Display device

• US 10,340,476 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2018
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Park, Myoung Seo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Cheung
• Application Number:
  US15/863,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20180269427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/824 combined with auxiliary electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8445 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates

Abstract

An electroluminescent device includes a lower structure and a flexible encapsulation multilayer. The lower structure may have an emission area and a peripheral area surrounding the emission area. The flexible encapsulation multilayer may be disposed on the emission area and the peripheral area. The peripheral area may include an inorganic surface portion having a closed shape continuously surrounding the display area and comprising one or more inorganic materials. The flexible encapsulation multilayer may include a lower surface comprising only one or more inorganic materials. The lower surface of flexible encapsulation multilayer may be in in direction contact with the inorganic surface portion.

Claims

1. An electroluminescent device comprising:

a lower structure which has an emission area and a peripheral area surrounding the emission area, and which comprises an inorganic insulating film, an insulation film located on the inorganic insulating film, and an electroluminescent unit having a lower electrode disposed on the insulation film, an intermediate film disposed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode disposed on the intermediate film, and

a flexible encapsulation multilayer disposed on the emission area and the peripheral area, and including at least three layers,

wherein the peripheral area includes an inorganic surface portion substantially surrounding the emission area, located outside the upper electrode at a planar view, and comprising only one or more inorganic materials,

wherein the flexible encapsulation multilayer includes a lower surface comprising only one or more inorganic materials,

wherein an entire of the inorganic surface portion directly contacts the lower surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer,

wherein the lower structure includes a lower encapsulation inorganic film horizontally expanding under a surface of the lower structure to vertically correspond to the emission area and the peripheral area, and a portion disposed between the lower encapsulation inorganic film and the entire of the inorganic surface portion comprises only one or more inorganic materials, and

wherein the inorganic surface portion includes a first region having a first average width and a second region having a second average width, and the first average width and the second average width are substantially different from each other.

2. The electroluminescent device of claim 1,

wherein the first region and the second region are located at the same side of the lower structure.

3. The electroluminescent device of claim 2,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

4. The electroluminescent device of claim 1,

wherein the first region of the inorganic surface portion entirely corresponds to a first side of the lower structure, and the second region of the inorganic surface portion entirely corresponds to a second side of the lower structure different from the first side of the lower structure.

5. The electroluminescent device of claim 4,

wherein the first region has a first part having a third average width relatively smaller than the first average width and a second part having a fourth average width relatively larger than the first average width.

6. The electroluminescent device of claim 5,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

7. The electroluminescent device of claim 4,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

8. The electroluminescent device of claim 1,

wherein the lower electrode is disposed directly on a top surface of the insulation film, and the entire of the inorganic surface portion is disposed relatively lower than the top surface of the insulation film,

wherein the inorganic surface portion has at least a region including a plurality of inorganic surface branches spaced from each other,

wherein the peripheral area includes an organic surface portion which is disposed between the inorganic surface branches, which comprises an organic material, which substantially surrounds the emission area, and which is substantially surrounded at a planar view by an interface where the lower surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer directly contacts the inorganic surface portion,

wherein the inorganic surface branches include an outer inorganic surface branch located relatively outer than the organic surface portion and an inner inorganic surface branch located relatively inner than the organic surface portion,

wherein the lower structure further comprises a bus wire extending on a top surface of the inorganic insulating film along a periphery of the emission area, and an auxiliary upper electrode which extends on side and top surfaces of the insulation film along the periphery of the emission area, has a bottom surface electrically facing a top surface of the bus wire to electrically communicate with the top surface of the bus wire, and has a top surface electrically facing a bottom surface of the upper electrode to electrically communicate with the bottom surface of the upper electrode,

wherein the inner inorganic surface branch includes at least a portion of a top surface of the auxiliary upper electrode to have a height relatively larger than a height of the outer inorganic surface branch, and

wherein a portion of a surface of the bus wire directly contacts the lower surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer, and the portion of the surface of the bus wire is relatively farther than the organic surface portion from the emission area.

