Display panel and preparation method therefor, and display device
By using a low-hydrogen-content SiNx-H inorganic encapsulation layer and hydrogen plasma treatment to enhance electrode surface adhesion, combined with a barrier layer and a protective layer, the problems of cracking and peeling of the display panel encapsulation layer are solved, improving encapsulation reliability and external quantum efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-16
Smart Images
Figure CN2026070076_16072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Display panel, its manufacturing method and display device Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of display technology, specifically to a display panel, its manufacturing method, and a display device. Background Technology
[0002] When the encapsulation layer above the light-emitting element in the display panel cracks or peels off, the light-emitting element is easily corroded by external moisture, which can easily cause the display panel to fail. Summary of the Invention
[0003] This application provides a display panel, including:
[0004] Substrate;
[0005] Multiple light-emitting units are arranged at intervals on one side of the substrate; each light-emitting unit includes a first electrode, a light-emitting material layer, and a second electrode sequentially stacked on the substrate; adjacent second electrodes are arranged at intervals.
[0006] A first encapsulation layer is located on the side of the second electrode away from the substrate. The first encapsulation layer includes a plurality of encapsulation structures arranged at intervals, each of the encapsulation structures covering one of the second electrodes. Each encapsulation structure includes an inorganic encapsulation layer that covers the surface of the corresponding second electrode away from the substrate. The material of the inorganic encapsulation layer is SiN. x -H, the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic encapsulation layer is less than or equal to 20%.
[0007] In some embodiments, the surface of each second electrode away from the substrate is a rough surface, and the rough surface has a plurality of pits.
[0008] In some embodiments, the packaging structure further includes a barrier layer disposed on the side of the inorganic packaging layer away from the substrate, the barrier layer being made of a metal oxide.
[0009] In some embodiments, the material of the barrier layer includes at least one of aluminum oxide and titanium oxide.
[0010] In some embodiments, the encapsulation structure further includes a barrier layer disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer away from the substrate; in the direction away from the substrate, the barrier layer includes alternating first sub-barrier layers and second sub-barrier layers, wherein the refractive index of the first sub-barrier layer is less than the refractive index of the second sub-barrier layer.
[0011] In some embodiments, the refractive index of the first sub-barrier layer is 1.4 to 1.6, and the refractive index of the second sub-barrier layer is 2.4 to 2.8.
[0012] In some embodiments, the material of the first sub-barrier layer includes aluminum oxide, and the material of the second sub-barrier layer includes titanium oxide.
[0013] In some embodiments, the encapsulation structure further includes a barrier layer disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer away from the substrate, the barrier layer being made of organosilicon.
[0014] In some embodiments, the packaging structure further includes a barrier layer disposed on the side of the inorganic packaging layer away from the substrate, the barrier layer being made of silicon carbon nitride.
[0015] In some embodiments, the orthographic projection of each inorganic encapsulation layer on the substrate covers the orthographic projection of the corresponding second electrode on the substrate, and the area of the orthographic projection of the inorganic encapsulation layer on the substrate is greater than the area of the orthographic projection of the corresponding second electrode on the substrate.
[0016] In some embodiments, the display panel further includes a second encapsulation layer located on the side of the first encapsulation layer away from the substrate. The second encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic encapsulation layer, an organic encapsulation layer, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer sequentially stacked in a direction away from the substrate. The first inorganic encapsulation layer covers each of the encapsulation structures.
[0017] This application also provides a display device, including a display panel as described above.
[0018] This application also provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising:
[0019] A plurality of light-emitting units and an encapsulation structure located on the side of each light-emitting unit away from the substrate are formed on a substrate; each light-emitting unit includes a first electrode, a light-emitting material layer, and a second electrode sequentially stacked on the substrate; adjacent second electrodes are arranged at intervals; each encapsulation structure covers one second electrode; each encapsulation structure includes an inorganic encapsulation layer, the inorganic encapsulation layer covering the surface of the corresponding second electrode away from the substrate, the material of the inorganic encapsulation layer being SiN. x -H, the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic encapsulation layer is less than or equal to 20%.
[0020] In some embodiments, the step of forming the light-emitting unit includes:
[0021] A first electrode, a light-emitting material layer, and a second electrode are sequentially formed on the substrate;
[0022] The surface of the second electrode away from the substrate is subjected to hydrogen plasma treatment.
[0023] In some embodiments, each of the encapsulation structures further includes a barrier layer located on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer away from the substrate, the barrier layer comprising a metal oxide, organosilicon, or silicon carbonitride; the step of forming the encapsulation structure includes:
[0024] An inorganic encapsulation film is formed on the side of the second electrode away from the substrate;
[0025] A barrier film layer is formed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation film layer away from the substrate; both the inorganic encapsulation film layer and the barrier film layer are continuous film layers.
[0026] The inorganic encapsulation film and the barrier film are etched to obtain multiple spaced inorganic encapsulation layers and multiple spaced barrier layers.
