Patent Publication Number: US-2021165133-A1

Title: Display panel and method of manufacturing the same

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0156745, filed on Nov. 29, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a display panel and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a high-reliability display panel with a reduced bezel area or substantially no bezel area, and a method of manufacturing the same. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Along with the development of the information society, demands for display devices that display images are growing. In this regard, various types of display devices, such as liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, plasma display device, and organic light emitting diode (OLED) display devices, have been widely used. 
     In recent years, not only display quality but also outward designs satisfying users&#39; sense of aesthetics are required for display devices. In order to realize a design offering a fashionable look, the bezel area of a display device should be minimized or substantially removed. However, it is not easy to minimize or substantially remove the bezel area. 
     Moreover, since the display device contains a material vulnerable to oxidization by external moisture or oxygen, various techniques of sealing a display panel are used to block or minimize the introduction of moisture or oxygen from the outside. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The inventors of the present disclosure realized that existing encapsulation methods for preventing the introduction of moisture or oxygen into a display panel or a display device have limitations in that a complex process is required or it is difficult to achieve a thin bezel. 
     For example, an edge seal method in which a frit is disposed between a glass encapsulation substrate and a substrate with pixels formed thereon, around the periphery of a display panel with the pixels has the shortcomings of vulnerability to external shocks and unsuitability for encapsulation of a large-screen display panel. 
     In this context, the inventors of the present disclosure have invented a high-reliability display panel which may be formed in a simple process and has a minimal bezel area or substantially no bezel area, and a method of manufacturing the same. 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the objects that could be achieved with the present disclosure are not limited to what has been particularly described hereinabove and the above and other objects that the present disclosure could achieve will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description. 
     An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a high-reliability display panel with a reduced bezel area or substantially no bezel area, and a method of manufacturing the same. 
     According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, provided is a display panel including a substrate, a light emitting element, a protection layer, a self-healing layer including a first self-healing layer positioned and a second self-healing layer, and a sealing layer filling a space between the first self-healing layer and the second self-healing layer. 
     The first self-healing layer is positioned on the protection layer and contains a first precursor. The second self-healing layer is positioned on the substrate and contains a second precursor. 
     The sealing layer fills the space between the first self-healing layer and the second self-healing layer with materials resulting from reaction of the first precursor and the second precursor, on at least one side surface of the substrate. 
     According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, provided is a method of manufacturing a display panel, including forming a light emitting element on a mother substrate, forming a protection layer on the light emitting element formed on the mother substrate, forming a self-healing layer including a first self-healing layer containing a first precursor on the protection layer and a second self-healing layer containing a second precursor on the mother substrate, and cutting the mother substrate into display panels and forming a sealing layer filling a space between the first self-healing layer and the second self-healing layer, on at least one side surface of a substrate in each of the display panels. 
     According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, provided is a display device including the above-described display panel. The display device includes the display panel and a driving circuit driving the display panel. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a display panel may be formed in a simple process and has a minimum or substantially no bezel area, and a method of manufacturing the same may be provided. 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the effects that can be achieved with the present disclosure are not limited to what has been particularly described hereinabove and other advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating the system configuration of a display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view illustrating a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view illustrating the display panel illustrated in  FIG. 2 , taken along line A-A; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view illustrating a sealing layer illustrated in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the sealing layer illustrated in  FIG. 3  in which materials to which first and second polymer precursors are polymerized fill a space between first and second self-healing layers; 
         FIGS. 6, 7 and 8  are diagrams illustrating arrangements of sealing layers in display panels according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view illustrating a display panel according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view illustrating a display panel according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a display panel according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIGS. 12 to 15  are sectional views illustrating the display panel in respective steps of the method of manufacturing a display panel, illustrated in  FIG. 11 ; and 
         FIG. 16  is a plan view illustrating the display panel in each step of the method of manufacturing a display panel, illustrated in  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Advantages and features of the present disclosure and a method of achieving the advantages and features will be clear by referring to embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein but will be implemented in various forms. The embodiments are provided by way of example only so that those skilled in the art can fully understand the present disclosure and the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The shapes, sizes, ratios, angles, numbers, and the like illustrated in the accompanying drawings for describing the embodiments of the present disclosure are merely examples, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Like reference numerals generally denote like elements throughout the specification. Further, in the following description of the present disclosure, a detailed explanation of known related technologies may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the subject matter of the present disclosure. The terms such as “including,” “having,” and “constituting” used herein are generally intended to allow other components to be added unless the terms are used with the term “only.” Any references to singular may include plural unless expressly stated otherwise. 
