KR20210086249A - Electroluminescence display device and manufacturing method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention can provide an electroluminescence display device and a manufacturing method thereof. The electroluminescence display device includes a substrate divided into a display area and a non-display area disposed on the edge of the display area, an encapsulation film covering the display area, a dam area disposed on the non-display area and including a dam surrounding the encapsulation film, a first inspection tag for detecting an impedance corresponding to the thickness of the encapsulation film inside the dam area; and a second inspection tag for detecting the thickness of the encapsulation film on the outside of the dam area. It is possible to easily detect defects in the encapsulation film.

Description

ELECTROLUMINESCENCE DISPLAY DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR THE SAME

The present specification relates to an electroluminescent display device and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to an electroluminescent display device capable of facilitating defect determination and reducing manufacturing cost, and a manufacturing method thereof.

As the information society develops, the demand for a display device for displaying an image is increasing in various forms, and various types of display devices such as a liquid crystal display device (LCD) and an electroluminescence display device (ELD) have been developed. Various types of display devices are being used.

In addition, an electroluminescence display (ELD) is a quantum dot light emitting display including a quantum dot (QD), an inorganic light emitting display (Inorganic Light Emitting Display), and It may include an organic light emitting display device (Organic Light Emitting Display), and the like.

The electroluminescent display device can prevent foreign substances and moisture from penetrating into the light emitting device by using an encapsulation film.

In the electroluminescent display device, defects caused by the encapsulation film may be inspected only for some products, so there is a problem in that the defect inspection is not performed accurately. Accordingly, the inventors of the present specification have invented an electroluminescent display device and a driving method thereof to solve the defect of the encapsulation film.

The problems to be solved according to an embodiment of the present specification to be described below are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

An electroluminescent display device according to an embodiment of the present specification includes an encapsulation film covering the display area, a dam area disposed on the non-display area, and including a dam surrounding the encapsulation film;

It may include a first inspection tag and a second inspection tag for detecting the thickness of the encapsulation film on the inside and outside of the dam area.

A method of manufacturing an electroluminescence display according to an embodiment of the present specification includes disposing a first sub-tag and a second sub-tag on a substrate, and arranging a dam region between the first and second sub-tags. , disposing an encapsulation film in a display area on the substrate, and disposing a first upper tag at least partially overlapping the first lower tag, and a second upper tag at least partially overlapping with the second lower tag may include.

According to the embodiment of the present specification, by making it easy to detect defects in the encapsulation film, there is an effect that all manufactured products can be inspected for defects.

In addition, by using the electroluminescent display device and the manufacturing method thereof, there is an effect of reducing the manufacturing cost.

The effect of the present specification is not limited to the effect mentioned above, and is not mentioned. In addition, the embodiments disclosed herein may generate other effects not mentioned above, which will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

1 is a structural diagram showing the structure of an electroluminescent display device according to embodiments of the present invention.
2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a pixel according to embodiments of the present invention.
3 is a plan view illustrating an electroluminescent display device according to embodiments of the present invention.
4 is a diagram illustrating an inspection tag employed in an electroluminescent display device.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-section taken along line I-I` of FIG. 3 .
6A to 6C are cross-sectional views illustrating an encapsulation film disposed in an electroluminescent display device according to embodiments of the present invention.
7A and 7B are cross-sectional views illustrating a cross section taken along line II-II` of FIG. 3 .
8A and 8B are cross-sectional views illustrating a cross section taken along line III-III′ of FIG. 3 .
9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing an electroluminescent display device according to embodiments of the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present specification and methods of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present specification is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in various different forms, only these embodiments allow the disclosure of the present specification to be complete, and common knowledge in the technical field to which this specification belongs It is provided to fully inform the possessor of the scope of the invention, and this specification is only defined by the scope of the claims.

The shapes, sizes, proportions, angles, numbers, etc. disclosed in the drawings for explaining the embodiments of the present specification are illustrative and the present specification is not limited to the illustrated matters. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. In addition, in the description of the present specification, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present specification, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. When 'including', 'having', 'consisting', etc. mentioned in this specification are used, other parts may be added unless 'only' is used. When a component is expressed in the singular, the case in which the plural is included is included unless otherwise explicitly stated.

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

In the case of a description of the positional relationship, for example, when the positional relationship of two parts is described as 'on', 'on', 'on', 'beside', etc., 'right' Alternatively, one or more other parts may be positioned between the two parts unless 'directly' is used.

In the case of a description of a temporal relationship, for example, when a temporal relationship is described as 'after', 'following', 'after', 'before', etc., 'immediately' or 'directly' Unless ' is used, cases that are not continuous may be included.