[0027] In some embodiments, the display panel further includes a pixel defining layer located on the substrate, the pixel defining layer including a plurality of pixel openings, wherein the light-emitting material layer and the second electrode of each light-emitting unit are at least partially located within the pixel openings;
[0028] Before forming an encapsulation structure on the side of the light-emitting unit away from the substrate, the method for manufacturing the display panel further includes: forming an inorganic protective layer, wherein the inorganic protective layer is at least partially located on the side of the pixel defining layer away from the substrate;
[0029] In the step of performing hydrogen plasma treatment on the side of the second electrode away from the substrate, at least a portion of the surface of the inorganic protective layer away from the substrate is simultaneously subjected to plasma treatment.
[0030] The beneficial effects of this application include:
[0031] In this embodiment, the inorganic encapsulation layer is made of SiN. x -H, that is, the material of the inorganic encapsulation layer can be silicon nitride with low or no hydrogen content, which can be obtained by hydrogen reduction treatment of silicon nitride. Therefore, while ensuring that the inorganic encapsulation layer blocks water vapor erosion, it can also prevent excessive hydrogen in the inorganic encapsulation layer from diffusing into the second electrode and affecting the conductivity of the second electrode, thereby improving the external quantum efficiency of the display panel.
[0032] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will become apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description
[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.
[0034] Figure 1 shows an exemplary top view of the display panel structure;
[0035] Figures 2 to 4 are schematic diagrams of different cross-sections obtained by cutting along section line PP in Figure 1;
[0036] Figures 5a to 5n are schematic diagrams of the steps in a method for preparing a display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of this application.
[0037] In the figure: 10-Substrate; 20-Driving circuit layer; 31-Pixel defining layer; 311-Pixel opening; 311a-First pixel opening; 311b-Second pixel opening; 311c-Third pixel opening; 32-Inorganic protective layer; 33-Light-emitting unit; 331-First electrode; 332-Light-emitting material layer; 333-Second electrode; 33a-First light-emitting unit; 33b-Second light-emitting unit; 33c-Third light-emitting unit; 40-Package Structure; 40a - First encapsulation structure; 40b - First encapsulation structure; 40c - First encapsulation structure; 41 - Inorganic encapsulation layer; 41' - Inorganic encapsulation film layer; 42 - Barrier layer; 42' - Barrier film layer; 421 - First sub-barrier layer; 422 - Second sub-barrier layer; 43 - Encapsulation protection layer; 50 - Second encapsulation layer; 51 - First inorganic encapsulation layer; 52 - Organic encapsulation layer; 53 - Second inorganic encapsulation layer; 61 / 62 / 63 - Mask layer. Detailed Implementation
[0038] The present application will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which embodiments are illustrated.
[0039] It should be noted that when element A, such as a layer, film, or region, is referred to as "on the side of element B away from element C," it means that element A can be directly on the surface of element B on the side away from element C, or that an intermediate layer, intermediate region, or intermediate element may exist between element B and element A. When element A, such as a layer, film, or region, is referred to as "between element B and element C," it means that only element A exists between element B and element C, or that an intermediate layer, intermediate region, or intermediate element may exist between element A and element B, or between element A and element C.
[0040] While terms such as "first," "second," etc., can be used to describe various components, such components are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more. Where there is no conflict, the features in the embodiments described below in this application may complement or combine with each other.
[0041] In the accompanying drawings, the symbols "x", "y", and "z" are used to indicate directions. The x, y, and z directions are not limited to the three mutually perpendicular directions in a Cartesian coordinate system and can be interpreted in a broader sense. For example, the x, y, and z directions can be perpendicular to each other, or they can represent different directions that are not perpendicular to each other. Exemplarily, x indicates a first direction, y indicates a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and z indicates a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions. The first direction x, the second direction y, and the third direction z can correspond to the horizontal, vertical, and thickness directions of the display panel, respectively.
[0042] In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions and thicknesses of the elements may be enlarged for better understanding, clarity, and ease of description. However, this application is not limited to the dimensions and thicknesses shown in the drawings. The thicknesses of layers, films, panels, areas, and other elements may be exaggerated in the drawings for clarity. Example embodiments are shown in the drawings, wherein the same reference numerals denote the same elements.
[0043] In the manufacturing process of OLED display panels, impurities may exist on the cathode surface of the light-emitting element, resulting in weak adhesion between the light-emitting element and the encapsulation layer, which in turn leads to poor encapsulation performance and easy failure of the display panel.
[0044] This application provides a display panel, a method for manufacturing the same, and a display device, which aims to solve or improve the above-mentioned technical problems.
[0045] Figure 1 is a schematic top view of an exemplary display panel. As shown in Figure 1, the display panel may include a display area AA and a non-display area NA located on at least one side of the display area AA. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the non-display area NA surrounds the display area AA. The display panel has a plurality of pixels PX arranged in an array in the display area AA to display images. Pixel PX may include a plurality of sub-pixels, such as a first sub-pixel PX1, a second sub-pixel PX2, and a third sub-pixel PX3. As shown in any of Figures 2 to 4, the sub-pixel includes a light-emitting unit 33 and a pixel circuit (not shown) corresponding to the light-emitting unit 33. The first sub-pixel PX1 includes a first light-emitting unit 33aa, the second sub-pixel PX2 includes a second light-emitting unit 33bb, and the third sub-pixel PX3 includes a third light-emitting unit 33cc. The first light-emitting unit 33aa, the second light-emitting unit 33bb, and the third light-emitting unit 33cc emit different colors. In one example, the first light-emitting unit 33aa may emit red light, the second light-emitting unit 33bb may emit blue light, and the third light-emitting unit 33cc may emit green light.
