Organic light-emitting display device

An organic light-emitting display device including: a substrate including a pixel region and a non-pixel region; a first electrode formed on the pixel region in a first direction; a first wire coupled to the first electrode and formed in the non-pixel region; a second electrode formed in the pixel region in a second direction; a second wire coupled to the second electrode and formed in the non-pixel region; an organic thin film layer formed between the first electrode and the second electrode; a drive circuit coupled to the first wire and the second wire; and a passivation layer formed across the pixel region and the non-pixel region and having an opening to expose at least one of the first wire and the second wire.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0070607, filed on Jul. 21, 2008, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein, by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Aspects of the present invention relate to an organic light-emitting display device.

2.Description of the Related Art

An organic light-emitting display device is a self-emissive, next-generation, display device that has an improved viewing angle, contrast, response time, and power consumption, as compared to a liquid crystal display device (LCD). An organic light-emitting display device can be a passive-matrix, organic light-emitting display device, where pixels are coupled in a matrix between scan lines and signal lines, or an active-matrix, organic light-emitting display device, where pixels are controlled by thin film transistors (TFT).

The organic light-emitting diodes constituting a pixel are each composed of an anode electrode, an organic thin film layer, and a cathode electrode. When a predetermined voltage is applied between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, holes injected through the anode electrode are recombined with electrons injected through the cathode electrode, to form excitons in a light-emitting layer. Photons are emitted when the excitons return to a lower energy state.

In general, pixels are tested using a lightening test and an aging test, during the manufacture of an organic light-emitting display device. In this case, a short bar is used to supply a constant test signal to scan lines or signal lines. Korean Patent Publication No. 2006-29086 (Apr. 4, 2006) and Korean Patent Publication No. 2006-127561 (Dec. 13, 2006) disclose a positive short bar and a negative short bar, which are formed in a data pad that is coupled to data lines and a scan pad that is coupled to scan lines. The lightening test is carried out when a test pin is in contact with the short bar. The short bars are removed during a scribing procedure, which involves cutting a substrate when the lightening test is completed.

However, in a structure where a drive circuit is formed on a substrate, or a drive circuit (in the form of semiconductor chips) is mounted onto a substrate using a chip on glass or wire bonding process, pads coupled to input terminals of the drive circuit are formed on an edge of the substrate, adjacent to the scribe lines. Therefore, such an organic light-emitting display device has a problem, in that it is difficult to construct a short bar using the above-mentioned processes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention provides an organic light-emitting display device, in which a short bar can be easily formed and removed, in order to perform a lightening test and an aging test. The organic light-emitting display device includes a drive circuit that is mounted on a substrate.

Another aspect of the present invention provides an organic light-emitting display device, in which a short bar can be easily formed and removed, in order to perform a lightening test and an aging test. The organic light-emitting display device includes auxiliary electrodes to reduce the resistance of scan lines and data lines.

One exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an organic light-emitting display device including: a substrate having a pixel region and a non-pixel region; a first electrode formed on the pixel region and extending in a first direction; a first wire coupled to the first electrode and formed in the non-pixel region; a second electrode formed on the pixel region and extending in a second direction; a second wire coupled to the second electrode and formed in the non-pixel region; an organic thin film layer formed between the first electrode and the second electrode; a drive circuit coupled to the first wire and the second wire; and a passivation layer formed on the pixel region and the non-pixel region, and having an opening to expose a portion of at least one of the first wire and the second wire.

Since a substrate should be increased in size, when a drive circuit is mounted onto the substrate, the brightness and performance of the organic light-emitting display device may be degraded, due to increased resistance therein, resulting from increasing the length of wires. Therefore, an auxiliary electrode formed of a low resistance metal is used to mount the drive circuit to the substrate.

Aspects of the present invention provide an organic light-emitting display device, in which a short bar can be easily formed and removed, in order to perform a lightening test and an aging test, and which prevents damage to an auxiliary electrode when the short bar is removed. The organic light-emitting display device includes a drive circuit mounted on a substrate. The auxiliary electrodes reduce the resistance of scan lines and data lines. The organic light-emitting display device may have a high brightness, excellent performance, and a low operating voltage, due to being produced by a simplified manufacturing process that prevents damage to auxiliary electrodes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

As those skilled in the art would realize, the exemplary embodiments may be modified in various different ways, without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are illustrative in nature and are not restrictive. In addition, when a first element is referred to as being formed or disposed “on” another element, the first element can directly contact the second element, or one or more intervening elements can be interposed therebetween. Also, when a first element is referred to as being “connected to” a second element, the first element can be directly connected to the second element, or can be connected to the second element with one or more intervening elements.

FIG. 1andFIG. 2are a plane view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, showing an organic light-emitting display device, according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2schematically shows section I1-I2ofFIG. 1.

The organic light-emitting display device includes substrate100, which can be made of an insulating material, such as glass or plastic, or can be made of a metal. The substrate100is divided into a pixel region20and a non-pixel region40. The non-pixel region40is disposed around the pixel region20.

An array of organic light-emitting diodes110are coupled between a matrix of anode electrodes12and cathode electrodes14, in the pixel region20of the substrate100. Data lines62and scan lines64are respectively connected to the anode electrodes12and cathode electrodes14, and are disposed in the non-pixel region40. A power supply line (not shown) supplies a driving voltage to the organic light-emitting diodes110, and a drive circuit90processes external signals supplied through an input pad66. The power supply line, drive circuit90, and the input pad66are disposed in the non-pixel region40.