Although the 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. Accordingly, the first component mentioned below may be the second component within the spirit of the present specification.

Each feature of the various embodiments of the present specification may be partially or wholly combined or combined with each other, technically various interlocking and driving are possible, and each of the embodiments may be independently implemented with respect to each other or may be implemented together in a related relationship. may be

1 is a structural diagram showing the structure of an electroluminescent display device according to embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the electroluminescent display device 100 may include a display panel 110 , a data driver 120 , a gate driver 130 , and a timing controller 140 .

The display panel 110 may include a plurality of data lines DL1 to DLm extending in the first direction (A) and a plurality of gate lines (GL1 to GLn) extending in the second direction (B). Here, the first direction (A) and the second direction (B) are illustrated as being orthogonal, but is not limited thereto.

Also, the display panel 110 may include a plurality of pixels 101 . The pixel 101 is connected to the data line and the gate line, and may operate by receiving a data signal transmitted through the connected data line in response to the gate signal transmitted through the connected gate line.

The data driver 120 may be connected to the plurality of data lines DL1 to DLm and may supply data signals to the plurality of pixels through the plurality of data lines DL1 to DLm. The data driver 120 may include a plurality of source drivers. Each of the plurality of source drivers may be implemented as an integrated circuit. The data signal transmitted by the data driver 120 may be applied to the pixel.

The gate driver 130 may be connected to the plurality of gate lines GL1 to GLn and supply a gate signal to the plurality of gate lines GL1 to GLn. The pixel receiving the gate signal through the gate line may receive the data signal.

Although the gate driver 130 is illustrated as being disposed outside the display panel 110 , the present invention is not limited thereto, and the gate driver 130 may include a gate signal generator disposed on the display panel 110 . . Also, the gate driver 130 may be implemented with a plurality of integrated circuits.

In addition, although the gate driver 130 is illustrated as being disposed on one side of the display panel 110 , the present invention is not limited thereto, and the gate driver 130 is disposed on both sides of the display panel 110 , and the gate driver disposed on the left side is odd-numbered. A gate driver connected to the gate line and disposed on the right side of the display panel 110 may be connected to an even-numbered gate line.

The timing controller 140 may control the data driver 120 and the gate driver 130 . The timing controller 140 may supply a data control signal to the data driver 120 and a gate control signal to the gate driver 130 . The data control signal or the gate control signal may include a clock, a vertical synchronization signal, a horizontal synchronization signal, and a start pulse. However, the signal output from the timing controller 140 is not limited thereto.

Also, the timing controller 140 may supply an image signal to the data driver 120 . The data driver 120 may generate a data signal through the image signal and the data control signal received from the timing controller 140 , and may supply the data signal to a plurality of data lines.

2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a pixel according to embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the pixel 101 may include a first transistor M1 , a second transistor M2 , a third transistor M3 , a storage capacitor Cst, and a light emitting device LED.

The first electrode of the first transistor M1 is connected to the first node N1 connected to the first power line VL1 to which the first power EVDD is transmitted, and the second electrode is connected to the second node N2. can be connected The gate electrode of the first transistor M1 may be connected to the third node N3 . The first transistor M1 may allow a driving current to flow to the second electrode by the first power EVDD supplied to the first node N1 in response to the voltage transferred to the gate electrode.

A first electrode of the second transistor M2 may be connected to the data line DL through which the data voltage Vdata is transmitted, and the second electrode may be connected to the third node N3 . Also, the gate electrode of the second transistor M2 may be connected to the gate line GL for supplying the gate signal. The second transistor M2 may receive the gate signal and supply the data voltage Vatat transferred to the data line DL to the gate electrode of the first transistor M1 . The gate signal may be supplied from the gate driver 130 shown in FIG. 1 .

A first electrode of the third transistor M3 may be connected to the second power line VL2 that transmits the reference voltage Vref, and the second electrode may be connected to the second node N2 . Also, the gate electrode of the third transistor M3 may be connected to the sensing line SSL. The third transistor M3 may receive the sense signal SENSE and apply the reference voltage Vref transmitted to the second power line VL2 to the second electrode of the first transistor M1 . The second node N2 may be initialized by the reference voltage Vref. The sense signal SENSE may be supplied from the gate driver 130 shown in FIG. 1 . In addition, the data signal may be supplied from the data driver 120 shown in FIG. 1 .

A first electrode of the storage capacitor Cst may be connected to the third node N3 , and a second electrode may be connected to the second node N2 . That is, the storage capacitor Cst is disposed between the gate electrode of the first transistor M1 and the second electrode of the first transistor M1 , the gate electrode of the first transistor M1 and the second electrode of the first transistor M1 . The voltage difference between the two electrodes can be maintained.