[0046] As shown in any of Figures 2 to 4, Figures 2 to 4 are schematic diagrams of different cross-sections obtained by cutting along section line PP in Figure 1. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the display panel includes a substrate 10, a plurality of spaced-apart light-emitting units 33, and a first encapsulation layer. Each light-emitting unit 33 is located on the same side of the substrate 10. Each light-emitting unit 33 includes a first electrode 331, a light-emitting material layer 332, and a second electrode 333 sequentially stacked on the substrate 10. Adjacent second electrodes 333 are spaced apart. The first encapsulation layer is located on the side of the second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10. The first encapsulation layer includes a plurality of spaced-apart encapsulation structures 40, each encapsulation structure 40 covering one second electrode 333. The encapsulation structure 40 includes an inorganic encapsulation layer 41, which covers the surface of the corresponding second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10. The material of the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is SiN. x -H, the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is less than or equal to 20%.
[0047] In this embodiment, the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is made of SiN. x -H, that is, the material of the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 can be silicon nitride with a hydrogen content of less than 20% or without hydrogen. It can be obtained by hydrogen reduction treatment of silicon nitride containing hydrogen. Therefore, while ensuring that the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 blocks water vapor erosion, it can prevent excessive hydrogen in the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 from diffusing into the second electrode 333 and affecting the conductivity of the second electrode 333, thereby improving the external quantum efficiency of the display panel.
[0048] In some embodiments, the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 can be 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, 2%, 1%, or 0%.
[0049] In some embodiments, the substrate 10 may be a flexible substrate or a rigid substrate. The material of the flexible substrate may include one or more of polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, and organic resin materials, while the rigid substrate may include any one of glass substrates, quartz substrates, sapphire substrates, etc.
[0050] In some embodiments, one of the first electrode 331 and the second electrode 333 is an anode and the other is a cathode. In one example, the first electrode 331 is an anode and the second electrode 333 is a cathode.
[0051] In some embodiments, when the second electrode 333 is a cathode, the second electrode 333 can be a single layer or multiple layers. The second electrode can be a metal, a transparent conductive oxide, or a stacked structure thereof. In some examples, the second electrode 333 can be a magnesium-silver alloy. In other examples, the second electrode 333 can include a magnesium-silver alloy layer and a transparent conductive layer sequentially stacked in the direction of the substrate 10, wherein the transparent conductive layer can be ITO (indium tin oxide) or IZO (indium zinc oxide).
[0052] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, the display panel further includes a driving circuit layer 20 located between the substrate 10 and the light-emitting unit 33. The driving circuit layer 20 includes a plurality of pixel circuits (not shown in the figure), which are used to drive the light-emitting unit 33. The pixel circuits and the light-emitting unit 33 can correspond one-to-one, and each pixel circuit is used to drive the corresponding light-emitting unit 33.
[0053] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, the display panel further includes a pixel defining layer 31; the pixel defining layer 31 is located on the side of the first electrode 331 away from the substrate 10; the pixel defining layer 31 is provided with a plurality of pixel openings 311, each pixel opening 311 corresponding to a light-emitting unit 33; each pixel opening 311 exposes at least a portion of the surface of its corresponding first electrode 331; the light-emitting material layer 332 and the second electrode 333 of each light-emitting unit 33 are at least partially located within the corresponding pixel opening 311.
[0054] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, the display panel further includes an inorganic protective layer 32, which partially covers the side of the pixel defining layer 31 away from the substrate 10. The side of each pixel opening 311 is covered by the inorganic protective layer 32 and is located between the light-emitting material layer 332 of the sub-pixel and the side of the pixel opening 311.
[0055] In some embodiments, the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is made of silicon nitride, with a hydrogen atomic percentage of less than or equal to 20%; or the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is made of silicon nitride. In this embodiment, the hydrogen content in the silicon nitride is relatively low, thus ensuring that the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 can block moisture erosion while preventing excessive hydrogen from diffusing into the second electrode 333 and affecting its conductivity. In some embodiments, the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is made of silicon nitride, with a hydrogen atomic percentage of 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, 2%, or 1%. In other embodiments, the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is made of silicon nitride.
[0056] In some embodiments, the surface of each second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10 is a rough surface, and the rough surface has a plurality of pits (not shown in the figure).
[0057] In this embodiment, since the surface of the second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10 has pits, the contact area between the second electrode 333 and the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 can be increased, that is, the adhesion area between the second electrode 333 and the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 can be increased, thereby further increasing the adhesion force between the second electrode 333 and the inorganic encapsulation layer 41. At least a portion of the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 can fill the pits and interlock with them, which can further increase the adhesion effect between the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 and the second electrode 333, improve the adhesion between the encapsulation layer and the surface of the second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10, and improve the encapsulation reliability. In the process step of forming multiple pits on the surface of the second electrode 333, impurities on the surface of the second electrode 333 can be removed, which also helps to improve the encapsulation reliability. It can be seen that the display panel provided in this application embodiment can improve the encapsulation performance, prevent moisture intrusion from causing display panel failure, and improve the external quantum efficiency of the display panel.
