KR102526111B1 - Display device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a display device, which includes a flexible substrate including a display area and a non-display area in which a plurality of pixels are defined; a support member disposed below the flexible substrate so as to overlap the flexible substrate and including a pad area located outside one side of the flexible substrate; and a plurality of pads disposed in the pad area of the support member.

Description

Display device {DISPLAY DEVICE}

The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device capable of rework through a flexible substrate having a novel structure and thus having improved yield.

Recently, a flexible display device capable of displaying an image even when bent like paper by forming a display unit and wires on a flexible substrate such as plastic, which is a flexible material, has attracted attention as a next-generation display device.

As the range of application of the flexible display device has diversified from computer monitors and TVs to personal portable devices, research into a flexible display device having a large display area and reduced volume and weight is being conducted. In particular, since organic light emitting displays (OLEDs) do not require a separate light source unlike liquid crystal displays (LCDs), they can be implemented with a relatively thin thickness. Efforts are being made to manufacture a flexible display device.

In a flexible display device, a substrate supporting various components is formed of a material having flexibility such as plastic. Accordingly, a manufacturing process of the flexible display device is performed in a state in which a separate support member is disposed under the substrate.

Among the manufacturing processes of such a flexible display device, there is a process of bonding a film on which a driving IC or the like is mounted to a substrate. However, when the above-described bonding process is not performed accurately, the bonding process is performed again through a rework process. However, in the process of removing the film that is not accurately bonded, wires and/or pads may be lost, and additionally, the substrate may also be lost. In addition, heat and/or pressure may be applied to the substrate during the initial bonding process, and substrate damage such as wrinkling of the substrate may occur due to this heat and/or pressure, making it impossible to align in the secondary bonding process. There is a problem in which the rework process is impossible.

An object of the present invention is to provide a display device capable of performing a rework process when a bonding process is not normally performed by not disposing a flexible substrate having a new structure in a pad area.

Another object to be solved by the present invention is to provide a display device capable of minimizing disconnection and damage of wires and/or pads during a rework process by using a region where a data driver is bonded to a substrate made of glass.

Another object to be solved by the present invention is to provide a display device capable of performing a rework process when a bonding process is not normally performed, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and improving yield.

The tasks of the present invention are not limited to the tasks mentioned above, and other tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to solve the above problems, a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible substrate including a display area and a non-display area in which a plurality of pixels are defined; a support member disposed below the flexible substrate so as to overlap the flexible substrate and including a pad area located outside one side of the flexible substrate; and a plurality of pads disposed in the pad area of the support member.

In order to solve the above problems, a display device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible substrate including a display area and a non-display area in which a plurality of pixels are defined; a support member including a pad area disposed under the flexible substrate to overlap the flexible substrate and including a plurality of pads positioned outside one side of the flexible substrate; a first buffer layer disposed on the support member so as to overlap the support member; and a second buffer layer disposed on the flexible substrate and surrounding the flexible substrate together with the first buffer layer, wherein the flexible substrate overlaps an area other than a pad area of the support member.

Other embodiment specifics are included in the detailed description and drawings.

According to the present invention, the rework process can be normally performed by not disposing the flexible substrate in the region where the data driver is bonded.

In addition, the present invention provides a display device having a new structure in which a rework process can be performed when the bonding of the data driver is not normally performed, thereby reducing manufacturing costs that may increase due to defects and improving manufacturing yield. can increase

In addition, according to the present invention, by sealing the flexible substrate with a plurality of buffer layers, moisture that can permeate from the side of the display device can be reduced, thereby improving the lifespan and reliability of the display device.

Effects according to the present invention are not limited by the contents exemplified above, and more various effects are included in the present specification.

1 is a plan view of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the display device taken along line II′ of FIG. 1 .
3A to 3C are schematic process diagrams for explaining a display device and a manufacturing method of the display device according to a comparative example.
4A to 4F are schematic process diagrams for explaining a display device and a manufacturing method of the display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
6A and 6B are schematic process diagrams for explaining a display device and a manufacturing method of the display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods of achieving them, will become clear with reference to the detailed description of the following embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in various different forms, only these embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and common knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the holder of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

The shapes, sizes, ratios, angles, numbers, etc. disclosed in the drawings for explaining the embodiments of the present invention are illustrative, so the present invention is not limited to the details shown. In addition, in describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known technologies may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted. When 'includes', 'has', 'consists of', etc. mentioned in this specification is used, other parts may be added unless 'only' is used. In the case where a component is expressed in the singular, the case including the plural is included unless otherwise explicitly stated.

In interpreting the components, even if there is no separate explicit description, it is interpreted as including the error range.

In the case of a description of a positional relationship, for example, 'on top of', 'on top of', 'at the bottom of', 'next to', etc. Or, unless 'directly' is used, one or more other parts may be located between the two parts.

When an element or layer is referred to as (on) another element or layer, it includes all cases where another element or layer is directly above another element or another layer or other element is interposed therebetween.

Although first, second, etc. are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. Therefore, the first component mentioned below may also be the second component within the technical spirit of the present invention.

Like reference numbers designate like elements throughout the specification.

The size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are shown for convenience of description, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to the size and thickness of the illustrated components.

Each feature of the various embodiments of the present invention can be partially or entirely combined or combined with each other, and as those skilled in the art can fully understand, various interlocking and driving operations are possible, and each embodiment can be implemented independently of each other. It may be possible to implement together in an association relationship.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a plan view of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the display device taken along line II′ of FIG. 1 . 1 and 2 , the display device 100 includes a support member 110, a first buffer layer 111, a flexible substrate 130, a second buffer layer 112, a thin film transistor 140, and an organic light emitting element. 160 , a gate driver GD, a data line DL, a gate line GL, a data pad DP, and a data driver 120 .

