WO2019142438A1

WO2019142438A1 - Display device and method for producing display device

Info

Publication number: WO2019142438A1
Application number: PCT/JP2018/040326
Authority: WO
Inventors: 暢人眞名垣
Original assignee: 株式会社ジャパンディスプレイ
Priority date: 2018-01-19
Filing date: 2018-10-30
Publication date: 2019-07-25
Also published as: CN111602466B; CN111602466A; JP2019125551A

Abstract

This display device comprises: a first region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, and which contains an organic insulating layer, a first inorganic insulating layer and a second inorganic insulating layer; and a second region that contains the organic insulating layer, the first inorganic insulating layer and the second inorganic insulating layer, which are respectively continuous from the first region. The second region additionally contains a first groove part that is provided in the organic insulating layer, and a protective film that is arranged to be in contact with the upper surface of the second inorganic insulating layer. The first inorganic insulating layer and the second inorganic insulating layer cover the lateral surface, the upper end part and the bottom surface of the first groove part. The protective film overlaps at least a part of the upper surface of the organic insulating layer contained in the second region, the upper end part of the first groove part, and at least a part of the lateral surface of the first groove part. The ratio of the height of the first groove part to the width of the bottom surface of the first groove part is 1 or less.

Description

Display device and method of manufacturing display device

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a display device and a method of manufacturing the display device.

A display device using a liquid crystal display element using an electro-optical effect of liquid crystal or a display using an organic electro luminescence (organic EL: Organic Electro-Luminescence) element as a display device used for electric appliances and electronic devices The device has been developed and commercialized. Further, in recent years, a touch panel, which is a display device having a touch sensor mounted on a display element, has been rapidly spread. The touch panel has become indispensable in portable information terminals such as smartphones, and is being developed worldwide for further advancement of the information society.

When an organic EL element is used as a display element, it is known that while the image of high quality is displayed, the organic EL layer is deteriorated by moisture. When the display element is driven using the deteriorated organic EL layer, a decrease in luminance or a display failure may occur. For this reason, the sealing layer is provided so that moisture may not mix in the organic EL layer.

Further, in the organic EL display device, steps (sometimes referred to as ribs) are provided to separate each image. The level difference may be large in an area outside the display area with respect to the display area. Where the difference in level of the step is large, the film thickness of the resist formed on the sealing layer may be small in the manufacturing process of the display device. In addition, when the touch panel is formed on the display region, a wiring layer may be provided on the sealing layer. When the film thickness of the resist becomes thin as described above, the sealing layer may be etched. As a result, the function of the sealing layer to block moisture may be reduced. On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, as a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, by-products containing silicon, which are generated by etching a polysilicon layer by an RIE process, are deposited on the top and side surfaces of a resist mask. It is disclosed to prevent deformation.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-116753

An object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable display device while protecting a sealing layer.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of pixels are disposed, and the first region including an organic insulating layer, a first inorganic insulating layer, and a second inorganic insulating layer is continuous with the first region. And a second region including an organic insulating layer, the first inorganic insulating layer, and the second inorganic insulating layer, wherein the second region is a first groove portion provided in the organic insulating layer. And a protective film disposed in contact with the upper surface of the second inorganic insulating layer, wherein the first inorganic insulating layer and the second inorganic insulating layer are side surfaces, an upper end portion, and a bottom surface of the first groove portion. And the protective film overlaps at least a portion of the upper surface of the organic insulating layer included in the second region, the upper end of the first groove, and at least a portion of the side surface of the first groove, The display device may have a ratio of the height of the first groove to the width of the bottom of the first groove being 1 or less.

In one embodiment of the present invention, an organic insulating layer is formed to have a first groove outside the display area, and a top surface of the organic insulating layer and a side surface, an upper end, and a bottom surface of the first groove are covered. (1) forming an inorganic insulating layer, forming a second inorganic insulating layer on the first inorganic insulating layer, and forming at least a part of the upper surface of the organic insulating layer on the second inorganic insulating layer and the first groove portion Forming a protective film so as to overlap the upper end portion and at least a part of the side surface of the first groove portion, wherein the ratio of the height of the first groove portion to the width of the bottom surface of the first groove portion is 1 or less It is a manufacturing method of a certain display.

FIG. 1 is a top view showing a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a sectional view showing a display concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the peripheral part which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the manufacturing method of the display apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the manufacturing method of the display apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the manufacturing method of the display apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the manufacturing method of the display apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the manufacturing method of the display apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the manufacturing method of the display apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the manufacturing method of the display apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the manufacturing method of the display apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the manufacturing method of the display apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the manufacturing method of the display apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the manufacturing method of the display apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the peripheral part which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the conventional peripheral part.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment shown below is an example of the embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In the drawings referred to in this embodiment, the same portions or portions having similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals or similar reference numerals (reference numerals with A, B, etc. appended after numbers), and the repetition thereof The description of may be omitted. Further, the dimensional ratio of the drawings may be different from the actual ratio for convenience of explanation, or part of the configuration may be omitted from the drawings.

Furthermore, in the detailed description of the present invention, when defining the positional relationship between a certain component and another component, the terms “above” and “below” are only when positioned directly above or below a certain component. However, unless otherwise specified, the case of further intervening other components is included.

First Embodiment
FIG. 1 shows a display device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a top view of the display device 10.

