LIGHT-EMITTING ELEMENT DISPLAY DEVICE
A light-emitting element display device includes a substrate, one or a plurality of thin film transistors, a light-emitting element, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The substrate includes an insulating material. The thin film transistors are in each pixel of a display area on the substrate. The light-emitting element emits light by current flow in each pixel. The first electrode is between the substrate and the thin film transistors, and overlaps at least two of the thin film transistors when viewed in plan. The second electrode includes a conducting material, and is arranged across the first electrode from the substrate via an insulating film so as to form a capacitor together with the first electrode.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/598,945, filed on Jan. 16, 2015, which claims priority from Japanese application JP2014-007295 filed on Jan. 17, 2014, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting element display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, light-emitting element display devices including self-luminous elements, such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), have been in practical use. An organic electro-luminescent (EL) display device, including such a self-luminous OLED, is excellent in visibility and response speed compared with liquid crystal display devices known in the art. Additionally, such a self-luminous OLED eliminates the need for an auxiliary lighting device, such as a backlight, from display devices, and allows them to be thinner.
JP 4989415 B discloses an organic EL display device including thin film transistors and capacitors that compensate for a threshold voltage of a driver transistor arranged in each pixel.
Recent increases in definition of light-emitting element display devices, such as the organic EL display devices described above, have led to decreases in their pixel size. Such an organic EL display device controls current in each pixel by holding a potential difference corresponding to a grayscale value of the pixel. A decrease in the size of the pixel, which causes a decrease in the size of the corresponding electrode, results in a decrease in a capacitance for holding the potential difference. When the capacitance for holding the potential difference is small, noise or a weak leakage current may change the potential difference, and thus cause uneven brightness across different pixel positions. This may result in deterioration in the display quality.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention has been made with the above circumstances in mind, and it is an object of the invention to provide a light-emitting element display device that keeps its display quality high even with its definition increased.
A light-emitting element display device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a substrate, a plurality of pixels, one or a plurality of thin film transistors, a light-emitting element, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The substrate is made of an insulating material. The pixels are in a display area on the substrate. The thin film transistors are in each of the pixels. The light-emitting element emits light by current flow in each of the pixels . The first electrode is between the substrate and the thin film transistors, and overlaps at least two of the thin film transistors when viewed in plan. The second electrode is made of a conducting material, and arranged across the first electrode from the substrate via an insulating film so as to form a capacitor together with the first electrode. Here, “pixel” means a unit including a light-emitting element. When a pixel is made up of a plurality of sub-pixels each including a light-emitting element, each sub-pixel corresponds to “pixel”.
In the light-emitting element display device according to the aspect, the first electrode may be across the plurality of pixels, or the first electrode may be across the display area. In this case, the first electrode may include slits, which are holes in a plurality of portions of the first electrode when viewed in plan.
In the light-emitting element display device according to the aspect, the first electrode may be connected to a reference potential for having the light-emitting element emit light in each of the pixels.
In the light-emitting element display device according to the aspect, the first electrode may be electrically connected to a cathode electrode of the light-emitting element, and the second electrode may be electrically connected to an anode electrode of the light-emitting element.
In the light-emitting element display device according to the aspect, each of the pixels may have a pixel transistor for controlling application of a voltage corresponding to a grayscale value, and a driver transistor for controlling light emission based on a potential applied through the pixel transistor. The second electrode may be connected to a gate of the driver transistor.
In the light-emitting element display device according to the aspect, the first electrode may be connected to any one of a source and drain of the driver transistor.
The light-emitting element display device according to the aspect may further include a third electrode made of a conducting material, which is arranged across the second electrode from the substrate via an insulating film so as to form a capacitor together with the second electrode. The third electrode may be electrically connected to the first electrode so as to form a capacitor together with the second electrode.
The light-emitting element display device according to the aspect may further include a third electrode made of a conducting material, which is arranged across the second electrode from the substrate via an insulating film so as to form a capacitor together with the second electrode. The first electrode may be connected to the cathode electrode of the light-emitting element. The second electrode may be connected to any one of a source and drain of the driver transistor. The third electrode may be connected to a gate of the driver transistor.