The anode electrode of the light emitting device LED may be connected to the second node N2 , and the cathode electrode may be connected to the second power source EVSS. The voltage level of the second power source EVSS may be lower than the voltage level of the first power source EVDD. The light emitting device LED may emit light in response to a current flowing from the anode electrode to the cathode electrode. The light emitting device LED may include a light emitting layer that emits light by a current flowing between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The emission layer may be at least one of an organic material, an inorganic material, and a quantum dot material.

In the pixel 101 configured as described above, the first transistor M1 and the second transistor M2 may be N MOS type transistors, and the third transistor M3 may be a P MOS type transistor. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, the first and second electrodes of the first to third transistors M1 to M3 may be a drain electrode and a source electrode, respectively. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

Also, the driving current supplied from the first transistor M1 may flow according to Equation 1 below.

Here, Id denotes the amount of driving current supplied from the first transistor M1, Vgs denotes a voltage difference between the voltage of the gate electrode and the source electrode of the first transistor M1, and Vth denotes the first transistor M1 ) is the threshold voltage. Also, k means mobility.

As shown in Equation 1 above, since the driving current corresponds to the voltage difference between the gate electrode and the source electrode of the first transistor M1, when the second electrode is the source electrode, the source electrode corresponds to the data signal. When the data voltage Vdata is transferred and the reference voltage Vref is transferred to the gate electrode, the driving current may flow in response to the data signal.

Also, the pixel 101 may include a fourth transistor M4. A first electrode of the fourth transistor M4 may be connected to the first power line VL1 supplying the first power EVDD, and the second electrode may be connected to the first node N1 . Also, the gate electrode of the fourth transistor M4 may be connected to the emission control signal line EML that transmits the emission control signal. The emission control signal line EML is connected to the gate driver 130 shown in FIG. 1 , and may receive an emission control signal from the gate driver 130 . When the fourth transistor M4 is turned on by the emission control signal, the voltage of the first power source EVDD may be applied to the first node N1 . The fourth transistor M4 may be an N-MOS type transistor. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

3 is a plan view illustrating an electroluminescent display device according to embodiments of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a view showing an inspection tag employed in the electroluminescent display device.

3 and 4 , the substrate 111 may be divided into a display area 110a and a non-display area 110b. The non-display area 110b may be disposed at the edge of the display area 110a. In the display area 110a, a pixel 101 including a light emitting device (LED) is disposed, and an image may be displayed by the operation of the pixel 101 . In addition, a plurality of gate lines GL1 to GLn and a plurality of data lines DL1 to DLm may be disposed in the display area 110a , and the gate line GL and the data line DL may be connected to the pixel 101 . .

A wiring including a plurality of link lines RKL transmitting signals to the data line DL may be disposed in the non-display area 110b. A pad portion 110c in which a pad connected to an output terminal of the drive IC is disposed may be formed at a lower end of the non-display area 110b. The drive IC may be the data driver 120 shown in FIG. 1 . Also, a dam area 110d may be disposed in the non-display area 110b. The dam area 110d may be an area in which at least one dam is disposed. Also, the encapsulation layer 114 may cover the display area 110a.

In addition, the electroluminescent display device 100 may include an inspection tag 301 . The inspection tag 301 may detect the thickness of the encapsulation film and may be used to determine whether the electroluminescent display device 100 is defective. One inspection tag 301 may be disposed on each of the four sides of the electroluminescent display device 100 . However, the number of inspection tags 301 is not limited thereto.

The inspection tag 301 may include a first inspection tag 301a and a second inspection tag 301b. The first inspection tag 301a may detect the thickness of the encapsulation film on the inside of the dam region 110d, and the second inspection tag 301b may detect the thickness of the encapsulation film 114 on the outside of the dam region 110d. .

The first inspection tag 301a includes a first lower tag 311a and a first upper tag 312a, and the second inspection tag 301b includes a second lower tag 311b and a second upper tag 312b. may include. The first lower tag 311a is connected to the first inspection pad 401 through the first connection line 411 , and the first upper tag 312a is connected to the second inspection pad 402 through the second connection line 412 . can be connected The first connection line 411 is connected to the first lower tag 311a through the lower part of the dam disposed in the dam area 110d, and the second connection line 412 passes through the upper part of the dam disposed in the dam area 110d. It may be connected to the first upper tag 312a.