(1-1. Configuration of Display Device)
In FIG. 1, the display device 10 includes a display area 103, a peripheral portion 104, a driver circuit 105, a driver circuit 106, a driver circuit 107, a flexible printed substrate 108, and a touch sensor 109 which are provided on a substrate 100. The drive circuit 105 has a function as a gate driver. The drive circuit 106 has a function as a source driver. The drive circuit 107 has a function of controlling the touch sensor. In the display area 103, a plurality of the pixels 101 are arranged in a grid shape with a space. The pixel 101 functions as a component of an image. The scan line 145 c is connected to the drive circuit 105. The signal line 147 b is connected to the drive circuit 106. The pixel 101 is connected to the scan line 145 c and the signal line 147 b. The touch sensor includes a first sensor electrode 171 and a second sensor electrode 173. The first sensor electrode 171 and the second sensor electrode 173 are connected to the drive circuit 107.

In the display device 10, a video signal is input to the drive circuit 106 through the flexible printed circuit board 108. Next, the driver circuit 105 and the driver circuit 106 drive the display element 130 in the pixel 101 through the scan line 145 c and the signal line 147 b. As a result, still images and moving images are displayed in the display area 103. The display area 103 may be referred to as a first area.

In the touch sensor 109, the first sensor electrode 171 functions as a transmission electrode. The second sensor electrode 173 functions as a receiving electrode. In the touch sensor 109, the capacitance between the first sensor electrode 171 and the second sensor electrode 173 changes when a person brings his finger close to the touch sensor 109. The touch sensor 109 detects position information using this change in capacitance.

(1-2. Configuration of Each Layer of Display Device)
Details of each configuration of the display device 10 will be described below. FIG. 2 shows a pixel 101 (between A1 and A2), a peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2) located around the display region 103 and not provided with the pixel 101, and a terminal portion including a conductive layer 148. It is a sectional view (between C1-C2).

For the

substrates

100 and 200, a glass substrate or an organic resin substrate is used. As the organic resin substrate, for example, a polyimide substrate is used. The organic resin substrate can have a plate thickness of several micrometers to several tens of micrometers, which makes it possible to realize a flexible sheet display. The substrate 100 and the substrate 200 are required to have transparency in order to extract light emitted from the display element 130 described later. The substrate on the side from which the light emitted from the display element 130 is not extracted does not have to be transparent, and therefore, in addition to the above-described materials, a substrate in which an insulating layer is formed on the surface of a metal substrate may be used. Note that a cover glass, a protective film, or the like may be provided on the second surface of the substrate 100 and the substrate 200 (the surface on the outer side of the substrate when the cross section is viewed). This can prevent the display device from being scratched or the like. The substrate 200 has a role of protecting the display element 130, but is not necessary as long as the sealing layer 161 can sufficiently protect the display element 130.

The insulating layer 141 is provided over the substrate 100 and has a function as a base film. Thus, diffusion of impurities, typically, alkali metals, water, hydrogen, and the like from the substrate 100 to the semiconductor layer 142 can be suppressed.

The transistor 110 includes the semiconductor layer 142, the gate insulating layer 143, the gate electrode 145a, the source electrode 147a, and the drain electrode 147c. The transistor 110 has a top gate top contact structure, but is not limited to this, and may have a bottom gate structure or a bottom contact structure.

The semiconductor layer 142 is provided over the insulating layer 141 in the pixel 101 (between A1 and A2). For the semiconductor layer 142, silicon, an oxide semiconductor, an organic semiconductor, or the like is used.

The gate insulating layer 143 is provided over the insulating layer 141 and the semiconductor layer 142. For the gate insulating layer 143, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride, or another inorganic material with high dielectric constant is used.

The gate electrode 145 a is provided on the gate insulating layer 143. The gate electrode 145a is appropriately connected to the scan line 145c. Note that the gate electrode 145 a and the capacitor electrode 145 b are similarly provided over the gate insulating layer 143. The gate electrode 145a and the capacitor electrode 145b are both formed of a conductive material selected from tantalum, tungsten, titanium, molybdenum, aluminum or the like. The gate electrode 145a and the capacitor electrode 145b may have a single layer structure of the above-described conductive material, or may have a stacked structure.

The insulating layer 149 is formed using the same material as the gate insulating layer 143, and is provided over the gate insulating layer 143, the gate electrode 145a, and the capacitor electrode 145b. Note that the insulating layer 149 may have a single layer or a stacked structure of the above materials.

The source electrode 147 a and the drain electrode 147 c are provided over the insulating layer 149. The source electrode 147a and the drain electrode 147c are appropriately connected to the signal line 147b. For the source electrode 147a and the drain electrode 147c, the same materials as those described as the example of the material of the gate electrode 145a are used. The same material as the gate electrode 145a may be used, or a different material may be used.

In the capacitor element 120, the source or drain region of the semiconductor layer 142 and the capacitor electrode 145b are used with the gate insulating layer 143 as a dielectric.

The planarization layer 150 has a function of planarizing a step difference formed by the transistor 110 or the like, and is provided over the insulating layer 149, the source electrode 147a, and the drain electrode 147c. The planarization layer 150 includes an organic resin. In this example, acrylic resin is used for the planarization layer 150. The flattening layer 150 is not limited to an acrylic resin, and an epoxy resin, a polyimide resin, a polyamide resin, a polystyrene resin, a polyethylene resin, a polyethylene terephthalate resin, or the like may be used. In addition, for the planarization layer 150, a stack of an organic resin and an inorganic material may be used.

For the capacitor element 121, the conductive layer 153 and the pixel electrode 155 are used with the insulating layer 154 as a dielectric.

The conductive layer 153 is provided on the planarization layer 150. The conductive layer 153 may use the same material as the gate electrode 145 a or a different material.

The insulating layer 154 is provided on the planarization layer 150 and the conductive layer 153. As a material of the insulating layer 154, an inorganic material such as silicon nitride is used. Note that for the material of the insulating layer 154, the same material as the gate insulating layer 143 may be used.

