BANK REPAIR METHOD, ORGANIC EL DISPLAY DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND ORGANIC EL DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20170040393A1
• Filed: 08/02/2016
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated, JOLED Inc.
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated, JOLED Inc.
• Inventors: ONIMARU, Toshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,876,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/13 comprising stacked EL layers within one EL unit
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1201 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/135 using ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/861 Repairing

Abstract

A bank repair method in a manufacturing process of an organic EL display device including first and second banks forming a matrix over a substrate. When a defect portion of a first bank is detected, in each of adjacent concave spaces between which the first bank having the defect portion is located, a candidate forming position is set and a dam portion partitioning the concave space into a first space in a vicinity of the defect portion and a second space outside the vicinity of the defect portion is formed. When denoting sub-pixel region surface area as H and denoting a surface area of a region of a candidate first space overlapping with a sub-pixel region as I, the dam portion is formed at the candidate forming position according to a first forming method when I<α×H is fulfilled, where 0.05<α<0.9.

Claims

1. A bank repair method in a manufacturing process of an organic EL display device including:

a substrate;

first banks and second banks disposed over the substrate; and

light-emitting layers disposed in concave spaces that the first banks define over the substrate, the first banks elongated in a first direction and spaced away from one another in a second direction, the second banks elongated in the second direction and spaced away from one another in the first direction, the first direction and the second direction being different directions along a top surface of the substrate and intersecting with one another, the bank repair method comprising;

detecting a defect portion of a first bank;

when a defect portion of a first bank is detected, setting a candidate forming position for a dam portion in each of adjacent concave spaces between which the first bank having the defect portion is located in the second direction; and

forming a dam portion in each of the adjacent concave spaces, a dam portion formed in a concave space partitioning the concave space into a first space in a vicinity of the defect portion and a second space outside the vicinity of the defect portion, wherein

when (i) defining a region surrounded by a pair of adjacent first banks and a pair of adjacent second banks as a sub-pixel region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of a sub-pixel region as H, and (ii) defining a region of a candidate first space that overlaps with a sub-pixel region as an overlap region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of the overlap region as I, wherein the candidate first space is the first space when the dam portion is formed at the candidate forming position,

when I<

α

×

H is fulfilled, where a fulfills 0.05<

α

<

0.9, and the candidate first space does not overlap with any second bank in plan view, the dam portion is formed at the candidate forming position according to a first forming method.

2. The bank repair method of claim 1, wherein

a height of the second banks from the top surface of the substrate is smaller than a height of the first banks from the top surface of the substrate, and when α

×

H≦

I is fulfilled and, the candidate first space does not overlap with any second bank in plan view or one of two ends of the candidate first space in the first direction overlaps with a second bank in plan view, the dam portion is a pair of dams formed according to a second forming method forming the dam portion at higher speed than the first forming method, the dams, in plan view, each extending in the second direction from the first bank having the defect portion to an adjacent first bank, and respectively formed on two adjacent second banks between which the defect portion is located in the first direction.

3. The bank repair method of claim 1, wherein

the dam portion is a pair of dams extending from different ones of two points on the first bank having the defect portion to an adjacent first bank, the defect portion being located between the two points in the first direction.

4. The bank repair method of claim 2, wherein

when I<

α

×

H is fulfilled and one of two first-direction ends of the candidate first space overlaps with a second bank in plan view,

the dam portion is a pair of dams composed of one dam formed according to the second forming method on the second bank with which the one of two first-direction ends of the candidate first space overlaps, and one dam formed according to the first forming method at a corresponding candidate forming position.

5. The bank repair method of claim 4, wherein

when the candidate first space, in plan view, spans over a second bank and across two sub-pixel regions between which the second bank is located in the first direction,

when (i) defining a region of one of the two sub-pixel regions that overlaps with the candidate first space as a first overlap region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of the first overlap region as Ia, the one of the two sub-pixel regions being a sub-pixel region in which one first-direction end of the candidate first space is located, and (ii) defining a region of the other one of the two sub-pixel regions that overlaps with the candidate first space as a second overlap region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of the second overlap region as Ib, the other one of the two sub-pixel regions being a sub-pixel region in which the other first-direction end of the candidate first space is located,

the dam portion is a pair of a first dam and a second dam, the first dam corresponding to the one first-direction end of the candidate first space and the second dam corresponding to the other first-direction end of the candidate first space, wherein

the first dam is formed according to the first forming method at a corresponding candidate forming position when Ia<

α

×

H is fulfilled, and is formed according to the second forming method on one of two second banks adjacent to the second bank with which the candidate first space overlaps that is at a side of the one first-direction end of the candidate first space when α

×

H≦

Ia is fulfilled, and

the second dam is formed according to the first forming method at a corresponding candidate forming position when Ib<

α

×

H is fulfilled, and is formed according to the second forming method on the other one of the two second banks adjacent to the second bank with which the candidate first space overlaps, which is at a side of the other first-direction end of the candidate first space, when α

×

H≦

Ib is fulfilled.