The support member 110 is a substrate for supporting and protecting various components of the display device 100 . In particular, the support member 110 can suppress moisture or oxygen that can permeate into the flexible substrate 130, protect the display device 100 from impact from the outside, and function as a barrier film. You may. The support member 110 may be made of an insulating material having flexibility, and may be made of, for example, an olefin-based resin. Meanwhile, when the display device 100 is a bottom emission type organic light emitting display device, a polarizer may be disposed under the flexible substrate 130 together with the support member 110 or without the support member 110 .

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the support member 110 is positioned outside of one side of the flexible substrate 130 . That is, the support member 110 is disposed below the flexible substrate 130 so as to overlap the entire area of the flexible substrate 130, and the pad area PA extends beyond one side of the flexible substrate 130 to the outside of the display device 100. ). Accordingly, the flexible substrate 130 overlaps an area other than the pad area PA of the support member 110 . A plurality of pads may be disposed in the pad area PA, for example, a plurality of data pads DP may be disposed. Accordingly, the data pad DP described later may not be disposed on the flexible substrate 130 but may be disposed on the support member 110 . However, it is not limited thereto, and the plurality of pads may further include a high potential power pad, a low potential power pad, a reference voltage pad, and the like.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the first buffer layer 111 is disposed on the support member 110 to overlap with the support member 110 . The first buffer layer 111 may improve adhesion between the layers formed on the first buffer layer 111 and the support member 110 and block moisture and oxygen penetrating from the outside of the display device 100 . can In particular, by sealing the flexible substrate 130 together with the second buffer layer 112 to be described later, moisture and oxygen penetrating from the outside of the display device 100, in particular, from the side of the display device 100 may be blocked. The first buffer layer 111 may include a single layer of silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx) or multiple layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) and silicon oxide (SiOx), but is not limited thereto. However, the first buffer layer 111 may be omitted according to embodiments.

The flexible substrate 130 supports various components of the display device 100 . The flexible substrate 130 may be made of a transparent insulating material, for example, an insulating material such as plastic having flexibility such as polyimide (PI), but is not limited thereto.

A display area AA and a non-display area NA may be defined on the flexible substrate 130 . The display area AA is an area where an image is actually displayed on the display device 100, and a plurality of pixels PX, which are units for realizing one color, may be defined. The plurality of pixels PX may include, for example, a red pixel, a green pixel, and a blue pixel. Also, the plurality of pixels PX may further include white pixels. Each of the plurality of pixels PX includes an organic light emitting element 160 including an anode 161 , an organic light emitting layer 162 , and a cathode 163 .

The non-display area NA is an area in which an image is not displayed and may be defined as an area surrounding the display area AA. Various elements for driving the plurality of sub-pixels PX disposed in the display area AA may be disposed in the non-display area NA. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , the gate driver GD and wiring may be disposed in the non-display area NA of the flexible substrate 130 .

The gate driver GD outputs a gate signal and an emission control signal under the control of the timing controller to select the pixel PX to which the data voltage is charged through wiring such as the gate wiring GL and the emission control signal wiring, and to select the emission timing. can be adjusted. The gate driver GD shifts the scan signal and the emission control signal using a shift register to sequentially supply the gate signal and the emission control signal. The gate driver GD may be directly formed on the flexible substrate 130 as shown in FIG. 1 using a gate in panel (GIP) method, but is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 2 , a second buffer layer 112 is disposed on the flexible substrate 130 and the first buffer layer 111 . The second buffer layer 112 may improve adhesion to layers formed on the second buffer layer 112 and block moisture and oxygen penetrating from the outside of the display device 100 . In particular, by sealing the flexible substrate 130 together with the first buffer layer 111 , moisture and oxygen penetrating from the outside of the display device 100 , in particular, from the side of the display device 100 may be blocked. Also, the second buffer layer 112 may be made of the same material as the first buffer layer 111 . That is, the second buffer layer 112 may be formed of a single layer of silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx) or multiple layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) and silicon oxide (SiOx), but is not limited thereto. However, the second buffer layer 112 may be omitted according to embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the thin film transistor 140 for driving the organic light emitting element 160 is disposed on the second buffer layer 112 in the display area AA. The thin film transistor 140 includes an active layer 141 , a gate electrode 142 , a source electrode 143 , and a drain electrode 144 . 2 shows only a driving thin film transistor among various thin film transistors 140 that may be included in the display device 100 , various thin film transistors such as switching thin film transistors may be disposed on the flexible substrate 130 . In addition, although the thin film transistor 140 is illustrated as a top-gate structure thin film transistor in FIG. 2 , a bottom-gate structure thin film transistor may be used, and the type and structure of the thin film transistor 140 are not limited.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the active layer 141 of the thin film transistor 140 is disposed on the second buffer layer 112 . The active layer 141 is a region where a channel is formed when the thin film transistor 140 is driven. The active layer 141 may be formed of an oxide semiconductor, and may be formed of, for example, any one of indium aluminum zinc oxide (IAZO), indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), and indium tin zinc oxide (ITZO). However, it is not limited thereto, and the active layer 141 may be formed of various semiconductor materials such as amorphous silicon and polycrystalline silicon.

The active layer 141 includes a channel region 141C and a source region 141S and a drain region 141D located on both sides of the channel region 141C. The channel region 141C of the active layer 141 is a region where a channel is formed when the oxide semiconductor thin film transistor 140 is turned on, and is a region overlapping the gate electrode 142 . The source region 141S and the drain region 141D of the active layer 141 are remaining regions of the active layer 141 excluding the channel region 141C, and are regions in which an oxide semiconductor is a conductor. Accordingly, the source region 141S and the drain region 141D of the active layer 141 may be formed of a conductive oxide semiconductor.

