Organic light-emitting display device

• US 20120267611A1
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chung, Jin-Koo, Park, Chan-Young, Choi, Jun-Ho, Kim, Seong-Min, Yim, Sang-Hoon
• Granted Patent: US 8,860,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/40
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/818 Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/82 Cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/865 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. light-blocking layers
• 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 59/126 Shielding, e.g. light-blocking means over the TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/13 comprising photosensors that control luminance
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/35 comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/60 OLEDs integrated with inorganic light-sensitive elements, e.g. with inorganic solar cells or inorganic photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/65 OLEDs integrated with inorganic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80518 Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/82 Interconnections, e.g. terminals H10K59/131, H10K59/179 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/87 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8792 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. black layers

Abstract

Embodiments may disclose an organic light-emitting display device including a first substrate including a pixel area emitting light in a first direction, and a transmittance area that is adjacent to the pixel area and transmits external light; a second substrate facing the first substrate and encapsulating a pixel on the first substrate; an optical pattern array on the first substrate or the second substrate to correspond to the transmittance area, the optical pattern array being configured to transmit or block external light depending on the transmittance area according to a coded pattern; and a sensor array corresponding to the optical pattern array, the sensor array being arranged in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in which the light is emitted, the second array receiving the external light passing through the optical pattern array.

Claims

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

a first substrate including a pixel area emitting light in a first direction, and a transmittance area that is adjacent to the pixel area and transmits external light;

a second substrate facing the first substrate and encapsulating a pixel on the first substrate;

an optical pattern array on the first substrate or the second substrate to correspond to the transmittance area, the optical pattern array being configured to transmit or block external light depending on the transmittance area according to a coded pattern; and

a sensor array corresponding to the optical pattern array, the sensor array being arranged in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in which the light is emitted, the sensor array receiving the external light passing through the optical pattern array.

2. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a pixel circuit unit on the first substrate, including one or more thin film transistors (TFTs), and positioned in the pixel area;

a first insulating layer covering at least the pixel circuit unit;

a first electrode on the first insulating layer so as to be electrically connected to the pixel circuit unit, the first electrode being positioned in the pixel area and being adjacent to the pixel circuit unit so as not to overlap with the pixel circuit unit, and including a transparent conductive material;

a second insulating layer covering at least a portion of the first electrode;

a second electrode capable of reflecting light so as to emit light toward the first electrode, the second electrode facing the first electrode and being positioned in the pixel area; and

an organic layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and including an emission layer (EML).

3. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second electrode includes at least one metal of Ag, Mg, Al, Pt, Pd, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, Li, Ca, Yb, and alloys thereof.

4. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pixel includes a plurality of sub-pixels, and transmittance areas of two adjacent sub-pixels are connected to each other.

5. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second insulating layer includes an opening at a position corresponding to the transmittance area.

6. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the optical pattern array includes:

a transmittance pattern by which the external light is transmitted; and

a light-blocking pattern blocking the external light,

wherein the light-blocking pattern is implemented when a light-blocking layer is on the second substrate corresponding to the transmittance area.

7. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sensor array is on side portions of the second substrate and receives the external light passing through the transmittance pattern of the optical pattern array.

8. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the light-blocking layer includes at least one metal of Ag, Mg, Al, Pt, Pd, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, Li, Ca, Mo, and alloys thereof or includes a black matrix material.

9. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the optical pattern array includes:

a transmittance pattern by which the external light is transmitted; and

a light-blocking pattern blocking the external light,

wherein the light-blocking pattern is implemented when the second electrode capable of reflecting light is also formed in the transmittance area.

10. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor array is on side portions of the second substrate and receives the external light passing through the transmittance pattern of the optical pattern array.

11. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a pixel circuit unit on the first substrate, including one or more TFTs, and positioned in the pixel area;

a first insulating layer covering at least the pixel circuit unit;

a first electrode on the first insulating layer so as to be electrically connected to the pixel circuit unit, the first electrode being positioned in the pixel area and overlapping with the pixel circuit unit so as to cover the pixel circuit unit, the first electrode including a reflective layer that is capable of reflecting light and including a conductive material;

a second insulating layer covering at least a portion of the first electrode;

a second electrode capable of transmitting light so as to emit light in an opposite direction to a direction in which the first electrode reflects light, the second electrode facing the first electrode; and

an organic layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and including an EML.

12. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the reflective layer includes at least one metal of Ag, Mg, Al, Pt, Pd, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, Li, Ca, Mo, and alloys thereof.

13. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pixel includes a plurality of sub-pixels, and transmittance areas of two adjacent sub-pixels are connected to each other.

14. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second insulating layer includes an opening at a position corresponding to the transmittance area.

15. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the optical pattern array includes:

a transmittance pattern by which the external light is transmitted; and

a light-blocking pattern blocking the external light,

wherein the light-blocking pattern is implemented when a light-blocking layer capable of blocking light is on an insulating layer formed in the transmittance area.

16. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the sensor array is on side portions of the first substrate and receives the external light passing through the transmittance pattern of the optical pattern array.

17. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the light-blocking layer includes at least one metal of Ag, Mg, Al, Pt, Pd, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, Li, Ca, Mo, and alloys thereof or includes a black matrix material.