A light-emitting element display device according to another aspect of the present invention includes a substrate, a plurality of pixels, one or a plurality of thin film transistors, a light-emitting element, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The substrate is made of an insulating material. The pixels are in a display area on the substrate. The thin film transistors are in each of the pixels. The light-emitting element includes an organic layer including a light-emitting layer, an anode electrode, and a cathode electrode. The first electrode is between the substrate and the thin film transistors, and overlaps at least two of the thin film transistors when viewed in plan. The second electrode is arranged across the first electrode from the substrate via an insulating film, and is opposite the first electrode.
A light-emitting element display device according to still another aspect of the present invention includes a substrate, a plurality of pixels, one or a plurality of thin film transistors, a light-emitting element, a second semiconductor layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The substrate is made of an insulating material. The pixels are in a display area on the substrate. The thin film transistors are in each of the plurality of pixels, and have a first semiconductor layer. The light-emitting element includes an organic layer including a light-emitting layer, an anode electrode, and a cathode electrode. The second semiconductor layer is in a layer identical to the first semiconductor layer. The first electrode is between the substrate and the thin film transistors. The second electrode is arranged across the first electrode from the substrate via an insulating film, and is opposite the first electrode. The first electrode overlaps the second semiconductor layer and the first semiconductor layer of at least one of the thin film transistors when viewed in plan.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The disclosure herein is merely an example, and any modification coming within the spirit of the present invention and obvious to those skilled in the art is intended to be included within the scope of the invention as a matter of course. The accompanying drawings schematically illustrate widths, thicknesses, shapes, or other characteristics of each part for clarity of illustration, compared to actual configurations. However, such a schematic illustration is merely an example and not intended to limit the present invention. In the present specification and drawings, some elements identical or similar to those shown previously are denoted by the same reference signs as the previously shown elements, and thus repetitive detailed descriptions of them may be omitted as appropriate.
The TFT substrate 120 is a substrate including a transparent glass or a resin insulation material. A driver integrated circuit (IC) 182 is disposed on the TFT substrate 120. The driver IC 182 applies a potential for conducting between the source and drain of a TFT (pixel transistor 220 described below) arranged in each sub-pixel 212 to the corresponding scan line 262, and applies a voltage corresponding to a grayscale value of each sub-pixel 212 to the corresponding data line 261 described below. A flexible printed circuit (FPC) 181 is mounted on the TFT substrate 120. The FPC 181 inputs external signals including image signals. As indicated by the arrow in the figure, the organic EL display device in this embodiment is a top-emitting organic EL display device that emits light toward a light-emitting layer side of the TFT substrate 120.
Whereas the organic EL display device 100 in this embodiment includes the counter substrate 150 as shown in
Here, it is optional whether to form the capacitors 241, 242, and 243. All of the capacitors may be formed. Alternatively, any one or any two of the capacitors may be formed. Whereas p-type semiconductors are used in the circuit diagram, n-type semiconductors may be used. The circuit shown in
Here, the first electrode 171 can be made of a metal containing at least any one of molybdenum (Mo) and tungsten (W), and can be a solid electrode that covers the display area 205. Use of a refractory metal, such as a metal containing MO or W, can prevent degradation of the electrode caused by melting or the like even in a heating process during manufacture, and maintain quality. This is effective especially when a semiconductor layer 224 or 234 is made of polysilicon or other semiconductors. The second electrode 172 can also be made of a refractory metal containing at least any one of Mo and W. This also produces similar effects. Use of a high-dielectric material, such as SiN, in the insulating film 163 can increase the electric capacitance of the capacitor formed by the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172. The second electrodes 172 are separately formed corresponding one-to-one to the sub-pixels 212, and connected to the circuits in the sub-pixels 212. An underlayer 161 made of SiNx or other insulating materials is formed between the first electrode 171 and the TFT substrate 120.
