 is omitted, and the film thickness of the first electrode 121 is reduced to the light-emitting element 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ The settings varied depending on the type.

[0204] The reflector 71 is formed with a common film thickness for each light-emitting element 12. The film thickness of the first electrode 121 differs depending on the color that the sub-pixel should display. Ｒ , 121 Ｇ , 121 Ｂ By having different film thicknesses, it is possible to set the optical distance that produces the optimal resonance for the wavelength of light corresponding to the color to be displayed.

[0205] The materials and other components constituting the reflector 71, optical adjustment layer 72, first electrode 121, and second electrode 123 are the same as those described in the first example, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0206] (Resonator structure: Fifth example) Figure 26A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the fifth example of a resonator structure.

[0207] In the first example shown in Figure 24A, the first electrode 121 and the second electrode 123 are formed with a common film thickness in each light-emitting element 12. A reflector 71 is placed below the first electrode 121 of the light-emitting element 12, with an optical adjustment layer 72 in between.

[0208] In contrast, in the fifth example shown in Figure 26A, the optical adjustment layer 72 is omitted, and instead, an oxide film 74 is formed on the surface of the reflector 71. The thickness of the oxide film 74 is such that the light-emitting element 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ The settings were configured differently depending on the type. In the following description, the oxide film 74 provided in correspondence with the sub-pixels 10R, 10G, and 10B is referred to as oxide film 74 Ｒ , 74 Ｇ , 74 Ｂ That happens.

[0209] The thickness of the oxide film 74 varies depending on the color that the sub-pixel should display. Oxide film 74 Ｒ , 74 Ｇ , 74 Ｂ By having different film thicknesses, it is possible to set the optical distance that produces the optimal resonance for the wavelength of light corresponding to the color to be displayed.

[0210] The oxide film 74 is a film obtained by oxidizing the surface of the reflector 71, and is composed of, for example, aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, etc. The oxide film 74 functions as an insulating film for adjusting the optical path length (optical distance) between the reflector 71 and the second electrode 123.

[0211] Light-emitting element 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ The oxide film 74, which has different thicknesses depending on the type, can be formed, for example, as follows.

[0212] First, the container is filled with electrolyte, and the substrate on which the reflector 71 is formed is immersed in the electrolyte. Electrodes are then positioned opposite the reflector 71.

[0213] Then, a positive voltage is applied to the reflector 71 with the electrode as the reference, and the reflector 71 is anodized. The thickness of the oxide film due to anodizing is proportional to the voltage value relative to the electrode. Ｒ , 71 Ｇ , 71 Ｂ Anodizing is performed on each of the light-emitting elements 12 while applying a voltage corresponding to the type of light-emitting element 12. This makes it possible to form oxide films 74 of different thicknesses all at once.

[0214] The materials and other components constituting the reflector 71, the first electrode 121, and the second electrode 123 are the same as those described in the first example, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0215] (Resonator structure: 6th example) Figure 26B is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the 6th example of a resonator structure.

[0216] In the sixth example, the light-emitting element 12 is constructed by stacking a first electrode 121, an OLED layer 122, and a second electrode 123. However, in the sixth example, the first electrode 121 is formed to serve both as an electrode and a reflector. The first electrode (and reflector) 121 is the light-emitting element 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ , 12 Ｂ It is formed from a material having optical constants selected according to the type. By having different phase shifts due to the first electrode (which also serves as a reflector) 121, it is possible to set the optical distance that produces the optimal resonance for the wavelength of light corresponding to the color to be displayed.

[0217] The first electrode (and reflector) 121 can be made from a single metal such as aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), gold (Au), or copper (Cu), or an alloy mainly composed of these metals. For example, the light-emitting element 12 Ｒ First electrode (also serving as reflector) 121 Ｒ The element 12 is formed from copper (Cu). Ｇ First electrode (also serving as reflector) 121 Ｇ and light-emitting element 12 Ｂ First electrode (also serving as reflector) 121 Ｂ The structure can be such that the two parts are formed from aluminum.

[0218] The materials and other components constituting the second electrode 123 are the same as those described in the first example, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0219] (Resonator structure: 7th example) Figure 27 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the 7th example of a resonator structure.

[0220] The seventh example is basically a light-emitting element 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ For this, the sixth example is applied, and the light-emitting element 12 Ｂ This configuration applies the first example. In this configuration as well, it is possible to set the optical distance that produces the optimal resonance for the wavelength of light corresponding to the color to be displayed.

