OLED display device having pixel separation layer sidewall comprising curved sections

• US 9,935,160 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2015
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Lv, Xiaowen, Zhang, Hejing
• Primary Examiner(s): Whalen, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHI, SUBERR L
• Application Number:
  US14/762,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20170141165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/00 Constructional details relating to the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/341 Short-circuit prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/81 Anodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/82 Cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks

Abstract

The present invention provides an OLED display device, which includes: a substrate (1), a plurality of pixel zones arranged in an array on the substrate (1), each of the pixel zones comprising a pixel electrode (2), an organic light-emitting layer (3), and a common electrode (4) that are sequentially stacked on the substrate (1), and a pixel separation layer (5) including a plurality of openings, the openings being each delimited and circumferentially surrounded by a pixel separation layer sidewall (51), each of the openings corresponding to one of the pixel zones. The pixel separation layer (5) is formed of an inorganic material. The pixel separation layer sidewall (51) includes, arranged from top to bottom, a first curved section (511), a linear section (512), and a second curved section (513), so as to overcome a deterioration issue of the organic light-emitting layer (3) caused by the pixel separation layer sidewall (51), prevent the organic light-emitting layer (3) and the common electrode (4) from breaking at a site corresponding to the pixel separation layer sidewall (51), prevent shorting between the common electrode (4) and the pixel electrode (2), which are the cathode and anode of the OLED display device, and improve displaying performance.

Claims

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

a substrate;

a plurality of pixel zones arranged in an array on the substrate, each of the pixel zones comprising a pixel electrode, an organic light-emitting layer, and a common electrode, which are sequentially stacked on the substrate; and

a pixel separation layer that comprises a plurality of openings, the pixel separation layer separating each of the pixel zones from the other pixel zones, the openings being each delimited and circumferentially surrounded by a pixel separation layer sidewall, each of the openings corresponding to one of the pixel zones;

wherein the pixel electrode and the organic light-emitting layer are disposed in each of the openings in such a way that the organic light-emitting layer covers the pixel separation layer sidewall, the common electrode covering the organic light-emitting layer and an upper surface of the pixel separation layer; and

the pixel separation layer is formed of an inorganic material and the pixel separation layer sidewall comprises, arranged from top to bottom, a first curved section, a linear section connected to the first curved section, and a second curved section connected to the linear section, the linear section being parallel to the substrate, at least one of a tangential plane of a portion of the first curved section or a tangential plane of a portion the second curved section forming an included angle of less than 85°

with respect to the substrate; and

wherein the first curved section and the second curved section are both inward concave with respect to the pixel separation layer.

2. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pixel separation layer is formed of silicon nitride.

3. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pixel separation layer comprises a plurality of silicon nitride layers having different component ratios of nitrogen and stacked on each other.

4. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pixel separation layer is formed through plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and the openings of the pixel separation layer are formed through an etching process.

5. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode serves as an anode of the OLED display device and the common electrode serves as a cathode of the OLED display device.

6. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pixel electrode comprises a material of metal oxide that has high work function and the common electrode comprises a material of metal that has high electrical conductivity and low work function.

7. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode serves as a cathode of the OLED display device and the common electrode serves as an anode of the OLED display device.

8. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pixel electrode comprises a material of metal that has high electrical conductivity and low work function and the common electrode comprises a material of metal oxide that has high work function.

9. An organic light-emitting display (OLED) device, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of pixel zones arranged in an array on the substrate, each of the pixel zones comprising a pixel electrode, an organic light-emitting layer, and a common electrode, which are sequentially stacked on the substrate; and

a pixel separation layer that comprises a plurality of openings, the pixel separation layer separating each of the pixel zones from the other pixel zones, the openings being each delimited and circumferentially surrounded by a pixel separation layer sidewall, each of the openings corresponding to one of the pixel zones;

wherein the pixel electrode and the organic light-emitting layer are disposed in each of the openings in such a way that the organic light-emitting layer covers the pixel separation layer sidewall, the common electrode covering the organic light-emitting layer and an upper surface of the pixel separation layer; and

the pixel separation layer is formed of an inorganic material and the pixel separation layer sidewall comprises, arranged from top to bottom, a first curved section, a linear section connected to the first curved section, and a second curved section connected to the linear section, the linear section being parallel to the substrate, at least one of a tangential plane of a portion of the first curved section or a tangential plane of a portion the second curved section forming an included angle of less than 85°

with respect to the substrate;

wherein the first curved section and the second curved section are both inward concave with respect to the pixel separation layer;

wherein the pixel separation layer is formed of silicon nitride; and

wherein the pixel separation layer comprises a plurality of silicon nitride layers having different component ratios of nitrogen and stacked on each other.

10. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pixel separation layer is formed through plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and the openings of the pixel separation layer are formed through an etching process.

11. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pixel electrode serves as an anode of the OLED display device and the common electrode serves as a cathode of the OLED display device.

12. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pixel electrode comprises a material of metal oxide that has high work function and the common electrode comprises a material of metal that has high electrical conductivity and low work function.

13. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pixel electrode serves as a cathode of the OLED display device and the common electrode serves as an anode of the OLED display device.

14. The OLED display device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the pixel electrode comprises a material of metal that has high electrical conductivity and low work function and the common electrode comprises a material of metal oxide that has high work function.