In addition, the second lower tag 311b is connected to the third inspection pad 403 through the third connection line 413 , and the second upper tag 312b is connected to the fourth inspection pad 404 through the fourth connection line 414 . ) can be associated with The third connecting line 413 and the fourth connecting line 414 may not be in contact with each other by the insulating layer.

Here, the first lower tag 311a, the first upper tag 312a, the second lower tag 311b, and the second upper tag 312b are illustrated as having a rectangular shape, but are not limited thereto. Also, although it is illustrated that the sizes of the first lower tag 311a and the second lower tag 311b are larger than those of the first upper tag 312a and the second upper tag 312b, the present invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I` of the electroluminescent display device shown in FIG. 3 .

Referring to FIG. 5 , the substrate 111 may be divided into a display area 110a and a non-display area 110b. A buffer layer 1111 may be formed on the substrate 111 . The buffer layer 1111 may prevent foreign substances existing on the substrate 111 from penetrating into the active layer 1121 . The buffer layer 1111 may include a plurality of inorganic layers.

In addition, the active layer 1121 may be patterned and disposed on the buffer layer 1111 at a position corresponding to the display area 110a of the substrate 111 . The active layer 1121 may be formed of low-temperature polysilicon or an oxide semiconductor. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

A gate insulating layer 1122 may be disposed on the active layer 1121 . In addition, the gate electrode 1123a may be disposed at a position overlapping the active layer 1121 by patterning the gate metal on the gate insulating layer 1122 . In addition, a first interlayer insulating layer 1124 and a second interlayer insulating layer 1125 sequentially stacked may be disposed on the gate insulating layer 1122 on which the gate electrode 1123a is disposed.

A source drain metal may be patterned on the second interlayer insulating layer 1125 , so that a drain electrode 1126a and a source electrode 1126b may be disposed. A planarization layer 1127 may be disposed on the second interlayer insulating layer 1125 on which the drain electrode 1126a and the source electrode 1126b are disposed.

In addition, an anode electrode 1131 and a conductive layer 1131a may be disposed on the planarization layer 1127 . In addition, a contact hole may be formed in the planarization layer 1127 , and the anode electrode 1131 may be connected to the source electrode 1126b through the contact hole. Also, a bank 1132 may be formed on the planarization layer 1127 .

In addition, a light emitting layer 1133 may be disposed on the bank 1132 . Here, the light emitting layer 1133 is illustrated as a single layer, but is not limited thereto, and may include a plurality of light emitting layers. A cathode electrode 1134 may be disposed on the emission layer 113 . The cathode electrode 1134 may be a common electrode commonly connected to a plurality of pixels. The emission layer 1133 may include a hole layer, a light emitting material layer, and an electron layer, and the number of hole layers stacked on the anode electrode may be different for each pixel. The distance between the anode electrode and the light emitting material layer may be different due to the different number of hole layers.

Also, a spacer 1135 may be disposed on the bank 1132 . The emission layer 1133 and the cathode electrode 1134 may be disposed on the spacer 1135 .

An encapsulation layer 114 may be disposed on the cathode electrode 1134 . The encapsulation layer 114 includes a first inorganic layer 1141 , a second inorganic layer 1143 , and an organic layer 1142 disposed between the first inorganic layer 1141 and the second inorganic layer 1143 . can do. The thickness of the organic layer 1142 is disposed thicker than the thickness of the first inorganic layer 1141 and the second inorganic layer 1143 to prevent foreign substances and moisture from penetrating into the light emitting layer 1133 through the encapsulation layer 114 . can be prevented Among the encapsulation layers 114 , an organic layer 1142 is disposed in the display area 110a , and the first inorganic layer 1141 and/or the second inorganic layer 1143 includes the display area 110a and the non-display area 110b. ) can be placed in

In addition, a buffer layer 1111 and a pad 1123b formed by patterning a gate metal disposed on the buffer layer 1111 may be disposed in the non-display area 110b of the substrate 111 . The pad 1123b is not limited to being formed by patterning the gate metal. The pad 1123b may be disposed in the non-display area 110b and may be connected to a data line disposed in the display area 110a.

In addition, a first interlayer insulating layer 1124 and a second interlayer insulating layer 1125 may be disposed on the pad 1123b , and a second interlayer insulating layer 1125 may be disposed on the pad 1123b .