     Components are interpreted to include an ordinary error range even if not expressly stated. 
     When the position relation between two parts is described using the terms such as “on,” “above,” “below,” and “next,” one or more parts may be positioned between the two parts unless the terms are used with the term “immediately” or “directly.” 
     When an element or layer is disposed “on” another element or layer, another layer or another element may be interposed directly on the other element or therebetween. 
     Although the terms “first,” “second,” and the like are used for describing various components, these components are not confined by these terms. These terms are merely used for distinguishing one component from the other components. Therefore, a first component to be mentioned below may be a second component in the technical concept of the present disclosure. 
     The features of various embodiments of the present disclosure may be partially or entirely combined with each other and may be linked and operated in technically various ways, and the embodiments may be carried out independently of or in association with each other. 
     A description will be given of various configurations of a display panel and a display device, which have a thin bezel with excellent anti-humidity according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     With reference to the attached drawings, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates the system configuration of a display device  100  according to embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the display device  100  according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may include a display panel  110  in which a plurality of data lines DL and a plurality of gate lines GL are disposed, and a plurality of subpixels  111  formed adjacent to the plurality of data lines DL and the plurality of gate lines GL, a data driving circuit DDC driving the plurality of data lines DL, a gate driving circuit GDC driving the plurality of gate lines GL, and a controller D-CTR controlling the data driving circuit DDC and the gate driving circuit GDC. 
     The controller D-CTR may supply various control signals DCS and GCS to the data driving circuit DDC and the gate driving circuit GDC to control the data driving circuit DDC and the gate driving circuit GDC. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device  100  may be an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, a plasma display device, or the like. 
     When the display device  100  according to embodiments of the present disclosure is an OLED device, each subpixel  111  arranged on the display panel  110  may include a light emitting element including circuit elements such as an OLED which is a self-emissive device and a driving transistor driving the OLED. The types and number of circuit elements in each light emitting element may vary with provided functions and design schemes. 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view illustrating a display panel according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.  FIG. 3  is a sectional view illustrating the display panel illustrated in  FIG. 2 , taken along line A-A′. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a display panel  200  according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may include a substrate  210 , light emitting elements  220  positioned on the substrate  210 , a protection layer  230  positioned on the light emitting elements  220  and encapsulating the light emitting elements  220 , a self-healing layer  240  including a first self-healing layer  244  positioned on the protection layer  230  and including a first precursor  242 , and a second self-healing layer  248  positioned on the substrate  210  and including a second precursor  246 , and a sealing layer  250  in which materials resulting from reaction of the first precursor  242  and the second precursor  246  fills a space between the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248  on at least one side surface  212  of the substrate  210 . 
     To have a flexible property, the substrate  210  may be formed of, but not limited to, a polymer such as polyimide. 
     Each of the light emitting elements  220  may include circuit elements such as an OLED and a driving transistor driving the OLED. The OLED may include a first electrode, a light emitting layer positioned on the first electrode, and a second electrode positioned on the light emitting layer. 
     The protection layer  230  may function to prevent intrusion of external moisture or oxygen and protect the light emitting elements  220  from external shocks. The protection layer  230  may include a first inorganic layer  232 , an organic layer  234 , and a second inorganic layer  236 . The first inorganic layer  232  may cover the light emitting elements  220 , the organic layer  234  may cover the first inorganic layer  232  on the first inorganic layer  232 , and the second inorganic layer  236  may fully cover the organic layer  234  and the first inorganic layer  232 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB)  280  or a tape carrier package (TCP) may be disposed on another side surface  214  of the substrate  210 . A printed circuit board (PCB)  290  including multiple electrical elements in hardware may be coupled to the display panel  200  through the FPCB  280 . 