The pixel electrode 155 has a function as an anode of the display element 130. Furthermore, the pixel electrode 155 preferably has a property of reflecting light. The former is preferably an oxide conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO), and the latter is preferably a conductive material having high surface reflectivity such as aluminum or silver. . In order to make these functions compatible, the structure of the pixel electrode 155 can be formed by stacking the above-mentioned materials, specifically, indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide on a conductive layer having high surface reflectivity such as aluminum or silver. A structure in which an oxide conductive layer such as (IZO) is laminated is adopted.

For the display element 130, the pixel electrode 155, the organic EL layer 159, and the counter electrode 160 are used. That is, it can be said that the display element 130 is an organic EL element. The display element 130 has a so-called top emission type structure that emits the light emitted from the organic EL layer 159 to the counter electrode 160 side. The display element 130 is not limited to the top emission type, and may have a bottom emission type.

The organic EL layer 159 is provided on the pixel electrode 155. The organic EL layer 159 has a light emitting material such as an organic electroluminescent material.

The counter electrode 160 has a function as a cathode of the display element 130. The counter electrode 160 is provided so as to continuously cover the pixel electrode 155 across the plurality of pixel electrodes 155. In order to transmit light emitted from the organic EL layer 159 for the counter electrode 160, a light transmitting material having conductivity is used, and for example, magnesium silver (MgAg) alloy having a thickness of 10 nm or less is used. Be

At the same time as the opposite electrode 160 is required to be light transmissive, the opposite electrode 160 is also required to be reflective for forming a microcavity with the reflective surface of the pixel electrode 155. For this reason, the counter electrode 160 is formed as a semipermeable membrane. Specifically, a layer formed of silver, magnesium, or an alloy thereof is formed to have a thickness enough to transmit light.

The rib 157 covers the peripheral portion of the pixel electrode 155 which is a part of the display element 130 in order to separate the pixels 101 in the display area 103. The rib 157 contains an organic insulating material (organic resin material), and can also be referred to as an organic insulating layer. For example, a polyimide resin is used for the rib 157. In addition, an organic resin material containing a black pigment may be used for the ribs 157 in order to increase the contrast ratio of the display image.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the rib 157 is formed on the substrate 100, the insulating layer 141, the gate insulating layer 143, the insulating layer 149, the planarizing layer 150, and the insulating layer 154 in the peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2). Provided. The ribs 157, along with the insulating layer 154, cover the top and side surfaces of the planarization layer 150. Details of the rib structure and the like at the peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2) will be described later.

The sealing layer 161 has a function of preventing moisture from entering the display element 130 from the outside of the display device 10. In the display region 103 including the pixel 101 (between A1 and A2), in the sealing layer 161, a first inorganic insulating layer 162, an organic insulating layer 164, and a second inorganic insulating layer 166 are stacked in this order. On the other hand, in the peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2), the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 are stacked. The first inorganic insulating layer 162 is in contact with the insulating layer 154 containing an inorganic material. Thus, in the peripheral portion 104, the insulating layer 154, the first inorganic insulating layer 162, and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 are stacked to form a moisture blocking structure 167. Details of the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 will be described later.

The organic insulating layer 164 covers the foreign matter mixed in at the time of manufacturing the first inorganic insulating layer 162 so that the second inorganic insulating layer 166 can be stacked flat on the organic insulating layer 164. When the second inorganic insulating layer 166 is stacked flatly on the organic insulating layer 164, the second inorganic insulating layer 166 can favorably cover the organic insulating layer 164. Although the film thickness of the organic insulating layer 164 is not limited, it is preferably 5 μm or more and 20 μm or less. For the organic insulating layer 164, the same material as the planarization layer 150 may be used.

The touch sensor 109 includes a first sensor electrode 171, an insulating layer 172 and a second sensor electrode 173. As a material of the first sensor electrode 171 and the second sensor electrode 173, a light transmitting material may be used. Specifically, for example, indium tin oxide (ITO) is used. Besides, TAT (Ti / Al / Ti) or the like can also be used, but is not limited thereto.

For the adhesive layer 195, an inorganic material, an organic material, or a composite material of an organic material and an inorganic material is used. For example, an acrylic resin is used for the adhesive layer 195.

In the terminal portion (between C 1 and C 2), the conductive layer 148 is stacked on the insulating layer 149, and the conductive layer 148 is connected to the flexible printed substrate 108 through the anisotropic conductive film 181. The conductive layer 148 may be formed of the same material as the source electrode 147a and the drain electrode 147c.

(1-3. Configuration of peripheral portion)
Outside the display area 103, there is a peripheral portion 104 which is an area in which the pixel 101 is not disposed. Details of the peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2 in FIG. 1) will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the peripheral portion 104. The peripheral portion 104 may be referred to as a second region. The rib 157, the first inorganic insulating layer 162, and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 are also disposed in the display region 103, and are continuous from the display region 103 to the peripheral edge portion 104.

The rib 157 has a first groove portion 158-1 at the peripheral portion 104. At this time, in the peripheral portion 104, in addition to the upper surface 157A and the bottom surface 157E of the rib 157, the upper end 158-1B, the side surface 158-1C, the lower end 158-1D, and the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove 158-1 are provided. Be

In the first groove portion 158-1, the ratio of the height 158-1H of the first groove portion 158-1 to the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1 (hereinafter referred to as "aspect ratio"). ) Shall be 1 or less. For example, when the aspect ratio is 1, if the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1 is 10 μm, the height 158-1H of the first groove portion 158-1 is 10 μm. When the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1 is 10 μm when the aspect ratio is 0.5, the height 158-1H of the first groove portion 158-1 is 5 μm. .

