Pixel, display panel including the pixel, and method of manufacturing the display panel

• US 10,156,920 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2016
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Oh, Joon Hak, Lee, Jong Seo
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Premal R
• Application Number:
  US15/354,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20170139518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1225 with semiconductor materials not belonging to the group IV of the periodic table, e.g. InGaZnO
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/124 with a particular composition, shape or layout of the wiring layers specially adapted to the circuit arrangement, e.g. scanning lines in LCD pixel circuits wiring structures per se H01L23/52
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1259 Multistep manufacturing methods
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/06 Forming electrodes or interconnections, e.g. leads or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/302 Sensors

Abstract

There is provided a pixel. The pixel includes a pixel transistor including a gate electrode provided on a substrate and protruding from a scan line, an active pattern provided on the gate electrode, a first electrode provided on the active pattern, and a second electrode provided on the active pattern and protruding from a data line and a piezoelectric sensor including a first touch electrode provided on the substrate and a piezoelectric pattern provided on the first touch electrode. The gate electrode and the first touch electrode are formed of a same material. The active pattern and the piezoelectric pattern are formed of a same material.

Claims

1. A pixel comprising:

a pixel transistor including a gate electrode provided on a substrate and protruding from a scan line, an active pattern provided on the gate electrode, a first electrode provided on the active pattern, and a second electrode provided on the active pattern and protruding from a data line; and

a piezoelectric sensor including a first touch electrode provided on the substrate and a piezoelectric pattern provided on the first touch electrode,

wherein the gate electrode and the first touch electrode are formed of a same material, and

wherein the active pattern and the piezoelectric pattern are formed of a same material.

2. The pixel of claim 1,

wherein the piezoelectric sensor further comprises a second touch electrode provided on the piezoelectric pattern, and

wherein the first electrode and the second touch electrode are formed of a same material.

3. The pixel of claim 1, wherein the active pattern comprises an oxide semiconductor.

4. The pixel of claim 3, wherein the oxide semiconductor is zinc oxide.

5. The pixel of claim 1,

wherein the pixel further comprises a sensing transistor,

wherein the sensing transistor further comprises:

a sensing gate electrode provided on the substrate and protruding from a driving line;

a sensing active pattern provided on the sensing gate electrode;

a first sensing electrode provided on the sensing active pattern; and

a second sensing electrode provided on the sensing active pattern and protruding from a sensing line,

wherein the first sensing electrode and the second touch electrode are connected to each other, and

wherein the gate electrode and the sensing gate electrode are formed of a same material, the active pattern and the sensing active pattern are formed of a same material, and the first electrode and the first sensing electrode are formed of a same material.

6. The pixel of claim 5,

wherein the pixel transistor further comprises an insulating pattern provided between the gate electrode and the active pattern,

wherein the sensing transistor further comprises a sensing insulating pattern provided between the sensing gate electrode and the sensing active pattern, and

wherein the insulating pattern and the sensing insulating pattern are formed of a same material.

7. The pixel of claim 5,

wherein, when a touch of a user occurs around the pixel, voltage levels of the piezoelectric pattern and the first sensing electrode are changed by the touch, and

wherein, when a driving signal is supplied to the driving line, a voltage of the sensing line changes.

8. A display panel comprising:

pixels provided in a display area;

scan lines configured to transmit scan signals to the pixels;

data lines configured to transmit data voltages to the pixels;

piezoelectric sensors at least partially provided outside the display area; and

sensing lines connected to the piezoelectric sensors to receive sensing signals from the piezoelectric sensors,

wherein at least one of the pixels comprises a pixel transistor,

wherein the pixel transistor comprises;

a gate electrode provided on a substrate and protruding from one of the scan lines;

an active pattern provided on the gate electrode;

a first electrode provided on the active pattern; and

a second electrode provided on the active pattern and protruding from one of the data lines,

wherein a first piezoelectric sensor among the piezoelectric sensors comprises;

a first touch electrode provided on the substrate; and

a piezoelectric pattern provided on the first touch electrode, and

wherein the gate electrode and the first touch electrode are formed of a same material, the active pattern and the piezoelectric pattern are formed of a same material, and the first and the second touch electrode are formed of a same material.

9. The display panel of claim 8, wherein, when a touch of a user occurs around the first piezoelectric sensor, voltage levels of the piezoelectric pattern and the first touch electrode are changed by the touch.

10. The display panel of claim 9,

wherein the first piezoelectric sensor further comprises a second touch electrode provided on the piezoelectric pattern, and

wherein the first electrode and the second touch electrode are formed of a same material.

11. The display panel of claim 10, wherein the active pattern comprises an oxide semiconductor.

12. The display panel of claim 11, wherein the oxide semiconductor is zinc oxide.

13. The display panel of claim 10, wherein, when a touch of a user occurs around the first piezoelectric sensor, a difference in voltage level between the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode is changed by the touch.