[0058] In some embodiments, the pits on the surface of the second electrode 333 can be formed by bombarding the side of the second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10 with hydrogen plasma. Furthermore, experiments have verified that after hydrogen plasma treatment and encapsulation of the second electrode 333, the external quantum efficiency of the light-emitting unit 33 is significantly improved, which helps to improve the performance of the display panel and extend its lifespan.
[0059] An exemplary embodiment of this application performs red light tests on different display panels, and the results are shown in Table 1. Here, J@3V represents the current density through the display panel when a 3-volt voltage is applied, L@3V represents the brightness of the display panel when a 3-volt voltage is applied, and EQE-max represents the maximum external quantum efficiency of the display panel. The units for current density and brightness are the same for all display panels in Table 1. In the GB (base) related technologies, the second electrode 333 is not treated with hydrogen plasma and the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is silicon hydrogen nitride (hydrogen atomic percentage of 50%). Air corresponds to a display panel in which the second electrode 333 is treated with hydrogen plasma (H-Plasma) for 30 seconds and no inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is provided. Air+TFE (30s) corresponds to a display panel in which the second electrode 333 is treated with hydrogen plasma for 30 seconds and the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is silicon hydrogen nitride (hydrogen atomic percentage of 0-20%). Air+TFE (90s) corresponds to a display panel in which the second electrode 333 is treated with hydrogen plasma for 90 seconds and the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is silicon hydrogen nitride (hydrogen atomic percentage of 0-20%). Air+TFE (180s) corresponds to a display panel in which the second electrode 333 is treated with hydrogen plasma for 180 seconds and the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is silicon hydrogen nitride (hydrogen atomic percentage of 0-20%). As shown in Table 1, when the cathode is treated with hydrogen plasma and the light-emitting unit is encapsulated with silicon hydrogen nitride with a low hydrogen content as an inorganic encapsulation layer 41, the external quantum efficiency of the display panel is significantly improved; and the longer the hydrogen plasma treatment of the cathode is performed, the greater the current density, brightness and maximum external quantum efficiency of the display panel.
[0060] Table 1
[0061] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, the encapsulation structure 40 further includes a barrier layer 42 disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 away from the substrate 10.
[0062] In one embodiment, the barrier layer 42 is made of a metal oxide. In some embodiments, the barrier layer 42 is made of a metal oxide. The metal oxide can be formed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 away from the substrate 10 by atomic layer deposition (ALD), which makes the barrier layer 42 relatively dense and has good adhesion to the inorganic encapsulation layer 41, reducing the risk of it peeling off from adjacent film layers and helping to improve the encapsulation effect.
[0063] In some embodiments, the material of the barrier layer 42 includes at least one of alumina and titanium oxide. In some examples, the material of the barrier layer 42 may be alumina. In other examples, the material of the barrier layer 42 may be titanium oxide. In still other examples, the material of the barrier layer 42 may be a mixture of alumina and titanium oxide.
[0064] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3, the barrier layer 42 is disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 away from the substrate 10; in the direction away from the substrate 10, the barrier layer 42 includes an alternately arranged first sub-barrier layer 421 and a second sub-barrier layer 422, wherein the refractive index of the first sub-barrier layer 421 is less than the refractive index of the second sub-barrier layer 422.
[0065] In this embodiment, the first sub-barrier layer 421 and the second sub-barrier layer 422, which have different refractive indices and are arranged alternately, can form a DBR (Distributed Bragg Reflector). The two DBRs arranged opposite each other form a resonant cavity, which allows light of a specific wavelength to be reflected and amplified back and forth in the resonant cavity, and allows only light of a specific wavelength to be emitted at a specific angle. In this way, the wavelength of the emitted light can be precisely controlled, the emission angle distribution of the emitted light can be adjusted, and the directional emission of the light emitted from the display panel can be realized.
[0066] In some embodiments, the refractive index of the first sub-barrier layer 421 is 1.4 to 1.6, and the refractive index of the second sub-barrier layer 422 is 2.4 to 2.8. In some examples, the refractive index of the first sub-barrier layer 421 may be 1.4, 1.45, 1.5, 1.55, or 1.6. The refractive index of the second sub-barrier layer 422 may be 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, or 2.8.
[0067] In some examples, the first sub-barrier layer 421 can be made of aluminum oxide, wherein the refractive index of aluminum oxide is 1.53. The second sub-barrier layer 422 can be made of titanium oxide, wherein the refractive index of titanium oxide is 2.7. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first sub-barrier layer 421 and the second sub-barrier layer 422 can not only form a DBR, but also form Al-O-Ti bonds, which enhances the adhesion and stability of the film layer and further enhances the reliability of the display panel.
[0068] In one embodiment, the barrier layer 42 may include six sub-barrier layers of different thicknesses, specifically including a first sub-barrier layer, a second sub-barrier layer, a first sub-barrier layer, a second sub-barrier layer, a first sub-barrier layer, and a second sub-barrier layer stacked sequentially. In some embodiments, the thicknesses of the six sub-barrier layers of the barrier layer 42 in the direction away from the substrate 10 may be 129.58 nm, 142.38 nm, 73.56 nm, 50.18 nm, 97.47 nm, and 105.26 nm, respectively.
