ELECTRO-LUMINESCENT DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME

• US 20190326372A1
• Filed: 04/10/2019
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Han, Jongsoo, Park, SangMoo
• Granted Patent: US 11,205,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0413 Details of dummy pixels or dummy lines in flat panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3225 using an active matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3266 Details of drivers for scan electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3291 in which the data driver supplies a variable data voltage for setting the current through, or the voltage across, the light-emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/103 comprising indium oxides, e.g. ITO
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/341 Short-circuit prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/13 comprising stacked EL layers within one EL unit
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/19 Tandem OLEDs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/81 Anodes
• 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 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/38 comprising colour filters or colour changing media [CCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80516 combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80521 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/88 Dummy elements, i.e. elements having non-functional features
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass

Abstract

An electro-luminescent display device includes an anode disposed on a substrate; a bank having an opening that exposes a portion of the anode and having an undercut structure adjacent to the opening; a dummy pattern disposed at the undercut structure of the bank; an organic light-emission layer disposed on the anode and electrically disconnected with at least one of adjacent pixels; and a cathode disposed on the organic light-emission layer.

Claims

1. An electro-luminescent display device, comprising:

an anode disposed on a substrate;

a bank having an opening that exposes a portion of the anode and having an undercut structure adjacent to the opening;

a dummy pattern disposed at the undercut structure of the bank;

an organic light-emission layer disposed on the anode and electrically disconnected with at least one of adjacent pixels; and

a cathode disposed on the organic light-emission layer.

2. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 1, wherein the organic light-emission layer has a multi-stack structure including a plurality of layers.

3. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 1, wherein the organic light-emission layer is electrically disconnected with at least one of adjacent pixels at a lateral surface of an edge of the bank.

4. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 1, wherein the dummy pattern includes a metal material which is selectively etched relative to the anode.

5. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 4, wherein the anode includes ITO, IZO, ZnO, or In₂O₃, and the dummy pattern includes Cu, Al, or IGZO.

6. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 1, wherein the dummy pattern is disposed along at least three edges of the bank.

7. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 6, wherein the dummy pattern is disposed along the entire edge of the bank.

8. An electro-luminescent display device, comprising:

an anode disposed on a substrate;

a bank having an opening that exposes a portion of the anode and having an undercut structure adjacent to the opening;

a dummy pattern disposed at the undercut structure of the bank;

an organic light-emission layer disposed on the anode, wherein the organic light-emission layer is electrically disconnected with adjacent pixels and movement of lithium in the organic light-emission layer to the adjacent pixels is suppressed; and

a cathode disposed on the organic light-emission layer.

9. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 8, wherein the organic light-emission layer has a multi-stack structure including a plurality of layers.

10. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 8, wherein the organic light-emission layer is electrically disconnected with at least one of adjacent pixels at a lateral surface of an edge of the bank.

11. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 8, wherein the dummy pattern includes a metal material which is selectively etched relative to the anode.

12. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 11, wherein the anode includes ITO, IZO, ZnO, or In2O3, and the dummy pattern includes Cu, Al, or IGZO.

13. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 8, wherein the dummy pattern is disposed along at least three edges of the bank.

14. The electro-luminescent display device according to claim 13, wherein the dummy pattern is disposed along an entire edge of the bank.

15. A method of fabricating an electro-luminescent display device, the method comprising:

forming a first metal layer and a second metal layer on a substrate;

forming a photoresist pattern on the substrate;

forming an anode and a second metal layer pattern by etching the first and second metal layers using the photoresist pattern as a mask;

ashing the photoresist pattern and forming a first dummy pattern by etching the second metal layer pattern using the ashed photoresist pattern as a mask;

forming a bank on the substrate and exposing one side of the first dummy pattern;

forming a dummy pattern under an edge of the bank to form an undercut structure within the bank by etching the first dummy pattern; and

forming an organic light-emission layer and a cathode on the substrate, wherein a connection of the organic light-emission layer between neighboring pixels is cut off by the dummy pattern.

16. The method of fabricating an electro-luminescent display device according to claim 15, wherein the organic light-emission layer has a multi-stack structure including a plurality of stacks.

17. The method of fabricating an electro-luminescent display device according to claim 15, wherein the second metal layer is formed of a material which is selectively etched relative to the first metal layer.

18. The method of fabricating an electro-luminescent display device according to claim 17, wherein the first metal layer includes ITO, IZO, ZnO, or In₂O₃, and the second metal layer includes Cu, Al, or IGZO.

19. The method of fabricating an electro-luminescent display device according to claim 15, wherein the dummy pattern is disposed along at least three edges of the bank.

20. The method of fabricating an electro-luminescent display device according to claim 19, wherein the dummy pattern is disposed along an entire edge of the bank.