[0221] Light-emitting element 12 Ｒ , 12 Ｇ First electrode (also serves as a reflector) 121 used in Ｒ , 121 Ｇ These can be composed of elemental metals such as aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), gold (Au), and copper (Cu), or alloys in which these are the main components.

[0222] Light-emitting element 12 Ｂ Reflector 71 used in Ｂ , optical adjustment layer 72 Ｂ and the first electrode 121 Ｂ The materials and other components that make up this are the same as those described in the first example, so we will omit the explanation.

[0223] <5. Application Examples> (Electronic Devices) The display device 101, etc. according to one embodiment may be provided in various electronic devices. The display device 101, etc. according to one embodiment is particularly suitable for eyewear devices such as head-mounted displays, or for electronic viewfinders of video cameras or single-lens reflex cameras, etc., which require high resolution and are used magnified close to the eyes.

[0224] (Specific Example 1) Figures 28A and 28B show an example of the external appearance of a digital still camera 310. This digital still camera 310 is a single-lens reflex type with interchangeable lenses, and has an interchangeable shooting lens unit (interchangeable lens) 312 located approximately in the center of the front of the camera body 311, and a grip portion 313 for the photographer to hold on the left side of the front.

[0225] A monitor 314 is provided on the back of the camera body 311, slightly to the left of the center. An electronic viewfinder (eyepiece) 315 is provided above the monitor 314. The photographer can determine the composition by looking through the electronic viewfinder 315 and visually confirming the light image of the subject guided by the shooting lens unit 312. The electronic viewfinder 315 includes one of the display devices 101, etc., according to one embodiment.

[0226] (Specific Example 2) Figure 29 shows an example of the appearance of a head-mounted display 320. The head-mounted display 320 is an example of an eyewear device. The head-mounted display 320 has, for example, a glasses-shaped display unit 321 and ear hooks 322 on both sides for attachment to the user's head. The display unit 321 includes one of the display devices 101, etc., according to one embodiment.

[0227] (Specific Example 3) Figure 30 shows an example of the appearance of a television device 330. This television device 330 has, for example, a video display screen section 331 including a front panel 332 and a filter glass 333, and this video display screen section 331 includes one of the display devices 101, etc., according to one embodiment.

[0228] (Specific Example 4) Figure 31 shows an example of the appearance of a see-through head-mounted display 340. The see-through head-mounted display 340 is an example of an eyewear device. The see-through head-mounted display 340 comprises a main body 341, an arm 342, and a lens barrel 343.

[0229] The main body 341 is connected to the arm 342 and the eyeglasses 350. Specifically, the long end of the main body 341 is connected to the arm 342, and one side of the main body 341 is connected to the eyeglasses 350 via a connecting member. The main body 341 may also be directly attached to the head of a person.

[0230] The main body 341 houses a control board for controlling the operation of the see-through head-mounted display 340, as well as a display unit. The arm 342 connects the main body 341 to the lens barrel 343 and supports the lens barrel 343. Specifically, the arm 342 is connected to the end of the main body 341 and the end of the lens barrel 343, respectively, to fix the lens barrel 343 in place. The arm 342 also houses signal lines for communicating image-related data provided from the main body 341 to the lens barrel 343.

[0231] The microscope tube 343 projects image light, provided from the main body 341 via the arm 342, through the eyepiece 351 towards the eyes of the user wearing the see-through head-mounted display 340. In this see-through head-mounted display 340, the display unit of the main body 341 includes one of the display devices 101, etc., according to one embodiment.

[0232] (Specific Example 5) Figure 32 shows an example of the appearance of a smartphone 360. The smartphone 360 ​​includes a display unit 361 that displays various information, and an operation unit 362 consisting of buttons, etc. that accept user input. The display unit 361 includes one of the display devices 101, etc., according to one embodiment.

[0233] (Specific example 6) The display device 101, etc. according to one embodiment may be provided on various displays installed in a vehicle.

[0234] Figures 33A and 33B show examples of the internal configuration of a vehicle 500 equipped with various displays. Specifically, Figure 33A shows an example of the interior of the vehicle 500 from the rear to the front, and Figure 33B shows an example of the interior of the vehicle 500 from the diagonal rear to the diagonal front.

