CN101488515A

CN101488515A - Organic light emitting display apparatus, module and electronic device

Info

Publication number: CN101488515A
Application number: CNA2008100007984A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 詹川逸; 彭杜仁
Original assignee: Toppoly Optoelectronics Corp
Current assignee: Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp
Priority date: 2008-01-17
Filing date: 2008-01-17
Publication date: 2009-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 2028-01-17
Also published as: CN101488515B

Abstract

The invention provides an image display system, comprising an organic light emitting display (OLED) device, an OLED module and an electronic device. The OLED device comprises an active element array substrate, a color filter substrate, an organic light emitting element pixel array, a first conductive medium and a second conductive medium; wherein, the active element array substrate is provided with an active element array arranged in a display area and a control circuit arranged in a surrounding area; the color filter substrate is oppositely arranged on the active element array substrate and comprises a color filter element which is corresponding to the display area and is surrounded by a black matrix layer and an extension of the black matrix layer corresponding to the surrounding area; the organic light emitting element pixel array is arranged between the active element array substrate and the display area corresponding to the color filter substrate; each organic light emitting element comprises a positive electrode, an organic emitting layer and a negative electrode; the first conductive medium is electrically connected with the control circuit and the extension of the black matrix layer; the second conductive medium is electrically connected with the black matrix layer and the negative electrode.

Description

Organic light emitting display apparatus, module and electronic installation

Technical field

The present invention installs relevant for organic light emitting display (OLED), and particularly relevant for active array formula organic light emitting display apparatus and image display system thereof with top negative electrode contact.

Background technology

Type flat panel display apparatus, for example organic light emitting display (organic light emitting display, be called for short OLED) and LCD (liquid crystal display is called for short LCD), have many advantages, for example volume is little, in light weight, low power consumption or the like.Therefore, type flat panel display apparatus has been applied to hand-held computer, mobile phone or the like electronic product widely.

The self luminous characteristic of organic light emitting display (OLED) element tool makes it have application under the indoor and outdoor varying environment optical condition concurrently.By and large, tradition OLED element comprises an anode, an organic light emission (electroluminescent) layer and a negative electrode, and between anode and negative electrode, apply bias voltage, reach the effect of display image by organic luminous layer, and its technology continues towards high-luminous-efficiency and long display life development.

Active device array formula organic light emitting display (AM-OLED) element comprises active element (for example thin-film transistor (TFT)) array and corresponding OLED pixel.The anode electrode of each OLED pixel is by thin-film transistor (TFT) control of correspondence, and its cathode electrode connects the control circuit of display device periphery.The cathode electrode of tradition AM-OLED element electrically connects through the negative electrode contact by infrabasal plate (for example active elements array substrates), yet electric connection place between negative electrode contact and cathode electrode, can be not good because of the step coverage (step coverage) of cathode electrode, and cause breaking or peeling off, and then influence its display quality and reliability.

Fig. 1 is the generalized section that shows traditional AM-OLED component structure.See also Fig. 1, traditional AM-OLED element 100 comprises a substrate 11, and it comprises an active region AR and a neighboring area PR.In active region AR place, the array that a plurality of active elements 20 constitute is arranged on the substrate 11.Active element 20 for example comprises a grid 25, gate dielectric 23 and semiconductor layer 21 drain/source and the passage as TFT for thin-film transistor (TFT).

Protective layer

12 and 13 is arranged on the substrate 11, to isolate each TFT element and electric

connection.Holding wire

26A and 26B are connected the source electrode and the drain electrode of TFT element respectively, and wherein holding wire 26B further connects the anode electrode of each pixel OLED element.One interlayer dielectric layer 13A is arranged on the protective layer 13 in order to isolate each TFT element and OLED element.

Pixel isolation structure 16 is arranged on the interlayer dielectric layer 13A, with definition and separate each OLED element.Each OLED element comprise an anode electrode 14 by one electrically contact electrically connect with holding wire 26B, organic luminous layer of all kinds 18 on anode electrode 14, with a continuous cathode electrode 32 on organic luminous layer 18.One protective layer 34 is arranged on the cathode electrode 32.