Also, a planarization layer 1127 may be disposed on the second interlayer insulating layer 1125 . The planarization layer 1127 may be disposed in a portion of the non-display area 110b adjacent to the display area 110a. In addition, a conductive layer 1131a may be disposed on the planarization layer 1127 . The conductive layer 1131a may extend along an inclined surface of the planarization layer 1127 and may be connected to the pad 1123b. The conductive layer 1131a may include the same material as the anode electrode 1131 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

A dam area 110d for preventing the organic layer 1142 disposed on the display area 110a from being discharged into the non-display area 110b may be disposed in the non-display area 110b of the substrate 111 . . The organic layer 1142 may be prevented from flowing to the outside of the dam region 110d (the right side of the dam region 110d in the drawing) by the dams 401, 402, and 403 disposed in the dam region 110d. Here, the number of the dams 401, 402, and 403 is illustrated as three, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, the height of the dam 402 disposed in the middle among the plurality of dams 401 , 402 , and 403 may be higher than that of the other dams 401 and 403 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the heights of the plurality of dams 401 , 402 , and 403 may be constant.

Each dam 401 , 402 , 403 may include a double layer. Lower ends of the dams 401 , 402 , and 403 may include a material constituting the bank 1132 , and upper ends of the dams 401 , 402 , and 403 may include a material constituting the spacer 1135 . In addition, the dam 402 disposed in the middle may include a triple layer. The dam 402 disposed in the center may include a material constituting the planarization layer 1127 , the bank 1132 , and the spacer 1135 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

The first inorganic layer 1141 may cover an upper portion of the dam region 1133 . In addition, the second inorganic layer 1143 may contact the first inorganic layer 1141 in the dam region 110d. The dam 1133 may include the same material as the bank 1132 .

In addition, the touch electrode 150 may be disposed on the encapsulation film 114 . The touch electrode 150 may be formed by patterning a touch metal. When the touch metal is patterned, a touch buffer layer 115 may be further formed on the encapsulation layer 114 to prevent damage to the encapsulation layer 114 . Accordingly, after the touch buffer layer 115 is formed on the encapsulation film 114 , the touch metal is deposited and patterned, so that the touch electrode 150 may be formed on the encapsulation film 114 .

6A to 6C are cross-sectional views illustrating an encapsulation film disposed in an electroluminescent display device according to embodiments of the present invention.

6A to 6C , the encapsulation layer 114 disposed on the substrate 111 is disposed on the first inorganic layer 1141 covering the substrate 111 and the first inorganic layer 1141 , The substrate 111 may include an organic layer 1142 covering the display area and a second inorganic layer 1143 covering the organic layer 1142 . A dam region 110d is disposed on the non-display region 110b of the substrate 111 , and the first inorganic layer 1141 and/or the second inorganic layer 1143 passes over the dam region 110d and passes over the dam region. It may be disposed on the outer side (right side of the dam region 110d in the drawing) of 110d. On the other hand, when the organic layer 1142 overflows the dam region 110d and is disposed on the upper outer side of the dam region 110d, the organic layer 1142 is not completely covered by the second inorganic layer 1143 and the organic layer There may be a problem that foreign matter or moisture penetrates into (1142). Accordingly, the organic layer 1142 should not be disposed on the outer side of the dam region 110d.

Since the organic film 1142 is disposed inside the dam region 110d (on the right side of the dam region 110d in the drawing) and is not disposed outside the dam region 110d, as shown in FIG. 6A , the dam region The thickness of the encapsulation film 114 on the inner side of 110d may be thicker than the thickness of the encapsulation film 114 on the outer side of the dam region 110d. Here, although it is illustrated that the organic layer 1142 is disposed only inside the dam region 110d, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the organic layer 1142 may also be disposed above the dam region 110d.

However, if the organic layer 1142 does not sufficiently cover the display area 110a, the organic layer 1142 may not reach the dam area 110d. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 6B , the thickness of the encapsulation layer 114 inside the dam region 110d may be reduced.

When the organic film 1142 inside the dam region 110d is insufficient, the organic film 1142 of the encapsulation film 114 is thinly disposed or disposed on the conductive film 1131a adjacent to the dam region 110d. it may not be 6B , the organic layer 1142 of the encapsulation layer 114 may not cover the conductive layer 1131a positioned adjacent to the dam region 110d. Accordingly, only the first inorganic layer 1141 and the second inorganic layer 1143 may be stacked on the conductive layer 1131a. In addition, foreign substances or moisture may pass through the first inorganic layer 1141 and the second inorganic layer 1143 to permeate into the conductive layer 1131a. As described above, when moisture penetrating the first inorganic layer 1141 and the second inorganic layer 1143 comes into contact with the conductive layer 1131a, the conductive layer 1131a may be lifted or short-circuited. can For example, referring to FIG. 6B , the region in which the conductive film 1131a contacts the pad 1123b through the contact hole of the first interlayer insulating film 1124 and the second interlayer insulating film 1125 is the dam region 110d. and the display area 110a. When the organic layer 1142 of the encapsulation layer 114 is insufficient, the conductive layer 1131a and the pad 1123b come into contact with each other through the contact hole of the first interlayer insulating layer 1124 and the second interlayer insulating layer 1125 . A portion of the contact region may not be covered by the organic layer 1142 of the encapsulation layer 114 . Accordingly, the first interlayer insulating layer 1141 and the second interlayer insulating layer 1143 may be stacked on the conductive layer 1131a positioned in the contact region except for the organic layer 1142 of the encapsulation layer 114 .