6. The bank repair method of claim 3, wherein

the dam portion is a pair of dams extending along the second direction.

7. The bank repair method of claim 3, wherein

the dam portion is a pair of dams extending in parallel in a direction intersecting with the second direction.

8. The bank repair method of claim 3, wherein

the dam portion is a pair of dams located at a distance from one another, the distance decreasing with increasing distance from the first bank having the defect portion.

9. The bank repair method of claim 1, wherein

the dam portion extends between two points on the first bank having the defect portion while detouring around the defect portion, the defect portion being located between the two points in the first direction.

10. The bank repair method of claim 9, wherein

when I<

α

×

H is fulfilled and one of two first-direction ends of the candidate first space overlaps with a second bank in plan view,

the dam portion is formed at the candidate forming position according to the first forming method.

11. The bank repair method of claim 9, wherein

when the candidate first space, in plan view, spans over a second bank and across two sub-pixel regions between which the second bank is located in the first direction,

when (i) defining a region of one of the two sub-pixel regions that overlaps with the candidate first space as a first overlap region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of the first overlap region as Ia, the one of the two sub-pixel regions being a sub-pixel region in which one first-direction end of the candidate first space is located, and (ii) defining a region of the other one of the two sub-pixel regions that overlaps with the candidate first space as a second overlap region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of the second overlap region as Ib, the other one of the two sub-pixel regions being a sub-pixel region in which the other first-direction end of the candidate first space is located,

the dam portion is formed according to the first forming method at the candidate forming position when Ia<

α

×

H and Ib<

α

×

H are fulfilled, and

the dam portion is a pair of dams formed according to a second forming method forming the dam portion at higher speed than the first forming method when α

×

H≦

Ia and α

×

H≦

Ib are fulfilled, the dams, in plan view, each extending in the second direction from the first bank having the defect portion to an adjacent first bank, and respectively formed on two second banks adjacent to the second bank with which the candidate first space overlaps.

12. The bank repair method of claim 11, wherein

when the candidate first space, in plan view, spans over a second bank and across two sub-pixel regions between which the second bank is located in the first direction, and Ia<

α

×

H and α

×

H≦

Ib are fulfilled,

when denoting a length of a sub-pixel region in the first direction as L, and denoting a distance in the first direction between the one first-direction end of the candidate first space and an end portion of the second bank with which the candidate first space overlaps that is at a side of the one first-direction end of the candidate first space as da,

the dam portion is a pair of a first dam and a second dam when da<

α

×

L is fulfilled, the first dam formed according to the first forming method at a position corresponding to the one first-direction end of the candidate first space and the second dam formed according to the second forming method on one of two second banks adjacent to the second bank with which the candidate first space overlaps that is at a side of the other first-direction end of the candidate first space, and the dam portion is formed according to the first forming method at the candidate forming position when α

×

L≦

da is fulfilled.

13. The bank repair method of claim 9, wherein

the dam portion comes in contact with a first bank adjacent to the first bank having the defect portion at some point along a path between the two points.

14. The bank repair method of claim 9, wherein

the dam portion does not come in contact with a first bank adjacent to the first bank having the defect portion.

15. The bank repair method of claim 1, wherein

in the forming of the dam portion, a protruding portion is formed in addition to the dam portion, the protruding portion protruding upward from a top surface of each of the first bank having the defect portion and an adjacent first bank at a portion coming in contact with the dam portion.

16. The bank repair method of claim 1, wherein

a height of the second banks from the top surface of the substrate is equal to a height of the first banks from the top surface of the substrate, and

the dam portion is not formed in a sub-pixel region in which α

×

H≦

I is fitted.

17. The bank repair method of claim 1, wherein

the first forming method forms the dam portion by using a needle dispenser.