A gate insulating layer 113 is disposed on the active layer 141 . The gate insulating layer 113 insulates the active layer 141 and the gate electrode 142 . The gate insulating layer 113 may include a single layer of inorganic silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx) or multiple layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx). In FIG. 2 , the gate insulating layer 113 is patterned to have the same width as the gate electrode 142, but is not limited thereto.

A gate electrode 142 is disposed on the gate insulating layer 113 . The gate electrode 142 is disposed on the gate insulating layer 113 so as to overlap the channel region 141C of the active layer 141 . The gate electrode 142 is made of various metal materials, for example, molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), and It may be made of any one of copper (Cu), an alloy of two or more, or a multilayer thereof.

An interlayer insulating layer 114 is disposed on the gate electrode 142 and the second buffer layer 112 . The interlayer insulating layer 114 insulates the gate electrode 142 from the source electrode 143 and the drain electrode 144 . The interlayer insulating layer 114 may include a single layer of inorganic silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx) or multiple layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx). A contact hole through which the source electrode 143 and the drain electrode 144 respectively contact the source region 141S and the drain region 141D of the active layer 141 is formed in the interlayer insulating layer 114 .

Referring to FIG. 2 , a source electrode 143 and a drain electrode 144 are disposed on the interlayer insulating layer 114 . The source electrode 143 and the drain electrode 144 are electrically connected to the source region 141S and the drain region 141D of the active layer 141 through the contact hole of the interlayer insulating layer 114 . The source electrode 143 and the drain electrode 144 may be made of various metal materials, for example, molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), It may be made of any one of neodymium (Nd) and copper (Cu), or may be an alloy of two or more, or a multilayer thereof.

Referring to FIG. 2 , a passivation layer 115 to protect the thin film transistor 140 and an overcoating layer 116 to planarize an upper portion of the thin film transistor 140 are formed on the thin film transistor 140 . As shown in FIG. 2 , a contact hole for exposing the drain electrode 144 of the thin film transistor 140 is formed in the passivation layer 115 and the overcoating layer 116 . The passivation layer 115 may include a single layer of silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx) or multiple layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx). In addition, the overcoating layer 116 is made of acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenol resin, polyamide resin, polyimide resin, unsaturated polyester resin, polyphenylene resin, polyphenylene sulfide resin, benzocyclobutene, and photo It may consist of one of the resists. However, the passivation layer 115 may be omitted according to embodiments.

An organic light emitting diode 160 is disposed on the overcoating layer 116 . The organic light emitting element 160 includes an anode 161 electrically connected to the drain electrode 144 of the thin film transistor 140, an organic light emitting layer 162 disposed on the anode 161, and an organic light emitting layer disposed on the organic light emitting layer 162. Cathode 163 is included.

The anode 161 is disposed on the overcoating layer 116 and connected to the drain electrode 144 of the thin film transistor 140 through a contact hole of the overcoating layer 116 and the passivation layer 115 . The anode 161 may be made of a conductive material having a high work function in order to supply holes to the organic light emitting layer 162 . The anode 161 is made of a transparent conductive material such as, for example, indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), or indium tin zinc oxide (ITZO). can

When the display device 100 is a top emission display device, the anode 161 may further include a reflective layer for reflecting light emitted from the organic emission layer 162 toward the cathode 163 . However, the anode 161 may include only a transparent conductive layer and the reflective layer may be defined as a separate component from the anode 161 .

In addition, although the anode 161 is shown to be electrically connected to the drain electrode 144 of the thin film transistor 140 through the contact hole in FIG. 2, the type of thin film transistor 140, the design method of the driving circuit, etc. The anode 161 may be electrically connected to the source electrode 143 of the thin film transistor 140 through a contact hole.

The organic light emitting layer 162 is a layer for emitting light of a specific color, and may include one of a red light emitting layer, a green light emitting layer, a blue light emitting layer, and a white light emitting layer. In addition, the organic emission layer 162 may further include various layers such as a hole transport layer, a hole injection layer, an electron injection layer, and an electron transport layer. Although the organic emission layer 162 is illustrated as being patterned in FIG. 2 , the organic emission layer 162 may be formed as a single layer over the entire display area AA.

A cathode 163 is disposed on the organic light emitting layer 162 . The cathode 163 supplies electrons to the organic light emitting layer 162 . The cathode 163 may be made of a conductive material having a low work function or may be a metal material. For example, it may be made of at least one selected from the group consisting of metals such as magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), calcium (Ca), and alloys thereof, but is not limited thereto.

When the display device 100 is a top emission display device, the cathode 163 may be made of a transparent conductive material to transmit light emitted from the organic emission layer 162 . For example, the cathode 163 may be formed of a transparent conductive oxide such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO) or a ytterbium (Yb) alloy.

Referring to FIG. 2 , a bank 117 is disposed on the anode 161 and the overcoating layer 116 . The bank 117 may cover a portion of the anode 161 of the organic light emitting element 160 to define a light emitting area. The bank 117 may be made of an organic material. For example, the bank 117 may be made of polyimide, acryl, or benzocyclobutene (BCB)-based resin, but is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 2 , data lines DL are disposed on the second buffer layer 112 and the interlayer insulating layer 114 in the display area AA, the non-display area NA, and the pad area PA. Specifically, the data lines DL may be disposed on the flexible substrate 130 in the display area AA and the non-display area NA, and may be disposed on the support member 110 in the pad area PA. The data line DL may receive the data voltage from the data pad DP and transfer the data voltage to a plurality of pixels PX, for example, a switching thin film transistor of the plurality of pixels PX. The data line DL may be made of the same material as the source electrode 143 and the drain electrode 144 of the thin film transistor 140, but is not limited thereto. 1 and 2 show that the data line DL is disposed in the non-display area NA and the pad area PA, but the data line DL is disposed only in the display area AA, and the data link It may also be defined that the wiring is disposed in the non-display area NA and the pad area PA to connect the data line DL and the data pad DP. In addition, although the data line DL has been described as an example in FIGS. 1 and 2 , it is not limited thereto and may be equally applied to power voltage lines and reference voltage lines.

