KR101373406B1 - display device and a method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A flexible display device having an align mark and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. A display device according to the present invention includes a first substrate having an active region and an inactive region around the active region, a display element formed in the active region, and a hole formed in the inactive region and passing through the first substrate. And a second alignment key formed of a pattern, a second substrate facing the first substrate, and a second alignment key formed on the second substrate and aligned with the first alignment key. do. Accordingly, in the flexible display device, when the at least one substrate is an opaque substrate, the bonding alignment of the first and second substrates is well performed.

Flexible, Align Key, Hole Pattern

Description

Display device and a method for manufacturing the same

1 is a plan view showing a display device according to the present invention.

2A is a fragmentary plan view showing a first alignment key of a first substrate of a display device according to the present invention;

2B is a partial plan view showing a second alignment key of a second substrate of the display device according to the present invention.

3 is a plan view illustrating an alignment key in which the first and second alignment keys of FIGS. 2A and 2B are aligned in the display device according to the present invention;

4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a flexible display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

5A through 5E are partial cross-sectional views illustrating a procedure of forming a first alignment key of a first substrate in the flexible display device according to the present invention.

6 to 8 are cross-sectional views illustrating embodiments of a second alignment key of a second substrate in the flexible display device according to the present invention.

Description of the Related Art [0002]

100 display device 110 first substrate

111 gate electrode 112 gate insulating film

114: semiconductor layer 115: source electrode

116: drain electrode 117: protective film

118: drain contact hole 119: pixel electrode

120: second substrate 121: light blocking layer

123: color filter pattern 125: common electrode layer

160: alignment key 160a: first alignment key

160b: second alignment key 161: hole pattern

162, 221, 223: pattern

The present invention relates to a flexible display device having an alignment key and a method of manufacturing the same.

With the development of the information society, in recent years, there have been various liquid crystal display devices (LCDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), electroluminescent displays (VFDs), and vacuum fluorescent displays (VFDs). Flat panel display devices have been studied.

Among them, the liquid crystal display is the most widely used as a substitute for the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) for mobile image display because of the excellent image quality, light weight, thinness and low power consumption. In addition to the use of the present invention, a variety of applications such as a television, a computer monitor, and the like for receiving and displaying broadcast signals have been developed.

Recently, in accordance with the demand for adopting a flat panel display device for portable products such as electronic sheets, arm bands, wallets, notebook computers, and the like, development of a display device having flexibility has been in progress. .

Such display devices mounted on portable products such as electronic papers, arm bands, wallets, notebook computers, and e-books should have flexible characteristics so that they can bend in response to external forces.

Therefore, the display device should be made of a flexible substrate that can be bent.

As such, the flexible display device may be an organic light emitting display (OLED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a field emission display (FED), or the like. In particular, the organic light emitting display is the most flexible substrate. It is known that can be used.

The flexible substrate may be a transparent plastic, a thin glass substrate, or the like, and the flexible substrate may be an opaque metal substrate.

In general, the display device includes alignment keys for various purposes, for example, an alignment key for aligning a photomask and a lower substrate in a position when forming a thin film transistor on the lower substrate, And an alignment key for bonding the upper substrate and the lower substrate to each other.

Such an align key is formed at at least one position in an inactive area that does not generate a screen.

However, when the flexible substrate is made of an opaque substrate such as a metal substrate, it is difficult to align the upper substrate and the lower substrate.

In general, a method of recognizing an alignment key formed on the substrate may be performed by using a light source, for example, a helium-neon laser, a light emitting diode (LED), or the like. The light generated from the light source is reflected or transmitted from the alignment key of the substrate to detect a signal generated so that the alignment equipment recognizes the alignment key.

For example, the position of the alignment key may be accurately detected by detecting a signal generated by light transmission on the substrate and a signal generated by light reflection on the alignment key.

However, the alignment equipment is currently set to recognize the alignment key formed on the transparent glass substrate, so that when the substrate is an opaque substrate, the light is reflected on the substrate and the light is reflected on the alignment key. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately distinguish the substrate and the alignment key from the signal detected by the reflected light.