As described above, when the organic layer 1142 is insufficient, moisture may permeate on the partial region of the conductive layer 1131a without the organic layer 1142 being covered. Accordingly, the conductive layer 1131a may be corroded by moisture. In addition, the conductive layer 1131a may be lifted due to corrosion of the conductive layer 1131a, or a stacked structure formed on the conductive layer 1131a may be lifted. In addition, moisture may permeate into the cathode electrode 1134 connected to the conductive layer 1131a through the conductive layer 1131a, so that a short circuit may occur in the display area 110a. Alternatively, moisture may penetrate into the pad 1123b connected to the conductive layer 1131a, and the pad 1123b may be corroded. Also, a short circuit may occur between the conductive layer 1131a and the pad 1123b.

Also, as shown in FIG. 6C , when the organic layer 1142 overflows the display area 110a and crosses the dam area 110d, the thickness of the encapsulation layer 114 on the outside of the dam area 110d becomes thick. can be When the thickness of the organic layer 1142 on the outside of the dam region 110d is thick, the second inorganic layer 1143 does not completely cover the organic layer 1142 , so that moisture or foreign substances penetrate through the organic layer 1142 . Problems can arise.

Accordingly, although the organic layer 1142 sufficiently covers the display area 110a, it must not exceed the dam area 110d, and a state in which the organic layer 1142 is disposed in the display area 110a can be detected. there should be

7A and 7B are cross-sectional views illustrating a cross section of II-II′ in the electroluminescent display device shown in FIG. 3 .

7A and 7B , the first inspection tag 301a may include a first lower tag 311a and a first upper tag 312a. The first inspection tag 301a may be disposed inside the dam region 110d. The first lower tag 311a may be disposed between the substrate 111 and the encapsulation layer 114 , and the first upper tag 312a may be disposed on the encapsulation layer 114 .

In addition, the encapsulation layer 114 includes a first inorganic layer 1141 , an organic layer 1142 , and a second inorganic layer 1143 , and the first lower tag 311a is a portion of the first inorganic layer 1141 . The first upper tag 312a may be disposed on the lower portion, and the first upper tag 312a may be disposed on the second inorganic layer 1143 . The encapsulation film 114 may include a horizontal surface and an inclined surface.

Then, it may be determined whether the organic layer 1142 has reached the dam region 110d by calculating the magnitude of the impedance formed by the first lower tag 311a and the first upper tag 312a.

As shown in FIG. 7A , when the organic layer 1142 reaches the dam region 110d, the organic layer 1142 may be disposed between the first lower tag 311a and the second lower tag 311b. have. Accordingly, the first upper tag 312a may be disposed on the inclined surface of the encapsulation film 114 .

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7B , when the organic layer 1142 is not disposed inside the dam region 110d or the organic layer 1142 is very small, the first lower tag 311a and the first The upper tag 312a may be in contact with each other, or a gap between the first lower tag 311a and the first upper tag 312a may be very narrow.

When the organic layer 1142 is disposed between the first lower tag 311a and the first upper tag 312a, the organic layer 1142 is formed between the first lower tag 311a and the first upper tag 312a. The magnitude of the impedance formed by the first lower tag 311a and the first upper tag 312a may be greater than that in the case where it is not disposed or is very small. Here, the impedance may be a capacitance formed in the first lower tag 311a and the first upper tag 312a.

Accordingly, it may be determined whether the organic layer 1142 reaches the dam region 110d using the magnitude of the impedance formed by the first lower tag 311a and the first upper tag 312a.

The first upper tag 312a may be connected to the second connection line 412 disposed on the dams 401 , 402 , and 403 . The first upper tag 312a and the second connection line 412 may be formed by patterning the touch metal forming the touch electrode 150 shown in FIG. 5 . That is, the touch electrode 150 , the first upper tag 312a , and the second connection line 412 may be disposed by depositing and patterning a touch metal on the encapsulation layer 114 .

8A and 8B are cross-sectional views illustrating a cross section of III-III′ in the electroluminescent display device shown in FIG. 3 .

