Organic light-emitting display device

• US 10,109,692 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Senda, Takahiro, Choi, Jungmi
• Primary Examiner(s): Harriston, William
• Application Number:
  US15/471,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20170287994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/818 Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/824 combined with auxiliary electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/828 Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/10 OLED displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/121 characterised by the geometry or disposition of pixel elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1213 the pixel elements being TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1216 the pixel elements being capacitors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/352 the areas of the RGB subpixels being different

Abstract

An organic light-emitting display device includes a pixel including a first region to display an image, a second region to transmit external light, and a third region between the first region and the second region. The pixel includes a pixel electrode in the first region, a pixel-defining layer in at least the first region, an auxiliary electrode in at least the third region, and an intermediate layer on the pixel electrode. The pixel-defining layer includes a first opening exposing a portion of the pixel electrode and a second opening corresponding to at least the second region and third region. The pixel electrode is exposed via the first opening, and the intermediate layer includes an organic emission layer. An opposite electrode is on the intermediate layer and contacts the auxiliary electrode in the third region.

Claims

1. An organic light-emitting display device, comprising:

a substrate; and

a pixel over the substrate and including a first region to display an image, a second region to transmit external light, and a third region between the first region and the second region, wherein the pixel includes;

a pixel electrode in the first region;

a pixel-defining layer in at least the first region and including a first opening and a second opening, the first opening exposing a portion of the pixel electrode and the second opening corresponding to at least the second region and the third region;

an auxiliary electrode in at least the third region; and

an intermediate layer on the pixel electrode exposed via the first opening, the intermediate layer including an organic emission layer and an opposite electrode on the intermediate layer and contacting the auxiliary electrode in the third region.

2. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opposite electrode directly contacts the auxiliary electrode exposed via the second opening of the pixel-defining layer in the third region.

3. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary electrode and the pixel electrode are in a same layer and include a same material.

4. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pixel includes:

a fourth region between the first region and the second region,

wherein the auxiliary electrode extends from the third region to at least a portion of the fourth region and wherein at least the portion of the auxiliary electrode which corresponds to the fourth region is covered by the pixel-defining layer.

5. The display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a conductive layer spaced apart from at least a portion of the auxiliary electrode in a fourth region with a via insulating layer therebetween, wherein the auxiliary electrode is connected to the conductive layer via a contact hole of the via insulating layer.

6. The display device as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least portion of the auxiliary electrode in the fourth region, at least a portion of the conductive layer, and the contact hole overlap one another.

7. The display device as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least portion of the auxiliary electrode in the fourth region is between the via insulating layer and the pixel-defining layer.

8. The display device as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the via insulating layer includes an opening corresponding to the second region and at least a portion of the third region, and

the auxiliary electrode extends from the fourth region to the third region along an edge of the opening of the via insulating layer.

9. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the pixel electrode is a reflective electrode, and

the opposite electrode is a transparent or semi-transparent electrode.

10. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a ratio of an area of the second region to an entire area of the pixel is about 40% to about 90%.

11. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a ratio of an area of the third region to an area of the second region is about 0.5% or less.

12. The display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a driver in the first region and electrically connected to the pixel electrode, wherein the driver is to drive the pixel and includes at least one thin film transistor and at least one capacitor.

13. The display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

the at least one capacitor includes an upper electrode facing a lower electrode and an insulating layer therebetween, and

a via insulating layer covers the upper electrode.

14. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the intermediate layer includes a common layer,

the common layer is over an entire region of the pixel, except at least a portion of the third region of the pixel.

15. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the pixel includes a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel to respectively emit light of different colors, and

the pixel electrode includes a first pixel electrode, a second pixel electrode, and a third pixel electrode respectively arranged in the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, and the third sub-pixel in a form of an island.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein:

the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, and the third sub-pixel are to respectively emit red light, green light, and blue light, and

the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, and the third sub-pixel respectively have different areas.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein the third region is adjacent to a pixel electrode having a smallest area from among the first pixel electrode, the second pixel electrode, and the third pixel electrode.

18. An organic light-emitting display device, comprising:

a substrate; and

a pixel over the substrate and including a first region to display an image, a second region to transmit external light, a third region between the first region and the second region, and a fourth region between the first region and the third region, wherein the pixel includes;

a pixel electrode in the first region;

a pixel-defining layer in at least the first region and including a first opening and a second opening, the first opening exposing a portion of the pixel electrode and the second opening corresponding to at least the second region and the third region;

an auxiliary electrode in the third region and the fourth region;

a conductive layer in the fourth region, spaced apart from the auxiliary electrode with a via insulating layer therebetween, and connected to the auxiliary electrode via a contact hole of the via insulating layer; and

an intermediate layer on the pixel electrode exposed via the first opening, the intermediate layer including an organic emission layer and an opposite electrode on the intermediate layer and contacting the auxiliary electrode exposed via the second opening in the third region.

19. The display device of claim 18, wherein a portion of the auxiliary electrode corresponding to the fourth region is between the via insulating layer and the pixel-defining layer.

20. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 18, wherein:

the via insulating layer includes an opening corresponding to the second region and at least a portion of the third region, and

the auxiliary electrode extends from the fourth region to the third region along an edge of the opening of the via insulating layer.