In particular, when the substrate is an opaque substrate such as a metal substrate, since a barrier film is formed on the substrate and a display element such as a thin film transistor is formed on the barrier film, the light reflectance of the substrate is significantly reduced. Therefore, the signal generated from the substrate and the alignment key is more difficult to distinguish, and thus there is a problem in that the alignment key recognition rate of the alignment device is lowered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a display device and a method of manufacturing the same, by forming an alignment key that penetrates through a flexible substrate in an inactive region of the display device so that the upper and lower plates can be aligned.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device including: a first substrate having an active area and an inactive area around the active area; A display element formed in the active region; A first alignment key formed in the inactive region and having a hole pattern penetrating the first substrate; A second substrate facing the first substrate; And a second alignment key formed on the second substrate and aligned with the first alignment key.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a display device, including: preparing a first substrate having an active region and an inactive region around the active region; Forming a first alignment key having a hole pattern in the inactive region; Forming a second alignment key on a second substrate facing the first substrate; And aligning the first align key and the second align key to bond the first substrate and the second substrate together.

Hereinafter, a display device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The terms 'first to' and 'second to' used in the present invention may be used selectively or interchangeably, respectively, and do not necessarily mean being formed in that order.

In addition, in the present invention, in the relationship between the structure and the substrate as a reference, the terms indicating the positional relationship such as 'on', 'up', 'under', 'under' The substrate may be formed in direct contact with the substrate and may be sufficiently applied in a range that satisfies its positional relationship even when not in integrated contact.

1 is a plan view showing a display device according to the present invention, FIG. 2A is a partial plan view showing a first alignment key of a first substrate of the display device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a first view of the display device according to the present invention. A partial plan view showing a second alignment key of a second substrate.

3 is a plan view illustrating an alignment key in which the first and second alignment keys of FIGS. 2A and 2B are aligned in the display device according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the display device 100 includes an active area AA that provides an image to a user and a non-active area NA that is a peripheral area of the active area AA. Is defined.

The display device 100 may be flexibly bent by a user, and the display device 100 may be formed by opposing and bonding the flexible first and second substrates 110 and 120.

The alignment key 160 of the flexible display device 100 according to the present invention is formed at at least one position of the inactive area NA.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the alignment key 160 may include the first alignment key 160a and the second substrate 120 formed in the inactive area NA of the first substrate 110. It consists of a second alignment key 160b formed in the inactive region NA.

Detecting a signal from the overlapped first align key 160a and the second align key 160b to determine whether the alignment is well performed when the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 are bonded together. can do.

In this case, the first substrate 110 may be made of an opaque substrate, and the first substrate 110 may be a metal substrate having a bending property.

The first alignment key 160a formed on the first substrate 110 includes a hole pattern 161 formed through the first substrate 110.

The second substrate 120 has a second alignment key 160b formed of predetermined patterns in correspondence with the first alignment key 160a.

The second alignment key 160b may be formed as a pattern 162 of various films formed on the second substrate 120.

Examples of various films formed on the second substrate 120 include light blocking layers (eg, black matrices), color filter patterns, overcoat layers, and common electrode layers.

In the flexible display device, the alignment key formed on the opaque substrate is formed in a hole pattern penetrating the opaque substrate to increase the recognition rate of the alignment key.

According to the present invention, reliability of a product is improved by accurately aligning and bonding a first substrate having a first alignment key having a hole pattern and a second substrate having a second alignment key corresponding to the alignment key in the flexible display device. Can be improved.

4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a flexible display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the display device 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is formed by opposing and bonding the flexible first and second substrates 110 and 120.

The first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 may be a flexible substrate, for example, one of a metal substrate and a plastic.

Preferably, the first substrate 110 is made of an opaque flexible substrate.

For example, the opaque flexible substrate may be a metal substrate such as a stainless steel substrate, a metal foil, or a substrate including iron (Fe).