The driver transistor 230 includes a gate 231, a source 232, and a drain 233. A semiconductor layer 234 is arranged between the source 232 and the drain 233. The pixel transistor 220 includes a gate 221, a source 223, and a drain 222. A semiconductor layer 224 is arranged between the source 223 and the drain 222. The drain 222 of the pixel transistor 220 and the gate 231 of the driver transistor 230 are connected to each other. An insulating film 166 made of SiNx or other insulating materials is formed between the semiconductor layers 224 and 234, and the gates 221 and 223. An insulating film 167 made of SiNx or other insulating materials is formed on the gates 221 and 231. A planarization film 168 made of an organic insulating material is formed on the pixel transistor 220 and the driver transistor 230.
The organic EL element 130 includes an anode electrode 131, an inter-pixel insulating film 135, an organic layer 132, and a cathode electrode 133. The anode electrode 131 is connected to the drain 233 of the driver transistor 230 through a contact hole in the planarization film 168. The inter-pixel insulating film 135 covers the edge of the anode electrode 131 with an organic insulating material to insulate the anode electrode 131 from the anode electrode 131 of the adjacent sub-pixel 212. The organic layer 132 is formed in contact with the anode electrode 131 of each sub-pixel 212 so as to cover the display area 205. The cathode electrode 133 is a transparent conductive film made of a composite oxide of indium and tin, a composite oxide of indium and zinc, or other composite oxides. A light-emitting area LEA is the area where the anode electrode 131 is in contact with the organic layer 132.
In the configuration as described above, the first electrode 171 is connected to the source 232 of the driver transistor 230, and connected to the high reference potential VDD at a plurality of portions outside the display area 205 to be maintained at the high reference potential VDD. The second electrode 172 is connected to the gate 231 of the driver transistor 230 (i.e., the drain 222 of the pixel transistor 220) . The first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172 thus form the capacitor 241 shown in the circuit diagram of
In the embodiment described above, the first electrode 171 is connected to the source 232 of the driver transistor 230 and the second electrode 172 is connected to the gate 231 of the driver transistor 230. Alternatively, the first electrode 171 may be connected to the low reference potential VSS, to which the cathode electrode of the organic EL element 130 is connected, that is, to the cathode electrode of the organic EL element 130, in the display area 205. In addition to this, the second electrode 172 may be connected to the drain 233 of the driver transistor 230, that is, to the anode electrode of the organic EL element 130. Such alternative configuration can also form the capacitor 243.
Such configuration can relieve stress that occurs in the first electrode 171 and efficiently dissipate heat, in addition to the effects according to the embodiment described above. Whereas the slit 178 is formed in a hole shape in
Here, the slit 178 vertically and horizontally extends across the first electrode 171 when viewed in plan to form electrodes electrically separated for each sub-pixel 212. However, the first electrodes 171 electrically separated for each sub-pixel 212 are arranged to overlap at least a portion of the pixel transistor 220 and at least a portion of the driver transistor 230 when viewed in plan. The first electrode 171 is connected to the drain 233 of the driver transistor 230, and the second electrode 172 is connected to the gate 231 of the driver transistor 230 via a bridge 174 made of a conductor. Thus, the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172 form the capacitor 242 shown in
The first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172 according to the second modification also form the capacitor 242 with high capacitance, and thus can stabilize current provided to the organic EL element 130. Such capacitor can be formed without affecting the circuit configuration because the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172 are formed overlapping transistors. Furthermore, the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172 can efficiently dissipate heat generated in the organic EL element 130 and shield electromagnetic noise generated in the circuits.
The first electrode 171 and the third electrode 173 are electrically connected to each other, and overlap each other so as to sandwich the second electrode 172 between them. This configuration increases a capacitance formed between the first electrode 171 and the third electrode 173, and the second electrode 172. Here, the second electrode 172 is connected to the source 232 of the driver transistor 230, and the first electrode 171 and the third electrode 173 are connected to the gate 231 of the driver transistor 230. Thus, the first electrode 171 and the third electrode 173, and the second electrode 172 form the capacitor 241 shown in
The first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172 according to the third modification also form the capacitor 241 with high capacitance, and thus can stabilize current provided to the organic EL element 130. Such higher capacitor can be formed without affecting the circuit configuration because the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172 are formed overlapping transistors. Furthermore, the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172 can efficiently dissipate heat generated in the organic EL element 130 and shield electromagnetic noise generated in the circuits.