     The sealing layer  250  may be disposed on two side surfaces  212  and  216  (see  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 6  described later on) or on three side surfaces  212 ,  216  and  218  (see  FIG. 8  described later on), except for the side surface  214  of the substrate  210  on which the FPCB  280  is disposed. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the display panel  200  may include a barrier film  260  attached onto the first self-healing layer  244  by an adhesive layer  262 , and a back plate  270  disposed on the second self-healing layer  248 , which should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. 
     The substrate  210 , the light emitting elements  220 , and the protection layer  230  may form the same vertical surfaces on the side surfaces  212  and  216  of the substrate  210  on which the sealing layer  250  is formed. In some embodiments, the substrate  210 , the light emitting elements  220 , and the protection layer  230  may have substantially coplanar side surfaces with each other at a location where the sealing layer  250  is formed. As described later with reference to  FIGS. 12 to 15 , in a process of manufacturing two or more display panels by cutting a mother substrate on which the light emitting elements  220  and the protection layer  230  are formed in the same process by laser, the resulting laser-cut surface may form a vertical surface. The vertical surface refers to a surface substantially perpendicular to a horizontal surface. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged view illustrating the sealing layer illustrated in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 5  illustrates the sealing layer illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in which materials to which first and second polymer precursors are polymerized fill a space between the first and second self-healing layers. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248  may protrude outward from the vertical surface formed by the substrate  210 , the light emitting elements  220 , and the protection layer  250 . For example, each of the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248  may protrude outward from the vertical surface, in a circular or elliptical form as a whole. 
     The sealing layer  250  may partially fill the space between the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248  on at least one surface of the substrate  210 , and contact the vertical surface. 
     The first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248  may be formed of substantially the same or different materials. For example, the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248  may independently include the first precursor  242  and the second precursor  246  distributed in acryl-based resin or epoxy-based resin matrices, respectively. 
     The first precursor  242  and the second precursor  246  may be the same or different materials. 
     The first precursor  242  may be a first polymer precursor, and the second precursor  246  may be a second polymer precursor. 
     The first self-healing layer  244  may further include one or more of capsules and fibers containing the first polymer precursor  242 . The second self-healing layer  248  may further include one or more of capsules and fibers containing the second polymer precursor  246 . 
     In the sealing layer  250 , materials to which the first polymer precursor  242  and the second polymer precursor  246  are polymerized may fill a space  249  between the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248 . That is, the polymerized materials or polymers may fill the space  249  between the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248  in the sealing layer  250 . 
     Polymers may be classified into covalent bonded self-healing polymers and supramolecular network self-healing polymers according to their bonding or shapes for self-healing. 
     For example, capsules or fibers may be filled with the first and second polymer precursors  242  and  246 . 
     As described before, as the display panel  200  according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248 , cracks on the display panel  200  may be healed in the same manner. 
       FIGS. 6, 7 and 8  are diagrams illustrating arrangements of sealing layers in display panels according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , in a process of manufacturing 2×2 display panels by cutting a mother substrate on which the light emitting elements  220  and the protection layer  230  are formed in the same process, the sealing layer  250  may be disposed on the two side surfaces  212  and  216  other than the side surface  214  of the substrate  210  on which the FPCB  280  is disposed, in each display panel. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , two display panels may have the same shape, symmetrically arranged on both sides. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , in a process of manufacturing 3×2 display panels by cutting a mother substrate on which the light emitting elements  220  and the protection layer  230  are formed in the same process, the sealing layer  250  may be disposed on the two side surfaces  212  and  216  other than the side surface  214  of the substrate  210  on which the FPCB  280  is disposed, in each of four display panels on both sides. In contrast, the sealing layer  250  may be disposed on the three side surfaces  212 ,  216  and  218  other than the side surface  214  of the substrate  210  on which the FPCB  280  is disposed, in each of two display panels in the middle. 
     In a process of manufacturing m×n display panels (m and n are natural numbers equal to or larger than 2) by cutting a mother substrate on which the light emitting elements  220  and the protection layer  230  are formed in the same process, the sealing layer  250  may generally be disposed on the three side surfaces  212 ,  216  and  218  other than the side surface  214  of the substrate  210  on which the FPCB  280  is disposed, in each of display panels in the middle. 
