Organic light-emitting display apparatus

• US 10,381,593 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hong, Sang-Min, Hwang, Hyun-Min, Kim, Hyun-Young, Na, Eun-Jae
• Primary Examiner(s): Quarterman, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US15/703,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20180006268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/124 Insulating layers formed between TFT elements and OLED elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals

Abstract

An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a first substrate, a display unit defining an active area on the first substrate and including an insulating layer, a second substrate on the display unit, one or more signal lines outside the active area and on the insulating layer, and a sealant between the first substrate and the second substrate. The sealant bonds the first substrate and the second substrate, and covers at least a portion of the signal lines.

Claims

1. An organic light-emitting display apparatus comprising:

a first substrate;

a display unit having an active area on the first substrate and comprising an organic light-emitting device and a thin film transistor in the active area, the organic light-emitting device comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and an intermediate layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the thin film transistor comprising an active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode;

a second substrate on the display unit;

a cathode power line outside the active area;

a metal layer between the second electrode and the cathode power line, the metal layer electrically connecting the second electrode and the cathode power line; and

a sealant between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein the cathode power line comprises a same material as the source electrode and the drain electrode,

wherein the metal layer comprises a same material as the first electrode,

wherein the sealant and the cathode power line extend substantially parallel to each other in same direction, and

wherein the sealant overlaps and contacts an outer edge portion of the cathode power line.

2. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an interlayer insulating layer between the gate electrode and the source and drain electrodes,

wherein the cathode power line is between the interlayer insulating layer and the second substrate.

3. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 2, wherein the interlayer insulating layer defines at least two first holes outside of, and on a single side of, the active area, and the at least two first holes are filled with the sealant.

4. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a passivation layer on the interlayer insulating layer,

wherein the metal layer is on the passivation layer.

5. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the passivation layer physically contacts at least a portion of the cathode power line.

6. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the passivation layer covers an inner edge portion of the cathode power line between the cathode power line and the metal layer.

7. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistor is electrically connected to the first electrode.

8. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a gate insulating layer between the active layer and the gate electrode on the active layer.

9. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gate insulating layer defines at least two second holes filled with the sealant, and

wherein each of the at least two second holes corresponds to each of the at least two first holes.

10. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealant is separated from the second electrode.

11. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pixel-defining layer covering the metal layer and having a contact hole,

wherein the second electrode is on the pixel-defining layer and contacts the metal layer through the contact hole.

12. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the pixel-defining layer is separated from the sealant.

13. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the pixel-defining layer covers at least a portion of the cathode power line exposed between the sealant and the metal layer.

14. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 11, wherein

the pixel-defining layer has a third hole, and

the sealant covers at least a portion of the pixel-defining layer and contacts the cathode power line through the third hole.

15. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealant covers an outer edge portion of the cathode power line.

16. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealant extends along the outer edge portion of the cathode power line.