Background
An Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display device is a development trend of future display products, and has a series of advantages of wide viewing angle, fast response speed, high brightness, high contrast, bright color, light weight, thin thickness, low power consumption, and the like. Currently, organic light emitting diode display devices have begun to be applied to mobile phone screens.
With the appearance and continuous development of the OLED display technology, flexible display becomes the trend of future display development, and flexible screens which can be bent and rolled are widely applied to mobile phones and flat panels, which requires that a touch layer also needs to be bent, so that the existing AMOLED flexible screen is changed from an external mutual-capacitance structure to an open cell mutual-capacitance structure. In the open cell mutual capacitance structure, the touch electrode layer is very close to the cathode in the light emitting unit, so that a large parasitic capacitance is increased, and the touch position of a finger can be detected only by a processing circuit with high capability. Since the oncell self-contained structure has a lot of led-out touch lead layers, the touch lead layers need to be made into a film layer separately. At present, because the distance between the touch lead layer and the touch electrode layer is short, parasitic capacitance is increased, and touch precision is influenced.
Disclosure of Invention
Embodiments of the present invention provide a touch substrate, a method for manufacturing the same, and a display device, which can increase a distance between a touch electrode layer and a touch lead layer and reduce a parasitic capacitance generated between the touch electrode layer and the touch lead layer.
In order to solve the above technical problem, an embodiment of the present invention provides a touch substrate, which includes a substrate, a touch lead layer disposed on the substrate, a package layer disposed on the touch lead layer, and a touch electrode layer disposed on the package layer, wherein a first opening is formed in the package layer and is communicated with the touch lead layer, and the touch electrode layer is connected to the touch lead layer through the first opening.
In an exemplary embodiment, the touch panel further includes a light emitting unit disposed on the substrate, the encapsulation layer covers the light emitting unit, and the light emitting unit includes a first pixel electrode formed on the same film layer as the touch lead layer.
In an exemplary embodiment, the light emitting unit further includes a pixel defining layer disposed on the first pixel electrode and the touch lead layer, the encapsulation layer is disposed on the pixel defining layer, a second opening is formed in the pixel defining layer and communicates with the touch lead layer, and the touch lead layer is connected to the touch lead layer through the first opening and the second opening.
In an exemplary embodiment, a third opening communicating with the first pixel electrode is opened in the pixel defining layer, and the light emitting unit further includes a light emitting layer disposed in the third opening and a second pixel electrode disposed on the light emitting layer.
In an exemplary embodiment, the display device further includes a protective layer disposed between the pixel defining layer and the encapsulation layer, a fourth opening is opened in the protective layer and is communicated with the second opening, and an edge of the protective layer close to one side of the second opening is connected to the encapsulation layer.
In an exemplary embodiment, the encapsulation layer includes a first inorganic encapsulation layer disposed on the protection layer, an organic encapsulation layer formed on the first inorganic encapsulation layer, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer formed on the organic encapsulation layer, and an edge of the second inorganic encapsulation layer near the second opening is connected to an edge of the protection layer near the second opening.
In an exemplary embodiment, the display device further includes a source drain layer and a display lead layer disposed on the substrate, and a flat layer disposed on the source drain layer and the display lead layer, wherein a fourth opening communicated with the source drain layer is formed in the flat layer, the first pixel electrode is disposed on the flat layer and connected to the source drain layer through the fourth opening, and the source drain layer and the display lead layer are formed on the same film layer.
In an exemplary embodiment, the touch panel further includes a processing circuit disposed on the substrate, and the touch lead layer is connected to the processing circuit.
The embodiment of the invention also provides a display device which comprises the touch substrate.
The embodiment of the invention also provides a preparation method of the touch substrate, which comprises the following steps:
forming a touch lead layer on a substrate;
forming a packaging layer on the touch lead layer, and forming a first opening communicated with the touch lead layer in the packaging layer;
and forming a touch lead layer on the packaging layer, and connecting the touch lead layer with the touch lead layer through the first opening.
The invention provides a touch substrate, a preparation method thereof and a display device.A touch electrode layer and a touch lead layer are separated by a packaging layer and are connected with each other through a first opening on the packaging layer, so that the distance between the touch electrode layer and the touch lead layer is increased, the parasitic capacitance between the touch electrode layer and the touch lead layer is reduced, the product yield is improved, the performance of a capacitive active pen can be improved, the signal attenuation of an active pen signal in the transmission process is reduced, and the signal receiving intensity is enhanced. Meanwhile, the practical usability is increased by opening holes in the packaging layer.