Also, the rib 157 can further have a second groove portion 158-2. At this time, the upper end portion 158-2B, the side surface 158-2C, the lower end portion 158-2D, and the bottom surface 158-2F of the second groove portion 158-2 are provided in the peripheral portion 104. The width of the bottom surface 158-2F of the second groove portion 158-2 may be equal to or different from the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1. In addition, the height of the second groove 158-2 may be equal to or different from the height 158-1H of the first groove 158-1.

When the rib 157 further includes the second groove 158-2, the first groove 158- with respect to the distance 158L between the upper end 158-1B of the first groove 158-1 and the upper end 158-2B of the second groove 158-2 If the ratio of the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of 1 is 2 or less, when forming the protective film 165 by dry etching as described later, the upper end portion 158-1B of the first groove portion 158-1 and the first The protective film 165 is easily formed at a position overlapping the upper surface A of the rib 157 located between the upper end portion 158-2B of the two groove portion 158-2, and the width of the process design is wide. This is a component formed by dry etching of a portion of the second inorganic insulating layer 166 disposed so as to cover the side surface 158-1C and the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1 when this condition is satisfied. And a component formed by dry etching of a portion arranged to cover the side surface 158-2C and the bottom surface 158-2F of the second groove portion 158-2 are deposited at positions overlapping with the upper surface A of the rib 157. It is easy to do. Also, “the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove 158-1 with respect to the distance 158L between the upper end 158-1B of the first groove 158-1 and the upper end 158-2B of the second groove 158-2 is If the ratio of the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1 to the distance 158L is 2, that is, if the distance 158L is 10 μm, the first The width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the groove portion 158-1 is 20 μm.

The distance 158L between the upper end portion 158-1B of the first groove portion 158-1 and the upper end portion 158-2B of the second groove portion 158-2 may be 10 μm or less. As described later, when the distance 158L between the upper end portion 158-1B of the first groove portion 158-1 and the upper end portion 158-2B of the second groove portion 158-2 is 10 μm or less, the upper surface 157A of the rib 157 The protective film 165 is likely to be formed on the portion located between the upper end portion 158-1B of the first groove portion 158-1 and the upper end portion 158-2B of the second groove portion 158-2.

The width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1 is preferably 5 μm or more and 30 μm or less. If the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1 is larger than 30 μm, the efficiency with which the protective film 165 is formed on the upper surface 157A of the rib 157 is reduced. This is because if the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1 is larger than 30 μm, the side surface 158-1C and the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1 in the second inorganic insulating layer 166 The component formed by dry etching of the portion arranged to cover the lower surface of the rib 157 is less efficient in depositing on the upper surface 157A of the rib 157.

The first inorganic insulating layer 162 is disposed to cover the upper surface 157A of the rib 157 and the side surface 158-1C, the upper end portion 158-1B and the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1. When the rib 157 further includes the second groove portion 158-2, the first inorganic insulating layer 162 is disposed so as to cover the side surface 158-2C, the upper end portion 158-2B, and the bottom surface 158-2F of the second groove portion 158-2. May be In addition, the second inorganic insulating layer 166 is provided on the first inorganic insulating layer 162. The first inorganic insulating layer 162 is in contact with the insulating layer 154 at the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1 and the bottom surface 158-2F of the second groove portion 158-2, and the insulating layer 154 and the first inorganic insulating layer A moisture blocking structure 167, which is a stacked structure of the layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166, is formed.

For the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166, an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or silicon nitride oxide is used. In this example, a silicon nitride film is used for the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166. The silicon nitride film is dense and suitable for blocking moisture. Although the film thickness of the first inorganic insulating layer 162 is not limited, it is preferably 50 nm or more and 2 μm or less.

The protective film 165 is provided in contact with the upper surface 166 A of the second inorganic insulating layer 166. The protective film 165 overlaps at least a part of the upper surface 157A of the rib 157 at the peripheral edge portion 104 (between B1 and B2), the upper end portion 158-1B of the first groove portion 158-1 and the side surface 158-1C. The protective film 165 may overlap with the entire side surface 158-1C of the first groove portion 158-1. The protective film 165 contains an inorganic material such as boron nitride or fluorinated silicon oxide (SiOF _x ). In this example, the protective film 165 contains boron nitride as a main component. As described later, the protective film 165 is preferably a film harder than the resist 168, and since boron nitride forms a hard film, the protective film 165 preferably contains boron nitride as a main component. The protective film 165 is formed by dry etching as described later. More specifically, the protective film 165 is formed to include a component included in the second inorganic insulating layer 166 or a component included in the etching gas of the second inorganic insulating layer 166. The protective film 165 has a second aspect when the aspect ratio, which is the ratio of the height 158-1H of the first groove 158-1 to the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove 158-1, is 1 or less. The insulating layer 166 can be formed by dry etching. Although the film thickness of the protective film 165 is not limited, it can be 100 nm or less.

(1-4. Method of manufacturing display device)
Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the display device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 14.

(1-4-1. Formation of a transistor)
First, as shown in FIG. 4, after the insulating layer 141, the semiconductor layer 142, and the gate insulating layer 143 are formed on the first surface (upper surface when viewed from the cross sectional direction) of the substrate 100, the gate is formed on the gate insulating layer 143. An electrode 145a is formed. Each layer is appropriately processed into a predetermined shape by using a photolithography method, a nanoimprinting method, an inkjet method, an etching method, or the like.

For the substrate 100, a glass substrate or an organic resin substrate is used. When an organic resin substrate is used as the substrate 100, for example, a polyimide substrate is used.