On the other hand, continuous cathode electrode 32 extends to the neighboring area PR of substrate 11, and electrically connects in a negative electrode contact openings and holding wire 28 (for example PVEE holding wire).Yet cathode electrode 32 is not good in the step coverage (step coverage) at negative electrode contact openings section difference place 30, and causes breaking or peeling off, and then influences its display quality and reliability.

Moreover United States Patent (USP) US7 discloses a kind of AM-OLED element 173, No. 373, makes a plurality of negative electrodes contacts at active element substrate, with the control circuit of auxiliary periphery and the electric connection of cathode electrode.Yet, make the complexity that extra negative electrode contact can increase technology, for example when patterning pixel electrode and contact hole, need more accurate illumination alignment system, simultaneously extra negative electrode contact can reduce the aperture opening ratio (aperture ratio) of AM-OLED element.

In view of this, industry enterprise needs a kind of active array formula organic light emitting display apparatus and image display system, and it has top negative electrode contact, to avoid in negative electrode contact position generation broken string or to peel off.

Summary of the invention

In view of this, the embodiment of the invention provides a kind of active array formula organic light emitting display apparatus, the cathodic control holding wire of its peripheral circuit is electrically connected black matrix" (BM) layer of upper substrate (filter substrate) by a conductive media, electrically connect cathode electrode by another conductive media, avoid not good causing of step coverage (step coverage) to break or peel off, and then improve display quality and the reliability of AMOLED because of cathode electrode.

The embodiment of the invention provides a kind of organic light emitting display apparatus in addition, comprising: active elements array substrates comprise that active device array is arranged at the viewing area, and control circuit is arranged at the neighboring area; The filter substrate subtend is arranged at this active elements array substrates, and it comprises the color filter element that is centered on by black-matrix layer corresponding to this viewing area, and corresponding to the black-matrix layer extension of this neighboring area; The organic illuminating element pel array is arranged between this active elements array substrates and this filter substrate corresponding display, and each organic illuminating element comprises anode electrode, organic luminous layer and cathode electrode; First conductive media electrically connects this control circuit and this black-matrix layer extension; And second conductive media, electrically connect this black-matrix layer and this cathode electrode.

The embodiment of the invention provides a kind of organic light emitting display (OLED) module in addition, comprise: organic light emitting display apparatus, and controller, be coupled to this organic light emitting display (OLED) device, and control this organic light emitting display (OLED) device according to input signal and make its generation image.

The embodiment of the invention provides a kind of electronic installation in addition, comprising: organic light emitting display module, and input unit are coupled to this controller, so that the foundation of this organic light emitting display module display image to be provided.

For above-mentioned purpose of the present invention, feature and advantage can be become apparent, preferred embodiment cited below particularly, and cooperate appended graphicly, be described in detail below.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the generalized section that shows traditional AM-OLED component structure;

Fig. 2 is the vertical view that shows according to the AM-OLED display equipment of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 is the generalized section of the AM-OLED display equipment of Fig. 2 along hatching A-A ';

Fig. 4 A-4I is the generalized section of demonstration according to each making step of the AM-OLED device of the embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 J shows the generalized section of the viewing area AR of AM-OLED device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 A is the generalized section of demonstration according to the viewing area AR of the AM-OLED device of further embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 5 B-5E shows according to the shape of each conductive media of the embodiment of the invention and the schematic diagram of corresponding black-matrix layer position;

Fig. 6 is the generalized section that shows the viewing area AR of AM-OLED device according to yet another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 is the block schematic diagram that shows according to the AM-OLED element that comprises the AM-OLED panel of the embodiment of the invention; And

Fig. 8 shows the block schematic diagram that comprises the electronic installation of AM-OLED element according to the embodiment of the invention.