Of course, not all of the advantages described above need to be achieved at the same time in the practice of any one product or method of the invention. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the embodiments of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
Detailed Description
The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are intended to illustrate the invention but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It should be noted that the embodiments and features of the embodiments in the present application may be arbitrarily combined with each other without conflict.
At present, a self-contained cell touch structure is provided with 2 metal layers on a packaging layer, the 2 metal layers are respectively manufactured to form a touch electrode layer and a touch lead layer, and the self-contained touch structure needs each touch unit to lead out the touch lead layer, so that the number of touch lead layers is very large. For example, taking an 8-inch left-right screen as an example, the touch unit is 4.2mm, and the touch unit needs at least 1000 touch lead layers. The touch lead layer and the touch electrode layer are arranged in a layered two-layer film layer mode, and leads can be conveniently led. However, in the structure, because the touch lead layer is very close to the touch electrode layer, parasitic capacitance is generated between the touch lead layer and the touch electrode layer.
The embodiment of the invention provides a touch substrate which comprises a substrate, a touch lead layer arranged on the substrate, a packaging layer arranged on the touch lead layer and a touch electrode layer arranged on the packaging layer, wherein a first opening communicated with the touch lead layer is formed in the packaging layer, and the touch lead layer is connected with the touch lead layer through the first opening.
Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a touch substrate according to an embodiment of the invention; fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a touch substrate according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the touch substrate according to the embodiment of the invention includes a substrate 10, a touch lead layer 20 disposed on the substrate 10, a package layer 30 disposed on the touch lead layer 20, and a touch electrode layer 40 disposed on the package layer 30. The package layer 30 has a first opening communicating with the touch lead layer 20, and the touch electrode layer 40 is connected to the touch lead layer 20 through the first opening. The touch electrode layer 40 may be a self-capacitance touch electrode layer. The substrate 10 may have a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure, and the multi-layer structure may be formed by compounding an organic film layer and an inorganic film layer. The touch lead layer 20 is connected to the touch electrode layer 40 and can transmit a touch signal.
In the embodiment of the invention, the touch substrate separates the touch electrode layer 40 from the touch lead layer 20 through the packaging layer 30, so that the touch electrode layer 40 is connected with the touch lead layer 20 through the first opening on the packaging layer 30, thereby increasing the distance between the touch electrode layer 40 and the touch lead layer 20, reducing the parasitic capacitance between the touch electrode layer 40 and the touch lead layer 20, improving the product yield, improving the performance of the capacitive active pen, reducing the signal attenuation of the active pen signal in the transmission process, and enhancing the signal receiving strength. Meanwhile, the practical usability is increased by opening holes in the packaging layer.
As shown in fig. 2, the touch substrate of the embodiment of the invention further includes a light emitting unit 50 disposed on the substrate 10, the light emitting unit 50 includes a driving structure layer disposed on the substrate 10 and a light emitting structure layer disposed on the driving structure layer, and the encapsulation layer 30 covers the light emitting structure layer for isolating water and oxygen from invading and protecting the light emitting material in the light emitting structure layer. The driving structure layer mainly includes a plurality of Thin Film Transistors (TFTs) for controlling the light emitting structure layer to emit light. The light emitting structure layer includes a first pixel electrode 60 disposed on the driving structure layer, a pixel defining layer 70 disposed on the first pixel electrode 60, a light emitting layer 80 disposed on the pixel defining layer 70, and a second pixel electrode 90 disposed on the light emitting layer 80. The pixel defining layer 70 has a third opening formed therein and connected to the first pixel electrode 60, and the light emitting layer 80 is disposed in the third opening and connected to the first pixel electrode 60. The encapsulation layer 30 is disposed on the pixel defining layer 70 and covers the light emitting layer 80 and the second pixel electrode 90, thereby protecting the light emitting layer 80.
In the exemplary embodiment, the first pixel electrode 60 and the touch lead layer 20 are formed on the same film layer, that is, the first pixel electrode 60 and the touch lead layer 20 are prepared through the same preparation process, so that the process is simplified and the production cost is saved.