9. The electroluminescent device of claim 8,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

10. The electroluminescent device of claim 8,

wherein the inorganic surface portion includes at least two stepped surface portions each including a top surface portion of the inorganic insulating film, a side surface portion of the bus wire, and a top surface portion of the bus wire, and

wherein the bus wire has an outer edge portion and an inner edge portion opposite to the outer edge portion, the outer edge portion of the bus wire is relatively farther than the inner edge portion of the bus wire from the emission area, the outer edge portion of the bus wire is located under the bottom surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer, and the outer edge portion of the bus wire is not in direct contact with the bottom surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer.

11. The electroluminescent device of claim 10,

wherein the inorganic surface portion further includes at least two stepped surface portions each including a top surface portion of the inorganic insulating film, a side surface portion of the auxiliary upper electrode, and a top surface portion of the auxiliary upper electrode, and

wherein the auxiliary upper electrode has an outer edge portion and an inner edge portion opposite to the outer edge portion, the outer edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode is relatively farther than the inner edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode from the emission area, the outer edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode is located under the bottom surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer, and the outer edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode is not in direct contact with the bottom surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer.

12. The electroluminescent device of claim 11,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

13. The electroluminescent device of claim 10,

wherein the inorganic surface portion further includes at least two stepped surface portions each including a top surface portion of the bus wire, a side surface portion of the auxiliary upper electrode, and a top surface portion of the auxiliary upper electrode, and

wherein the auxiliary upper electrode has an outer edge portion and an inner edge portion opposite to the outer edge portion, the outer edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode is relatively farther than the inner edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode from the emission area, the outer edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode is located under the bottom surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer, and the outer edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode is not in direct contact with the bottom surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer.

14. The electroluminescent device of claim 13,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

15. The electroluminescent device of claim 10,

wherein the inorganic surface portion further includes at least two stepped surface portions each including a top surface portion of the inorganic insulating film, a side surface portion of the auxiliary upper electrode, and a top surface portion of the auxiliary upper electrode,

wherein the inorganic surface portion further includes at least two stepped surface portions each including a top surface portion of the bus wire, a side surface portion of the auxiliary upper electrode, and a top surface portion of the auxiliary upper electrode, and

wherein the auxiliary upper electrode has an outer edge portion and an inner edge portion opposite to the outer edge portion, the outer edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode is relatively farther than the inner edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode from the emission area, the outer edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode is located under the bottom surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer, and the outer edge portion of the auxiliary upper electrode is not in direct contact with the bottom surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer.

16. The electroluminescent device of claim 15,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

17. The electroluminescent device of claim 10,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

18. The electroluminescent device of claim 8, wherein the portion of the surface of the bus wire, which directly contacts the lower surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer, is included in the outer inorganic surface branch.

19. The electroluminescent device of claim 18,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

20. The electroluminescent device of claim 8,

wherein the organic surface portion has a shape opened by an opening to discontinuously surround the emission area,

wherein the first region of the inorganic surface portion entirely corresponds to a first side of the lower structure at which the opening is disposed,

wherein the second region of the inorganic surface portion entirely corresponds to a second side of the lower structure at which the opening is not disposed, and

wherein the first average width of the first region is relatively larger than the second average width of the second region.

21. The electroluminescent device of claim 20,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

22. The electroluminescent device of claim 1,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

23. An electroluminescent device comprising:

a lower structure which has an emission area and a peripheral area surrounding the emission area, and which comprises an inorganic insulating film, an insulation film located on the inorganic insulating film, and an electroluminescent unit having a lower electrode disposed on the insulation film, an intermediate film disposed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode disposed on the intermediate film, and

a flexible encapsulation multilayer disposed on the emission area and the peripheral area, and including at least three layers,

wherein the peripheral area includes an inorganic surface portion substantially surrounding the emission area, located outside the upper electrode at a planar view, and comprising only one or more inorganic materials,

wherein the flexible encapsulation multilayer includes a lower surface comprising only one or more inorganic materials,

wherein an entire of the inorganic surface portion directly contacts the lower surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer,

wherein the lower structure includes a lower encapsulation inorganic film horizontally expanding under a surface of the lower structure to vertically correspond to the emission area and the peripheral area, and a portion disposed between the lower encapsulation inorganic film and the entire of the inorganic surface portion comprises only one or more inorganic materials,

