IP Library Granted Patent US 12,622,158
Granted Patent B2
US 12,622,158 · App. 18/346,158 · Granted May 5, 2026

Display panel in which an inorganic layer replaces a typical organic layer in an encapsulation layer

Inventors: Shogo Nishizaki (Yongin-si, KR); Jaehyun Kim (Yongin-si, KR); Young Seo Choi (Yongin-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
H10K59/8731H10K59/122H10K59/82H10K77/111H10K2102/351
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,622,158
App. No.
18/346,158
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display panel includes a base layer, a circuit layer disposed on the base layer, a light emitting element layer disposed on the circuit layer, and an encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting element layer. The encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic layer that includes a lower layer and an upper layer disposed on the lower layer, and a second inorganic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer. The lower layer includes a barrier layer that includes a silicon oxide, and the upper layer includes a silicon oxycarbide.

Claims (64)

1 . A display panel, comprising:

a base layer;

a circuit layer disposed on the base layer;

a light emitting element layer disposed on the circuit layer; and

an encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting element layer, wherein the encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic layer that includes a lower layer and an upper layer disposed on the lower layer, and a second inorganic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer,

wherein the lower layer includes a barrier layer that includes a silicon oxide,

the upper layer includes a silicon oxycarbide, and

wherein in the upper layer, based on a total content,

a content of silicon is 20 at % or more and 40 at % or less,

a content of oxygen is 50 at % or more and 70 at % or less, and

a content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 30 at % or less.

2 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein:

the lower layer further comprises a planarization layer that includes a silicon oxycarbide;

the lower layer comprises a laminate structure of two or more layers in which the barrier layer and the planarization layer are alternately laminated; and

the upper layer is in contact with a barrier layer.

3 . The display panel of claim 2 , wherein in the planarization layer, based on a total content,

a content of silicon is 20 at % or more and 40 at % or less,

a content of oxygen is 50 at % or more and 70 at % or less, and

a content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 30 at % or less.

4 . The display panel of claim 3 , wherein in the planarization layer, based on the total content, the content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 15 at % or less.

5 . The display panel of claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the barrier layer is 10 nm or more and 500 nm or less, and a thickness of the planarization layer is 10 nm or more and 1 μm or less.

6 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the lower layer is 10 nm or more and 2 μm or less.

7 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the upper layer has a single-layered structure.

8 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein in the upper layer, based on the total content, the content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 15 at % or less.

9 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the upper layer is 3 μm or more and 10 μm or less.

10 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein:

the light emitting element layer comprises a pixel definition film and a light emitting element that includes a functional layer disposed in an opening formed in the pixel definition film; and

the first inorganic layer covers the light emitting element.

11 . A display panel, comprising:

a base layer;

a circuit layer disposed on the base layer;

a light emitting element layer disposed on the circuit layer; and

an encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting element layer, wherein the encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic layer and a second inorganic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer,

wherein the first inorganic layer includes a laminate structure of two or more layers in which a barrier layer that includes a silicon oxide and a planarization layer that includes a silicon oxycarbide are alternately laminated,

an uppermost layer of the first inorganic layer is a planarization layer, and

wherein in the planarization layer, based on a total content,

a content of silicon is 20 at % or more and 40 at % or less,

a content of oxygen is 50 at % or more and 70 at % or less, and

a content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 30 at % or less.

12 . The display panel of claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the uppermost layer of the first inorganic layer is 3 μm or more and 10 μm or less.

13 . The display panel of claim 11 , wherein in the first inorganic layer, a sum of thicknesses of layers other than the uppermost layer is 10 nm or more and 2 μm or less.

14 . An electronic device, comprising:

a display panel, wherein the display panel comprises:

a base layer;

a circuit layer disposed on the base layer;

a light emitting element layer disposed on the circuit layer; and

an encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting element layer, wherein the encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic layer and a second inorganic layer disposed on the first inorganic layer,

wherein the first inorganic layer includes a laminate structure of two or more layers in which at least one barrier layer and at least one planarization layer are alternately laminated,

the at least one barrier layer includes silicon and oxygen,

the at least one planarization layer includes silicon, oxygen, and carbon, and

wherein in the at least one planarization layer, based on a total content,

a content of silicon is 20 at % or more and 40 at % or less,

a content of oxygen is 50 at % or more and 70 at % or less, and

a content of carbon is greater than 0 at % and 30 at % or less.

15 . The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein:

the at least one barrier layer comprises a first barrier layer to an m-th barrier layer,

the at least one planarization layer comprises a first planarization layer to an n-th planarization layer,

m and n are each independently an integer of 2 or greater,

the first barrier layer to the m-th barrier layer are alternately laminated with the first planarization layer to the n-th planarization layer, and

the second inorganic layer is in contact with the first planarization layer.

16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the first planarization layer has a thickness greater than a thickness of each of the first planarization layer to the n-th planarization layer.

17 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein

a composition ratio of any one of the first barrier layer to the m-th barrier layer differs from the composition ratio of at least another barrier layer, and

a composition ratio of any one of the first planarization layer to the n-th planarization layer differs from the composition ratio of at least another planarization layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2024
From: NISHIZAKI, SHOGO; KIM, JAEHYUN; CHOI, YOUNG SEO
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066830/0182 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0081361 · Jul 1, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240008346A1 · Jan 4, 2024
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