Data pads DP are disposed on the second buffer layer 112 and the interlayer insulating layer 114 in the pad area PA. That is, the data pad DP is disposed on the support member 110 instead of the flexible substrate 130 in the pad area PA. The data pad DP is a pad for receiving data voltage from the driving IC 121 of the data driver 120 and transferring the data voltage to the data line DL. The data pad DP may be made of the same material as the data line DL, but is not limited thereto.

An adhesive layer 190 is disposed on the data pad DP. The adhesive layer 190 is an adhesive member containing conductive particles and may be formed of, for example, an anisotropic conductive film (ACF). The anisotropic conductive film is a resin component film containing conductive balls used for adhesion and electrical conduction. In the anisotropic conductive film, conductive balls, which are conductive particles, are dispersed to perform a role of passing current, and can maintain adhesive strength by being hardened by heat and pressure.

The data driver 120 may be disposed on the adhesive layer 190 in the non-display area NA. 1 and 2 , the data driver 120 is disposed between the first flexible film 122, the second flexible film 123, and the first flexible film 122 and the second flexible film 123. A wire 124 and a driving IC 121 may be included.

The data driver 120 is a component for processing data for displaying an image and a drive signal for processing the data, and is a component for supplying various signals to the plurality of pixels PX of the display area AA. In FIG. 1 , the driving IC 121 is illustrated as being implemented in a COF (Chip On Film) method, but is not limited thereto, and according to an exemplary embodiment, the driving IC 121 may be formed on the flexible substrate 130 of the display device 100. Depending on the mounting method, COG (Chip On Glass) or TCP (Tape Carrier Package) may be used.

The first flexible film 122 and the second flexible film 123 are films that support the driver IC 121 of the data driver 120 . The first flexible film 122 and the second flexible film 123 may be made of an insulating material, for example, may be made of an insulating material having flexibility. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a driving IC 121 is disposed on the first flexible film 122 .

A wire 124 is disposed between the first flexible film 122 and the second flexible film 123 . The wiring 124 is connected to the driving IC 121 and may supply a signal to the driving IC 121 or transfer a signal from the driving IC 121 . For example, the wiring 124 may transfer a data voltage from the driving IC 121 to the data pad DP. At this time, a partial area of the second flexible film 123 disposed under the wiring 124 is opened, and a part of the wiring 124 exposed thereby functions as a pad of the data driver 120 to form the adhesive layer 190. Through this, it may be electrically connected to the data pad DP.

In the display device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of pads such as the data pad DP are formed on the support member 110 instead of on the flexible substrate 130 . That is, the support member 110 is disposed to overlap the flexible substrate 130 and includes a pad area PA positioned outside one side of the flexible substrate 130 . Thus, in the display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, when an error occurs in the bonding process of the data driver 120, a rework process is possible.

Hereinafter, in order to explain the effect of the display device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment in more detail, a display device according to a comparative example and a manufacturing method of the display device will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3C . .

3A to 3C are schematic process diagrams for explaining a display device according to a comparative example and a manufacturing method of the display device; Compared to the display device 100 according to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the display device according to the comparative example illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3C omits the first buffer layer 111 and is flexible. Only the disposition position of the substrate 930 is different, but the rest of the configuration is substantially the same, so redundant description is omitted.

Referring to FIG. 3A , in the case of a display device using a flexible substrate 930 such as polyimide, a temporary substrate 950 that is temporarily used only in the manufacturing process of the display device is disposed under the flexible substrate 930 . The temporary substrate 950 may be made of a rigid material such as glass. The temporary substrate 950 is removed after the module process of forming the thin film transistor 140 and the organic light emitting element 160 on the flexible substrate 930 and bonding the data driver 120 to the data pad DP is completed. It can be. FIG. 3A is a diagram schematically illustrating a state before removing the temporary substrate 950 after bonding the data driver 120 to the data pad DP.

After the module process of bonding the data driver 120 is completed, it is checked whether the data driver 120 is normally bonded to the data pad DP. For example, when the alignment between the data driver 120 and the data pad DP is not accurately achieved in the bonding process, the alignment between the data driver 120 and the data pad DP is accurately achieved, but the bonding is not accurately aligned. Otherwise, a case in which the resistance between the data driver 120 and the data pad DP is excessively high may occur. As such, when the data driver 120 is not normally bonded to the data pad DP, the data driver 120 together with the adhesive layer 190 may be removed from the data pad DP. At this time, if the data driver 120 is normally removed, a rework process of bonding the data driver 120 to the data pad DP may be performed. However, in the display device 100 according to the comparative example, the flexible substrate 930 is disposed up to the pad area PA, and a bonding process between the data pad DP and the data driver 120 is performed on the flexible substrate 930. , the following problems may occur:

Referring to FIGS. 3B and 3C , in the process of removing the data driver 120 for the rework process, the data pad DP may be lost. As shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C , when the flexible substrate 930 is disposed up to the pad area PA, the adhesive strength of the layers disposed on the flexible substrate 930 is weak. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3B , the data pad DP may be lost together with the adhesive layer 190 attached to the data driver 120 . Also, as shown in FIG. 3C , not only the data pad DP but also the flexible substrate 930 together with the adhesive layer 190 attached to the data driver 120 may be lost. In this case, even if the data driver 120 is to be bonded again for the rework process, the rework process is impossible because there is no data pad DP to be bonded to the data driver 120 .

