IP Library Granted Patent US 12,245,490
Granted Patent B2
US 12,245,490 · App. 18/211,286 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Display device

Inventors: Hyeonbum Lee (Hwaseong-si, KR); Hyoeng-Ki Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Kwangwoo Park (Hwaseong-si, KR); Jin-whan Jung (Yongin-Si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
H10K59/40G06F3/0412G06F3/044H10K50/86H10K50/865H10K59/122
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,245,490
App. No.
18/211,286
Granted
Mar 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display panel including a pixel defining layer including a first portion, in which an opening to expose the first electrode is defined, and a second portion, which is disposed on the first portion and overlaps the first portion. A plurality of thin-films are disposed on the second electrode. An insulation pattern is disposed on the plurality of thin-films, overlaps the pixel defining layer, and overlaps the second portion. A distance between the first portion, which overlaps the insulation pattern, of the sensing electrode and the base insulation layer is greater than that between the second portion, which non-overlaps the insulation pattern, of the sensing electrode and the base insulation layer.

Claims (69)

1. A display device comprising:

a display panel; and

an input sensing unit disposed on the display panel and comprising a sensing electrode,

wherein:

the display panel comprises:

a light emitting element comprising an electrode;

a pixel defining layer disposed below the electrode and comprising a first portion having a lower surface and a second portion disposed on and overlapping the first portion;

a plurality of thin-films disposed on the electrode; and

an insulation pattern disposed on the plurality of thin-films, overlapping the pixel defining layer, and overlapping the second portion; and

a shortest distance between a first portion, which overlaps the insulation pattern, of the sensing electrode and the lower surface in a thickness direction of the display device is greater than a shortest distance between a second portion, which does not overlap the insulation pattern, of the sensing electrode and the lower surface in the thickness direction of the display device.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein a shortest distance between the first portion of the sensing electrode and the electrode in the thickness direction of the display device is substantially the same as that between the second portion of the sensing electrode and the electrode in the thickness direction of the display device.

3. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the pixel defining layer has a thickness which is substantially the same as a thickness of the insulation pattern.

4. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the pixel defining layer overlaps about 90% or more of the insulation pattern on a plane.

5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein one side of the second portion of the pixel defining layer has a length or a diameter of about 10 μm to about 25 μm on a plane.

6. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the pixel defining layer and the second portion of the pixel defining layer have a single body.

7. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing electrode has a mesh shape.

8. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising an anti-reflection unit disposed directly on the input sensing unit and comprising a light shielding layer having a mesh shape.

9. A display device comprising:

a display panel; and

an input sensing unit disposed on the display panel and comprising a sensing electrode,

wherein:

the display panel comprises:

a light emitting element comprising an electrode;

a pixel defining layer disposed below the electrode and comprising a first portion having a lower surface and a second portion, which is disposed adjacent to the first portion and has a thickness greater than that of the first portion; and

a plurality of thin-films disposed on the electrode; and

a light shielding layer disposed on the plurality of thin-films;

the light shielding layer comprises a first area, which overlaps the first portion of the pixel defining layer and does not overlap the second portion of the pixel defining layer, and a second area, which overlaps the second portion of the pixel defining layer and does not overlap the first portion of the pixel defining layer; and

the second area of the light shielding layer has a thickness greater than that of the first area of the light shielding layer.

10. The display device of claim 9 , wherein the light shielding layer comprises:

a metal containing layer overlapping the first area and the second area; and

an organic material pattern overlapping the second area.

11. The display device of claim 10 , wherein the organic material pattern has a thickness that is substantially the same as a difference in thickness between the second area and the first area.

12. The display device of claim 10 , wherein the metal containing layer comprises molybdenum tantalum oxide (MoTaOx).

13. A display device comprising:

a display panel;

an input sensing unit disposed on the display panel and comprising a sensing electrode; and

a window unit disposed on the input sensing unit,

wherein the display panel comprises:

first electrodes;

a pixel defining layer comprising a first portion having a lower surface and a second portion, which is disposed adjacent to the first portion and has a thickness greater than that of the first portion;

a second electrode disposed on the pixel defining layer;

at least one light emitting layer disposed between the second electrode and the first electrodes; and

an insulation structure disposed on the second electrode and configured to form a stepped portion between a first area of the sensing electrode, which overlaps the first portion of the pixel defining layer, and a second area of the sensing electrode, which overlaps the second portion of the pixel defining layer.

14. The display device of claim 13 , wherein a distance between a top surface of the window unit and the first area of the sensing electrode is less than a distance between the top surface of the window unit and the second area of the sensing electrode.

15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein a distance between the first portion of the pixel defining layer and the first area of the sensing electrode is substantially the same as a distance between the second portion of the sensing electrode and the second area of the sensing electrode.

16. A display device comprising:

a display panel; and

an input sensing unit disposed on the display panel and comprising a sensing electrode,

wherein:

the display panel comprises:

a light emitting element comprising an electrode;

a pixel defining layer disposed below the electrode, and comprising a first portion having a flat upper surface, and a second portion, which is disposed adjacent to the first portion and has a thickness greater than that of the first portion; and

a plurality of insulation layers disposed on the electrode; and

one of the plurality of insulation layers comprises a first area, which overlaps the first portion of the pixel defining layer, and a second area, which overlaps the second portion of the pixel defining layer and has a thickness greater than that of the first area.

17. The display device of claim 16 , wherein a difference in thickness between the second area and the first area is substantially the same as a thickness between the second portion and the first portion.

18. The display device of claim 16 , wherein the second portion overlaps about 90% or more of the second area on a plane.

19. The display device of claim 16 , wherein the sensing electrode contacts the one of the plurality of insulation layers.

20. A display device comprising:

a display panel; and

an input sensing unit disposed on the display panel and comprising a sensing electrode,

wherein:

the display panel comprises:

a light emitting element comprising an electrode;

a pixel defining layer disposed below the electrode, and comprising a first portion, and a second portion, which is disposed adjacent to the first portion and has a thickness greater than that of the first portion; and

a plurality of insulation layers disposed on the electrode;

one of the plurality of insulation layers comprises a first area, which overlaps the first portion of the pixel defining layer, and a second area, which overlaps the second portion of the pixel defining layer and has a thickness greater than that of the first area;

the plurality of insulation layers comprise a first inorganic layer contacting the electrode, a second inorganic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer, an organic layer disposed on the second inorganic layer, a third inorganic layer disposed on the organic layer, and a fourth inorganic layer disposed on the third inorganic layer; and

the one of the plurality of insulation layers is one of the first inorganic layer, the second inorganic layer, the organic layer, and the third inorganic layer.

21. The display device of claim 20 , wherein the one of the insulation layers comprises a light shielding material.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2024
From: LEE, HYEONBUM; KIM, HYOENG-KI; PARK, KWANGWOO; JUNG, JIN-WHAN
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 068753/0677 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2018-0042833 · Apr 12, 2018 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17509041 · Oct 24, 2021
Division 16373666 · Apr 3, 2019
Related Publication 20230337503A1 · Oct 19, 2023
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