The insulating layer 141 is formed using a material such as silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or silicon nitride. The insulating layer 141 may be a single layer or a stacked layer. The insulating layer 141 is formed by a CVD method, a spin coating method, a printing method, or the like.

When a silicon material is used as the semiconductor layer 142, for example, amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, or the like is used. In the case of using an oxide semiconductor as the semiconductor layer 142, for example, a metal material such as indium, gallium, zinc, titanium, aluminum, tin, or cerium is used. For example, an oxide semiconductor (IGZO) containing indium, gallium, and zinc can be used. The semiconductor layer 142 is formed by a sputtering method, an evaporation method, a plating method, a CVD method, or the like.

For the gate insulating layer 143, an insulating film containing one or more of silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, hafnium oxide, and the like is used. It can be formed by the same method as the insulating layer 141.

The gate electrode 145a is a metal element selected from tungsten, aluminum, chromium, copper, titanium, tantalum, molybdenum, nickel, iron, cobalt, tungsten, indium, zinc, or an alloy containing the above metal element, or the above metal It is formed using a material such as an alloy in which elements are combined. In addition, as the gate electrode 145a, a material in which nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, or the like is contained in the above material may be used. For example, a stacked film of an aluminum (Al) layer and a titanium layer (Ti) formed by a sputtering method is used as the gate electrode 145a.

Next, the insulating layer 149 is formed over the gate insulating layer 143, the gate electrode 145a, and the capacitor electrode 145b. For the insulating layer 149, the same material and method as the gate insulating layer 143 are used. For example, as the insulating layer 149, a silicon oxide film formed by plasma CVD is used.

Next, the source electrode 147 a and the drain electrode 147 c are formed over the insulating layer 149. For the source electrode 147a and the drain electrode 147c, materials and methods similar to those of the gate electrode 145a can be used. The source electrode 147 a and the drain electrode 147 c are formed after forming an opening in the insulating layer 149, and are connected to the source / drain region of the semiconductor layer 142. In the terminal portion (between C1 and C2), the conductive layer 148 is formed simultaneously with the source electrode 147a and the drain electrode 147c.

Next, the planarization layer 150 is formed over the insulating layer 149, the source electrode 147a, and the drain electrode 147c. The planarization layer 150 is made of an organic insulating material such as an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin, or a polyimide. The planarization layer 150 can be formed by a spin coating method, a printing method, an inkjet method, or the like. For example, an acrylic resin formed by spin coating can be used as the planarization layer 150. The planarization layer 150 is formed to such an extent that the upper surface is flat. Note that in the planarization layer 150, an opening 150A for electrically connecting the transistor 110 and the pixel electrode 155 is formed in part of the pixel 101 (between A1 and A2). Further, the shape of the planarizing layer 150 at the peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2) is processed into a predetermined shape. In addition, the planarization layer 150 in the terminal portion (between C1 and C2) is removed.

(1-4-2. Formation of Display Element)
Next, the capacitor 121 (formed of the conductive layer 153, the insulating layer 154, and the pixel electrode 155) and the display 130 (pixel electrode 155, the organic EL layer 159, and the opposite electrode 160) are formed over the planarization layer 150. And the organic insulating layer 157b. Each layer is appropriately processed into a predetermined shape by using a photolithography method, a nanoimprinting method, an inkjet method, an etching method, or the like.

First, as shown in FIG. 5, the conductive layer 153 is formed on the planarization layer 150. The conductive layer 153 can be formed by the same material and method as the gate electrode 145a. For example, as the conductive layer 153, a stacked film of molybdenum, aluminum, and molybdenum formed by a sputtering method is used.

Next, the insulating layer 154 is formed over the conductive layer 153 and the planarization layer 150. The insulating layer 154 is formed by the same material and method as the gate insulating layer 143. For example, as the insulating layer 154, a silicon nitride film formed by plasma CVD is used. Note that the insulating layer 154 is removed from the terminal portion (between C1 and C2), but may not be processed in the other portions.

Next, the pixel electrode 155 is formed over the insulating layer 154 in the pixel 101 (between A1 and A2). For example, the pixel electrode 155 may use a light reflective metal material such as aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), or the like, or indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO) excellent in hole injection property. ) And a light reflective metal layer may be laminated. The pixel electrode 155 is formed by the same method as the gate electrode 145a. For example, as the pixel electrode 155, a laminated film of ITO, silver, and ITO formed by a sputtering method is used.

Next, the organic insulating layer 157 b is formed over the insulating layer 154 and the pixel electrode 155. For example, a polyimide film formed by spin coating is used as the organic insulating layer 157b.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, an opening 157G is formed in the organic insulating layer 157b so as to expose the top surface of the pixel electrode 155. Further, in the peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2), a first groove portion 158-1 is formed in the organic insulating layer 157b in order to form the above-described moisture blocking structure. At this time, the ratio of the height 158-1H of the first groove 158-1 to the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove 158-1 is 1 or less. Alternatively, the first groove 158-1 may be formed such that the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove 158-1 is 5 μm to 30 μm. Thus, the organic insulating layer 157b in which the opening 157G and the first groove 158-1 are formed is referred to as a rib 157.