Also, unlike FIGS. 3B and 3C , even if the data pad DP and the flexible substrate 930 are not lost with a very small probability, the flexible substrate 930 may be damaged and the rework process may be impossible. In an initial bonding process for bonding the data driver 120 and the data pad DP, heat may be applied to harden the adhesive layer 190 . In this case, the flexible substrate 930 may be thermally damaged by the heat applied to the flexible substrate 930, causing the flexible substrate 930 to wrinkle. If the flexible substrate 930 is damaged in this way, even if the data driver 120 is re-bonded for the rework process, alignment between the data driver 120 and the data pad DP is impossible, making the rework process impossible. can

Hereinafter, for a more detailed description of the display device 100 and a manufacturing method of the display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, it will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 4F.

4A to 4F are schematic process diagrams for explaining a display device and a manufacturing method of the display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 4A to 4C are schematic process diagrams for explaining a rework process of the display device 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . 4D to 4F are schematic process diagrams for explaining a process of removing the temporary substrate 450 and attaching the support member 110 thereto.

Referring to FIG. 3A , in the case of a display device 100 using a flexible substrate 130 such as polyimide like the display device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a temporary process is performed only during the manufacturing process of the display device 100 . A temporary substrate 450 used as a substrate is disposed below the flexible substrate 130 . The temporary substrate 450 may be made of a rigid material such as glass. The temporary substrate 450 is removed after the module process of forming the thin film transistor 140 and the organic light emitting element 160 on the flexible substrate 130 and bonding the data driver 120 to the data pad DP is completed. It can be. 4A is a diagram schematically illustrating a state before removing the temporary substrate 450 after bonding the data driver 120 to the data pad DP.

As described above, after the module process of bonding the data driver 120 is completed, it is checked whether the data driver 120 is normally bonded to the data pad DP. However, when the data driver 120 is not normally bonded to the data pad DP, the data driver 120 together with the adhesive layer 190 may be removed from the data pad DP.

Referring to FIG. 4B , in the display device 100 and the manufacturing method of the display device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment, the flexible substrate 130 is a pad to which the data driver 120 and the data pad DP are bonded. It is not disposed in the area PA. At this time, the adhesive force of the layers disposed on the temporary substrate 450 made of glass or the like, rather than the flexible substrate 130, is relatively strong. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4B , in the process of removing the data driver 120 , the data pad DP is not lost and can be maintained as it is. Therefore, in the display device 100 and the manufacturing method of the display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the data pad DP is not lost in the process of removing the data driver 120, the rework process is performed. possible.

However, as shown in FIG. 4B , a portion of the adhesive layer 190 may remain on the data pad DP. That is, in the process of removing the data driver 120, the remaining film of the adhesive layer 190 may remain on the data pad DP. The remaining film of the adhesive layer 190 may be removed using a material for removing the remaining film, such as acetone. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4C , a state prior to initial bonding of the data driver 120 may be implemented. Also, through a rebonding process of the data driver 120 for the rework process, the data driver 120 may be normally bonded to the data pad DP as shown in FIG. 4D . However, even in the rebonding process, the data driver 120 may not be normally bonded to the data pad DP, but even in this case, the rework process can be performed again, so the manufacturing yield of the display device 100 can be improved. .

When the data driver 120 and the data pad DP are normally bonded, as shown in FIG. 4E , the temporary substrate 450 disposed on the lower surface of the first buffer layer 111 is removed from the first buffer layer 111. can

A laser lift off process may be used to remove the temporary substrate 450 disposed on the lower surface of the first buffer layer 111 . That is, the temporary substrate 450 may be removed from the lower surface of the first buffer layer 111 by irradiating laser from the lower portion of the temporary substrate 450 to weaken the adhesive force between the first buffer layer 111 and the temporary substrate 450. there is.

In addition, in order to remove the temporary substrate 450 disposed on the lower surface of the first buffer layer 111, the temporary substrate 450 disposed in the pad area PA is first removed by etching, and the display area AA and the non-display area are removed. The temporary substrate 450 disposed on (NA) may be removed by a laser lift-off process. As described above, in the display device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment, the flexible substrate 130 is disposed only in the display area AA and the non-display area NA, and is not disposed in the pad area PA. Therefore, it may be difficult to remove the temporary substrate 450 from the pad area PA through the laser lift-off process. Accordingly, the portion of the temporary substrate 450 disposed in the pad area PA is first removed through an etching process, and the portion of the temporary substrate 450 disposed in an area overlapping the flexible substrate 130 is removed through a laser lift-off process. It can also be removed via

However, the process of removing the temporary substrate 450 is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various processes may be used within a range that does not damage other components.

Next, referring to FIG. 4F , the support member 110 is attached to the lower portion of the first buffer layer 111 . As described above, the support member 110 can suppress moisture or oxygen that can permeate into the flexible substrate 130 and protect the display device 100 from impact from the outside. It can also function as a film.

After the module process of bonding the data driver in the manufacturing process of the display device is completed, it is checked whether the data driver is normally bonded to the data pad. In this case, when the data driver is not normally bonded to the data pad, the data driver may be removed from the data pad together with the adhesive layer. In this case, if the data driver is normally removed, a rework process of bonding the data driver to the data pad may be performed. However, when the flexible substrate is disposed up to the pad area, that is, when the data driver is bonded to the data pad disposed on the flexible substrate, since the adhesive strength of the layers disposed on the flexible substrate is weak, the data pad is lost or the data pad and the flexible substrate may be lost. In this case, even if an attempt is made to re-bond the data driver for the rework process, the rework process is impossible because there is no data pad to be bonded to the data driver.

Meanwhile, the data pad and the flexible substrate may not be lost with a very small probability. However, the flexible substrate may be damaged due to a phenomenon in which the flexible substrate is wrinkled, and the rework process may be impossible.