[0235] The vehicle 500 includes a center display 501, a console display 502, a head-up display 503, a digital rear mirror 504, a steering wheel display 505, and a rear entertainment display 506. At least one of these displays includes one of the display devices 101, etc., according to one embodiment. For example, all of these displays may include one of the display devices 101, etc., according to one embodiment.

[0236] The center display 501 is located on the dashboard facing the driver's seat 508 and the passenger seat 509. Figures 33A and 33B show an example of a horizontally elongated center display 501 extending from the driver's seat 508 to the passenger seat 509, but the screen size and location of the center display 501 are arbitrary. The center display 501 can display information detected by various sensors. As a specific example, the center display 501 can display images captured by an image sensor, distance images to obstacles in front of and to the side of the vehicle 500 measured by a ToF sensor, and the body temperature of passengers detected by an infrared sensor. The center display 501 can be used to display, for example, at least one of safety-related information, operation-related information, life logs, health-related information, authentication / identification-related information, and entertainment-related information.

[0237] Safety-related information includes information such as drowsiness detection, distraction detection, detection of mischief by a passenger, seatbelt fastening status, and detection of an unattended occupant, and is detected by sensors, for example, those placed on top of the back of the center display 501. Operation-related information is detected by sensing occupant gestures using sensors. The detected gestures may include the operation of various equipment within the vehicle 500. For example, the operation of air conditioning equipment, navigation system, AV equipment, lighting equipment, etc. is detected. Lifelogs include the lifelogs of all occupants. For example, lifelogs include records of each occupant's actions while riding. By acquiring and saving lifelogs, it is possible to confirm the state of the occupants at the time of an accident. Health-related information is detected by sensing the occupant's body temperature using sensors such as temperature sensors, and inferring the occupant's health status based on the detected body temperature. Alternatively, the occupant's face may be captured using an image sensor, and the occupant's health status may be inferred from the captured facial expression. Furthermore, the system may engage in automated voice conversations with the occupants and infer their health status based on their responses. Authentication / identification-related information includes keyless entry functions that use sensors for facial recognition, and functions that automatically adjust seat height and position based on facial recognition. Entertainment-related information includes functions that use sensors to detect information on how the occupants operate the AV equipment, and functions that use sensors to recognize the occupants' faces and provide content suitable for the occupants through the AV equipment.

[0238] The console display 502 can be used, for example, to display life log information. The console display 502 is located near the shift lever 511 on the center console 510 between the driver's seat 508 and the passenger seat 509. The console display 502 can also display information detected by various sensors. In addition, the console display 502 may display images of the area around the vehicle captured by an image sensor, or it may display distance images to obstacles around the vehicle.

[0239] The head-up display 503 is virtually displayed behind the windshield 512 in front of the driver's seat 508. The head-up display 503 can be used to display, for example, at least one of safety-related information, operation-related information, life logs, health-related information, authentication / identification-related information, and entertainment-related information. Because the head-up display 503 is often virtually positioned in front of the driver's seat 508, it is suitable for displaying information directly related to the operation of the vehicle 500, such as the speed of the vehicle 500 or the fuel (battery) level.

[0240] The digital rearview mirror 504 can not only display the area behind the vehicle 500, but also display the situation of the passengers in the rear seat. Therefore, by placing a sensor on top of the back of the digital rearview mirror 504, it can be used, for example, to display life log information.

[0241] The steering wheel display 505 is positioned near the center of the steering wheel 513 of the vehicle 500. The steering wheel display 505 can be used to display at least one of the following: safety-related information, operation-related information, life log, health-related information, authentication / identification-related information, and entertainment-related information. In particular, because the steering wheel display 505 is located near the driver's hands, it is suitable for displaying life log information such as the driver's body temperature, or information related to the operation of AV equipment, air conditioning equipment, etc.

[0242] The rear entertainment display 506 is mounted on the back of the driver's seat 508 and the passenger seat 509, and is intended for viewing by rear-seat passengers. The rear entertainment display 506 can be used to display at least one of the following: safety-related information, operation-related information, life logs, health-related information, authentication / identification-related information, and entertainment-related information. In particular, because the rear entertainment display 506 is in front of the rear-seat passengers, it displays information relevant to them. For example, it may display information related to the operation of AV equipment or air conditioning equipment, or it may display the results of temperature sensor measurements of rear-seat passengers' body temperature, etc.