18. The bank repair method of claim 2, wherein

the second forming method forms the dam portion by using a nozzle dispenser.

19. The bank repair method of claim 1, wherein

α

=0.2.

20. A manufacturing method of an organic EL display device, comprising:

forming the dam portion according to the bank repair method of claim 1; and

after forming the dam portion, forming the light-emitting layers in the concave spaces by ejecting ink droplets into the concave spaces by using a nozzle head, wherein

in the forming of the light-emitting layers, ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle head to arrive in both the first space and the second space.

21. An organic EL display device comprising:

a substrate;

first banks and second banks disposed over the substrate; and

light-emitting layers disposed in concave spaces that the first banks define over the substrate, wherein

the first banks are elongated in a first direction and spaced away from one another in a second direction, and the second banks are elongated in the second direction and spaced away from one another in the first direction, the first direction and the second direction being different directions along a top surface of the substrate and intersecting with one another,

the first banks include a first bank having a defect portion, the defect portion being a foreign particle or a missing portion of the first bank, and

a dam portion is disposed in each of adjacent concave spaces between which the first bank having the defect portion is located in the second direction, a dam portion formed in a concave space partitioning a light-emitting layer disposed in the concave space into a first light-emitting layer in a vicinity of the defect portion and a second light-emitting layer outside the vicinity of the defect portion.

22. The organic EL display device of claim 21, wherein

a light-emission color of the first light-emitting layer differs from a light-emission color of the second light-emitting layer, and

the light-emission color of the first light-emitting layer is a mixture of light-emission colors of second light-emitting layers respectively disposed in the adjacent concave spaces.

23. The organic EL display device of claim 21, wherein

a height of the second banks from the top surface of the substrate is smaller than a height of the first banks from the top surface of the substrate, and

when (i) defining a region surrounded by a pair of adjacent first banks and a pair of adjacent second banks as a sub-pixel region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of a sub-pixel region as H, and (ii) denoting a plan-view surface area of the first light-emitting layer as I,

I<

α

×

H is fulfilled, where a fulfills 0.05<

α

<

0.9,

in plan view, the first light-emitting layer does not overlap with any second bank, or one of two first-direction ends of the first light-emitting layer overlaps with a second bank, and

the dam portion has a first width.

24. The organic EL display device of claim 21, wherein

a height of the second banks from the top surface of the substrate is smaller than a height of the first banks from the top surface of the substrate,

when defining a region surrounded by a pair of adjacent first banks and a pair of adjacent second banks as a sub-pixel region, the first light-emitting layer, in plan view, spans over a second bank and across two sub-pixel regions between which the second bank is located in the first direction,

when (i) denoting a plan-view surface area of a sub-pixel region as H, (ii) defining a region of one of the two sub-pixel regions that overlaps with the first light-emitting layer as a first overlap region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of the first overlap region as Ia, the one of the two sub-pixel regions being a sub-pixel region in which one first-direction end of the light-emitting layer is located, and (iii) defining a region of the other one of the two sub-pixel regions that overlaps with the first light-emitting layer as a second overlap region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of the second overlap region as Ib, the other one of the two sub-pixel regions being a sub-pixel region in which the other first-direction end of the light-emitting layer is located, Ia<

α

×

H and Ib<

α

×

H are fulfilled, and

the dam portion has a first width.

25. The organic EL display device of claim 21, wherein

the dam portion is a pair of dams each having a first width and extending from different ones of two points on the first bank having the defect portion to an adjacent first bank, the defect portion being located between the two points in the first direction.

26. The organic EL display device of claim 25, wherein

the dams extend along the second direction.

27. The organic EL display device of claim 25, wherein

the dams extend in parallel in a direction intersecting with the second direction.

28. The organic EL display device of claim 25, wherein

the dams are located at a distance from one another, the distance decreasing with increasing distance from the first bank having the defect portion.

29. The organic EL display device of claim 21, wherein

the dam portion extends between two points on the first bank having the defect portion while detouring around the defect portion, the defect portion being located between the two points in the first direction.

30. The organic EL display device of claim 29, wherein

the dam portion comes in contact with a first bank adjacent to the first bank having the defect portion at some point along a path between the two points.

31. The organic EL display device of claim 29, wherein

the dam portion does not come in contact with a first bank adjacent to the first bank having the defect portion.

