Transparent display apparatus

• US 10,020,205 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: You, Chungi, Lee, Gwanggeun
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Reema
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHRISTOPHER, STEVEN M
• Application Number:
  US15/053,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20170005155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31111 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32133 by chemical means only
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/56 Encapsulations, e.g. encapsulation layers, coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/167 further characterised by the doping material H01L29/1604 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/41733 for thin film transistors with insulated gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66757 Lateral single gate single channel transistors with non-inverted structure, i.e. the channel layer is formed before the gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7866 Non-monocrystalline silicon transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/121 characterised by the geometry or disposition of pixel elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/124 Insulating layers formed between TFT elements and OLED elements

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a pixel having a first area emitting light and a second area transmitting light. A pixel circuit unit is in the first area and includes a thin film transistor. An inorganic insulation layer is in the second area. A first insulation layer covers the pixel circuit unit in the first area, and has an opening exposing the inorganic insulation layer in the second area. A first electrode is on the first insulation layer in the first area. The first electrode is electrically connected to the pixel circuit unit. A second insulation layer covers edges of the first electrode and is outside the opening formed in the first insulation layer. A second electrode is in the first area. An intermediate layer, including an emissive layer, is between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a buffer layer disposed on the substrate;

a pixel disposed on the buffer layer and including a first area, from which light is emitted, and a second area that does not intersect the first area, through which ambient light is transmitted, the buffer layer extending through both the first area and the second area of the pixel;

a pixel circuit unit disposed in the first area of the pixel and including at least one thin film transistor;

an inorganic insulation layer disposed on the buffer layer, exclusively in the second area of the pixel;

a first insulation layer covering the pixel circuit unit in the first area, and having an opening exposing at least a portion of the inorganic insulation layer in the second area;

a first electrode disposed on the first insulation layer in the first area, wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the pixel circuit unit;

a second insulation layer covering one or more edges of the first electrode, and the second insulation layer being disposed outside of the opening formed in the first insulation layer;

a second electrode disposed in the first area; and

an intermediate layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the intermediate layer including an emissive layer,

wherein the buffer layer is between the substrate and the inorganic insulation layer in the second area of the pixel.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first insulation layer comprises an organic insulation layer.

3. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second insulation layer comprises an organic insulation layer.

4. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second insulation layer has a shape of a closed loop as it covers the one or more edges of the first electrode.

5. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a concave or convex pattern is formed on an upper surface of the first insulation layer.

6. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the pixel circuit unit overlaps the first electrode.

7. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inorganic insulation layer has a single layer structure or a double layer structure and the inorganic insulation layer includes silicon dioxide (SiO₂) and/or silicon nitride (SiN_x).

8. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistor comprises:

an active layer;

a gate electrode disposed on the active layer and insulated from the active layer;

a third insulation layer disposed between the active layer and the gate electrode;

a plurality of fourth insulation layers disposed on the gate electrode;

a source electrode disposed on the plurality of fourth insulation layers and electrically connected to the active layer; and

a drain electrode disposed on the plurality of fourth insulation layers and electrically connected to the active layer,

wherein the plurality of fourth insulation layers cover end portions of the inorganic insulation layer within the second area of the pixel and does not cover a middle portion of the inorganic insulation layer that is between the end portions thereof.

9. The display apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the source electrode and the drain electrode comprise:

a bottom electrode, comprising a first conductive material; and

a top electrode, comprising a second conductive material.

10. The display apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second conductive material comprises a transparent conductive material.

11. The display apparatus of claim 8, wherein the third insulation layer and the inorganic insulation layer comprises a same material.

12. The display apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a capacitor including:

a first capacitor electrode disposed on a same layer as the gate electrode;

a second capacitor electrode disposed between the insulation layers of the plurality of fourth insulation layers; and

a third capacitor electrode disposed on a same layer as the source electrode and the drain electrode.

13. The display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transparent conductive layer disposed on at least a portion of the inorganic insulation layer.

14. The display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first insulation layer covers at least a portion of the transparent conductive layer.

15. The display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the transparent conductive layer covers an entirety of an upper surface of the inorganic insulation layer.

16. The display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the thin film transistor comprises:

an active layer;

a gate electrode disposed on the active layer and insulated from the active layer;

a third insulation layer disposed between the active layer and the gate electrode;

a plurality of fourth insulation layers disposed on the gate electrode;

a source electrode disposed on the plurality of fourth insulation layers and electrically connected to the active layer; and

a drain electrode disposed on the plurality of fourth insulation layers and electrically connected to the active layer.

17. The display apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a capacitor including:

a first capacitor electrode disposed on a same layer as the gate electrode;

a second capacitor electrode disposed between insulation layers of the plurality of fourth insulation layers; and

a third capacitor electrode disposed on a same layer as the source electrode and the drain electrode.

18. The display apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of the gate electrode and the first capacitor electrode comprises:

a bottom electrode, comprising a first conductive material; and

a top electrode, comprising a second conductive material.

19. The display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first conductive material and the transparent conductive layer comprise a same material.

20. The display apparatus of claim 16, wherein the third insulation layer comprises a same material as the inorganic insulation layer.

21. A display apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a buffer layer disposed on the substrate;

a pixel disposed on the buffer layer and including a first area, from which light is emitted, and a second area that does not intersect the first area, through which ambient light is transmitted, the buffer layer extending through both the first area and the second area of the pixel;

a pixel circuit unit disposed in the first area of the pixel and including at least one thin film transistor;

an inorganic insulation layer disposed on the buffer layer, exclusively in the second area of the pixel;

a transparent conductive layer disposed over the pixel circuit in the first area of the pixel and the inorganic insulation layer in the second area of the pixel; and

an organic insulating layer disposed between the transparent conductive layer and the pixel circuit, in the first area of the pixel, and covering end portions of the inorganic insulation layer, in the second area of the pixel,

wherein the buffer layer is between the substrate and the inorganic insulation layer in the second area of the pixel.

22. The display apparatus of claim 21, wherein the transparent conductive layer directly contacts the inorganic insulation layer within an area between the end portions of the inorganic insulation layer that are covered by the organic insulating layer.

23. The display apparatus of claim 21, wherein the pixel is a light-emissive pixel that emits light from within the first area thereof.