At the peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2), a second groove portion 158-2 is formed in the organic insulating layer 157b. The ratio of the width 158-1W of the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove 158-1 to the distance 158L between the upper end 158-1B of the first groove 158-1 and the upper end 158-2B of the second groove 158-2 is The first groove portion 158-1 and the second groove portion 158-2 may be formed to have two or less. The first groove 158-1 and the second groove 158 are formed such that the distance 158L between the upper end 158-1B of the first groove 158-1 and the upper end 158-2B of the second groove 158-2 is 10 μm or less. -2 may be formed. Note that the organic insulating layer 157b in the terminal portion (between C1 and C2) is removed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, in the pixel 101 (between A1 and A2), the organic EL layer 159 is formed on the pixel electrode 155 and the rib 157. The organic EL layer 159 is formed using a low molecular weight or high molecular weight organic material. When a low molecular weight organic material is used, the organic EL layer 159 is added to a light emitting layer containing a light emitting organic material, and a hole injecting layer or an electron injecting layer sandwiching the light emitting layer, and a hole transporting layer or an electron It may be configured to include a transport layer or the like.

Further, the organic EL layer 159 is formed to overlap at least the pixel electrode 155. The organic EL layer 159 is formed by a vacuum evaporation method, a printing method, a spin coating method, or the like. In the case of forming the organic EL layer 159 by a vacuum evaporation method, it may be formed using a shadow mask as appropriate while providing a region not to be formed. The organic EL layer 159 may be formed using a material different from that of the adjacent pixel, or the same organic EL layer 159 may be used in all the pixels.

Next, the counter electrode 160 is formed on the pixel electrode 155 and the organic EL layer 159 in the pixel 101 (between A1 and A2). For the counter electrode 160, a transparent conductive film such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO) or an alloy of silver (Ag) and magnesium can be used. Further, the counter electrode 160 can be formed by a vacuum evaporation method or a sputtering method. For example, as the counter electrode 160, an alloy film of silver (Ag) and magnesium formed by a deposition method is used. Note that the counter electrode 160 may be formed without processing. At this time, the counter electrode 160 may be formed also on the peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2), but is removed from the terminal portion (between C1 and C2).

(1-4-3. Formation of sealing layer)
Next, as shown in FIG. 8, in the pixel 101 (between A1 and A2), the first inorganic insulating layer 162, the organic insulating layer 164, and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 to be the sealing layer 161 are formed on the counter electrode 160. Form in order. At this time, in the peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2), the first inorganic insulating layer 162 has the upper surface 157A of the rib 157 and the side surface 158-1C, the upper end portion 158-1B and the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1. And, it is formed to cover the side surface 158-2C, the upper end portion 158-2B and the bottom surface 158-2F of the second groove portion 158-2. In addition, the organic insulating layer 164 formed in the peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2) is removed. That is, the second inorganic insulating layer 166 is formed on the first inorganic insulating layer 162 at the peripheral portion 104 (between B1 and B2). The sealing layer 161 is formed to cover the entire surface of the display area 103. Also in the terminal portion (between C1 and C2), the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 are formed on the conductive layer 148 and the insulating layer 149.

For the organic insulating layer 164, a material such as acrylic, polyimide, or epoxy can be used. Alternatively, the organic insulating layer 164 may be formed by an inkjet method, a spin coating method, an evaporation method, a spray method, a printing method, or the like. The thickness of the organic insulating layer 164 is not limited, but may be, for example, 5 μm or more and 20 μm or less.

For the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166, an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or silicon nitride oxide is used. The first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 are formed by the upper surface 157A of the rib 157 and the side surface 158-1C of the first groove portion 158-1, the upper end portion 158-1B and the bottom surface 158-1F, and the second groove portion 158-2 In order to cover the side surface 158-2C, the upper end portion 158-1B, and the bottom surface 158-2F, a film forming method with high coverage (that is, a long mean free path of film forming particles) is used. For example, as the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166, a silicon nitride film formed by a plasma CVD method is used. The film thickness of the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 is not limited, but can be 50 nm or more and 2 μm or less. The film forming method is not limited to the plasma CVD method, and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) may be used as a method having a long mean free path of film forming particles.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9, a protective film 165 is formed on the second inorganic insulating layer 166. The protective film 165 may be formed to include an inorganic material. The protective film 165 is formed to overlap at least a part of the upper surface 157A of the rib 157 at the peripheral edge portion 104 (between B1 and B2), the upper end portion 158-1B of the first groove portion 158-1 and the side surface 158-1C. . The protective film 165 may be formed to overlap the entire side surface 158-1C of the first groove portion 158-1. The protective film 165 may be formed to have a film thickness of 100 nm or less. The protective film 165 is formed by dry etching the second inorganic insulating layer 166. For example, when the second inorganic insulating layer 166 is silicon nitride, the main component is dry etching on the second inorganic insulating layer 166 using a mixed gas of boron trichloride (BCl ₃ ) and nitrogen as an etching gas. A protective film 165 which is boron nitride is formed. Note that in the case where dry etching is performed on the second inorganic insulating layer 166 which is silicon nitride using a mixed gas of boron trichloride and nitrogen as an etching gas, dry etching of only several hundred nm is performed to form the protective film 165. It is enough to do. For example, when the second inorganic insulating layer 166 is silicon nitride, a mixed gas of tetrafluoromethane (CF ₄ ) and trifluoromethane (CHF ₃ ) or a mixed gas of tetrafluoromethane and hydrogen is used as an etching gas. When dry etching is performed on the second inorganic insulating layer 166, a protective film 165 whose main component is a fluorine-added silicon oxide is formed. In this case, the protective film 165 may contain an organic substance.

When the protective film 165 is formed by dry etching, the rate at which etching progresses is faster than the rate at which the protective film 165 is formed on the bottom surface 158-1F of the first groove portion 158-1, so the bottom surface 158-1F. The protective film 165 is not formed on the substrate.