In an exemplary embodiment, the thin film transistor includes a source drain layer 90 and a display lead 100 disposed on the substrate 10, and a planarization layer 110 disposed on the source drain layer 90 and the display lead 100, and the first pixel electrode 60 and the touch lead layer 20 are disposed on the planarization layer 110. A fourth opening communicated with the source/drain layer 90 is opened in the planarization layer 110, and the first pixel electrode 60 is connected to the source/drain layer 90 through the fourth opening. The source drain layer 90 and the display lead 100 are formed on the same film layer, that is, the source drain layer 90 and the display lead 100 are prepared through the same preparation process, so that the process is simplified, and the production cost is saved.
In an exemplary embodiment, the pixel defining layer 70 is located between the first pixel electrode 60 and the touch lead layer 20 and the encapsulation layer 30. The pixel defining layer 70 is provided with a second opening communicated with the touch lead layer 20, the second opening is communicated with the first opening in the packaging layer 30, the touch electrode layer 40 is connected with the touch lead layer 20 through the first opening and the second opening, so that the touch electrode layer 40 is separated from the touch lead layer 20 through the pixel defining layer 70 and the packaging layer 30, the distance between the touch electrode layer 40 and the touch lead layer 20 is further increased, and the parasitic capacitance between the touch electrode layer 40 and the touch lead layer 20 is reduced.
In an exemplary embodiment, the touch substrate of the embodiment of the invention further includes a protection layer 120 disposed between the pixel defining layer 70 and the encapsulation layer 30, and a fourth opening communicated with the second opening of the pixel defining layer 70 is opened in the protection layer 120. The first opening, the fourth opening and the second opening are communicated with each other and expose the touch lead layer 20. The edge of the protective layer 120 near one side of the second opening is connected to the encapsulation layer 30, and the protective layer 120 and the encapsulation layer 30 are combined to form a protective layer to prevent water and oxygen from invading the light emitting material.
In an exemplary embodiment, the encapsulation layer 30 includes a first inorganic encapsulation layer 301 disposed on the protection layer 120, an organic encapsulation layer 302 formed on the first inorganic encapsulation layer 301, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer 303 formed on the organic encapsulation layer 302, wherein edges of the first inorganic encapsulation layer 301 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 303 near the second opening cover sidewalls of the first opening, the fourth opening, and the second opening and are connected to edges of the protection layer 120 near the second opening, so as to form a protection layer for protecting the light emitting material. The protective layer 120 may be an inorganic material. The first inorganic encapsulation layer 301, the second inorganic encapsulation layer 303, and the protective layer 120 may use silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxide (SiOx), or the like.
In an exemplary embodiment, the touch substrate of the embodiment of the invention further includes a processing circuit disposed on the substrate, the touch lead layer is connected to the processing circuit, and the touch lead layer transmits the touch signal formed by the touch electrode layer to the processing circuit.
The touch substrate of the embodiment of the invention divides the touch structure into 2 layers, and one layer is mainly used for manufacturing the touch electrode layer and is positioned on the packaging layer. The other layer is mainly a touch wiring layer and is positioned on the substrate. The touch control mode of the touch control substrate in the embodiment of the invention can be a self-capacitance mode or a mutual capacitance mode, as long as the touch control substrate is divided into two film layers according with the touch control electrode layer and the touch control routing.
The technical solution of this embodiment is further described below by the manufacturing process of the touch substrate of this embodiment. As shown in fig. 2, the preparation process of the touch substrate includes:
1) a substrate 10 is prepared. In an exemplary embodiment, the substrate 10 may include a first flexible material layer, a first inorganic material layer, a semiconductor layer, a second flexible material layer, and a second inorganic material layer stacked on a glass carrier plate. The first and second flexible material layers may be made of Polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a polymer soft film with a surface treatment, the first and second inorganic material layers may be made of silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx) for improving the water and oxygen resistance of the substrate, the first and second inorganic material layers are also called Barrier (Barrier) layers, and the semiconductor layer may be made of amorphous silicon (a-si). In an exemplary embodiment, the substrate 10 may be a stacked structure of PI1/Barrier1/a-si/PI2/Barrier 2.
2) Depositing a first metal film on the substrate 10 on which the pattern is formed, and patterning the first metal film through a patterning process, so that the source/drain layer 90 and the display lead 100 are respectively formed on the substrate 10 by the first metal film.