Accordingly, in the display device 100 and the manufacturing method of the display device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the flexible substrate 130 is a pad area PA where the data driver 120 and the data pad DP are bonded. are not placed in At this time, the adhesive force of the layers disposed on the temporary substrate 450 made of glass or the like, rather than the flexible substrate 130, is relatively strong. Therefore, in the display device 100 and the manufacturing method of the display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the data pad DP is not lost and can be maintained as it is in the process of removing the data driver 120. . Therefore, in the display device 100 and the manufacturing method of the display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the data pad DP is not lost in the process of removing the data driver 120, the rework process is performed. can be performed normally. Accordingly, manufacturing cost, which may increase as the display device 100 is discarded due to loss of the data pad DP in the rework process, may be reduced, and manufacturing yield may be improved.

Also, in the display device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first buffer layer 111 and the second buffer layer 112 surround the flexible substrate 130 . Specifically, the first buffer layer 111 and the second buffer layer 112 made of an inorganic material may seal the flexible substrate 130 made of a plastic material such as polyimide. Thus, in the display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, penetration of moisture and oxygen from the side of the display device 100 can be minimized.

5 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The display device 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 is different from the display device 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 only by adding an auxiliary line SL and a light blocking layer 570, and includes other components. Since they are substantially the same, redundant descriptions are omitted.

Referring to FIG. 5 , a plurality of auxiliary lines SL are disposed below the plurality of data lines DL and the plurality of data pads DP. The auxiliary line SL is disposed between the flexible substrate 130 and the second buffer layer 112 in the non-display area NA, and between the first buffer layer 111 and the second buffer layer 112 in the pad area PA. is placed on

Referring to FIG. 5 , the auxiliary line SL is electrically connected to the data line DL and the data pad DP. For example, as shown in FIG. 5 , the auxiliary line SL connects the data line DL and the data pad DP through a plurality of contact holes formed in the second buffer layer 112 and the gate insulating layer 113 . It can be electrically connected by contacting with. In FIG. 5 , the auxiliary line SL is shown as directly contacting only the data line DL, but is not limited thereto, and the auxiliary line SL may directly contact only the data pad DP, and the data line DL and data pad (DP) can also directly contact both.

Referring to FIG. 5 , a light blocking layer 570 is disposed between the thin film transistor 140 and the flexible substrate 130 in the display area AA. The light blocking layer 570 may block light incident from a lower portion of the thin film transistor 140 to the active layer 141 of the thin film transistor 140 . When light is irradiated to the active layer 141 of the thin film transistor 140 , leakage current may occur and reliability of the thin film transistor 140 may be reduced. Accordingly, the light blocking layer 570 may be disposed below the active layer 141 of the thin film transistor 140 to block light incident on the thin film transistor 140, thereby minimizing leakage current.

In this case, the light blocking layer 570 and the auxiliary line SL may be formed on the same layer with the same material. That is, the auxiliary line SL may be formed simultaneously in the process of forming the light blocking layer 570 in the display area AA. Accordingly, the auxiliary wiring SL may be simultaneously formed when the light blocking layer 570 used to improve the reliability of the thin film transistor 140 is formed without adding a separate process for forming the auxiliary wiring SL. can However, it is not limited thereto, and the auxiliary line SL may be formed on the same layer with the same material as other conductive components disposed in the display area AA.

5 shows that both the light blocking layer 570 and the auxiliary line SL are formed under the first buffer layer 111, but the light blocking layer 570 and the auxiliary line SL are formed on the first buffer layer 111. may be formed on In this case, in order to insulate the light blocking layer 570 from the active layer 141 of the thin film transistor 140, an additional buffer layer may be disposed between the light blocking layer 570 and the active layer 141 of the thin film transistor 140. there is.

In the display device 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary line SL is electrically connected to the data line DL and the data pad DP through a plurality of contact holes. As a result, the wiring resistance of the auxiliary line SL and the data line DL connected in parallel to transfer the data voltage may be reduced. In particular, as the display device 500 has recently improved in resolution, widths of various wires of the display device 500 are reduced, and wire resistance is increased accordingly. Therefore, in the display device 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary line SL is electrically connected to the data line DL and the data pad DP through a plurality of contact holes to transfer the data voltage. The resistance of the wiring can be reduced.

In addition, in the display device 500 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary line SL is simultaneously formed of the same material as the light blocking layer 570 disposed below the thin film transistor 140 . Accordingly, the auxiliary wiring SL may be formed without adding a separate process for forming the auxiliary wiring SL.

* Meanwhile, in the display device 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention, the flexible substrate 130 is not formed in the pad area PA. Therefore, as described above, when the data driver 120 is not normally bonded and a rework process is required, there is a possibility that the data pad DP will not be lost along with the data driver 120 even if the data driver 120 is removed. Very high. However, in the process of removing the data driver 120, there is a possibility that the data pad DP may be lost due to the strong adhesive force of the adhesive layer 190 or the weak adhesive force between the data pad DP and the interlayer insulating layer 114. .

Accordingly, in the display device 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention, an auxiliary line SL is disposed below the data pad DP, and the auxiliary line SL is connected to the data line DL and the data pad DP. electrically connected Therefore, in the display device 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention, even when the data pad DP is lost, the auxiliary line SL disposed under the data pad DP has the same function as the data pad DP. , a rework process of bonding the auxiliary line SL and the data driver 120 may be performed. Therefore, in the display device 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention, since the auxiliary line SL is used in preparation for a case where the data pad DP is lost, the rework process cannot be performed and the display device ( 500) is discarded, manufacturing costs that may increase can be reduced, and manufacturing yield can be improved.