The organic light-emitting diodes110each include a portion of one of the anode electrodes12and a portion of one of the cathode electrodes14, which intersect one another, and a portion of an organic thin film layer (not shown) that is disposed therebetween. The organic thin film layer includes a hole transport layer, an organic light-emitting layer, and an electron transport layer, and may further include a hole injection layer and an electron injection layer.

The drive circuit90may be formed on the non-pixel region40and coupled to data lines62and scan lines64. The drive circuit90may alternatively be an integrated circuit semiconductor chip that is mounted on the substrate100, by a chip on glass or wire bonding process.

A passivation layer80covers the pixel region20and the non-pixel region40, and is made of a polyimide-based, a phenol resin-based, or an acrylic resin-based, insulating material. The passivation layer80includes openings80a-80c. The openings80aand80brespectively expose an input pad66and a region where the drive circuit90is mounted. The opening80cexposes some of the scan lines64. The opening80cis a region in which a short bar, to commonly couple the data lines62or the scan lines64, is formed. The short bar is used to perform a lightening test and/or an aging test. The position of the opening80cmay be suitably selected for minimal size. The opening80cis shown to expose the scan lines64, but may also be positioned to expose the data lines62. In addition, the passivation layer80may include another opening to expose the data lines62. The passivation layer80may include two openings80c, each of which exposes about half of the scan lines64or data lines62, for example.

FIG. 3AandFIG. 3Bare cross-sectional views showing a cross-section taken along line I11-I12ofFIG. 1.FIG. 3Ashows that the opening80cis formed in the passivation layer80, andFIG. 3Bshows a short bar400disposed in the opening80cand commonly coupled to the scan lines64.

A test signal is supplied to the organic light-emitting diodes110, via the data lines62or the scan lines64. A test pin is brought into contact with the short bar400, so as to perform a lightening test and an aging test.

When the lightening test and the aging test are completed, the short bar400is removed. The short bar400is generally formed of a metal such as aluminum (Al), which may be removed by an acid solution, or the like. In this case, since the passivation layer80covers the entire surface of the substrate100, the data lines62and the scan lines64are protected, when the substrate100is dipped into the acid solution.

This exemplary embodiment discloses that the short bar400is commonly coupled to some of the scan lines64, via the opening80c. However, in other exemplary embodiments the opening80ccan include a plurality of openings formed in the passivation layer80, to expose each of the scan lines64. The short bar400is commonly coupled to the scan lines64through the plurality of openings, as shown inFIG. 4.

The data lines62and the scan lines64may be made of a transparent electrode material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), and indium tin zinc oxide (ITZO). Since the transparent electrode material has a high resistance, the data lines62and the scan lines64can include a auxiliary electrodes that are formed of a material having a low resistance, so as to reduce the resistance of the data lines62and the scan lines64. For example, the scan lines64may include transparent electrodes64aand auxiliary electrodes64b, as shown inFIG. 4. The auxiliary electrodes64bmay be made of a metal, such as aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), molybdenum (Mo), copper (Cu) chromium (Cr), or multiple layers thereof. For example, the auxiliary electrode64bmay include multiple layers of molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), and/or molybdenum (Mo).

An encapsulation substrate200is disposed on the substrate100, in order to encapsulate the organic light-emitting diodes100. The substrate100and the encapsulation substrate200are attached to each other by a sealant300, such as an epoxy, frit seal, or the like.

As described above, the organic light-emitting display device, according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, includes the passivation layer80formed on the substrate100. The passivation layer80includes the opening80cto expose some of the data lines62and/or the scan lines64. The passivation layer80may cover the pixel region20and the non-pixel region40, as shown inFIG. 3AandFIG. 3B. The passivation layer80may disposed between the anode electrodes12and the cathode electrodes14.

FIG. 5is a cross-sectional view showing a passivation layer80disposed between an anode electrode12and a cathode electrode14, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 5cross-sectional view showing a portion of the pixel region20, taken along line I1-I2ofFIG. 1.

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 5, the anode electrode12is formed on the pixel region20in one direction, and the data lines62extended from the anode electrode12. The scan lines64are coupled to the cathode electrodes14and are formed in the non-pixel region40. In this case, the data lines62and the scan lines64both comprise auxiliary electrodes and transparent electrodes that are formed on the auxiliary electrodes.

A passivation layer80covers the pixel region20and the non-pixel region40, and is patterned to expose the anode electrodes12. In this case, the openings80aand80bexpose an input pad66and a region where the drive circuit90is mounted, respectively. Openings80cexpose the data lines62. The scan lines64are formed on the passivation layer80.

A barrier rib (not shown) is formed on the passivation layer80in the pixel region20and extends across the anode electrodes12. The barrier rib separates the cathode electrodes12and an organic thin film layer that is on the passivation layer80. The walls of the barrier rib are tapered, such that they have a maximum thickness at the passivation layer80.

After the organic thin film layer13is formed on the pixel region20, the cathode electrodes14are formed across the anode electrodes12. A short bar400may be formed during the formation of the cathode electrodes14.