The main element symbol description

Known part (Fig. 1)

100～traditional AM-OLED element; 11～substrate; 12,13～protective layer; 13A～interlayer dielectric layer; 14～anode electrode; 16～pixel isolation structure; 18～organic luminous layer; 20～active element; 21～semiconductor layer; 23～gate dielectric; 25～grid; 26A and 26B～holding wire; 28～holding wire; 30～open section difference place; 32～cathode electrode; 34～protective layer; AR～active region; PR～neighboring area.

The present invention's part (Fig. 4-8)

200～AM-OLED device; 211,411～infrabasal plate (active elements array substrates); 212,213,412,413～protective layer; 213A, 413A～interlayer dielectric layer; 214,414～anode electrode; 216,416～pixel isolation structure; 218,418～organic luminous layer; 220,420～active element; 421～semiconductor layer; 423～gate dielectric; 425～grid; 226C, 426A, 426B～holding wire; 232,432～cathode electrode; 432A～thin metal layer; 432B～transparent oxide conductive layer; 234,434,434A-434D～protective layer; 235,248,435～conductive media, 435A-435D～opening; 436～auxiliary conductive layer (conductive media); 245,445～black-matrix layer; 245A～black-matrix layer extension; 240R, 240G, 240B, 440R, 440G, 440B～color filter element; 250,450～upper substrate (filter substrate); AR～active region; PR～neighboring area; 1～AM-OLED panel; 2～controller; 3～AM-OLED element (module); 4～input element; 5～electronic installation.

Embodiment

Below with each embodiment and be accompanied by the example of graphic explanation, as reference frame of the present invention.In graphic or specification were described, similar or identical part was all used identical figure number.And in graphic, the shape of embodiment or thickness can enlarge, and to simplify or convenient the sign.Moreover, the part of each element will be to describe explanation respectively in graphic, it should be noted that, the element that does not illustrate among the figure or describe, for having the form of knowing usually known to the knowledgeable in the affiliated technical field, in addition, only for disclosing the ad hoc fashion that the present invention uses, it is not in order to limit the present invention to certain embodiments.

Fig. 2 is the vertical view that shows according to the AM-OLED display equipment of one embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 3 is the generalized section of the AM-OLED display equipment of Fig. 2 along hatching A-A '.See also Fig. 2, according to one embodiment of the invention, an AM-OLED device 200 for example is the driving organic light emitting diode display of an illuminated active array in top, comprises a viewing area AR and a neighboring area PR.The viewing area AR of AM-OLED device 200 comprises an infrabasal plate (for example active elements array substrates) 211, one upper substrate (for example filter substrate) 250, and color OLED element pel array therebetween.

See also Fig. 3, infrabasal plate (active elements array substrates) 211 comprises a plurality of active elements 220, for example is the array that thin-film transistor (TFT) constitutes, and is arranged on the substrate 211.

Protective layer

212 and 213 is arranged on the substrate 211, to isolate the electric connection of each TFT element and each layer.One holding wire connects the drain electrode of TFT element, and further connects the anode electrode 214 of each pixel OLED element.One interlayer dielectric layer 213A is arranged on the protective layer 213 in order to isolate each TFT element and OLED element.

Pixel isolation structure 216 is arranged on the interlayer dielectric layer 213A, with definition and separate each OLED element.Each OLED element comprises an anode electrode 214, by one electrically contact electrically connect with holding wire, organic luminous layer of all kinds 218 on anode electrode 214, with a continuous cathode electrode 232 on organic luminous layer 218.One protective layer 234 is arranged on the cathode electrode 232.

Upper substrate (filter substrate) 250 comprises corresponding

color filter element

240R, 240G and 240B of all kinds, between isolate with a black-matrix layer (BM) 245.Black-matrix layer (BM) 245 is a light-absorption layer, and its material can be chromium (Cr) film, and extends to neighboring area PR, and 245A represents with label.