     In a process of manufacturing m×1 or 1×n display panels (m and n are natural numbers equal to or larger than 2) by cutting a mother substrate on which the light emitting elements  220  and the protection layer  230  are formed in the same process, the sealing layer  250  may be disposed on only one side surface  212  or  218  other than the side surface  214  of the substrate  210  on which the FPCB  280  is disposed, in each of four display panels on both sides, whereas the sealing layer  250  may be disposed on the two side surfaces  212  and  218  other than the side surface  214  of the substrate  210  on which the FPCB  280  is disposed, in each of display panels in the middle. 
     In describing this embodiment, a description of the same components as in the foregoing embodiment or corresponding components of the foregoing embodiment will not be provided herein. In this context, drawings according to this embodiment will be described below. 
       FIG. 9  is a sectional view illustrating a display panel according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a display panel  300  according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include a substrate  310 , light emitting elements  320 , a protection layer  330 , a self-healing layer  340  including a first self-healing layer  344  and a second self-healing layer  348 , and a sealing layer  350  filling a space  349  between the first self-healing layer  344  and the second self-healing layer  348 . 
     For example, these components of the display panel  300  according to this embodiment may be identical to the substrate  210 , the light emitting elements  220 , the protection layer  230 , the self-healing layer  240  including the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248 , and the sealing layer  250  filling the space between the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248 , which have been described before with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 5 . 
     The display panel  300  according to this embodiment may include a barrier film  360  attached onto the first self-healing layer  344  by an adhesive layer  362 , and a back plate  370  disposed on the second self-healing layer  348 , which should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. 
     The display panel  300  according to this embodiment may further include a side encapsulation layer  351  encapsulating the light emitting elements  320 , on a side surface with the sealing layer  350  disposed thereon. The side encapsulation layer  351  may function to block moisture or air or any other external, foreign materials from intruding into the side surface. Accordingly, the side encapsulation layer  351  may encapsulate the substrate  310 , the light emitting elements  320 , and the protection layer  330  in a manner that encapsulates the light emitting elements  320  in a sufficient range on the side surface with the sealing layer  350  disposed thereon. 
     For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the side encapsulation layer  351  may be positioned across the entire side surface of the barrier film  360 , the adhesive layer  362 , and the back plate  370  together with the substrate  310 , the light emitting elements  320 , and the protection layer  330 , which should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. Further, when other components are added on and under the substrate  310  and exposed from the side surface with the sealing layer  350  formed thereon, the side encapsulation layer  351  may have a structure that also encapsulates these components. 
       FIG. 10  is a sectional view illustrating a display panel according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , a display panel  400  according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include a substrate  410 , light emitting elements  420 , a protection layer  430 , a self-healing layer  440  including a first self-healing layer  444  and a second self-healing layer  448 , and a sealing layer  450  filling a space between the first self-healing layer  444  and the second self-healing layer  448 . 
     For example, these components of the display panel  400  according to this embodiment may be identical to the substrate  210 , the light emitting elements  220 , the protection layer  230 , the self-healing layer  240  including the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248 , and the sealing layer  250  filling the space between the first self-healing layer  244  and the second self-healing layer  248 , which have been described before with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 5 . 
     The display panel  400  according to this embodiment may include a barrier film  460  attached onto the first self-healing layer  444  by an adhesive layer  462 , and a back plate  470  disposed on the second self-healing layer  448 , which should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. 
     The display panel  400  according to this embodiment may further include a polarization plate  472  on the barrier film  460  to block external light, and a cover window  474  protecting the display panel  400 , which should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. 
     The display panels  100  to  400  according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, which have been described above with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 10 , may have the light emitting elements  120  to  420  close to side surfaces to minimize or substantially eliminate a bezel area. That is, these display panels  100  to  400  may enable implementation of bezel-less display devices. 
     Because the sealing layers  150  to  450  are disposed on side surfaces of the display panels  100  to  400 , the sealing layers  150  to  450  may prevent moisture or air from intruding from the side surfaces. Therefore, the display panels  100  to  400  may achieve high reliability for products. 
       FIG. 11  is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a display panel according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , a method  500  of manufacturing a display panel according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include forming light emitting elements on a mother substrate (S 510 ), forming a protection layer on the light emitting elements formed on the mother substrate (S 520 ), forming a self-healing layer including a first self-healing layer containing a first precursor on the protection layer and a second self-healing layer containing a second precursor on the substrate (S 530 ), cutting the mother substrate in units of display panel and forming, on at least one surface of the substrate in each display panel, a sealing layer in which materials resulting from reaction of the first precursor and the second precursor fill a space between the first self-healing layer and the second self-healing layer (S 540 ). 
