Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a transistor on a substrate. The transistor includes a gate electrode, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The apparatus also includes a protective layer over the first electrode and including a first portion that contacts the second electrode, and an organic light-emitting device having a pixel electrode electrically connected to the second electrode.
1 . An organic light-emitting display apparatus, comprising:
a substrate;
a transistor on the substrate, the transistor including a gate electrode, a first electrode, and a second electrode;
a first insulating layer between the gate electrode and the first and second electrodes;
a first protective layer on the first insulating layer on the gate electrode, a first portion of the first protective layer directly contacting the first electrode and a second portion of the first protective layer directly contacting the second electrode;
an organic light-emitting device having a pixel electrode electrically connected to the second electrode and an emission layer on the pixel electrode;
a second insulating layer between the transistor and the pixel electrode; and
a second protective layer between the second insulating layer and the pixel electrode, the second protective layer including an inorganic material,
wherein a top surface of the first protective layer is co-planar with a top surface of at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode, and
the second insulating layer is thicker than the first protective layer and the second protective layer, and
wherein the pixel electrode is directly connected to the second electrode through a contact hole included in the second insulating layer, and an entire portion of the second protective layer is separated from the second electrode.
2 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second protective layer is on the first electrode.
3 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first protective layer includes an inorganic material.
4 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first protective layer and the second insulating layer are made of different materials from each other.
5 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a pixel-defining layer on the second protective layer that includes an opening so as to expose at least a center of the pixel electrode.
6 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first insulating layer is in direct contact with the second insulating layer in at least some regions that do not overlap the first electrode.
7 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second insulating layer is a planarization layer that planarizes a top surface of the transistor so as to cause that portion of the pixel electrode in contact with the emission layer to be flat.
8 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
each of the first protective layer and the second protective layer is integrally formed,
the first protective layer is spaced apart from the second protective layer,
the first protective layer includes an inorganic material,
the top surface of the first protective layer is co-planar with the top surface of both the first electrode and the second electrode, and
the second protective layer includes the inorganic material.
9 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when force is applied to the pixel electrode of the light emitter in a direction towards a space defined at least in part by the second insulating layer, the second protective layer contacts the pixel electrode of the light emitter so as to block the first electrode of the transistor from being electrically connected to the pixel electrode of the light emitter.
10 . A pixel, comprising:
a substrate;
a transistor on the substrate;
a planarization layer on and over the transistor;
a light emitter that includes a pixel electrode and is disposed on the planarization layer, a portion of the pixel electrode disposed in a direction parallel to a main surface of the substrate, the portion of the pixel electrode being spaced apart from the transistor by a space defined at least in part by the planarization layer, and an emission layer disposed on the pixel electrode; and
at least one protective layer including a protective layer that includes a non-conductive material, the protective layer being directly disposed on the planarization layer, and being disposed between the planarization layer and the light emitter, the at least one protective layer further including another protective layer that extends only between source and drain electrodes of the transistor as seen in a side view, wherein
the protective layer includes an inorganic material, and
when force is applied to the pixel electrode of the light emitter in a direction towards the space, the protective layer contacts the pixel electrode of the light emitter so as to block the source electrode of the transistor from being electrically connected to the source electrode of the transistor via the pixel electrode of the light emitter.
11 . The pixel as claimed in claim 10 , wherein
the protective layer is over a number of electrodes of the transistor, and
the number is less than three.
12 . The pixel as claimed in claim 10 , wherein
the planarization layer is disposed over the another protective layer.
13 . The pixel as claimed in claim 10 , wherein
the another protective layer is directly between source and drain electrodes of the transistor, and
the protective layer is spaced from the another protective layer over the transistor.
14 . The pixel as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the protective layer is between the another protective layer and the pixel electrode of the light emitter.
15 . An organic light-emitting display apparatus, comprising:
a substrate;
a transistor on the substrate and including a gate electrode, a first electrode, and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode including a metal;
a first protective layer made of an insulating material that directly contacts the second electrode and is disposed only in a region between the first electrode and the second electrode as seen in a side view with a top surface of the first protective layer extending as high as a top surface of at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode;
a second protective layer over the first electrode;
a second insulating layer disposed between the first protective layer and the second protective layer; and
an organic light-emitting device having a pixel electrode electrically connected to the second electrode and an emission layer on the pixel electrode,
wherein the pixel electrode is directly connected to the second electrode through a contact hole included in the second insulating layer, and an entire portion of the second protective layer is separated from the second electrode.
16 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising:
an insulating layer between the gate electrode and the first and second electrodes, wherein the first protective layer directly contacts the insulating layer.
17 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first protective layer is disposed only in a region directly above where the transistor is disposed.
18 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the first protective layer includes an inorganic material.
19 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising a pixel-defining layer on the second protective layer that includes an opening so as to expose at least a center of the pixel electrode.
20 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein
the first protective layer is spaced apart from the second protective layer,
the first protective layer includes an inorganic material,
the top surface of the first protective layer is co-planar with a top surface of both the first electrode and the second electrode, and
the second protective layer includes an inorganic material.