Display device including a barrier layer

• US 10,629,845 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2018
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Joonghyun, Lee, Kyongtaeg, Park, Sangyoung, Choi, Kyungsuk
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong Q
• Application Number:
  US16/157,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20190288234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals

Abstract

A display device includes a substrate including a display area and a peripheral area surrounding the display area; a display element in the display area and electrically connected to a thin film transistor; a power supply line in the peripheral area; an insulating layer covering a portion of the power supply line; and a barrier layer on the insulating layer and including a first side surface facing the display area and a second side surface that is opposite to the first side surface, wherein at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface includes a concavo-convex surface, wherein the barrier layer forms a step difference with respect to an upper surface of the insulating layer, and an end of the insulating layer extends from the display area in a direction toward an edge of the substrate beyond the second side surface of the barrier layer.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a substrate including a display area and a peripheral area adjacent to the display area;

a display element disposed in the display area and electrically connected to a thin film transistor;

a power supply line disposed in the peripheral area;

an insulating layer covering a portion of the power supply line; and

a barrier layer disposed on the insulating layer and including a first side surface facing the display area and a second side surface facing away from the display area, wherein at least one of the first side surface or the second side surface comprises a concavo-convex surface,

wherein the barrier layer forms a step difference with respect to an upper surface of the insulating layer facing away from the substrate, and

an end of the insulating layer is positioned beyond the second side surface of the barrier layer on a side of the barrier layer facing away from the display area.

2. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a planarization layer between the thin film transistor and the display element; and

a pixel-defining layer disposed on a pixel electrode of the display element and defining an opening exposing the pixel electrode.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein the insulating layer comprises a same material as the planarization layer, and

the barrier layer comprises a same material as the pixel-defining layer.

4. The display device of claim 2, wherein the barrier layer is spaced apart from the pixel-defining layer by a predetermined distance.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the power supply line comprises a body portion extending along an edge of the display area and a connection portion extending from the body portion toward an outer edge of the substrate so as to cross the body portion, and

the barrier layer overlaps the body portion of the power supply line along a direction orthogonal to an upper surface of the substrate.

6. The display device of claim 5, wherein the connection portion comprises a concavo-convex surface.

7. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a terminal disposed in the peripheral area adjacent to a first side of the display area,

wherein the power supply line is disposed between the first side of the display area and the terminal.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein the barrier layer extends to surround the display area when viewed in a plan view.

9. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a dam surrounding the display area in a plan view.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein the barrier layer is between an edge of the display area facing the peripheral area and the dam.

11. A display device comprising:

a substrate including a display area and a peripheral area adjacent to the display area;

a thin film transistor disposed in the display area;

a pixel electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor;

an insulating layer between the thin film transistor and the pixel electrode;

a power supply line disposed in the peripheral area, wherein a portion of the power supply line is covered by the insulating layer; and

a barrier layer disposed in the peripheral area to overlap the power supply line along a direction orthogonal to an upper surface of the substrate, the barrier layer including a first side surface facing the display area and a second side surface facing away from the display area, wherein at least one of the first side surface or the second side surface comprises a concavo-convex surface, wherein the barrier layer forms a step difference with respect to an upper surface of the insulating layer facing away from the upper surface of the substrate.

12. The display device of claim 11, further comprising:

a pixel-defining layer defining an opening exposing the pixel electrode;

an emission layer overlapping the pixel electrode through the opening of the pixel-defining layer; and

an opposite electrode on the emission layer.

13. The display device of claim 12, wherein the barrier layer is spaced apart from the pixel-defining layer by a predetermined distance.

14. The display device of claim 11, wherein an end of the insulating layer is positioned beyond the second side surface of the barrier layer on a side of the barrier layer facing away from the display area.

15. The display device of claim 11, wherein the power supply line comprises a main power supply line portion extending along a first side of the display area, and

the barrier layer overlaps the main power supply line portion along the direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the substrate.

16. The display device of claim 15, further comprising:

a terminal disposed in the peripheral area adjacent to the first side of the display area,

wherein the power supply line further comprises a connection portion extending in a direction crossing the main power supply line portion and connecting the main power supply line portion with the terminal.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein an edge of the connection portion comprises a concavo-convex surface.

18. The display device of claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of driving voltage lines extending onto the display area and electrically connected to the thin film transistor,

wherein the power supply line supplies a first power supply to the plurality of driving voltage lines.

19. The display device of claim 11, further comprising:

a thin film encapsulation layer covering the display area and including at least one organic encapsulation layer and at least one inorganic encapsulation layer,

wherein the at least one organic encapsulation layer extends to the peripheral area to cover the barrier layer.

20. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a display area and a peripheral area adjacent to the display area defined above the substrate;

a power supply line positioned above the substrate;

an insulating layer disposed on the power supply line;

a first inorganic encapsulation layer disposed on the insulating layer;

an organic encapsulation layer disposed on the first inorganic encapsulation layer;

a second inorganic encapsulation layer disposed on the organic encapsulation layer;

a barrier layer disposed on the insulating layer in the peripheral are, wherein a side of the barrier layer includes a plurality of protruding portions with spaces between the protruding portions; and

a dam disposed on the insulating layer in the peripheral area, wherein the dam is positioned further away from the display area than the barrier layer.

21. The display device of claim 20, wherein an uppermost level of the dam facing away from the substrate is further away from the substrate than an uppermost level of the barrier layer facing away from the substrate.

22. The display device of claim 20, further comprising a trench formed in the insulating layer having a predetermined width between the barrier layer and the dam.

23. The display device of claim 20, wherein the barrier layer includes a material different from a material included in the insulating layer.

24. The display device of claim 20, wherein the dam includes a material different from a material included in the insulating layer.