Conductive layer in trench between pixel area and display apparatus having the same

1 . A display apparatus comprising:

a plurality of pixel areas including:

a first pixel area comprising a first pixel circuit including a first transistor and a third transistor, and

a second pixel area which is adjacent to the first pixel area along a first direction, the second pixel area comprising a second pixel circuit including a second transistor connected to the first transistor and a fourth transistor connected to the third transistor;

a first boundary defined between the first pixel area and the second pixel area;

a first insulating layer which is in the first pixel area and the second pixel area, the first insulating layer including:

a first trench which is defined in the first insulating layer and corresponds to the first boundary defined between the first pixel area and the second pixel area,

contacts holes which area defined in the first insulating layer and spaced apart from the first trench, and

a lateral surface which defines the first trench;

a first pixel separation layer which is in the first trench, the first pixel separation layer including a material different from a material of the first insulating layer; and

a first conductive line which continuously extends between the first insulating layer and the first pixel separation layer, along the lateral surface which defines the first trench, and through a contact hole among the contact holes in the first insulating layer to directly connect the first transistor of the first pixel area to the second transistor of the second pixel area; and

a second conductive line which is spaced apart from the first conductive line along the first trench, continuously extends between the first insulating layer and the first pixel separation layer, along the lateral surface which defines the first trench, and through another contact hole among the contact holes to directly connect the third transistor of the first pixel area to the fourth transistor of the second pixel area.

2 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the first insulating layer has an upper surface at the plurality of pixel areas, and

the first conductive line extends along the upper surface of the first insulating layer and into the first trench.

3 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

the first pixel circuit including a first semiconductor layer and a first gate electrode which is on the first semiconductor layer; and

the second pixel circuit including a second semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode which is on the second semiconductor layer, and

the contact holes including:

a first contact hole exposing the first gate electrode to outside the first insulating layer, and

a second contact hole exposing the second gate electrode to outside the first insulating layer,

wherein the first conductive line is directly connected to the first pixel circuit at the first gate electrode, through the first contact hole, together with being directly connected to the second pixel circuit at the second gate electrode, through the second contact hole.

4 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first semiconductor layer in the first pixel area; and

a second semiconductor layer in the second pixel area, and the contact holes including:

a first contact hole exposing the first semiconductor layer to outside the first insulating layer, and

a second contact hole exposing the second semiconductor layer to outside the first insulating layer,

wherein the first conductive line is directly connected to the first semiconductor layer, through the first contact hole, together with being directly connected to the second semiconductor layer, through the second contact hole.

5 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first insulating layer includes the lateral surface having a step.

6 . The display apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first conductive line extends along the step of the lateral surface.

7 . The display apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:

a substrate including the plurality of pixel areas, and

the first insulating layer and the first conductive line being in order from the substrate,

wherein the lateral surface is inclined with respect to the substrate.

8 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a substrate including the plurality of pixel areas, and

the first insulating layer and the first conductive line being in order from the substrate, wherein

the first trench includes a first portion and a second portion which is further from the substrate than the first portion,

the first insulating layer includes:

a first sub-insulating layer including a first lateral surface of the lateral surface which defines the first portion of the first trench,

a second sub-insulating layer including a second lateral surface of the lateral surface which defines the second portion of the first trench, and

the second lateral surface of the second sub-insulating layer being outside the first lateral surface of the first sub-insulating layer, along the first direction.

9 . The display apparatus of claim 8 , wherein along the first direction, a first width of the first portion of the first trench is less than a second width of the second portion of the first trench.

10 . The display apparatus of claim 8 , wherein

the first lateral surface of the first sub-insulating layer forms a right angle or an acute angle with respect to the substrate, and

the second lateral surface of the second sub-insulating layer forms a right angle or an acute angle with respect to the substrate.

11 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first insulating layer includes:

a first portion having a first thickness, and

a second portion which is further from a center of the first trench than the first portion, having a second thickness greater than the first thickness of the first portion.

12 . The display apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein

the first conductive line extends along the first trench and transfers a first signal to the first pixel circuit and the second pixel circuit, and

the second conductive line extends along the first trench and transfers a second signal different from the first signal, to the first pixel circuit and the second pixel circuit.

13 . The display apparatus of claim 12 , wherein

the first transistor is turned on in response to the first signal,

the third transistor is turned on in response to the second signal,

the second transistor is turned on in response to the first signal,

the fourth transistor is turned on in response to the second signal,

each of the first, second, third and fourth transistors has a conduction type among a p-type conduction and a n-type conduction,

the conduction type of the first transistor is different from the conduction type of the third transistor, and

the conduction type of the second transistor is different from the conduction type of the fourth transistor.

14 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of pixel areas further includes a third pixel area adjacent to the first pixel area along a second direction which crosses the first direction,

a second boundary is defined between the first pixel area and the third pixel area,

the first insulating layer is further in the third pixel area,

a second trench is further defined in the first insulating layer and corresponds to the second boundary between the first pixel area and the third pixel area, and

the display apparatus further comprises:

a second pixel separation layer which is in the second trench, the second pixel separation layer including a material different from the material of the first insulating layer; and

a third conductive line which connects the first pixel area to the third pixel area, the third conductive line being between the first insulating layer and the second pixel separation layer.

15 . The display apparatus of claim 14 , wherein

the first insulating layer has an upper surface at the plurality of pixel areas, and

the third conductive line extends along the upper surface of the first insulating layer and into the second trench.

16 . The display apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first insulating layer includes a lateral surface which defines the second trench and has a step.

17 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first semiconductor layer which is in the first pixel area and includes a material;

a second semiconductor layer which is in the second pixel area and includes a material;

a third semiconductor layer which is in the first pixel area and includes a material different from the material of the first semiconductor layer; and

a fourth semiconductor layer which is in the second pixel area and includes a material different from the material of the second semiconductor layer,

wherein

the first conductive line is directly connected to the first semiconductor layer of the first pixel area and is directly connected to the second semiconductor layer of the second pixel area, and

the second conductive line is directly connected to the third semiconductor layer of the first pixel area and is directly connected to the fourth semiconductor layer of the second pixel area.

18 . The display apparatus of claim 17 , wherein

the material of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer includes a silicon semiconductor material, and

the material of the third semiconductor layer and the fourth semiconductor layer includes an oxide semiconductor material.

19 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first pixel separation layer which is in the first trench, extends outside of the first trench to define a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer and covering the first conductive line.

20 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the first insulating layer includes an inorganic material, and

the first pixel separation layer includes an organic material.