32. The organic EL display device of claim 21, wherein

a height of the second banks from the top surface of the substrate is smaller than a height of the first banks from the top surface of the substrate,

when defining a region surrounded by a pair of adjacent first banks and a pair of adjacent second banks as a sub-pixel region, the first light-emitting layer, in plan view, spans over a second bank across two sub-pixel regions between which the second bank is located in the first direction,

the dam portion has a first width and extends between two points on the first bank having the defect portion while detouring around the defect portion, the defect portion being located between the two points in the first direction,

when (i) denoting a plan-view surface area of a sub-pixel region as H, (ii) defining a region of one of the two sub-pixel regions that overlaps with the first light-emitting layer as a first overlap region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of the first overlap region as Ia, the one of the two sub-pixel regions being a sub-pixel region in which one first-direction end of the light-emitting layer is located, (iii) defining a region of the other one of the two sub-pixel regions that overlaps with the first light-emitting layer as a second overlap region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of the second overlap region as Ib, the other one of the two sub-pixel regions being a sub-pixel region in which the other first-direction end of the light-emitting layer is located, (iv) denoting a length of a sub-pixel region in the first direction as L, and (v) denoting a distance in the first direction between the one first-direction end of the first light-emitting layer and an end portion of the second bank with which the first light-emitting layer overlaps at a side of the one first direction end of the first light-emitting layer as da,

Ia<

α

×

H, α

×

H≦

Ib, and α

×

L≦

da are fulfilled.

33. The organic EL display device of claim 21, wherein

a height of the second banks from the top surface of the substrate is smaller than a height of the first banks from the top surface of the substrate,

when defining a region surrounded by a pair of adjacent first banks and a pair of adjacent second banks as a sub-pixel region, the first light-emitting layer, in plan view, spans over a second bank and across two sub-pixel regions between which the second bank is located in the first direction,

the dam portion is a pair of a first dam and a second dam,

the first dam has a first width, is disposed at one first-direction side of the second bank with which the first light-emitting layer overlaps, and extends in the second direction from the first bank having the defect portion to an adjacent first bank,

the second dam has a second width greater than the first width, is disposed on a second bank that is adjacent to the second bank with which the first light-emitting layer overlaps and is located at the other first-direction side of the second bank with which the first light-emitting layer overlaps, and extends in the second direction from the first bank having the defect portion to the adjacent first bank, and

when (i) denoting a plan-view surface area of a sub-pixel region as H, and (ii) defining a region of one of the two sub-pixel regions that overlaps with the first light-emitting layer as a first overlap region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of the first overlap region as Ia, the one of the two sub-pixel regions being a sub-pixel region at the one first-direction side of the second bank with which the first light-emitting layer overlaps, Ia<

α

×

H is fulfilled.

34. The organic EL display device of claim 21, wherein

a height of the second banks from the top surface of the substrate is smaller than a height of the first banks from the top surface of the substrate,

the defect portion does not overlap with any second bank in plan view, and

the dam portion is a pair of dams each having a second width, the dams respectively disposed on two adjacent second banks between which the defect portion is located in the first direction and each extending in the second direction from the first bank having the defect portion to an adjacent first bank.

35. The organic EL display device of claim 21, wherein

a height of the second banks from the top surface of the substrate is smaller than a height of the first banks from the top surface of the substrate,

the defect portion overlaps with a second bank in plan view, and

the dam portion is a pair of dams each having a second width, the dams respectively disposed on two second banks between which the second bank overlapping with the defect portion is located in the first direction and each extending in the second direction from the first bank having the defect portion to an adjacent first bank.

36. The organic EL display device of claim 21 further comprising

a protruding portion protruding upward from a top surface of each of the first bank having the defect portion and an adjacent first bank at a portion coming in contact with the dam portion.

37. The organic EL display device of claim 21, wherein

a height of the second banks from the top surface of the substrate is equal to a height of the first banks from the top surface of the substrate,

when (i) defining a region surrounded by a pair of adjacent first banks and a pair of adjacent second banks as a sub-pixel region, and denoting a plan-view surface area of a sub-pixel region as H, and (ii) denoting a plan-view surface area of the first light-emitting layer as I, I<

α

×

H is fulfilled, where a fulfills 0.05<

α

<

0.9, and

the dam portion has a first width.

38. The organic EL display device of claim 23, wherein

the first width is between 5 μ

m and 20 μ

m.

39. The organic EL display device of claim 33, wherein

the second width is between 10 μ

m and 50 μ

m.