Display panel having a plurality of light-emitting elements with separators
Provided is a display panel including a driving element layer having a pixel driver, a light-emitting element disposed on the driving element layer and having a first electrode, an intermediate layer disposed on the first electrode and having at least a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode disposed on the intermediate layer, a pixel-defining layer disposed on the driving element layer and having an opening exposing at least a portion of the first electrode, a connection electrode disposed on the pixel-defining layer and electrically connected to the pixel driver and the second electrode, and a separator disposed on the pixel-defining layer. In a contact region adjacent to the separator, a lower surface of the second electrode is in contact with an upper surface of the connection electrode.
1 . A display panel comprising:
a driving element layer including a pixel driver;
a light-emitting element disposed on the driving element layer, the light-emitting element including:
a first electrode,
an intermediate layer disposed on the first electrode and including at least a light-emitting layer, and
a second electrode disposed on the intermediate layer;
a pixel-defining layer disposed on the driving element layer and including an opening exposing at least a portion of the first electrode;
a connection electrode disposed on the pixel-defining layer and electrically connected to the pixel driver and the second electrode; and
a separator disposed on the pixel-defining layer,
wherein in a contact region adjacent to the separator, a lower surface of the second electrode is in contact with an upper surface of the connection electrode.
2 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein
the intermediate layer further comprises a functional layer,
the functional layer includes:
a first intermediate functional layer disposed on the first electrode, and
a second intermediate functional layer disposed on the light-emitting layer, and
the light-emitting layer is disposed between the first intermediate functional layer and the second intermediate functional layer.
3 . The display panel of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first dummy layer disposed on the separator; and
a second dummy layer disposed on the first dummy layer, wherein
the first dummy layer and the functional layer include a same material, and
the second dummy layer and the second electrode include a same material.
4 . The display panel of claim 3 , wherein the connection electrode is not in contact with the second dummy layer.
5 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the connection electrode has a ring shape surrounding the opening of the pixel-defining layer.
6 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the contact region surrounds at least a portion of the opening of the pixel-defining layer.
7 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein
the connection electrode comprises a first edge portion and a second edge portion surrounding the first edge portion, and
the second edge portion overlaps the separator.
8 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a first side surface and a second side surface having different taper angles with respect to an upper surface of the pixel-defining layer.
9 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the connection electrode is covered by the separator.
10 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the connection electrode comprises:
a first connection part disposed in the contact region; and
a second connection part disposed on a side surface of the separator.
11 . The display panel of claim 10 , wherein the second electrode comprises:
a first electrode part disposed on the first connection part to be in contact with an upper surface of the first connection part; and
a second electrode part disposed on a side surface of the second connection part to be in contact with the side surface of the second connection part.
12 . The display panel of claim 10 , wherein the connection electrode further comprises a third connection part disposed on an upper surface of the separator.
13 . The display panel of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the second connection part is not in contact with the second electrode.
14 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein
a through-hole passes through the pixel-defining layer, and
the connection electrode is connected to the pixel driver through the through-hole.
15 . The display panel of claim 14 , wherein the intermediate layer overlaps the through-hole.
16 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein in an intermediate region disposed between the contact region and the light-emitting element, the intermediate layer is disposed between the connection electrode and the second electrode.
17 . A display panel comprising:
a driving element layer including a pixel driver;
a light-emitting element disposed on the driving element layer, the light-emitting element including:
a first electrode,
an intermediate layer disposed on the first electrode and including at least a light-emitting layer, and
a second electrode disposed on the intermediate layer;
a pixel-defining layer disposed on the driving element layer and including an opening exposing at least a portion of the first electrode; and
a connection electrode disposed on the pixel-defining layer and electrically connected to the pixel driver and the second electrode, wherein
in a contact region spaced apart from a light-emitting region where the light-emitting element is disposed, a lower surface of the second electrode is in contact with an upper surface of the connection electrode, and
a connection region, where the connection electrode and the pixel driver are connected, is disposed between the contact region and the light-emitting region.
18 . The display panel of claim 17 , wherein
the pixel-defining layer includes:
an opening overlapping the light-emitting region and exposing the portion of the first electrode, and
a through-hole spaced apart from the opening and overlapping the connection region, and
the connection electrode is connected to the pixel driver through the through-hole.
19 . The display panel of claim 17 , further comprising:
a separator disposed on the pixel-defining layer and adjacent to the contact region.
20 . The display panel of claim 19 , wherein the connection electrode comprises:
a first connection part disposed in the contact region; and
a second connection part disposed on a side surface of the separator.
21 . The display panel of claim 20 , wherein the second electrode comprises:
a first electrode part disposed on the first connection part to be in contact with an upper surface of the first connection part; and
a second electrode part disposed on a side surface of the second connection part to be in contact with the side surface of the second connection part.
22 . The display panel of claim 20 , wherein the connection electrode further comprises a third connection part disposed on an upper surface of the separator.
23 . The display panel of claim 20 , wherein at least a portion of the second connection part is not in contact with the second electrode.
24 . The display panel of claim 19 , wherein
the intermediate layer further comprises a functional layer, and
the display panel further comprises:
a first dummy layer disposed on the separator; and
a second dummy layer disposed on the first dummy layer, wherein
the first dummy layer and the functional layer include a same material, and
the second dummy layer and the second electrode include a same material.
25 . The display panel of claim 24 , wherein the connection electrode is not in contact with the second dummy layer.
26 . A display panel comprising:
a driving element layer including a plurality of pixel drivers;
a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the driving element layer and electrically connected respectively to the plurality of pixel drivers;
a plurality of connection electrodes connected to the plurality of pixel drivers and the plurality of light-emitting elements; and
a separator disposed between the plurality of light-emitting elements,
wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting elements includes:
a first electrode,
an intermediate layer disposed on the first electrode, and
a second electrode disposed on the intermediate layer, and
in a contact region adjacent to the separator, a lower surface of the second electrode of each of the plurality of light-emitting elements is in contact with an upper surface of a corresponding connection electrode among the plurality of connection electrodes.
27 . The display panel of claim 26 , further comprising:
a pixel-defining layer disposed on the driving element layer and including an opening exposing at least a portion of the first electrode of each of the plurality of light-emitting elements, wherein
a portion of each of the plurality of connection electrodes is disposed on the pixel-defining layer, and
the separator is disposed on the pixel-defining layer.
28 . The display panel of claim 27 , wherein
the plurality of light-emitting elements comprise:
a first light-emitting element,
a second light-emitting element spaced apart from the first light-emitting element in a first direction, and
a third light-emitting element spaced apart from the first and second light-emitting elements in a second direction intersecting the first direction,
the pixel-defining layer includes:
a first opening exposing at least a portion of the first electrode of the first light-emitting element,
a second opening exposing at least a portion of the first electrode of the second light-emitting element, and
a third opening exposing at least a portion of the first electrode of the third light-emitting element, and
the plurality of connection electrodes comprise:
a first connection electrode surrounding the first opening,
a second connection electrode surrounding the second opening, and
a third connection electrode surrounding the third opening.
29 . The display panel of claim 28 , wherein
the plurality of pixel drivers comprise:
a first pixel driver electrically connected to the first light-emitting element,
a second pixel driver electrically connected to the second light-emitting element, and
a third pixel driver electrically connected to the third light-emitting element,
a first through-hole, a second through-hole, and a third through-hole pass through the pixel-defining layer,
the first connection electrode is connected to the first pixel driver through the first through-hole,
the second connection electrode is connected to the second pixel driver through the second through-hole, and
the third connection electrode is connected to the third pixel driver through the third through-hole.