ORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20190245015A1
• Filed: 01/23/2019
• Published: 08/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: LEE, Hyoungsub, KIM, Sooyoun, SUNG, Wooyong
• Granted Patent: US 10,644,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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 50/8445 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• 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 59/124 Insulating layers formed between TFT elements and OLED elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass

Abstract

An organic light-emitting display device includes a substrate having a display area surrounding a through area, and a peripheral area between the through and display areas, a light-emitting element on the display area, a first dam on the peripheral area and surrounding the through area, a first protruding pattern on the first dam and protruding toward the display area from the first dam to define an undercut region, a boundary portion extending from the display area toward the first dam, the boundary portion being spaced apart from the first dam to define a first receiving space therebetween, and an encapsulation layer continuously extending from the display area to the peripheral area, the encapsulation layer including at least one organic layer with a first filling portion filling at least part of the first receiving space and protruding toward the first dam to be aligned with the undercut region.

Claims

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

a base substrate including a display area surrounding a through area, and a peripheral area between the through area and the display area;

a light-emitting element array on the display area of the base substrate;

a first dam structure on the peripheral area of the base substrate, the first dam structure having a shape surrounding the through area;

a first protruding pattern on the first dam structure, the first protruding pattern protruding toward the display area from the first dam structure to define a first undercut region;

a boundary portion extending from the display area toward the first dam structure, the boundary portion being spaced apart from the first dam structure to define a first receiving space therebetween; and

a thin film encapsulation layer continuously extending from the display area to the peripheral area, the thin film encapsulation layer including at least one organic layer,

wherein the organic layer includes a first filling portion filling at least a portion of the first receiving space, the first filling portion protruding toward the first dam structure to be aligned with the first undercut region.

2. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second protruding pattern on the boundary portion and protruding toward the through area from the boundary portion to form a second undercut region.

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

a second dam structure between the first dam structure and the through area, the second dam structure surrounding the through area; and

a third protruding pattern on the second dam structure and protruding toward at least the first dam structure to form a third undercut region.

4. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second dam structure has a height larger than a height of the first dam structure.

5. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a common layer extending continuously from the display area into the peripheral area, the common layer being discontinuous at least between the first dam structure and the first receiving space.

6. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the common layer includes at least one of a metal, a lithium compound and an organic-light emitting material.

7. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second dam structure between the first dam structure and the through area, the second dam structure surrounding the through area,

wherein the first protruding pattern is continuous on the first dam structure and the second dam structure to cover a second receiving space between the first dam structure and the second dam structure.

8. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first protruding pattern has a recess that is caved inwardly from an outer boundary of the first protruding pattern, in a plan view.

9. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first dam structure includes an inlet connecting the first receiving space to the second receiving space.

10. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the organic layer of the thin film encapsulation layer further includes a second filling portion filling at least a portion of the second receiving space.

11. The organic light-emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first protruding pattern includes an inorganic material.

12. A method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display device, the method comprising:

forming a boundary portion and a dam structure spaced apart from the boundary portion on a peripheral area of a base substrate, the peripheral area being between a through area and a display area, and the boundary portion extending from the display area into the peripheral area;

forming a sacrificial pattern adjacent to the dam structure;

forming a protruding pattern continuously on the sacrificial pattern and the dam structure;

removing the sacrificial pattern to form a receiving space and an undercut region under the protruding pattern; and

forming a thin film encapsulation layer continuously extending from the display area to the peripheral area and including at least one organic layer,

wherein the organic layer of the thin film encapsulation layer includes a filling portion filling at least a portion of the receiving space and protruding toward the dam structure to be aligned with the undercut region.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the dam structure includes:

a first dam surrounding the through area; and

a second dam surrounding the through area and disposed between the first dam and the through area.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sacrificial pattern includes:

a first sacrificial pattern disposed between the first dam and the boundary portion; and

a second sacrificial pattern disposed between the first dam and the second dam.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the protruding pattern includes:

a first protruding pattern disposed on the first dam and protruding toward at least the boundary portion;

a second protruding pattern disposed on the boundary portion and protruding toward the first dam; and

a third protruding pattern disposed on the second dam and protruding toward at least the first dam.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the protruding pattern includes:

a first protruding pattern disposed continuously on the first dam and the second dam and protruding toward at least the boundary portion; and

a second protruding pattern disposed on the boundary portion and protruding toward the first dam.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first dam includes an inlet connecting a first receiving space between the first dam and the boundary portion to a second receiving space between the first dam and the second dam.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the organic layer of the thin film encapsulation layer includes:

a first filling portion filling at least a portion of the first receiving space; and

a second filling portion filling at least a portion of the second receiving space.

19. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein forming the thin film encapsulation layer includes:

forming a first inorganic layer;

providing a monomer composition on the first inorganic layer; and

curing the monomer composition.

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

a base substrate including a display area surrounding a through area, and a peripheral area between the through area and the display area;

a light-emitting element array on the display area of the base substrate;

an undercut structure on the peripheral area and surrounding the through area; and

a thin film encapsulation layer continuously extending from the display area to the peripheral area, the thin film encapsulation layer including at least one organic layer,

wherein the organic layer includes a filling portion filling at least a portion of a receiving space between the undercut structure and the display area, and aligned with the undercut structure.