[0243] A sensor may be placed on the back side of the display device 101, etc., to measure the distance to surrounding objects. Optical distance measurement methods can be broadly divided into passive and active types. Passive methods measure distance by receiving light from an object without projecting light from the sensor onto the object. Passive methods include the lens focus method, stereo method, and monocular method. Active methods measure distance by projecting light onto an object and receiving the reflected light from the object with a sensor. Active methods include the optical radar method, active stereo method, illuminance difference stereo method, moiré topography method, and interferometry method. The display device 101, etc. according to one embodiment can be applied to any of these distance measurement methods. By using a sensor placed on the back side of the display device 101, etc. according to one embodiment, the above-described passive or active distance measurement can be performed.

[0244] 10W, 10R, 10G, 10B Sub-pixel 10P 1 pixel 11 Driving substrate 111 Substrate 112 Insulating layer 113 Pad portion 12W, 12R, 12G, 12B Light-emitting element 121 First electrode 122W, 122R, 122G, 122B OLED layer 123 Second electrode 13 Protective layer (first protective layer) 131 First protective layer (first layer) 132 Second protective layer (second layer) 13a Structure 13b Groove 14 Third electrode 15, 15A Connection portion 151 Conductive layer 151 First conductive layer 152 Second conductive layer 152 Coating layer 153 Insulating layer 16 Protective layer 17 Protective layer (second protective layer) 17a Protrusion 17b Groove 18 Low refractive index layer (filler) 19 Planarization layer (resin layer) 20 Color filter 201R, 201G, 201B Colored layer 21 Lens array 211 Lens 22 Insulating layer 22a Aperture 101, 101A Display device 310 Digital still camera 320 Head-mounted display 330 Television equipment 340 See-through head-mounted display 360 Smartphone 500 Vehicle U Single-layer light-emitting unit U1, U2 Two-layer light-emitting unit RE1 Display area RE2 Peripheral area

Claims

1. A display device comprising: a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in two dimensions, each including a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode in that order; a plurality of protective layers provided on each of the plurality of second electrodes; a plurality of connection portions covering each of the sides of the plurality of protective layers; and a third electrode provided so as to cover the plurality of protective layers and connected to each of the plurality of second electrodes via the plurality of connection portions, wherein the connection portions include a conductive layer and a coating layer covering the conductive layer.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the coating layer comprises at least one of the constituent elements of the conductive layer and at least one of the constituent elements of the second electrode.

3. The display device according to claim 2, further comprising an insulating layer provided between adjacent first electrodes, wherein the coating layer further comprises at least one of the constituent elements of the insulating layer.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer and the second electrode contain a transparent conductive oxide containing indium, and the coating layer contains indium.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer comprises at least one of a metal layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the connection portion further includes an insulating layer between the conductive layer and the coating layer.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the coating layer has a first end located on the side of the light-emitting element and a second end located on the side of the third electrode, and the thickness of the conductive layer decreases from the first end toward the second end.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the coating layer has a first end located on the side of the light-emitting element and a second end located on the side of the third electrode, and the thickness of the conductive layer is substantially the same from the first end to the second end.

9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer has an outer peripheral surface on the side opposite to the side of the protective layer, and the coating layer covers the entire outer peripheral surface.

10. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer comprises a first layer and a second layer in order, and the etching rate of the second layer is lower than that of the first layer.

11. The display device according to claim 10, wherein the second layer is a transparent conductive oxide layer.

12. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer has a top surface on the side of the third electrode, the connecting portion has an end on the side of the third electrode, and the end protrudes from the top surface.

13. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the third electrode located between adjacent protective layers in a plan view is arranged in a groove provided between adjacent protective layers.

14. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising a filler material for filling grooves provided between adjacent protective layers, wherein the third electrode passes over the grooves filled with the filler material.

15. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer is a first protective layer, and further comprises a filler material that fills a groove provided between adjacent protective layers, and a second protective layer provided between the filler material and the connecting portion, wherein the refractive index of the filler material is lower than that of the second protective layer.

16. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising: a resin layer provided directly above or above the third electrode and having a flat surface on the side opposite to the protective layer; a color filter provided on the resin layer; and a lens array provided directly above or above the color filter.

17. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements include a plurality of light-emitting elements capable of emitting white light.

18. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements include a plurality of first light-emitting elements capable of emitting red light, a plurality of second light-emitting elements capable of emitting green light, and a plurality of third light-emitting elements capable of emitting blue light.

19. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in a stripe arrangement, a delta arrangement, a square arrangement, or an S-stripe arrangement.

20. An electronic device comprising the display device described in claim 1.

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