[0069] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, the material of the barrier layer 42 includes organosilicon. Organosilicon possesses both the high barrier properties of inorganic layers and the high toughness of organic layers, exhibiting good water and oxygen barrier performance even at relatively thin thicknesses.
[0070] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, the material of the barrier layer 42 includes silicon carbon nitride. Silicon carbon nitride exhibits good planarization when formed into a thin film, thus it can fill any pores or gaps that may form on the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 or cover residual impurity particles on the surface, which is beneficial for improving the adhesion between the barrier layer 42 and the inorganic encapsulation layer 41, thereby further improving encapsulation performance. Furthermore, when the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 is silicon hydrogen nitride, silicon carbon nitride can form hydrogen bonds with the inorganic encapsulation layer 41, resulting in physical adsorption, high surface mobility, and strong adhesion.
[0071] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG4, the encapsulation structure 40 further includes an encapsulation protective layer 43, which is located on the side of the barrier layer 42 away from the substrate 10, to further enhance the moisture barrier performance of the light-emitting unit 33. In some examples, the material of the encapsulation protective layer 43 may be silicon nitride.
[0072] In some embodiments, the orthographic projection of each inorganic encapsulation layer 41 onto the substrate 10 covers the orthographic projection of the corresponding second electrode 333 onto the substrate 10, and the area of the orthographic projection of the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 onto the substrate 10 is larger than the area of the orthographic projection of the corresponding second electrode 333 onto the substrate 10. That is, each inorganic encapsulation layer 41 covers the edge of the corresponding second electrode 333 to prevent the second electrode 333 from being exposed, which would allow moisture to penetrate into the light-emitting material layer 332 along the gap between the second electrode 333 and the inorganic protective layer 32, causing the light-emitting material layer 332 to be eroded by moisture and fail.
[0073] In some embodiments, the display panel further includes a second encapsulation layer 50 located on the side of the first encapsulation layer away from the substrate 10. The second encapsulation layer 50 includes a first inorganic encapsulation layer 51, an organic encapsulation layer 52, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer 53 sequentially stacked in a direction away from the substrate 10. The first inorganic encapsulation layer 51 covers each encapsulation structure 40. The first inorganic encapsulation layer 51, the organic encapsulation layer 52, and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 53 are all continuous film layers, and their orthogonal projections on the substrate 10 cover the orthogonal projections of all encapsulation structures 40 on the substrate 10. In some embodiments, the material of the first inorganic encapsulation layer 51 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 53 may be silicon nitride; the organic encapsulation layer 52 may be formed using an inkjet printing process.
[0074] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a display device, including a display panel and a housing as described in the foregoing embodiments, with the display panel embedded within the housing. It should be noted that the display device can be any device that displays images, whether moving (e.g., video) or fixed (e.g., still images), and whether it contains text or other visual information. For example, the display device can include portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, tablet PCs, mobile communication terminals, e-notebooks, e-book readers, portable multimedia players, navigation devices, and ultra-mobile PCs, as well as televisions, laptops, monitors, advertising panels, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The display device can also be used in wearable devices such as smartwatches, watch phones, and glasses-type displays. The display device can also be used as a vehicle dashboard, a central information display (CID) of a vehicle's center fascia or dashboard, an interior mirror display replacing a vehicle's side mirrors, and a display arranged or mounted on the rear side of the front seat for use as an entertainment device for rear-seat passengers.
[0075] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising the following steps:
[0076] Step 100: As shown in Figures 5c to 5n, a plurality of light-emitting units 33 and an encapsulation structure 40 located on the side of each light-emitting unit 33 away from the substrate 10 are formed on the substrate 10. The light-emitting unit 33 includes a first electrode 331, a light-emitting material layer 332, and a second electrode 333 sequentially stacked on the substrate 10. Adjacent second electrodes 333 are arranged at intervals. Each encapsulation structure 40 covers one second electrode 333. Each encapsulation structure 40 includes an inorganic encapsulation layer 41, which covers the surface of the corresponding second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10. The material of the inorganic encapsulation layer is SiN. x -H, the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic encapsulation layer is less than or equal to 20%.
[0077] In this embodiment, since the inorganic encapsulation layer material has a low hydrogen content, it can ensure that the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 blocks water vapor erosion while preventing excessive hydrogen in the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 from diffusing into the second electrode 333 and affecting the conductivity of the second electrode 333, thereby improving the external quantum efficiency of the display panel.
[0078] In some embodiments, hydrogen-containing silicon nitride can be dehydrogenated to obtain silicon nitride with an atomic percentage of hydrogen of less than or equal to 20%.
[0079] In some embodiments, the step of forming the light-emitting unit includes:
[0080] As shown in Figure 5c, a first electrode, a light-emitting material layer, and a second electrode are sequentially formed on the substrate; as shown in Figure 5d, the surface of the second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10 is subjected to hydrogen plasma treatment.