The etching conditions advantageous for forming the protective film 165 are, for example, an etching gas BCl ₃ / N ₂ = 45/5 sccm, an etching pressure 1 Pa, and an etching power 500 W. However, the composition ratio of the etching gas is not limited to this, and N ₂ may be contained in a ratio of 5% to 20%. Also, the etching pressure is not limited to this, and, for example, any numerical value of 10 Pa or less may be adopted. Further, the etching power is not limited to this, and, for example, an arbitrary output of 200 W or more may be used.

When the rib 157 further includes the second groove 158-2, the distance 158L between the upper end 158-1B of the first groove 158-1 and the upper end 158-2B of the second groove 158-2 is 10 μm or less The protective film 165 is easily formed on the portion of the upper surface 157A of the rib 157 located between the upper end portion 158-1B of the first groove portion 158-1 and the upper end portion 158-2B of the second groove portion 158-2. .

(1-4-4. Removal of first inorganic insulating layer 162 and second inorganic insulating layer 166 in terminal portion)
Next, the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 in the terminal portion (between C1 and C2) are removed by dry etching.

First, as shown in FIG. 10, a resist 168 is formed on the pixels 101 (between A1 and A2) and the peripheral portion 104 (B1 to B2) by photolithography, for example.

Next, dry etching is performed to remove the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 in the terminal portion (between C1 and C2) as shown in FIG. At this time, even if the film thickness of the resist 168 is small in the portion 168A of the resist 168 overlapping the upper end portion 158-1B and the side surface 158-1C of the first groove portion 158-1, the protective film 165 is formed on the peripheral portion 104. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the removal of the second inorganic insulating layer 166 and the first inorganic insulating layer 162 located under the thinned resist 168 in the peripheral portion 104.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12, the resist 168 is removed. There is no particular limitation on the method for removing the resist 168 as described above, but for example, a method such as removal by ashing with oxygen plasma can be used.

(1-4-5. Formation of touch sensor)
Next, as shown in FIG. 13, the touch sensor 109 is formed. First, the first sensor electrode 171 is formed. The first sensor electrode 171 is formed by sputtering in this example. The first sensor electrode 171 is not limited to the sputtering method, and may be a vapor deposition method, a printing method, a coating method, a molecular beam epitaxy method (MBE), or the like. The first sensor electrode 171 is processed by photolithography and etching after film formation. For the first sensor electrode 171, in addition to indium zinc oxide (IZO), indium tin oxide (ITO), zinc oxide (ZnO) or indium tin zinc oxide (ITZO), the same material as the gate electrode 145a is used.

Next, the insulating layer 172 is formed on the first sensor electrode 171 and the protective film 165. The insulating layer 172 is formed by a coating method. For the insulating layer 172, a material such as acrylic, polyimide, or epoxy is used. In addition, the insulating layer 172 is formed to a thickness of several hundred nm to ten μm using a spin coating method, an evaporation method, a spray method, an inkjet method, a printing method, or the like.

Next, the insulating layer 172 is processed. At this time, the insulating layer 172 is processed by a photolithography method and an etching method. Note that as long as the insulating layer 172 contains a photosensitive material, only photolithography may be used.

Next, the second sensor electrode 173 is formed. The second sensor electrode 173 is formed using a light transmitting material. The second sensor electrode 173 is formed by, for example, a sputtering method. The second sensor electrode 173 is not limited to the sputtering method, and may be a vapor deposition method, a printing method, an inkjet method, or the like. For example, indium tin oxide (ITO) formed by a sputtering method is used for the second sensor electrode 173.

(1-4-6. Bonding with opposing substrate)
Next, as shown in FIG. 14, the substrate 200 to be the opposite substrate is attached to the substrate 100 using the adhesive layer 195. For example, an epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, or the like can be used as the adhesive layer 195.

Finally, the flexible printed substrate 108 is electrically connected to the conductive layer 148 using the anisotropic conductive film 181. At this time, the film present in the terminal portion (between C1 and C2) may be removed by laser irradiation or the like. The anisotropic conductive film 181 can be formed by including metal particles of silver, copper, or the like in a resin and coating the resin.

The display device 10 shown in FIG. 2 is manufactured by the above method.

(1-5. Function of peripheral part)
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional peripheral portion 204 which does not have the protective film 165.

As shown in FIG. 16, when the resist 168 is provided in the peripheral portion 204 not having the protective film 165, a portion of the resist 168 overlapping the upper end portion 158-1B and the side surface 158-1C of the first groove portion 158-1. The film thickness of 168A may be thinner than the film thickness of the resist 268 superimposed on the upper surface 157A of the rib 157. In this case, in particular, when the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 in the terminal portion (between C1 and C2) are removed, the second inorganic insulating layer 166 located under the thinned resist 168 or There is a risk that the first inorganic insulating layer 162 may be removed.

FIG. 15 shows a case where a resist 168 is formed on the peripheral portion 104 in the step of removing the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 in the terminal portion (between C1 and C2) during the manufacture of the display device 10. FIG. As shown in FIG. 15, the peripheral portion 104 has a protective film 165, whereby the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 in the manufacturing process of the display device 10 (particularly, between the terminals (C1-C2)). In the step of removing the resist 168, for example, even if the film thickness of the resist 168 is reduced in the portion 168A of the resist 168 overlapping the upper end portion 158-1B and the side surface 158-1C of the first groove portion 158-1. The inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 are protected. That is, when the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 in the terminal portion (between C1 and C2) are removed, the second inorganic insulating layer 266 located under the thinned resist 168 in the peripheral portion 104 And the removal of the first inorganic insulating layer 262 can be prevented. Therefore, the function of the sealing layer 161 is normally exhibited, and the display device 10 can block moisture. That is, the deterioration of the organic EL layer 159 due to moisture is suppressed. As a result, a highly reliable display device can be provided.