Hereinafter, a case in which the data pad DP is lost even though the flexible substrate 130 is not formed in the pad area PA will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B .

6A and 6B are schematic process diagrams for explaining a display device and a manufacturing method of the display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Compared to the display device 500 shown in FIG. 5 , the display device 600 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B includes the data driver 120 including the auxiliary pad SP and the adhesive layer 190 extending from the auxiliary line SL. ), other components are substantially the same except that they are bonded through, and therefore, redundant descriptions are omitted.

Referring to FIG. 6A , since the data driver 120 and the data pad DP are not normally bonded, the data pad DP may be lost during the process of removing the data driver 120 . Since the flexible substrate 130 is not disposed in the pad area PA, the adhesive force between the data pad DP and components on the first buffer layer 111 is relatively strong, but in the process of removing the data driver 120 There is also a possibility that the data pad DP is lost. 6A shows that only the data pad DP is lost when the data driver 120 is removed, but is not limited thereto, and the interlayer insulating layer 114 and the second buffer layer 112 under the data pad DP are also lost. may be lost together.

In the display device 600 according to another embodiment of the present invention, since the auxiliary line SL is disposed below the data pad DP, a rework process may be performed using the auxiliary line SL.

Accordingly, referring to FIG. 6B , in the display device 600 according to another embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary pad SP extending from the end of the auxiliary line SL disposed on the upper surface of the first buffer layer 111 and The data driver 120 may be bonded in a rework process. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A , when only the data pad DP is lost and the interlayer insulating layer 114 and the second buffer layer 112 under the data pad DP are not lost, the auxiliary pad SP After the upper interlayer insulating layer 114 and the second buffer layer 112 are removed, the auxiliary pad SP and the data driver 120 may be bonded using the adhesive layer 190 . Therefore, in the display device 600 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, even when the data pad DP is lost even though the flexible substrate 130 is not disposed in the pad area PA, The rework process may be performed through the auxiliary pad SP extending from the auxiliary line SL. Accordingly, manufacturing cost, which may increase as the display device 600 is discarded due to loss of the data pad DP in the rework process, may be reduced, and manufacturing yield may be improved.

7 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The display device 700 shown in FIG. 7 is different from the display device 500 shown in FIG. 5 only in that the supporting member 710 is changed, and other components are substantially the same, so duplicate descriptions are omitted. do.

The support member 710 is a substrate for supporting and protecting various components of the display device 700 . The support member 710 may be made of glass. Thus, the support member 710 can suppress moisture or oxygen that can permeate into the flexible substrate 130 and protect the display device 700 from external impact.

As the support member 710 is made of glass, a portion of the support member 710 overlapping the flexible substrate 130 may be thin. Specifically, since the support member 710 is made of glass, but the flexible substrate 130 is used as a substrate of the display device 700, it is preferable that the support member 710 also has flexibility. Accordingly, the support member 710 may have a thin thickness, for example, may be formed to a thickness of about 0.08 mm.

A thickness of a portion of the support member 710 overlapping the flexible substrate 130 may be thinner than a thickness of a portion overlapping the plurality of data pads DP. As described above, in the manufacturing process of the display device 700, a process of bonding the data driver 120 to the data pad DP is required. However, when the thickness of the support member 710 in the pad area PA where the data driver 120 is bonded is too thin, the support member 710 cannot provide support during the bonding process of the data driver 120. A defect in which the data driver 120 is not properly bonded may occur.

Accordingly, in the display device 700 according to another embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the portion of the support member 710 overlapping the data pad DP is equal to the thickness of the portion of the support member 710 overlapping the flexible substrate 130. The support member 710 is formed to be thicker than the thickness of. Accordingly, in the region where the flexible substrate 130 is disposed, the support member 710 may support the components of the display device 700 and provide a predetermined degree of flexibility. In addition, in the pad area PA where the flexible substrate 130 is not disposed and the data driver 120 is bonded, the support member 710 has a relatively thick thickness, for example, a thickness of about 0.7 mm. In the process of bonding the data driver 120 to the data pad DP, the data driver 120 may be normally bonded.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be described as follows.

A display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible substrate including a display area and a non-display area in which a plurality of pixels are defined; a support member disposed under the flexible substrate so as to overlap the flexible substrate and including a pad area located outside one side of the flexible substrate; and a plurality of pads disposed in the pad area of the support member.

According to another feature of the present invention, a display device includes a first buffer layer disposed on a support member so as to overlap the support member; and a second buffer layer disposed on the flexible substrate and surrounding the flexible substrate together with the first buffer layer.

According to another feature of the present invention, the display device includes a data driver bonded to a plurality of pads and having a driver IC; and a plurality of wires extending from the plurality of pads and connected to the plurality of pixels.

According to another feature of the present invention, a plurality of wires and a plurality of pads may be disposed on the second buffer layer.

According to another feature of the present invention, the display device may further include a plurality of auxiliary wires disposed below the plurality of wires and the plurality of pads and electrically connected to the plurality of wires and the plurality of pads.

According to another feature of the present invention, a display device includes a plurality of thin film transistors disposed in a plurality of pixels; and a light blocking layer disposed between the plurality of thin film transistors and the flexible substrate, and the plurality of auxiliary wires may be made of the same material as the light blocking layer.

According to another feature of the present invention, a plurality of auxiliary wires may be disposed between the first buffer layer and the second buffer layer.

According to another feature of the present invention, each of the plurality of wires may make contact with each of the plurality of auxiliary wires through a plurality of contact holes.

According to another feature of the present invention, the plurality of wires may be one of a data wire, a power voltage wire, and a reference voltage wire.

