Display apparatus having discharge element

A display apparatus comprising:

• a lower substrate comprising a display area and a non-display area;
• a thin film transistor on the lower substrate in a first direction at the display area;
• a display element at the display area and electrically connected to the thin film transistor;
• a discharge element at the non-display area;
• and
• a driving circuit between the discharge element and the thin film transistor and spaced from the discharge element in a plan view,
• wherein the discharge element comprises at least one electrode layer, at least one discharge layer on the at least one electrode layer, and at least one first insulating layer on and overlapping with the at least one electrode layer in the first direction between the at least one electrode layer and the at least one discharge layer,
• wherein a distance from an upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of the at least one discharge layer is greater than or equal to a distance from the upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of a top layer of the thin film transistor,
• wherein the at least one electrode layer comprises a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer, the at least one discharge layer comprises a first discharge layer above the first electrode layer and a second discharge layer above the second electrode layer, and the at least one first insulating layer comprises a first-first insulating layer between the first electrode layer and the first discharge layer and a first-second insulating layer between the second electrode layer and the second discharge layer, and
• wherein the display apparatus further comprises a metal layer on the lower substrate, and electrically connecting the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to each other.

A display apparatus comprising:

• a lower substrate comprising a display area and a non-display area;
• a pixel circuit on the lower substrate in a first direction at the display area or the non-display area, and comprising a top conductive layer;
• a display element at the display area and electrically connected to the pixel circuit;
• a discharge element at the non-display area;
• and
• a driving circuit configured to generate at least one of a scan signal or an emission control signal for the pixel circuit, the driving circuit being located at the non-display area between the discharge element and the pixel circuit, and spaced from the discharge element in a plan view,
• wherein the discharge element comprises at least one electrode layer, at least one discharge layer above the at least one electrode layer and spaced entirely apart from the display element and the driving circuit in a plan view, and at least one first insulating layer on and overlapping with the at least one electrode layer in the first direction between the at least one electrode layer and the at least one discharge layer, and
• wherein a distance from an upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of the at least one discharge layer is greater than or equal to a distance from the upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of the top conductive layer of the pixel circuit.