[0081] In this embodiment, step 200 involves treating the side of the second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10 with hydrogen plasma. This removes any impurity particles that may be attached to the surface of the second electrode 333. Simultaneously, bombarding the surface of the second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10 with hydrogen plasma creates multiple pits, increasing the contact area between this side and the inorganic encapsulation layer 41. This improves the adhesion between the second electrode 333 and the encapsulation structure 40, preventing separation and thus enhancing encapsulation performance.
[0082] In some embodiments, each encapsulation structure 40 further includes a barrier layer 42 located on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer 41 away from the substrate 10, the barrier layer 42 comprising a metal oxide, organosilicon, or silicon carbonitride; the step of forming the encapsulation structure 40 in step 300 includes:
[0083] Step 310: As shown in Figure 5e, an inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' is formed on the side of the second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10;
[0084] Step 320: As shown in Figure 5f, a barrier film layer 42' is formed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' away from the substrate 10; both the inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' and the barrier film layer 42' are continuous film layers;
[0085] Step 330: As shown in Figures 5g to 5h, the inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' and the barrier film layer 42' are etched to obtain multiple spaced inorganic encapsulation layers 41 and multiple spaced barrier layers 42. Figure 5h shows an exemplary cross-sectional structure of one of the encapsulation structures 40.
[0086] In this embodiment, a barrier layer 42 is provided to further improve the sealing performance of the light-emitting units 33 arranged at intervals. As in the previous embodiment, the barrier layer 42 added in this embodiment includes metal oxide, organosilicon or silicon carbonitride. It can increase the adhesion between the barrier layer 42 and the inorganic encapsulation layer 41, thereby further improving the sealing performance of the display panel and improving the problem of display panel failure.
[0087] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5a, before forming the light-emitting unit, the fabrication method further includes forming a driving circuit layer 20. After forming the first electrode 331, the fabrication method further includes forming a pixel defining layer 31 located on the side of the first electrode 331 away from the substrate 10. The pixel defining layer 31 has a plurality of pixel openings 311, each pixel opening 311 exposing at least a portion of the surface of the first electrode 331. The light-emitting material layer 332 and the second electrode 333 of each light-emitting unit 33 are at least partially located within the pixel opening 311.
[0088] In one embodiment, after forming the pixel defining layer and before forming the light-emitting material layer 332 and the second electrode 333, as shown in FIG5b, the method for fabricating the display panel further includes: forming an inorganic protective layer 32, the inorganic protective layer 32 being at least partially located on the side of the pixel defining layer 31 away from the substrate 10. The inorganic protective layer 32 partially covers the sidewalls of each pixel opening 311 and is partially located on the side of the pixel defining layer 31 away from the substrate 10.
[0089] In one embodiment, during the step of performing hydrogen plasma treatment on the surface of the second electrode 333 away from the substrate 10, at least a portion of the surface of the inorganic protective layer 32 away from the substrate 10 is simultaneously subjected to plasma treatment. Specifically, the surface of the inorganic protective layer 32 located on the side of the pixel defining layer 31 away from the substrate 10 is subjected to plasma treatment. This removes impurity particles from the surface of the inorganic protective layer 32 away from the substrate 10 and creates pits on the surface. This helps to increase the contact area between the inorganic protective layer 32 and the second encapsulation layer 50 during the subsequent formation of the second encapsulation layer 50, thereby increasing the adhesion between the inorganic protective layer 32 and the second encapsulation layer 50. This further improves the encapsulation and sealing of the display panel and reduces the risk of peeling between film layers.
[0090] In one embodiment, the display panel includes N light-emitting units 33, which include M first light-emitting units 33a, X second light-emitting units 33b, and Y third light-emitting units 33c, and the first light-emitting units 33a, second light-emitting units 33b, and third light-emitting units 33c emit different colors; the pixel limiting layer 31 includes N pixel openings 311, which include M first pixel openings 311a corresponding to the first light-emitting units 33a, X second pixel openings 311b corresponding to the second light-emitting units 33b, and Y third pixel openings 311c corresponding to the third light-emitting units 33c; as shown in FIG2, the encapsulation structure 40 includes a first encapsulation structure 40a corresponding to the first light-emitting unit 33a, a second encapsulation structure 40b corresponding to the second light-emitting unit 33b, and a third encapsulation structure 40c corresponding to the third light-emitting unit 33c. Wherein, N = M + X + Y, and N, M, X, and Y are all positive integers. The formation process of the light-emitting units 33 and the encapsulation structure 40 is as follows:
[0091] First, as shown in Figure 5d, N first light-emitting units 33a are formed, and each first light-emitting unit 33a is located within the pixel opening 311.
[0092] Subsequently, as shown in Figures 5e and 5f, a first encapsulation structure film layer is formed, which includes an inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' and a barrier film layer 42'. Both the inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' and the barrier film layer 42' are continuous film layers, and their orthogonal projection on the substrate 10 covers the orthogonal projection of all pixel openings 311 on the substrate 10.
