ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DIODE DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME

• US 20140145158A1
• Filed: 08/28/2013
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Dae-Jung, Lee, Jae-Ki, Seo, Hwang-Un, Jeon, Hong-Myeong, Lee, A-Ryoung, Lee, Geum-Young, Yang, Ki-Soub, Choi, Seung-Ryul, Kim, Han-Hee, Kim, Kang-Hyun
• Granted Patent: US 9,318,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/40
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1213 the pixel elements being TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/123 Connection of the pixel electrodes to the thin film transistors [TFT]

Abstract

An organic light emitting diode display device includes a substrate including a display region, wherein a plurality of pixel regions are defined in the display region; a first electrode over the substrate and in each of the plurality of pixel regions; a bank including a lower layer and an upper layer on the first electrode, the lower layer disposed on edges of the first electrode and having a first width and a first thickness, the upper layer disposed on the lower layer and having a second width smaller than the first width; an organic emitting layer on the first electrode and a portion of the lower layer; and a second electrode on the organic emitting layer and covering an entire surface of the display region.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an organic light emitting diode display device, comprising:

forming a first electrode over a substrate including a display region, which includes a plurality of pixel regions, the first electrode formed in each of the plurality of pixel regions;

forming a bank including a lower layer and an upper layer, the lower layer formed on edges of the first electrode and having a first width and a first thickness, and the upper layer formed on the lower layer and having a second width smaller than the first width;

forming an organic emitting layer on the first electrode and a portion of the lower layer; and

forming a second electrode on the organic emitting layer, the second electrode covering an entire surface of the display region.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lower layer and the upper layer include a same material having a hydrophobic property.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first thickness is smaller than a thickness of the organic emitting layer and is within a range of about 0.2 to 1.5 micrometers.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a width of the lower layer exposed outwards side surfaces of the upper layer is within a range of about 1 to 9 micrometers.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the organic emitting layer on the portion of the lower layer has a flat top surface with the organic emitting layer on a center of the pixel region.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein forming the organic emitting layer includes:

applying a liquid phase organic emitting material using an ink-jet apparatus or a nozzle-coating apparatus; and

curing the organic emitting material to form the organic emitting layer.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the bank includes:

forming a bank material layer on the first electrode by applying a polymer material having a hydrophobic property and a photosensitive property;

exposing the bank material layer to light through an exposing mask including a transmitting region, a blocking region and a half-transmitting region; and

patterning the bank material layer exposed to light.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the bank includes:

forming a bank material layer on the first electrode by applying a polymer material having a hydrophobic property;

forming a photoresist layer on the bank material layer;

exposing the photoresist layer to light through an exposing mask including a transmitting region, a blocking region and a half-transmitting region;

developing the photoresist layer exposed to light to form a first photoresist pattern and a second photoresist pattern, the first photoresist pattern having a thickness larger than the second photoresist pattern;

patterning the bank material layer using the first and second photoresist patterns as an etching mask to form a bank pattern;

removing the second photoresist pattern by performing an ashing process to expose the bank pattern corresponding to the second photoresist pattern and to reduce the thickness of the first photoresist pattern;

anisotropically dry-etching the bank pattern using the first photoresist pattern having the reduced thickness as an etching mask to form the lower layer and the upper layer of the bank; and

stripping the first photoresist pattern to expose the upper layer of the bank.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the bank includes:

forming a bank material layer on the first electrode by applying a polymer material having a hydrophobic property;

forming a photoresist layer on the bank material layer;

exposing the photoresist layer to light through an exposing mask including a transmitting region and a blocking region;

developing the photoresist layer exposed to light to form a first photoresist pattern;

patterning the bank material layer using the first photoresist pattern as an etching mask to form a bank pattern;

partially removing the first photoresist pattern by performing an isotropic ashing process to form a second photoresist pattern having a width and a thickness smaller than the first photoresist pattern and to expose the bank pattern outwards side surfaces of the second photoresist pattern;

anisotropically dry-etching the bank pattern using the second photoresist pattern as an etching mask to form the lower layer and the upper layer of the bank; and

stripping the second photoresist pattern to expose the upper layer of the bank.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the organic emitting layer has a second thickness larger than the first thickness.

11. An organic light emitting diode display device, comprising:

a substrate including a display region, wherein a plurality of pixel regions are defined in the display region;

a first electrode over the substrate and in each of the plurality of pixel regions;

a bank including a lower layer and an upper layer on the first electrode, the lower layer disposed on edges of the first electrode and having a first width and a first thickness, the upper layer disposed on the lower layer and having a second width smaller than the first width;

an organic emitting layer on the first electrode and a portion of the lower layer; and

a second electrode on the organic emitting layer and covering an entire surface of the display region.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the lower layer and the upper layer include a same material having a hydrophobic property.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein the organic emitting layer on the portion of the lower layer has a flat top surface with the organic emitting layer on a center of the pixel region.

14. The device according to claim 11, wherein the organic emitting layer in a region surrounded by the lower layer has a uniform thickness.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein the organic emitting layer has a second thickness larger than the first thickness.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the first thickness has a range within about 0.2 to 1.5 micrometers.

17. The device according to claim 11, wherein the upper layer completely overlaps the lower layer such that the lower layer protrudes from the upper layer by a third width.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the third width has a range within about 1 to 9 micrometers.