8A and 8B , the second inspection tag 301b may include a second lower tag 311b and a second upper tag 312b. The second inspection tag 301b may be disposed outside the dam region 110d. In addition, the encapsulation layer 114 includes a first inorganic layer 1141 , an organic layer 1142 , and a second inorganic layer 1143 , and includes at least one of the first inorganic layer 1141 and the second inorganic layer 1143 . Since one passes over the dam region 110d, the second lower tag 311b and the second upper tag 312b may contact each other, and the second lower tag 311b and the second upper tag 312b may be in contact with each other. A first inorganic layer 1141 or a second inorganic layer 1143 may be disposed therebetween. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the first inorganic layer 1141 or the second inorganic layer 1143 may not be disposed between the second lower tag 311b and the second upper tag 312b.

Then, by calculating the magnitude of the impedance formed by the second lower tag 311b and the second upper tag 312b, it may be determined whether the organic layer 1142 has passed over the dam region 110d. As shown in FIG. 8A , when the organic layer 1142 does not cross the dam region 110d, the first lower tag 311a and the second lower tag 311b contact each other or the first lower tag 311a ) and the second lower tag 311b , the first inorganic layer 1141 or the second inorganic layer 1143 may be disposed, and the organic layer 1142 may not be disposed. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8B , when the organic layer 1142 crosses the dam region 110d, the organic layer 1142 may be disposed between the second lower tag 311b and the second upper tag 312b. can

When the organic layer 1142 is not disposed between the second lower tag 311b and the second upper tag 312b, the organic layer 1142 is disposed between the second lower tag 311b and the second upper tag 312b. In this arrangement, the magnitude of the impedance formed by the second lower tag 311b and the second upper tag 312b may be smaller than that of the arrangement. Here, the impedance may be a capacitance formed in the first lower tag 311a and the first upper tag 312a.

Accordingly, it may be determined whether the organic layer 1142 has crossed the dam region 110d using the magnitude of the impedance formed by the second lower tag 311b and the second upper tag 312b.

9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing an electroluminescent display device according to embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9 , in the method of manufacturing an electroluminescent display device, a first subtag and a second subtag may be disposed on a substrate ( S900 ). A gate line patterned with a gate metal and a source drain metal are formed between the substrate ( S900 ). The patterned data line and the anode electrode of the light emitting diode patterned with the anode metal may be stacked and disposed. In addition, the first sub-tag and the second sub-tag may be formed by patterning one of a source-drain metal and an anode metal.

The substrate may be disposed on the first subtag and the second subtag, and a dam region may be formed between the first subtag and the second subtag (S910). The dam region is an region in which at least one dam is disposed. may be included in the non-display area. Also, in the dam area, at least one dam may be disposed along the edge of the display area. There may be three dams disposed in the dam area, and a dam disposed in the middle may have the highest height among the three dams. However, the number and height of the dams are not limited thereto.

An encapsulation layer may be disposed in the display area on the substrate ( S920 ). An organic layer of the encapsulation layer may be disposed in the display area by a dam disposed on the substrate. The first inorganic layer and/or the second inorganic layer of the encapsulation layer may be disposed on the dam region. Also, the first inorganic layer and the second inorganic layer may contact each other in the dam region.

A first upper tag disposed at least partially overlapping the first lower tag, and a second upper tag disposed at least partially overlapping with the second lower tag may be disposed. (S930) The first lower tag and the first An encapsulation film may be disposed between the upper tags. That is, a first inorganic layer, an organic layer, and a second inorganic layer may be disposed between the first lower tag and the first upper tag. Further, an organic layer of an encapsulation layer is not disposed between the second lower tag and the second upper tag, but a first inorganic layer or a second inorganic layer may be disposed.

In addition, a touch electrode patterned with a touch metal is disposed on the encapsulation layer, and the first upper tag and the second upper tag may be formed by patterning the touch metal.

In addition, the first inspection signal may be applied to the first lower tag and the first upper tag, and the second inspection signal may be applied to the second lower tag and the second upper tag. It can be seen that the encapsulation film is disposed inside the dam region by measuring the impedance formed in the first lower tag and the first upper tag by the first inspection signal applied to the first lower tag and the first upper tag. Also, by measuring the impedance formed in the second lower tag and the second upper tag by the second inspection signal applied to the second lower tag and the second upper tag, it can be seen that the encapsulation film has crossed the dam region.

Accordingly, it is possible to determine whether the encapsulation film is defective by combining the first inspection signal applied to the first lower tag and the first upper tag and the second inspection signal applied to the second lower tag and the second upper tag.