[0093] As shown in Figure 5f, a light-emitting material layer 332 and a second electrode 333 are respectively formed in the first pixel opening 311a, the second pixel opening 311b, and the third pixel opening 311c; the inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' and the barrier film layer 42' are both continuous film layers. After forming the first encapsulation structure film layer, a mask layer 61 is formed on the side of the first encapsulation structure film layer away from the substrate. The orthogonal projection of the mask layer 61 on the substrate 10 covers the orthogonal projection of the second electrode in the first pixel opening 311a on the substrate 10, and does not overlap with the orthogonal projections of the second electrodes in the second pixel opening 311b and the third pixel opening 311c on the substrate 10. In some embodiments, the material of the mask layer 61 can be photoresist.
[0094] Subsequently, as shown in Figures 5g to 5h, the first encapsulation structure film layer is patterned, and the light-emitting material layer 332 and the second electrode 333 located in the second pixel opening 311b and the third pixel opening 311c are removed to obtain the first light-emitting unit 33a, the first encapsulation structure 40a, and the first electrode 331 of the second light-emitting unit 33b and the third light-emitting unit 33c located in the first pixel opening 311a.
[0095] This step yields the structure shown in Figure 5h. As shown in Figures 5g to 5h, the light-emitting material layer 332 and the second electrode 333 within the second pixel opening 311b and the third pixel opening 311c are removed, and the first encapsulation structure film layer forms the first encapsulation structure 40a.
[0096] In this step, the patterning of the encapsulation structure film layer and the removal of the light-emitting material layer 332 and the second electrode 333 within the second pixel opening 311b and the third pixel opening 311c can be performed in the same RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) process step. A mask layer 61 is used in this step to protect areas that do not require etching.
[0097] Subsequently, as shown in FIG5i, a light-emitting material layer 332 and N second electrodes 333 are formed for N second light-emitting units 33b. A light-emitting material layer 332 and a second electrode 333 are formed on the side of each first encapsulation structure 40 away from the substrate 10. A light-emitting material layer 332 and a second electrode 333 are formed in each second pixel opening 311b and each third pixel opening 311c.
[0098] Subsequently, a second encapsulation structure film layer is formed, which includes an inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' and a barrier film layer 42'. Both the inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' and the barrier film layer 42' are continuous film layers, and their orthogonal projection on the substrate 10 covers the orthogonal projection of all pixel openings 311 on the substrate 10.
[0099] This step yields the structure shown in Figure 5i. As shown in Figure 5i, a light-emitting material layer 332 and a second electrode 333 are formed in the second pixel opening 311b and the third pixel opening 311c, respectively. A light-emitting material layer 332 and a second electrode 333 are formed on the side of the first encapsulation structure 40 away from the substrate 10. The inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' and the barrier film layer 42' are continuous film layers covering each of the second electrodes 333 formed in the previous step.
[0100] Subsequently, as shown in Figures 5j and 5k, the second packaging structure film layer is patterned, and the light-emitting material layer 332 and the second electrode 333 located in the third pixel opening 311c, as well as the light-emitting material layer 332 and the second electrode 333 located on the side of each first packaging structure 40 away from the substrate 10, are removed, resulting in the second light-emitting unit 33b located in the second pixel opening 311b, the second packaging structure 40b, and the first electrode 331 of the third light-emitting unit 33c. After forming the second packaging structure film layer, a mask layer 62 is formed on the side of the second packaging structure film layer away from the substrate. The orthogonal projection of the mask layer 62 on the substrate 10 covers the orthogonal projection of the second electrode in the second pixel opening 311b on the substrate 10, and does not overlap with the orthogonal projections of the second electrodes in the first packaging structure 40a and the third pixel opening 311c on the substrate 10. In some embodiments, the material of the mask layer 62 can be photoresist.
[0101] In this step, the patterning of the encapsulation structure film, the removal of the light-emitting material layer 332, and the second electrode 333 can be performed in the same RIE process step. A mask layer 62 can be used in this step to protect areas that do not require etching.
[0102] Subsequently, as shown in FIG51, a light-emitting material layer 332 and N second electrodes 333 are formed for N third light-emitting units 33c. A light-emitting material layer 332 and a second electrode 333 are formed on the side of each first encapsulation structure 40a and each second encapsulation structure 40b away from the substrate 10, and a light-emitting material layer 332 and a second electrode 333 are formed in each third pixel opening 311c.
[0103] Subsequently, a third encapsulation structure film layer is formed, which includes an inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' and a barrier film layer 42'. Both the inorganic encapsulation film layer 41' and the barrier film layer 42' are continuous film layers, and their orthogonal projection on the substrate 10 covers the orthogonal projection of all pixel openings 311 on the substrate 10.
[0104] Subsequently, as shown in Figures 5m and 5n, the third encapsulation structure film layer is patterned, and the light-emitting material layer 332 and the second electrode 333 located on the side away from the substrate 10 of each first encapsulation structure 40a and each second encapsulation structure 40b are removed to obtain the third light-emitting unit 33c and the third encapsulation structure 40c located in the third pixel opening 311c.
[0105] After forming the third packaging structure film layer, a mask layer 63 is formed on the side of the third packaging structure film layer away from the substrate. The orthogonal projection of the mask layer 63 on the substrate 10 covers the orthogonal projection of the second electrode within the third pixel opening 311c on the substrate 10, and does not overlap with the orthogonal projections of the first packaging structure 40a and the second packaging structure 40b on the substrate 10. The patterning of the third packaging structure film layer can be performed using a RIE process, and the mask layer 63 can be used to protect areas that do not need to be etched during the etching process. In some embodiments, the material of the mask layer 63 can be photoresist.