3) On the substrate 10 on which the aforementioned pattern is formed, a flat film of an organic material is coated on the source drain layer 90 and the display lead 100, and a flat layer (PLN)110 covering the entire substrate 10 is formed through a patterning process. A fourth opening is opened in the Planarization Layer (PLN)110, and the planarization layer 110 in the fourth opening is etched away to expose the source/drain layer 90.
4) On the substrate 10 with the pattern, a second metal film is deposited on the flat layer 110, and the second metal film is patterned through a patterning process, so that the second metal film forms the first pixel electrode 60 and the touch lead layer 20 on the flat layer 110, respectively.
5) On the substrate 10 on which the aforementioned pattern is formed, a pixel defining thin film and an inorganic thin film are coated on the first pixel electrode 60 and the touch lead layer 20, and the pixel defining thin film and the inorganic thin film are patterned through a patterning process to form a Pixel Defining Layer (PDL)70 and a protective layer 120 on the Pixel Defining Layer (PDL) 70. Etching the protective layer 120 and the pixel defining layer 70 by an etching process, so that the orthographic projection of the protective layer 120 on the substrate 10 is not overlapped with the orthographic projection of the first pixel electrode 60 and the orthographic projection of the touch lead layer 20 on the substrate 10, and a fourth opening is formed on the protective layer 120; a second opening and a third opening are formed on the pixel defining layer 70, the third opening exposes the surface of the first pixel electrode 60, the pixel defining layer 70 in the second opening is etched, the passivation layer 120 in the fourth opening is etched, and the second opening is communicated with the fourth opening to expose the surface of the touch lead layer 20.
6) Depositing a light emitting material on the first pixel electrode 60 exposed in the third opening on the substrate 10 formed with the aforementioned pattern to form a light emitting layer 80; subsequently, a third metal film is deposited on the light emitting layer 80, and the third metal film is patterned through a patterning process to form the second pixel electrode 130.
7) On the substrate 10 with the aforementioned pattern, a layer of encapsulation film covering the second pixel electrode 130 is deposited on the protection layer 120, and the encapsulation film is patterned by a patterning process to form an encapsulation layer 30, wherein a first opening is formed in the encapsulation layer 30, the encapsulation layer 30 in the first opening is etched away, so that the first opening, the fourth opening and the second opening are communicated, and the surface of the touch lead layer 20 is exposed. The edge of the encapsulation layer 30 covers the sidewalls of the first opening, the fourth opening, and the second opening, and is connected to the exposed edge of the surface of the touch lead layer 20. Among them, in an exemplary embodiment, the encapsulation layer 30 may include a first inorganic encapsulation layer 301 formed on the protection layer 120, an organic encapsulation layer 302 formed on the first inorganic encapsulation layer 301, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer 303 formed on the organic encapsulation layer 302. The edges of the first inorganic encapsulation layer 301 and the second inorganic encapsulation layer 303 close to the second opening side cover the side walls of the first opening, the fourth opening and the second opening, and are respectively connected with the edge of the protective layer 120 close to the second opening side and the exposed edge of the surface of the touch lead layer 20, so that the protective layer is formed, water and oxygen are isolated, and the service life of the luminescent material is ensured.
8) Depositing a fourth metal film on the packaging layer 30 on the substrate 10 with the pattern, and patterning the fourth metal film through a patterning process to form a touch electrode layer on the packaging layer 30, wherein the touch electrode layer is connected with the touch lead layer 20 through the first opening, the fourth opening and the second opening.
The embodiment of the invention also provides a display device which comprises the touch substrate of the embodiment. The display device may be: any product or component with a display function, such as a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a television, a display, a notebook computer, a digital photo frame, a navigator and the like.
The embodiment of the invention also provides a preparation method of the touch substrate, which comprises the following steps:
forming a touch lead layer on a substrate;
forming a packaging layer on the touch lead layer, and forming a first opening communicated with the touch lead layer in the packaging layer;
and forming a touch lead layer on the packaging layer, and connecting the touch lead layer with the touch lead layer through the first opening.
In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "middle", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on those shown in the drawings, and are only for convenience of description and simplicity of description, but do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed in a particular orientation, and be operated, and thus, should not be construed as limiting the present invention.
In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless explicitly stated or limited otherwise, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, and may be, for example, fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected; can be mechanically or electrically connected; they may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above description is only for the convenience of understanding the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.