According to another feature of the present invention, a display device includes a plurality of wires connected to a plurality of pixels; a plurality of auxiliary wires disposed below the plurality of wires and electrically connected to the plurality of wires; and a data driver bonded to the plurality of pads and having a driving IC, wherein the plurality of pads extend from ends of the plurality of auxiliary wires, and the plurality of pads and the plurality of auxiliary wires are disposed on an upper surface of the first buffer layer. there is.

According to another feature of the present invention, the flexible substrate may overlap an area other than the pad area of the support member.

According to another feature of the present invention, the support member may be made of a material having flexibility.

According to another feature of the present invention, the support member is made of glass, and a thickness of a portion overlapping the flexible substrate of the support member may be smaller than a thickness of a portion overlapping the plurality of pads.

A display device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible substrate including a display area and a non-display area in which a plurality of pixels are defined; a support member including a pad area disposed under the flexible substrate to overlap the flexible substrate and including a plurality of pads positioned outside one side of the flexible substrate; a first buffer layer disposed on the support member so as to overlap the support member; and a second buffer layer disposed on the flexible substrate and surrounding the flexible substrate together with the first buffer layer, wherein the flexible substrate may overlap an area other than a pad area of the support member.

According to another feature of the present invention, a display device includes a plurality of wires connected to a plurality of pixels; a plurality of auxiliary wires disposed below the plurality of wires and electrically connected to the plurality of wires; and a data driver bonded to the plurality of pads and having a driving IC, the plurality of pads extending from ends of the plurality of auxiliary wires, and the plurality of pads and the plurality of auxiliary wires disposed on an upper surface of the first buffer layer. can

According to another feature of the present invention, the support member may be made of a material having flexibility.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments, and may be variously modified without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. . Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention, but to explain, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The protection scope of the present invention should be construed according to the claims below, and all technical ideas within the equivalent range should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

100, 500, 600, 700: display device
110, 710: support member
111: first buffer layer
112: second buffer layer
113: gate insulating layer
114: interlayer insulating layer
115: passivation layer
116: over coating layer
117: bank
120: data driving unit
121: drive IC
122: first flexible film
123: second flexible film
124: wiring
130, 930: flexible substrate
140: thin film transistor
141: active layer
141C: channel area
141S: source area
141D: drain region
142: gate electrode
143: source electrode
144: drain electrode
450, 950: Temporary board
160: organic light emitting element
161 anode
162 organic light emitting layer
163: cathode
190: adhesive layer
570: light blocking layer
AA: display area
NA: non-display area
GD: gate driver
DP: data pad
DL: data wire
GL: gate wiring
SL: auxiliary wiring
SP: auxiliary pad
PA: pad area
PX: pixels

Claims (16)

a flexible substrate including a display area and a non-display area in which a plurality of pixels are defined;
a plurality of light emitting elements disposed in the plurality of pixels on the flexible substrate;
a support member disposed under the flexible substrate to overlap the flexible substrate and including a pad area positioned outside one side of the flexible substrate; and
a plurality of pads disposed in the pad area of the support member;
The display device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate overlaps an area of the support member excluding the pad area. According to claim 1,
a first buffer layer disposed on the support member so as to overlap the support member; and
and a second buffer layer disposed on the flexible substrate and surrounding the flexible substrate together with the first buffer layer. According to claim 2,
a data driver bonded to the plurality of pads and including a driver IC; and
The display device further comprises a plurality of wires extending from the plurality of pads and connected to the plurality of pixels. According to claim 3,
The plurality of wires and the plurality of pads are disposed on the second buffer layer. According to claim 3,
and a plurality of auxiliary wires disposed under the plurality of wires and the plurality of pads and electrically connected to the plurality of wires and the plurality of pads. According to claim 5,
a plurality of thin film transistors disposed in the plurality of pixels; and
Further comprising a light blocking layer disposed between the plurality of thin film transistors and the flexible substrate,
The plurality of auxiliary wires are made of the same material as the light blocking layer. According to claim 5,
The plurality of auxiliary wires are disposed between the first buffer layer and the second buffer layer. According to claim 5,
Each of the plurality of wires makes contact with each of the plurality of auxiliary wires through a plurality of contact holes. According to claim 3,
The display device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wires is one of a data wire, a power supply voltage wire, and a reference voltage wire. According to claim 2,
a plurality of wires connected to the plurality of pixels;
a plurality of auxiliary wires disposed below the plurality of wires and electrically connected to the plurality of wires; and
Further comprising a data driver bonded to the plurality of pads and having a driver IC;
The plurality of pads extend from ends of the plurality of auxiliary wires,
The plurality of pads and the plurality of auxiliary wires are disposed on an upper surface of the first buffer layer. delete According to claim 1,
The display device, wherein the support member is made of a material having flexibility. According to claim 1,
The support member is made of glass,
A thickness of a portion overlapping the flexible substrate of the support member is smaller than a thickness of a portion overlapping the plurality of pads. a flexible substrate including a display area and a non-display area in which a plurality of pixels are defined;
a plurality of light emitting elements disposed in the plurality of pixels on the flexible substrate;
a support member including a pad area disposed under the flexible substrate to overlap the flexible substrate and including a plurality of pads positioned outside one side of the flexible substrate;
a first buffer layer disposed on the support member so as to overlap the support member; and
a second buffer layer disposed on the flexible substrate and surrounding the flexible substrate together with the first buffer layer;
The display device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate overlaps an area of the support member excluding the pad area. According to claim 14,
a plurality of wires connected to the plurality of pixels;
a plurality of auxiliary wires disposed below the plurality of wires and electrically connected to the plurality of wires; and
Further comprising a data driver bonded to the plurality of pads and having a driver IC;
The plurality of pads extend from ends of the plurality of auxiliary wires,
The plurality of pads and the plurality of auxiliary wires are disposed on an upper surface of the first buffer layer. According to claim 14,
The display device, wherein the support member is made of a material having flexibility.

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