[0106] The embodiments of the display panel and the embodiments of the manufacturing method of the display panel provided in this application belong to the same inventive concept. The descriptions of relevant details and beneficial effects can be referred to each other and will not be repeated here.
[0107] It should be understood that the embodiments described herein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for limiting purposes. The description of features or aspects within each embodiment should generally be considered as other similar features or aspects that may be used in other embodiments. Although one or more embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope defined by the claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A display panel, characterized in that, include: Substrate; Multiple light-emitting units are arranged at intervals on one side of the substrate; each light-emitting unit includes a first electrode, a light-emitting material layer, and a second electrode sequentially stacked on the substrate; adjacent second electrodes are arranged at intervals. A first encapsulation layer is located on the side of the second electrode away from the substrate. The first encapsulation layer includes a plurality of encapsulation structures arranged at intervals, each of the encapsulation structures covering one of the second electrodes. Each encapsulation structure includes an inorganic encapsulation layer that covers the surface of the corresponding second electrode away from the substrate. The material of the inorganic encapsulation layer is SiN. x -H, the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic encapsulation layer is less than or equal to 20%.
2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of each second electrode away from the substrate is a rough surface, and the rough surface has multiple pits.
3. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The encapsulation structure further includes a barrier layer disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer away from the substrate, and the material of the barrier layer includes metal oxide.
4. The display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The barrier layer is made of at least one of aluminum oxide and titanium oxide.
5. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The encapsulation structure further includes a barrier layer disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer away from the substrate; in the direction away from the substrate, the barrier layer includes alternating first sub-barrier layers and second sub-barrier layers, wherein the refractive index of the first sub-barrier layer is less than the refractive index of the second sub-barrier layer.
6. The display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The refractive index of the first sub-barrier layer is 1.4 to 1.6, and the refractive index of the second sub-barrier layer is 2.4 to 2.
8.
7. The display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The material of the first sub-barrier layer includes aluminum oxide, and the material of the second sub-barrier layer includes titanium oxide.
8. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The encapsulation structure further includes a barrier layer disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer away from the substrate, and the material of the barrier layer includes organosilicon.
9. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The encapsulation structure further includes a barrier layer disposed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation layer away from the substrate, and the material of the barrier layer includes silicon carbide nitride.
10. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of each inorganic encapsulation layer on the substrate covers the orthographic projection of the corresponding second electrode on the substrate, and the area of the orthographic projection of the inorganic encapsulation layer on the substrate is greater than the area of the orthographic projection of the corresponding second electrode on the substrate.
11. The display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a second encapsulation layer located on the side of the first encapsulation layer away from the substrate. The second encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic encapsulation layer, an organic encapsulation layer, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer stacked sequentially in a direction away from the substrate. The first inorganic encapsulation layer covers each of the encapsulation structures.
12. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the display panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 11.
13. A method for manufacturing a display panel, characterized in that, include: A plurality of light-emitting units and an encapsulation structure located on the side of each light-emitting unit away from the substrate are formed on a substrate; each light-emitting unit includes a first electrode, a light-emitting material layer, and a second electrode sequentially stacked on the substrate; adjacent second electrodes are arranged at intervals; each encapsulation structure covers one second electrode; each encapsulation structure includes an inorganic encapsulation layer, the inorganic encapsulation layer covering the surface of the corresponding second electrode away from the substrate, the material of the inorganic encapsulation layer being SiN. x -H, the atomic percentage of hydrogen in the inorganic encapsulation layer is less than or equal to 20%.
14. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 13, characterized in that, The steps for forming the light-emitting unit include: A first electrode, a light-emitting material layer, and a second electrode are sequentially formed on the substrate; The surface of the second electrode away from the substrate is subjected to hydrogen plasma treatment.
15. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 14, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned packaging structures further includes a barrier layer located on the side of the inorganic packaging layer away from the substrate, the barrier layer comprising a metal oxide, organosilicon, or silicon carbonitride; the steps for forming the packaging structure include: An inorganic encapsulation film is formed on the side of the second electrode away from the substrate; A barrier film layer is formed on the side of the inorganic encapsulation film layer away from the substrate; both the inorganic encapsulation film layer and the barrier film layer are continuous film layers. The inorganic encapsulation film and the barrier film are etched to obtain multiple spaced inorganic encapsulation layers and multiple spaced barrier layers.
16. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 14, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a pixel defining layer located on the substrate, the pixel defining layer including a plurality of pixel openings, and the light-emitting material layer and the second electrode of each light-emitting unit being at least partially located within the pixel openings; Before forming an encapsulation structure on the side of the light-emitting unit away from the substrate, the method for manufacturing the display panel further includes: forming an inorganic protective layer, wherein the inorganic protective layer is at least partially located on the side of the pixel defining layer away from the substrate; In the step of performing hydrogen plasma treatment on the side of the second electrode away from the substrate, at least a portion of the surface of the inorganic protective layer away from the substrate is simultaneously subjected to plasma treatment.