A gate wiring (not shown) is formed in the active region AA on the first substrate 110, and the gate wiring includes a gate electrode 111.

A gate insulating layer 112 is formed on the entire surface of the first substrate 110 on which the gate wiring 111 is formed.

The gate insulating layer 112 is formed of, for example, a silicon nitride film (SiNx) or a silicon oxide film (SiOx).

The semiconductor layer 114 is formed on the gate insulating layer 112 corresponding to the gate electrode 111.

The semiconductor layer 114 includes a first semiconductor layer 114a and a second semiconductor layer 114b formed on one side and the other side of the first semiconductor layer 114a and spaced apart from each other.

The first semiconductor layer 114a is made of amorphous silicon (a-Si), and the second semiconductor layer 114b is made of amorphous silicon (hereinafter, n + a) doped with a high concentration of n-type impurities. -Si).

A data line (not shown) defining a pixel area is formed on the first substrate 110 to cross the gate line.

The data line includes a source electrode 115 and a drain electrode 116 in contact with the second semiconductor layer 114b.

The data line and the source and drain electrodes 114 and 115 are made of the same metal material and are simultaneously formed through one process.

The source electrode and the drain electrodes 114 and 115 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval to expose the first semiconductor layer 114a between the source electrode 114 and the drain electrode 115.

The gate electrode 111, the gate insulating layer 112, the semiconductor layer 114, the source electrode 115, and the drain electrode 116 constitute a thin film transistor TFT, and are disposed in at least one pixel area. .

The passivation layer 117 is formed on the first substrate 110 on which the thin film transistor is formed.

The passivation layer 117 includes a drain contact hole 118 exposing a portion of the drain electrode 116.

A pixel electrode 119 is formed in the pixel area on the passivation layer 117, and the pixel electrode 119 is connected to the drain electrode 116 through the drain contact hole 118.

A hole pattern 161 penetrating through the passivation layer 117, the gate insulating layer 112, and the first substrate 110 is formed in the inactive region NA to form a first alignment key 160a. .

Since the first alignment key 160a is formed to penetrate to the rear surface of the first substrate 110, the depth of the hole pattern 161 may be defined by the passivation layer 117, the gate insulating layer 112, and the first substrate. It is equal to the thickness of 110.

Therefore, when the first substrate 110 is an opaque substrate, light or electric signals emitted to the first substrate 110 are reflected or absorbed from the first substrate 110, but the first substrate 110 The light or electric signal irradiated with the first alignment key 160a of the light is transmitted as it is.

The color filter pattern 123 and the light blocking layer 121 are formed on the second substrate 120 facing the first substrate 110.

The light blocking layer 121 may be, for example, a black matrix that absorbs or blocks light.

The color filter pattern 123 is formed in a region corresponding to the pixel region, and the light blocking layer 121 is formed in a region corresponding to the gate wiring, the data wiring, the thin film transistor region, and the like.

An overcoat layer may be further formed on the entire surface of the second substrate 120 on which the color filter pattern 123 and the light blocking layer 121 are formed.

The common electrode layer 125 may be further formed on the entire surface of the second substrate 120.

The common electrode layer 125 is made of a transparent conductive electrode material and includes at least one selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide and indium zinc oxide.

A second alignment key 160b formed of a pattern 162 is formed in the inactive area NA of the second substrate 120 to correspond to the first alignment key 160a.

The pattern 162 may be formed of the same material when the color filter pattern 123 is formed. Alternatively, the pattern 162 may be formed of the same material when the light blocking layer 121 is formed. Alternatively, the pattern 162 may be formed of the same material when the overcoat layer is formed. Alternatively, the pattern 162 may be formed of the same material when the common electrode layer 125 is formed.

Although not shown, the first substrate 110 may further include an organic layer formed between the passivation layer 117 and the pixel electrode 119 to planarize the substrate.

The first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 of the display device according to the present invention use a flexible substrate.