Upper substrate (filter substrate) 250 subtends are arranged on the infrabasal plate (active elements array substrates) 211, wherein each OLED element

color filter element

240R, 240G and 240B corresponding of all kinds.Infrabasal plate 211 is provided with a holding wire 226C (for example PVEE holding wire) on protective layer 213 in neighboring area PR place, it electrically connects the extension 245A of the black-matrix layer of upper substrate 250 by a conductive media 248.Holding wire 226C can belong to same metal level with the holding wire of the drain electrode of the aforementioned TFT of connection element.It should be noted that conductive media 248 can form with material, shape and the technology of knowing with any.According to one embodiment of the invention, conductive media 248 is not defined as single structure, and it can be a plurality of, compound or sandwich construction.Moreover the shape of conductive media 248 can be ellipse, strip, circle, square or other geometries.

In viewing area AR place, the position of protective layer 234 corresponding black-matrix layer 245 has another conductive media 235, and black-matrix layer 245 and cathode electrode 232 are electrically connected.Therefore, PVEE holding wire 226C can pass through conductive media 248, black-matrix layer extension 245A, black-matrix layer 245 and conductive media 235, and control signal is imposed on cathode electrode 232.In view of this, compared to known techniques, the AM-OLED device 200 of the embodiment of the invention need not to make negative electrode contact and contact openings in infrabasal plate, therefore can avoid not good causing of step coverage (step coverage) to break or peel off fully, and then improve display quality and the reliability of AMOLED because of cathode electrode.

Fig. 4 A-4I is the generalized section of demonstration according to each making step of the AM-OLED device of the embodiment of the invention, and wherein Fig. 4 I is the viewing area AR of final structure corresponding diagram 3.See also Fig. 4 A, at first, provide a substrate 411, and form an active device array 420 thereon.The material of substrate 411 comprises clear glass, transparent polymer or quartz.

Protective layer

412 and 413 is arranged on the substrate 411, to isolate each active element 420 and other each layer electric connections.Active device array 420 for example is thin-film transistor (TFT) array, and each TFT comprises a grid 425, gate dielectric 423 and semiconductor layer 421 drain/source and the passage as TFT.

Holding wire

426A and 426B, for example aluminium (Al) or Al-zn-mg-cu alloy are arranged on the protective layer 413, connect the source electrode and the drain electrode of TFT element respectively, and wherein holding wire 426B further connects the anode electrode of each pixel OLED element.Though the embodiment of the invention is to be example explanation with top grid TFT, right non-in order to limiting the present invention, other TFT elements, routine bottom-gate TFT or bigrid TFT all are applicable to the present invention.

See also Fig. 4 B, form an interlayer dielectric layer (inter-layer dielectric is called for short ILD) 413A on protective layer 13, to isolate each TFT element and OLED element.Have electrical contact openings 413B in the interlayer dielectric layer 413A, expose holding wire 426B and electrically connect, shown in Fig. 4 C for follow-up formation anode electrode 414.Interlayer dielectric layer 413A can pass through chemical vapour deposition technique (CVD) or method of spin coating (spin coating) forms, to obtain more smooth surface, its material comprises organic material (as pi) or inorganic material (as silica, phosphosilicate glass and borosilicate glass).

See also Fig. 4 D, patterning anode electrode 414, and form pixel isolation structure 416 on interlayer dielectric layer 413A is with definition and separate each OLED element.Anode electrode 414 can have the reflector function concurrently, and to promote the luminous efficiency of OLED element, its material comprises platinum (Pt), gold (Au), silver (Ag), chromium (Cr) or tungsten (W), and its thickness range is approximately between 100-300 nanometer (nm).Pixel isolation structure 416 can be utilized the thick film photo anti-corrosion agent material, forms with exposure imaging technology.

See also Fig. 4 E, form organic luminous layer 418 on anode electrode 414.Organic luminous layer 418 can be micromolecule type OLED or polymer electrolyte PLED.Moreover organic luminous layer 418 can be corresponding different colours pixel (for example red, green, blue), perhaps is the white light OLED element.