       FIGS. 12 to 15  are sectional views illustrating the display panel in respective steps of the method of manufacturing a display panel, illustrated in  FIG. 11 .  FIG. 16  is a plan view illustrating the display panel in each step of the method of manufacturing a display panel, illustrated in  FIG. 11 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11, 12 and 16 ( a ), light emitting elements  620  each including a first electrode, a light emitting layer positioned on the first electrode, and a second electrode positioned on the light emitting layer are formed on a mother substrate  610   a  in step S 510  for forming the light emitting elements  620 . 
     In step S 520  for forming a protection layer  630 , the protection layer  630  is formed on the light emitting elements  620  formed on the mother substrate  610   a,  encapsulating the light emitting elements  620 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11, 13 and 16 ( a ), a self-healing layer  640  including a first self-healing layer  644  containing a first precursor  642  on the protection layer  630  and a second self-healing layer  648  containing a second precursor  646  on the mother substrate  610   a  is formed in step S 530  for forming the self-healing layer  640 . 
     A first operation of forming the first self-healing layer  644  on the protection layer  630  and a second operation of forming the second self-healing layer  648  on the mother substrate  610   a  may be so independent that the first operation may be performed after the second operation, the second operation may be performed after the first operation, or both operations may be performed at the same time. 
     The first precursor  642  and the second precursor  646  may be the same material. 
     The first precursor  642  may be a first polymer precursor, and the second precursor  646  may be a second polymer precursor. The first self-healing layer  644  may further include one or more of capsules and fibers containing the first polymer precursor  642 . The second self-healing layer  648  may further include one or more of capsules and fibers containing the second polymer precursor  646 . 
     Polymers may be classified into covalent bonded self-healing polymers and supramolecular network self-healing polymers according to their bonding or shapes for self-healing. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11, 14, 15, and 16 ( b ), in step S 540  for forming a sealing layer  650 , the mother substrate  610   a  may be cut into display panels  600 , and the sealing layer  650  may be formed on at least one surface of a substrate in each display panel  600 , in which materials resulting from reaction of the first precursor  642  and the second precursor  646  fill a space  649  between the first self-healing layer  644  and the second self-healing layer  648 . 
     When the first precursor  642  is a first polymer precursor and the second precursor  646  is a second polymer precursor, the sealing layer  650  may fill the space between the first self-healing layer  644  and the second self-healing layer  648  with materials to which the first polymer precursor  642  and the second polymer precursor  646  are polymerized. 
     For example, capsules or fibers are filled with the first and second polymer precursors  642  and  646 . In the process of manufacturing two or more display panels by cutting the mother substrate  610   a  on which the light emitting elements  620  and the protection layer  630  are formed in the same process, the capsules and/or the fibers included in the sealing layer  650  may be broken, the first and second polymer precursors  642  and  646  may flow out, and polymers to which the first and second polymer precursors  642  and  646  are polymerized may fill the space  649 , thereby forming the sealing layer  650 , which should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. 
     In step S 540  for forming the sealing layer  650 , when the mother substrate  610   a  is cut in units of a display panel, the mother substrate  610   a  may be cut along two side surfaces  612  and  616  (see  FIG. 16 ) or three side surfaces  612 ,  616 , and  618  (see  FIG. 8 ) other than a side surface  614  on which an FPCB  680  is disposed, and the sealing layer may be disposed on one side surface  612  or  618 , two side surfaces  612  and  616 , or three side surfaces  612 ,  616  and  618 , other than the side surface  614  of a substrate  610 , on which the FPCB  680  is disposed, in each display panel. 
     As described before, in a process of manufacturing m×n display panels (m and n are natural numbers equal to or larger than 2) by cutting the mother substrate  610   a  on which the light emitting elements  620  and the protection layer  630  are formed in the same process, the sealing layer  650  may be disposed on the three side surfaces  612 ,  616  and  618  other than the side surface  614  of the substrate  610  on which the FPCB  680  is disposed in each of display panels in the middle. 