The first substrate 112 of the display device according to the present invention may be an opaque substrate, and the second substrate 120 may be a transparent substrate.

According to the present invention, when the at least one substrate is an opaque substrate, the flexible display device 100 performs alignment when the first and second substrates 110 and 120 are bonded together.

The present invention can prevent defects due to adhesion misalignment and improve reliability of a product in a flexible display device.

5A through 5E are partial cross-sectional views illustrating a procedure of forming a first alignment key of a first substrate in the flexible display device according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the gate insulating layer 112 and the protective layer 117 are sequentially stacked on the first substrate 110 in the inactive region NA.

Only one of the gate insulating layer 112 and the passivation layer 117 may be formed on the first substrate 110, and an insulating layer may be further formed on the passivation layer 117.

Although not shown, a plurality of pixel regions are defined by crossing gate lines and data lines in the active region AA of the first substrate 110, and a thin film transistor is formed in the pixel region.

As shown in FIG. 5B, a photoresist pattern 130 is formed on the first substrate 110.

The photoresist pattern 130 exposes the passivation layer 117 corresponding to the region where the first alignment key is formed.

As illustrated in FIG. 5C, the preliminary hole pattern 163 is formed by etching the exposed passivation layer 117 and the gate insulating layer 112 using the photoresist pattern 130 as a mask.

Thereafter, as illustrated in FIG. 5D, the first substrate 110 exposed by the preliminary hole pattern 163 of the etched passivation layer 117 and the gate insulating layer 112 is etched to form a hole pattern 161. do.

The method of etching the first substrate uses a wet etching method.

The etchant used in the wet etching method includes the iron chloride (FeCl ₂ ).

Finally, as shown in FIG. 5E, the photoresist pattern 130 remaining on the passivation layer 117 is removed.

The hole pattern 161 is formed through the first substrate 110. If the first substrate 110 is opaque to block light, the hole pattern 161 transmits the light. Has characteristics.

The hole pattern 161 forms a first alignment key 160a on the first substrate 110.

A second alignment key 160b corresponding to the first alignment key 160a is formed on the second substrate 120 facing and bonded to the first substrate 110 on which the first alignment key 160a is formed. do.

When the first substrate 110 is an opaque substrate, the light or electric signal irradiated onto the first substrate 110 is reflected or absorbed by the first substrate 110. The light or electric signal irradiated with the first alignment key 160a is transmitted as it is.

A second alignment key 160b is formed in the inactive area NA on the second substrate 120 that is bonded to the first substrate 110 on which the first alignment key 160a is formed.

While the first alignment key 160a is formed of a hole pattern 161 formed by etching the first substrate 110, the second alignment key 160b is formed on the second substrate 120. It is formed into a dummy pattern of material layers.

For example, the color filter pattern 123 and the light blocking layer 121 are formed on the second substrate 120.

The light blocking layer 121 may be, for example, a black matrix that absorbs or blocks light.

The color filter pattern 123 is formed in a region corresponding to the pixel region, and the light blocking layer 121 is formed in a region corresponding to the gate wiring, the data wiring, the thin film transistor region, and the like.

An overcoat layer is further formed on the entire surface of the second substrate 120 on which the color filter pattern 123 and the light blocking layer 121 are formed.

The common electrode layer 125 is further formed on the entire surface of the second substrate 120.

Meanwhile, at least one of the color filter pattern 123, the light blocking layer 121, the overcoat layer, and the common electrode layer 125 may be formed on the second substrate 120.

6 to 8 are cross-sectional views illustrating embodiments of a second alignment key of a second substrate in the flexible display device according to the present invention.

4 and 6, when the common electrode layer 125 is formed in the active region AA on the second substrate 120, the common region is in common with the inactive region NA on the second substrate 120. The dummy pattern 162 of the electrode layer 125 may be formed and used as the second alignment key 160b.

The common electrode layer 125 is made of a transparent conductive electrode material and includes at least one selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide and indium zinc oxide.