Then, see also Fig. 4 F, form continuous cathode electrode 432 comprehensively on active elements array substrates, and directly contact with organic luminous layer 418.Cathode electrode 432 can be the single or multiple lift structure, its material comprises silver (Ag), aluminium (Al), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), indium oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, tin indium oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO), and its thickness range is approximately between 10-200 nanometer (nm).

See also Fig. 4 G, then, form a protective layer 434 on cathode electrode 432, and with its patterning, with position that forms a plurality of opening 435A respective pixel isolation structures 416 and the surface of exposing cathode electrode 432.Then, form a conductive media 435 in each opening 435A, shown in Fig. 4 H.According to one embodiment of the invention; protective layer 434 can be thick film photoresist or dielectric layer, and forms opening 435A with photoetching and etching method, inserts opening 435A at formation one metal level; and impose planarisation step, stay conductive media 435 in each opening 435A.

It should be noted that be the example explanation though present embodiment, forms conductive media 435 again to form protective layer 434 and opening 435A earlier, right non-in order to limit the present invention, other embodiment also can form conductive media 435 earlier and form protective layer 434 again.

See also Fig. 4 I, on the other hand, form upper substrate (filter substrate) 450 and comprise between

color filter element

440R, 440G corresponding of all kinds and the 440B with a black-matrix layer (BM) 445 isolation.Black-matrix layer (BM) 445 is a light-absorption layer, and its material can be chromium (Cr) film, and extends to neighboring area PR.

Then, with upper substrate (filter substrate) 450 and the combination of infrabasal plate (active elements array substrates) 411 subtends, wherein each OLED element

color filter element

440R, 440G and 440B corresponding of all kinds.Therefore, black-matrix layer (BM) 445 contacts with conductive media 435 to form and electrically connects.

Moreover, a holding wire (for example PVEE holding wire) being set on protective layer 413 in neighboring area PR place in infrabasal plate 411, it is by the black-matrix layer extension of conductive media electric connection upper substrate, the PR zone of corresponding Fig. 3.Therefore, the PVEE holding wire can impose on cathode electrode 432 with control signal by conductive media, black-matrix layer extension, black-matrix layer 445 and the conductive media 435 of neighboring area.

Fig. 4 J shows the generalized section of the viewing area AR of AM-OLED device according to another embodiment of the present invention.In order to make after upper substrate (filter substrate) 450 and the combination of infrabasal plate (active elements array substrates) 411 subtends, conductive media 435 better electrically contacts with black-matrix layer (BM) 445 tools.Another embodiment of the present invention provides an auxiliary conductive layer (conductive media) 436 between

color filter element

440R, 440G and 440B and protective layer 434, to promote the electric connection between conductive media 435 and the black-matrix layer (BM) 445.The material of auxiliary conductive layer 436 is the transparent oxide conductive layer, for example forms tin indium oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO) with CVD method or sputtering method.

Fig. 5 A is the generalized section of demonstration according to the viewing area AR of the AM-OLED device of further embodiment of this invention.Because black-matrix layer (BM) 445 is successional structure, cathode electrode 432 also is successional structure, does not therefore need conductive media is made into successional structure, perhaps all forms conductive media in corresponding each locations of pixels.Therefore, only need to form difform being opened in the protective layer arbitrarily at random, be shown in respectively among the 5B-5E figure, insert conducting objects again to form and the conformal conductive media of various opening shapes in corresponding black-matrix layer (BM) 445 positions.The shape of aforementioned opening can be oval 435A, long flat ellipse 435B, the bar shaped 435C that grows crosswise, lengthwise bar shaped 435D, circle, square and slit shape.

Fig. 6 is the generalized section that shows the viewing area AR of AM-OLED device according to yet another embodiment of the invention.For the light transmission that makes cathode electrode and conductivity more, present embodiment is made into double-decker with cathode electrode, one is metal level 432A, another is transparent oxide conductive layer 432B, for example tin indium oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO).Metal level 432A improves the charge carrier injection properties between organic luminous layer 418 and cathode electrode, and transparent oxide conductive layer 432B improves light transmission and conductivity.