     In a process of manufacturing m×1 or 1×n display panels (m and n are natural numbers equal to or larger than 2) by cutting the mother substrate  610   a  on which the light emitting elements  620  and the protection layer  630  are formed in the same process, the sealing layer  650  may be disposed on only the one side surface  612  or  618  other than the side surface  614  of the substrate  610  on which the FPCB  680  is disposed in each of display panels on both sides, whereas the sealing layer  650  may be disposed on the two side surfaces  612  and  618  other than the side surface  614  of the substrate  610  on which the FPCB  680  is disposed in each of display panels in the middle. 
     In step S 540  for forming the sealing layer  650 , when the mother substrate  610   a  is cut in units of a display panel, the mother substrate  610   a  may be cut into display panels in such a manner that the substrate  610  and the protection layer  630  of each display panel  600  form the same vertical surface on the side surface of the substrate  610 , on which the sealing layer  650  is disposed. 
     In step S 540  for forming the sealing layer  650 , when the mother substrate  610   a  is cut in units of a display panel, the mother substrate  610   a  may be cut into display panels by pressing the mother substrate  610   a  with a fixing jig  695 , and the first self-healing layer  644  and the second self-healing layer  648  may protrude outward from the vertical surface formed by the substrate  610  and the protection layer  630  or from a laser cutting surface, due to the pressing of the fixing jig  695 . 
     The sealing layer  650  may partially fill the space  649  between the first self-healing layer  644  and the second self-healing layer  648  on at least one side surface of the substrate  610 , and contact the vertical surface or the laser cutting surface. 
     As described before with reference to  FIG. 4 , each of the first self-healing layer  644  and the second self-healing layer  648  may protrude outward from the vertical surface or the laser cutting surface, in a circular or elliptical shape as a whole. 
     As described before with reference to  FIG. 9 , a step of forming the side encapsulation layer  351  encapsulating the light emitting elements  620  on the side surface with the sealing layer  650  disposed thereon may be further included. The step of forming the side encapsulation layer  351  may be performed after the step of forming the sealing layer  650 . 
     When the display panel further includes the barrier film  360 , the adhesive layer  262 , and the back plate  370  in addition to the substrate  310 , the light emitting elements  320 , and the protection layer  330  as illustrated in  FIG. 9  and further includes the polarization plate  472  blocking external light on the barrier film  470  and the cover window  474  protecting the display panel  400 , the side encapsulation layer  351  may be formed across the entire side surface of these components. 
     The display panels  100  to  400  described before with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 10  may be manufactured by partially modifying, adding a step to, or omitting a step from the afore-described method  500  of manufacturing a display panel. 
     From the perspective of a product, the method  500  of manufacturing a display panel according to the embodiments of the present disclosure described with reference to  FIGS. 11 to 15  may minimize a bezel area or substantially eliminate the bezel area by disposing the light emitting elements  620  close to a side surface. That is, the display panels  100  to  400  may enable implementation of bezel-less display devices. 
     In the method  500  of manufacturing a display panel, the sealing layer  650  may be disposed on a side surface to prevent moisture or air from intruding into the display panels  100  to  400  from the side surface. Therefore, the display panels  100  to  400  may achieve high reliability for products. 
     From the perspective of a manufacturing method, the sealing layer  650  may be formed at the same time by the materials and structures of the first and second precursors  642  and  646 , that is, the first and second polymer precursors contained in the first and second self-healing layers  644  and  648  during cutting, thereby sealing side surfaces of display panels. That is, the cutting process and the side surface sealing process may be performed simultaneously without an addition process by forming the first and second self-healing layers  644  and  648  before cutting the substrate. 
     Because the cutting process and the side surface sealing process are performed simultaneously without an additional process, exposure to moisture or air may be prevented during the sealing process. 
     Other embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a display device. The display device may include a display panel and a driving circuit driving the display panel. Since the display device according to the present embodiments adopts a display panel identical to the display panels  100  to  400  according to the embodiments of the present disclosure described above, a description of the display panel will be omitted herein. 
     In addition, the driving circuit included in the display device according to the embodiments of the present disclosure has been described above, and thus will not be described herein. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure may be carried out in other specific ways than those set forth herein without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the present disclosure. The above embodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the protected features should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, not by the above description, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein. 
     The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.