The second upper tag 312b may be formed by patterning the touch metal forming the touch electrode 150 shown in FIG. 5 . That is, the touch electrode 150 and the second upper tag 312b may be disposed by depositing and patterning a touch metal on the encapsulation layer 114 . In addition, the fourth connection line 414 connected to the second upper tag 312b may also be formed by depositing and patterning a touch metal.

Although the embodiments of the present specification have been described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present specification is not necessarily limited to these embodiments, and various modifications may be made within the scope without departing from the technical spirit of the present specification. . Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present specification are for explanation rather than limiting the technical spirit of the present specification, and the scope of the technical spirit of the present specification 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 specification should be construed by the claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present specification.

100: electroluminescent display device
111: substrate
110: display panel
120: data driver
130: gate driver
140: timing controller

Claims (14)

a substrate divided into a display area in which a plurality of pixels each including an organic light emitting diode is disposed and a non-display area disposed at an edge of the display area;
an encapsulation film covering the display area;
a dam area disposed on the non-display area and including at least one dam surrounding the encapsulation film;
a first inspection tag including a first lower tag disposed under the encapsulation film inside the dam region and a first upper tag disposed on the encapsulation film and at least partially overlapping the first lower tag; and
a second inspection tag including a second lower tag disposed on the substrate outside the dam region and a second upper tag disposed on the second lower tag and at least partially overlapping the second lower tag; An electroluminescent display device comprising.
According to claim 1,
The encapsulation film includes a first inorganic film, an organic film, and a second inorganic film,
In the first inspection tag, the organic layer is disposed between the first lower tag and the first upper tag.
According to claim 1,
The first lower tag is connected to a first inspection pad through a first connection line disposed between the substrate and the dam region, and the first upper tag is connected to a second inspection pad through a second connection line disposed above the dam region. An electroluminescent display connected to the pad.
3. The method of claim 2,
A gate line patterned with a gate metal, a data line patterned with a source drain metal, and an anode electrode of the light emitting diode patterned with an anode metal are stacked on the substrate, and the touch metal is patterned on the encapsulation film. electrodes are placed,
A touch electrode patterned with a touch metal is disposed on the encapsulation film,
The first lower tag is formed by patterning one of the source-drain metal and the anode metal;
The first upper tag is formed by patterning the touch metal.
3. The method of claim 2,
The encapsulation film includes a horizontal surface and an inclined surface, and the first upper tag is disposed on the inclined surface.
According to claim 1,
The second lower tag is connected to a third inspection pad through a third connection line, and the second upper tag is connected to a fourth inspection pad through a fourth connection line.
7. The method of claim 6,
The encapsulation film includes a first inorganic film, an organic film, and a second inorganic film,
and the first inorganic layer or the second inorganic layer is disposed between the second lower tag and the second upper tag.
According to claim 1,
A gate line patterned with a gate metal, a data line patterned with a source drain metal, and an anode electrode of the light emitting diode patterned with an anode metal are stacked on the substrate, and the touch metal is patterned on the encapsulation film. electrodes are placed,
The second lower tag is formed by patterning one of the source-drain metal and the anode metal;
and the second upper tag is formed by patterning the touch metal.
According to claim 1,
An anode electrode, a bank disposed on the anode electrode, a light emitting layer disposed on the bank, and a cathode electrode disposed on the light emitting layer are disposed in the display area;
and the dam includes the same material as the bank.
disposing a first sub-tag and a second sub-tag on a substrate;
forming a dam region on the first and second sub-tags, the dam region being disposed between the first and second sub-tags;
disposing an encapsulation film on the display area on the substrate; and
and disposing a first upper tag at least partially overlapping the first lower tag and a second upper tag at least partially overlapping with the second lower tag. .
11. The method of claim 10,
and applying a first inspection signal to the first lower tag and the first upper tag, and applying a second inspection signal to the second lower tag and the second upper tag. Way.
12. The method of claim 11,
A gate line patterned with a gate metal, a data line patterned with a source drain metal, and an anode electrode of the organic light emitting diode patterned with an anode metal are stacked on the substrate,
The method of manufacturing an electroluminescent display device, wherein the first sub-tag and the second sub-tag are formed by patterning one of the source-drain metal and the anode metal.
12. The method of claim 11,
A touch electrode patterned with a touch metal is disposed on the encapsulation film,
The first upper tag and the second upper tag are formed by patterning the touch metal.
12. The method of claim 11,
The encapsulation layer may include a first inorganic layer covering the display area, an organic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer, and a second inorganic layer covering the organic layer.

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