ORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20120001184A1
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ha, Jae-Heung, Hwang, Kyu-Hwan, Yoon, Seok-Gyu, Song, Young-Woo, Lee, Jong-Hyuk, Kim, Keum-Nam, Hwang, Young-In
• Granted Patent: US 8,569,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/59
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/824 combined with auxiliary electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/121 characterised by the geometry or disposition of pixel elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1315 comprising structures specially adapted for lowering the resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80522 combined with auxiliary electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/871 Self-supporting sealing arrangements

Abstract

A transparent organic light-emitting display device has an improved transmittance and a reduced voltage drop in an opposite electrode. The organic light-emitting display device includes: a first substrate having a transmitting region and a plurality of pixel regions separated from each other by the transmitting region interposed between the pixel regions; a plurality of pixel electrodes being located at the pixel regions, respectively; an opposite electrode facing the pixel electrodes and being at the transmitting region and the pixel regions; a second substrate facing the opposite electrode and being bonded to the first substrate; a first conductive unit being between the second substrate and the opposite electrode, opposite ends of the first conductive unit contacting the second substrate and the opposite electrode, respectively; and a second conductive unit facing the first conductive unit and contacting the opposite electrode that is between the first conductive unit and the second conductive unit.

Claims

1. An organic light-emitting display device comprising:

a first substrate having a transmitting region and a plurality of pixel regions separated from each other by the transmitting region interposed between the pixel regions;

a plurality of thin film transistors on the first substrate and being at the pixel regions of the substrate, respectively;

a passivation layer covering the plurality of thin film transistors;

a plurality of pixel electrodes on the passivation layer being electrically coupled to the thin film transistors, respectively, the plurality of pixel electrodes being at the pixel regions, respectively, and overlapping and covering the thin film transistors, respectively;

an opposite electrode facing the pixel electrodes and being at the transmitting region and the pixel regions;

an organic emission layer interposed between a corresponding one of the pixel electrodes and the opposite electrode for emitting light;

a second substrate facing the opposite electrode and being bonded to the first substrate;

a first conductive unit being interposed between the second substrate and the opposite electrode, opposite ends of the first conductive unit contacting the second substrate and the opposite electrode, respectively, and the first conductive unit comprising a conductive material; and

a second conductive unit facing the first conductive unit and contacting the opposite electrode, the second conductive unit comprising a conductive material, the opposite electrode being interposed between the first conductive unit and the second conductive unit.

2. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein each of the pixel electrodes has an area substantially identical to that of a corresponding one of the pixel regions.

3. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of conductive lines electrically coupled to the thin film transistors, respectively, wherein at least one of the conductive lines overlaps at least one of the pixel electrodes.

4. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein a ratio of an area of the transmitting region with respect to a total area of the pixel regions and the transmitting region is between 5% and 90%.

5. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the passivation layer is on both the transmitting region and the pixel regions, and comprises a transparent material.

6. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein at least portions of the first conductive unit and the second conductive unit overlap the transmitting region.

7. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the first conductive unit is on a surface of the second substrate that faces the opposite electrode.

8. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, further comprising an insulating layer on the passivation layer, the insulating layer covering edges of the pixel electrodes, wherein the second conductive unit is on the insulating layer.

9. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the opposite electrode has a transmission window in at least a portion of a region corresponding to the transmitting region, wherein the first conductive unit and the second conductive unit are adjacent to the transmission window.

10. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the pixel electrodes are reflective electrodes.

11. An organic light-emitting display device comprising:

a first substrate having a transmitting region and a plurality of pixel regions separated from each other by the transmitting region interposed between the pixel regions;

a plurality of pixel circuits on the first substrate, wherein each of the pixel circuits comprises at least one thin film transistor, and the plurality of pixel circuits are at the pixel regions, respectively;

a first insulating layer covering the pixel circuits;

a plurality of pixel electrodes on the first insulating layer being electrically coupled to the pixel circuits, respectively, and overlapping and covering the pixel circuits, respectively;

an opposite electrode facing the pixel electrodes and being at the transmitting region and the pixel regions;

an organic emission layer interposed between a corresponding one of the pixel electrodes and the opposite electrode for emitting light;

a second substrate facing the opposite electrode and being bonded to the first substrate;

a first conductive unit interposed between the second substrate and the opposite electrode having opposite ends contacting the second substrate and the opposite electrode, respectively, and the first conductive unit comprising a conductive material; and

a second conductive unit facing the first conductive unit and contacting the opposite electrode, the second conductive unit comprising a conductive material, the opposite electrode being interposed between the first conductive unit and the second conductive unit.

12. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 11, wherein the corresponding one of the pixel electrodes is at a same region as a corresponding one of the pixel regions.

13. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of conductive lines electrically coupled to the pixel circuits, respectively, wherein at least one of the conductive lines crosses at least one of the pixel regions.

14. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 11, wherein a ratio of an area of the transmitting region with respect to a total area of the pixel regions and the transmitting region is between 5% and 90%.

15. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 11, wherein the first insulating layer and a plurality of second insulating layers are on both the transmitting region and the pixel regions, and comprise a transparent material.

16. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 11, wherein at least portions of the first conductive unit and the second conductive unit overlap the transmitting region.

17. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 11, wherein the first conductive unit is on a surface of the second substrate that faces the opposite electrode.

18. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 11, further comprising a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer, the second insulating layer covering edges of the pixel electrodes, wherein the second conductive unit is on the second insulating layer.

19. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 11, wherein the opposite electrode has a transmission window formed in at least a portion of a region corresponding to the transmitting region, wherein the first conductive unit and the second conductive unit are adjacent to the transmission window.

20. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 11, wherein the pixel electrodes are reflective electrodes.