wherein the peripheral area includes an inorganic structure having an edge having a lateral surface and an upper surface,

wherein the inorganic surface portion includes the lateral and upper surfaces of the edge,

wherein the lateral and upper surfaces of the edge directly contact the flexible encapsulation multilayer,

wherein the edge extends from an outer edge of the inorganic surface portion to an inner edge of the inorganic surface portion located opposite to the outer edge of the inorganic surface portion, and

wherein the lateral surface of the edge includes at least two independently selected from the group consisting of a convex portion, a concave portion, an angled portion, a curved portion, and a portion extending substantially along a direction in which the inorganic surface portion extends.

24. The electroluminescent device of claim 23,

wherein the inorganic structure includes a first inorganic film and a second inorganic film disposed on the first inorganic film, and

wherein a hardness of the second inorganic film is relatively larger than a hardness of the first inorganic film.

25. The electroluminescent device of claim 24,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

26. The electroluminescent device of claim 23,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

27. An electroluminescent device comprising:

a lower structure which has an emission area and a peripheral area surrounding the emission area, and which comprises an inorganic insulating film, an insulation film located on the inorganic insulating film, and an electroluminescent unit having a lower electrode disposed on the insulation film, an intermediate film disposed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode disposed on the intermediate film, and

a flexible encapsulation multilayer disposed on the emission area and the peripheral area, and including at least three layers,

wherein the peripheral area includes an inorganic surface portion substantially surrounding the emission area, located outside the upper electrode at a planar view, and comprising only one or more inorganic materials,

wherein the flexible encapsulation multilayer includes a lower surface comprising only one or more inorganic materials,

wherein an entire of the inorganic surface portion directly contacts the lower surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer,

wherein the lower structure includes a lower encapsulation inorganic film horizontally expanding under a surface of the lower structure to vertically correspond to the emission area and the peripheral area, and a portion disposed between the lower encapsulation inorganic film and the entire of the inorganic surface portion comprises only one or more inorganic materials,

wherein the peripheral area includes a conductive film providing the electroluminescent unit with an electrical signal, and having a hole which penetrates the conductive film, which is located inward from an inner edge of the inorganic surface portion, and which is an alignment mark, and

wherein the conductive film is an auxiliary upper electrode extending along a periphery of the emission area, and having a top surface electrically facing a bottom surface of the upper electrode to electrically communicate with the bottom surface of the upper electrode.

28. The electroluminescent device of claim 27,

wherein the electroluminescent device is capable of being flexed, bent, folded, rolled, or stretched by an end user.

29. An electroluminescent device comprising:

a lower structure which has an emission area and a peripheral area surrounding the emission area, and which comprises an inorganic insulating film, an insulation film located on the inorganic insulating film, and an electroluminescent unit having a lower electrode disposed on the insulation film, an intermediate film disposed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode disposed on the intermediate film, and

a flexible encapsulation multilayer disposed on the emission area and the peripheral area, and including at least three layers,

wherein the peripheral area includes an inorganic surface portion substantially surrounding the emission area, located outside the upper electrode at a planar view, and comprising only one or more inorganic materials,

wherein the flexible encapsulation multilayer includes a lower surface comprising only one or more inorganic materials,

wherein an entire of the inorganic surface portion directly contacts the lower surface of the flexible encapsulation multilayer,

wherein the lower structure includes a lower encapsulation inorganic film horizontally expanding under a surface of the lower structure to vertically correspond to the emission area and the peripheral area, and a portion disposed between the lower encapsulation inorganic film and the entire of the inorganic surface portion comprises only one or more inorganic materials,

wherein the inorganic surface portion has at least one recess,

wherein the recess is a hole formed through a first inorganic layer on a second inorganic layer such that a top surface of the second inorganic layer is exposed through the hole and becomes a bottom surface of the recess, and

wherein the first inorganic layer comprises only one or more inorganic films, and the second inorganic layer comprises only one or more inorganic films.

30. The electroluminescent device of claim 29,

wherein the recess has a protrusion having a height no more than a depth of the recess.

31. The electroluminescent device of claim 29,

wherein at least two of the recesses have substantially different shapes in a plan view.