In view of this, the AM-OLED device of the embodiment of the invention can effectively be avoided known techniques to cause broken string because of the step coverage (step coverage) of cathode electrode is not good or peel off, and the electric connection between its cathode electrode and the peripheral control circuit also can improve effectively, and then improves display quality and the reliability of AMOLED.

Fig. 7 is the block schematic diagram that shows according to the AM-OLED element (module) 3 that comprises AM-OLED panel 1 of the embodiment of the invention.AM-OLED panel 1 is coupled to a controller 2, to constitute an AM-OLED element (module) 3.In Fig. 7, AM-OLED element (module) 3 comprises the drive circuit (not shown) of a line control unit and row controller, with control AM-OLED panel 1, and shows the image of tool balance colourity according to input signal.AM-OLED panel 1 comprises viewing area AR and neighboring area PR, by the cathodic control signal of the controller 2 output holding wire via neighboring area PR, through the upper substrate of AM-OLED panel 1, and imposes on the cathode electrode.

Fig. 8 shows the block schematic diagram that comprises the electronic installation 5 of AM-OLED element (module) 3 according to the embodiment of the invention.One input element 4 is coupled to the controller 2 of AM-OLED element (module) 3.Input element 4 comprises a microprocessor, signal is inputed to controller 2, display image after treatment.Electronic installation 5 comprises for example personal digital assistant (PDA), portable type mobile phone (mobile phone), notebook computer, digital still camera, desktop computer, TV, automobile-used display, aviation display, global positioning system (GPS), DPF or Portable DVD player.

Though the present invention discloses as above with preferred embodiment; so it is not in order to limit scope of the present invention; any persond having ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present invention; without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention; when can doing a little change and retouching, so protection scope of the present invention is as the criterion when looking the claim person of defining.

Claims

1. organic light emitting display apparatus comprises:

Active elements array substrates comprises the active device array that is arranged at the viewing area, and is arranged at the control circuit of neighboring area;

Filter substrate, subtend are arranged at this active elements array substrates, and it comprises the color filter element that is centered on by black-matrix layer corresponding to this viewing area, and corresponding to the black-matrix layer extension of this neighboring area;

The organic illuminating element pel array is arranged between this active elements array substrates and this filter substrate corresponding display, and each organic illuminating element comprises anode electrode, organic luminous layer and cathode electrode;

First conductive media electrically connects this control circuit and this black-matrix layer extension; And

Second conductive media electrically connects this black-matrix layer and this cathode electrode.

2. organic light emitting display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein this control circuit is controlled this negative electrode of each organic illuminating element in regular turn via this first conductive media, this black-matrix layer extension, this black-matrix layer and this second conductive media.

3. organic light emitting display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein this cathode electrode is the individual layer conductive coating structure.

4. organic light emitting display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein this cathode electrode is a composite bed, comprises metal level and transparent oxide conducting layer.

5. organic light emitting display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein has protective layer between this cathode electrode and this filter substrate, and wherein this protective layer has a plurality of openings and exposes this negative electrode, and wherein this second conductive media is arranged in those openings.

6. organic light emitting display apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein this second conductive media electrically connects this cathode electrode to should black-matrix layer.

7. organic light emitting display apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the shape of this second conductive media can be ellipse, long flat ellipse, the bar shaped of growing crosswise, lengthwise bar shaped, circle and square.

8. organic light emitting display apparatus as claimed in claim 5 comprises that also the 3rd conductive media is arranged between this protective layer and this filter substrate.

9. organic light emitting display module comprises:

Organic light emitting display apparatus as claimed in claim 1; And

Controller is coupled to this organic light emitting display apparatus, and controls this organic light emitting display apparatus according to input signal and make it produce image.

10. electronic installation comprises:

This organic light emitting display module as claimed in claim 9; And

Input unit is coupled to this controller, so that the foundation of this organic light emitting display module display image to be provided.