Display apparatus having metal stack between emission areas and method of providing the same

1 . A display apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a thin-film transistor on the substrate;

a planarization film on the thin-film transistor;

a light-emitting element on the planarization film and connected to the thin-film transistor, the light-emitting element comprising a first electrode, an intermediate layer and a second electrode in order from the thin-film transistor;

an insulating layer overlapping an edge of the first electrode;

a metal stacked structure on the insulating layer, the metal stacked structure comprising:

a first sub-metal layer which defines a first hole corresponding to the first electrode, and

a second sub-metal layer which is closer to the insulating layer than the first sub-metal layer and defines a second hole which corresponds to the first hole and has a dimension in a direction along the substrate which is greater than a dimension of the first hole; and

a low-reflection layer located on the metal stacked structure,

the second electrode comprising:

a first portion on the intermediate layer, and

a second portion which is on the low-reflection layer and disconnected from the first portion at the metal stacked structure,

wherein the metal stacked structure is directly connected to the second electrode of the light-emitting element at the second sub-metal layer of the metal stacked structure.

2 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

a side surface of the first sub-metal layer defines the first hole and a side surface of the second sub-metal layer defines the second hole,

the first hole has a center, and

the side surface of the first sub-metal layer is closer to the center of the first hole than the side surface of the second sub-metal layer, in the direction along the substrate.

3 . The display apparatus of claim 2 , wherein within the second hole, the first portion of the second electrode contacts the side surface of the second sub-metal layer.

4 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the low-reflection layer comprises a metal oxide having a surface reflectance lower than a surface reflectance of the first sub-metal layer of the metal stacked structure.

5 . The display apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the low-reflection layer comprises copper oxide, calcium oxide, molybdenum oxide or zinc oxide.

6 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a bank layer between the low-reflection layer and the second portion of the second electrode.

7 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a protective layer between the first electrode and the insulating layer.

8 . The display apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the protective layer comprises a transparent conductive oxide.

9 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a thin-film encapsulation layer on the second portion of the second electrode.

10 . The display apparatus of claim 9 , wherein

a side surface of the metal stacked structure includes a side surface of the first sub-metal layer which defines the first hole, together with a side surface of the second sub-metal layer which defines the second hole,

the first hole and the second hole together provide a hole in the metal stacked structure, and

the thin-film encapsulation layer comprises:

a first inorganic encapsulation layer, an organic encapsulation layer and a second inorganic encapsulation layer in order from the substrate,

the first inorganic encapsulation layer extending along the second portion of the second electrode, along the side surface of the metal stacked structure, and along the first portion of the second electrode,

the organic encapsulation layer in the metal stacked structure, and

the second inorganic encapsulation layer on the organic encapsulation layer.

11 . The display apparatus of claim 10 , wherein portions of the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer which are on the metal stacked structure, contact each other.

12 . A method of providing a display apparatus, the method comprising:

providing a thin-film transistor, on a substrate;

providing a planarization film on the thin-film transistor;

providing, on the planarization film, a first electrode of a light-emitting element connected to the thin-film transistor;

providing an insulating layer overlapping an edge of the first electrode and defining a light emission area of the display apparatus;

providing a metal stacked structure on the insulating layer;

providing a low-reflection layer on the metal stacked structure; and

providing a hole defined in the metal stacked structure and in the low-reflection layer, which corresponds to the first electrode; and

after the providing of the hole in the metal stacked structure and in the low-reflection layer, providing an intermediate layer and a second electrode of the light-emitting element in the hole,

wherein the second electrode comprises:

a first portion overlapping the first electrode and the intermediate layer, and

a second portion which is on the low-reflection layer and disconnected from the first portion at the metal stacked structure.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing a bank layer between the low-reflection layer and the second portion of the second electrode.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the providing of the metal stacked structure comprises:

providing a first sub-metal layer and a second sub-metal layer which is closer to the insulating layer than the first sub-metal layer;

providing, in the first sub-metal layer, a first hole corresponding to the light emission area;

providing, in the second sub-metal layer, a second hole corresponding to the first hole; and

providing the second hole having a dimension in a direction along the substrate which is greater than a dimension of the first hole.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein

a side surface of the first sub-metal layer defines the first hole and a side surface of the second sub-metal layer defines the second hole,

the first hole has a center, and

the side surface of the first sub-metal layer is closer to the center of the first hole than the side surface of the second sub-metal layer.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising providing, in the insulating layer, a third hole overlapping the first hole of the first sub-metal layer.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

providing a protective layer between the insulating layer and the first electrode of the light- emitting element; and

providing, in the protective layer, a fourth hole overlapping the first hole.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising providing a thin-film encapsulation layer on the light-emitting element,

wherein

a side surface of the metal stacked structure includes a side surface of the first sub-metal layer which defines the first hole, together with a side surface of the second sub-metal layer which defines the second hole,

the first hole and the second hole together provide a hole in the metal stacked structure, and

the providing of the thin-film encapsulation layer comprises:

providing a first inorganic encapsulation layer extended along the second portion of the second electrode, along the side surface of the metal stacked structure, and along the first portion of the second electrode;

providing, on the first inorganic encapsulation layer, an organic encapsulation layer in the hole in the metal stacked structure;

providing, on the organic encapsulation layer, a second inorganic encapsulation layer; and

providing portions of the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer contacting each other on the metal stacked structure.