The pattern 162 corresponds to the first align key 160a.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, when the light blocking layer 121 is formed in the active region AA on the second substrate 120, the light difference is formed in the inactive region NA on the second substrate 120. The pattern 221 may be formed using a dummy pattern of the single layer 121.

The pattern 221 forms a second alignment key 160b corresponding to the first alignment key 160a.

On the other hand, when the light blocking layer 121 is also formed in the non-active region NA, the light blocking layer 121 may be patterned to form the second alignment key 160b.

4 and 8, when the color filter pattern 123 is formed in the active area AA on the second substrate 120, the inactive area NA on the second substrate 120 is located in the inactive area NA. The pattern 223 may be formed as a dummy pattern of the color filter pattern 123.

The pattern 223 may be formed of a red, green, and blue color filter pattern, and the pattern 223 may be formed of at least one of the red, green, and blue color filter patterns.

The pattern 223 forms a second alignment key 160b corresponding to the second alignment key 160b.

The pattern may be formed of the same material when the overcoat layer is formed on the second substrate 120.

The alignment key 160 including the first alignment key 160a and the second alignment key 160b includes the first substrate 110 and the first substrate 110 when the first substrate 110 is an opaque substrate. This is to ensure that the alignment is well performed when the second substrate 120 is bonded.

The alignment key 160 may be formed in various shapes, and the alignment key 160 may be formed at at least one location in the inactive area NA around the display device 100. .

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, this is merely exemplary, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical idea of the appended claims.

The present invention has the first effect of increasing the recognition rate of the alignment key by forming the alignment key formed on the opaque substrate in a hole pattern penetrating the opaque substrate.

According to the present invention, reliability of a product is improved by accurately aligning and bonding a first substrate having a first alignment key having a hole pattern and a second substrate having a second alignment key corresponding to the alignment key in the flexible display device. There is a second effect of improving.

Claims (23)

delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete Preparing a first substrate having an active region and an inactive region around the active region; Forming a first alignment key having a hole pattern in the inactive region; Forming a second alignment key on a second substrate facing the first substrate; And Aligning the first align key and the second align key to bond the first substrate and the second substrate together; Forming the first alignment key, Forming a photoresist pattern exposing only a portion of the inactive region on the first substrate; Forming the hole pattern penetrating the first substrate using the photoresist pattern as a mask; And And removing the photoresist pattern. 12. The method of claim 11, Forming a display element in the active region on the first substrate; Forming a gate wiring including a gate electrode on the first substrate; Forming a gate insulating film covering the gate wiring; Forming a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer corresponding to the gate electrode; Forming a data line on the gate insulating layer to define a pixel area crossing the gate line, the data line including a source electrode connected to one side of the semiconductor layer and a drain electrode connected to the other side; And Forming a pixel electrode electrically connected to the drain electrode in the pixel area. 13. The method of claim 12, Forming a light blocking layer on the second substrate; Forming a color filter pattern on the second substrate; And And forming a common electrode layer for forming the pixel electrode and the electric field on the second substrate. 12. The method of claim 11, And forming an overcoat layer over the entire surface of the second substrate. 14. The method of claim 13, In the forming of the color filter pattern on the second substrate, And the second alignment key is a dummy pattern of the color filter pattern. 14. The method of claim 13, In the step of forming a light blocking layer on the second substrate, And the second alignment key is formed of the light blocking layer pattern. 14. The method of claim 13, In the forming of the common electrode layer on the second substrate, And the second alignment key is formed of the common electrode layer pattern. 15. The method of claim 14, In the step of forming an overcoat layer on the entire surface of the second substrate, And the second alignment key is formed of the overcoat layer pattern. 12. The method of claim 11, And the first substrate and the second substrate are flexible substrates. 12. The method of claim 11, And the first substrate is an opaque substrate. 12. The method of claim 11, And forming a display element in the active region on the first substrate. delete 12. The method of claim 11, In the forming of the hole pattern penetrating the first substrate, The first substrate is etched by an etchant containing iron chloride (FeCl ₂ ).

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