While there have been described what are at present considered to be certain embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made thereto, and it is intended that the appended claims coverall such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A light emitting element display device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of pixels in a display area on the substrate;
- a plurality of thin film transistors in each of the plurality of pixels;
- a light emitting element in each of the pixels; and
- a capacitor including: a first electrode which is arranged between the substrate and a semiconductor layer of one of the plurality of thin film transistor and overlaps with the semiconductor layer in plan view; and a second electrode between the first electrode and the semiconductor layer.
2. The light emitting element display device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of thin film transistors in each of the plurality of pixels includes:
- a pixel transistor controlling input of an applied voltage corresponding to a grayscale value to the capacitor; and
- a driver transistor controlling light emission based on the applied voltage, and
- wherein the second electrode is coupled to a gate of the driver transistor.
3. The light emitting element display device according to claim 2, wherein the first electrode is coupled to one of a source and a drain of the driver transistor.
4. The light emitting element display device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting element includes:
- an anode;
- an organic electroluminescence layer connected to the anode; and
- a cathode connected on the organic electroluminescence layer,
- wherein
- the first electrode is coupled to the cathode, and
- the second electrode is coupled to the anode.
5. The light emitting element display device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode spreads over two or more of the plurality of pixels.
6. The light emitting element display device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is coupled to a reference potential.
7. The light emitting element display device according to claim 1, further comprising a third electrode which is arranged on the second electrode and is coupled to the first electrode so as to form the capacitor together with the second electrode.
8. The light emitting element display device according to claim 2, wherein each of the pixel transistor and the driver transistor overlaps with the first and the second electrodes.
9. A light emitting element display device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of pixels in a display area on the substrate;
- a plurality of thin film transistors in each of the plurality of pixels;
- a light emitting element in each of the pixels; and
- a capacitor including: a semiconductor layer of one of the plurality of thin film transistors; and a first electrode which is arranged between the substrate and the semiconductor layer and overlaps with the semiconductor layer in plan view.
10. The light emitting element display device according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of thin film transistors in each of the plurality of pixels includes:
- a pixel transistor controlling input of an applied voltage corresponding to a grayscale value to the capacitor; and
- a driver transistor controlling light emission based on the applied voltage, and
- wherein the semiconductor layer is coupled to a gate of the driver transistor.
11. The light emitting element display device according to claim 10, wherein the first electrode is coupled to one of a source and a drain of the driver transistor.
12. The light emitting element display device according to claim 9, further comprising another capacitor including: a second electrode between the first electrode and the substrate; and the first electrode.
13. The light emitting element display device according to claim 12, wherein the light emitting element includes:
- an anode;
- an organic electroluminescence layer connected to the anode; and
- a cathode connected on the organic electroluminescence layer,
- wherein
- the first electrode is coupled to the anode, and
- the second electrode is coupled to the cathode.
14. A light emitting element display device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of pixels in a display area on the substrate;
- a plurality of thin film transistors in each of the plurality of pixels;
- a light emitting element in each of the pixels; and
- a capacitor including: a first electrode which is arranged between the substrate and a conductive layer of one of the plurality of thin film transistor and overlaps with the conductive layer in plan view; and a second electrode between the first electrode and the conductive layer.
15. The light emitting element display device according to claim 14, further comprising another capacitor including: a semiconductor layer which lies at a same level as the conductive layer and overlaps with the first electrode in plan view; and the first electrode.
16. The light emitting element display device according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of thin film transistor in each of the plurality of pixels includes:
- a pixel transistor controlling input of an applied voltage corresponding to a grayscale value to the capacitor; and
- a driver transistor controlling light emission based on the applied voltage, and
- wherein the second electrode is coupled to one of a source and a drain of the driver transistor.
17. The light emitting element display device according to claim 16, wherein the light emitting element includes:
- an anode;
- an organic electroluminescence layer connected to the anode; and
- a cathode connected on the organic electroluminescence layer,
- wherein
- the first electrode is coupled to the cathode, and
- the second electrode is coupled to the anode.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 21, 2016
Publication Date: May 19, 2016
Inventor: Toshihiro Sato (Tokyo)
Application Number: 15/003,538