The function of the protective film 165 described above to protect the first inorganic insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 is sufficient when the protective film 165 is a film harder than the resist 168. When the protective film 165 contains boron nitride as a main component, the protective film 165 is a hard film, and therefore, it is preferable that the protective film 165 contain boron nitride as a hot water component. In addition, since the protective film 165 is a hard film when the protective film 165 contains boron nitride, the protective film 165 does not have to have a large thickness, and may be, for example, 100 nm or less.

When the rib 157 has the second groove 158-2, the distance 158L between the upper end 158-1B of the first groove 158-1 and the upper end 158-2B of the second groove 158-2 is 10 μm or less And a protective film 165 is formed on a portion of the upper surface 157A of the rib 157 located between the upper end portion 158-1B of the first groove portion 158-1 and the upper end portion 158-2B of the second groove portion 158-2. The first inorganic material is located on the portion of the upper surface 157A of the rib 157 which is located between the upper end portion 158-1B of the first groove portion 158-1 and the upper end portion 158-2B of the second groove portion 158-2. The insulating layer 162 and the second inorganic insulating layer 166 are further protected.

Even if other effects or effects different from the effects brought about by the aspects of the above-described embodiments are apparent from the description of the present specification or those which can be easily predicted by those skilled in the art, it is natural. It is understood that the present invention provides.

10: display device 20: display device 100: substrate 101: pixel 103: display region 104: peripheral portion 105: drive circuit 106: 106 Drive circuit 107: Drive circuit 108: flexible printed circuit board 109: touch sensor 110: transistor 120: capacitive element 121: capacitive element 130: 130 Display element, 141: insulating layer, 142: semiconductor layer, 143: gate insulating layer, 145a: gate electrode, 145b: capacitance electrode, 145c: scanning line, 147a,. Source electrode, 147b: Signal line, 147c: Drain electrode, 148: Conductive layer, 149: Insulating layer, 150: Planarizing layer, 150-1: First planarizing layer Groove, 150-2 ... 2 Flattened layer groove, 150A: opening, 153: conductive layer, 154: insulating layer, 155: pixel electrode, 157: rib, 157b: organic insulating layer, 158- 1: First groove portion, 158-2: Second groove portion, 159: Organic EL layer, 160: Counter electrode, 161: Sealing layer, 162: First inorganic insulating layer , 164: organic insulating layer, 165: protective film, 166: second inorganic insulating layer, 166A: upper surface, 167: moisture blocking structure, 168: resist, 171: First sensor electrode, 172: insulating layer, 173: second sensor electrode, 181: anisotropic conductive film, 195: adhesive layer, 200: substrate, 204: peripheral portion

Claims

A first region including a plurality of pixels and including an organic insulating layer, a first inorganic insulating layer, and a second inorganic insulating layer;
A second region including the organic insulating layer continuous from the first region, the first inorganic insulating layer, and the second inorganic insulating layer;
Have
The second region further includes a first groove portion provided in the organic insulating layer, and a protective film disposed in contact with the upper surface of the second inorganic insulating layer,
The first inorganic insulating layer and the second inorganic insulating layer cover the side surface, the upper end portion, and the bottom surface of the first groove portion,
The protective film overlaps at least a portion of the upper surface of the organic insulating layer included in the second region, an upper end portion of the first groove portion, and at least a portion of a side surface of the first groove portion.
The display device, wherein the ratio of the height of the first groove to the width of the bottom of the first groove is 1 or less.
The second region further includes a second groove provided in the organic insulating layer, and a ratio of a width of the bottom surface to a distance between an upper end of the first groove and an upper end of the second groove is 2 or less The display device according to claim 1, wherein
The second region further includes a second groove provided in the organic insulating layer, and a distance between an upper end of the first groove and an upper end of the second groove is 10 μm or less. Display device.
The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a width of a bottom surface of the first groove portion is 5 μm to 30 μm.
The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the protective film contains an inorganic material.
The display device according to claim 5, wherein the inorganic material is boron nitride.
The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first inorganic insulating layer and the second inorganic insulating layer are silicon nitride layers.
The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a film thickness of the protective film is 100 nm or less.
The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pixel includes an organic EL element.
Forming an organic insulating layer so as to have a first groove outside the display area;
A first inorganic insulating layer is formed to cover the upper surface of the organic insulating layer and the side surface, the upper end portion and the bottom surface of the first groove portion,
Forming a second inorganic insulating layer on the first inorganic insulating layer;
Forming a protective film on the second inorganic insulating layer so as to overlap at least a part of the upper surface of the organic insulating layer, an upper end of the first groove, and at least a part of the side surface of the first groove; Including
A method of manufacturing a display device, wherein the ratio of the height of the first groove to the width of the bottom of the first groove is 1 or less.
And the organic insulating layer is further formed to have a second groove,
The method according to claim 10, wherein the ratio of the width of the bottom surface to the distance between the upper end of the first groove and the upper end of the second groove is 2 or less.
And the organic insulating layer is further formed to have a second groove,
The method according to claim 10, wherein a distance between an upper end of the first groove and an upper end of the second groove is 10 μm or less.
The method of manufacturing a display device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein a width of a bottom surface of the first groove portion is 5 μm to 30 μm.
The method for manufacturing a display device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the protective film contains an inorganic material.
The method according to claim 14, wherein the inorganic material is boron nitride.
The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the first inorganic insulating layer and the second inorganic insulating layer are silicon nitride layers.
The method for manufacturing a display device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein a film thickness of the protective film is 100 nm or less.
The method for manufacturing a display device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the protective film is formed by dry etching.