# US 12,604,652 B2 · Method for manufacturing display device, display device, display module, and electronic device

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- Number: US 12,604,652 B2
- Document ID: US12604652B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/270,757
- Filed: 2022-01-07
- Published: 2024-02-15
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2021-01-14
- Assignees: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki; Takayuki Ikeda; Kenichi Okazaki; Yasumasa Yamane; Hajime Kimura; Tatsuya Onuki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12604652B2

## CPC

- H10K 71/231: {by etching of existing layers}
- G09F 9/00: Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements (in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00)
- G09F 9/30: in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements (panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00)
- H05B 33/04: Sealing arrangements {, e.g. against humidity}
- H05B 33/10: Apparatus or processes specially adapted to the manufacture of electroluminescent light sources
- H05B 33/12: Light sources with substantially two-dimensional [2D] radiating surfaces
- H05B 33/22: characterised by the chemical or physical composition or the arrangement of auxiliary dielectric or reflective layers
- H05B 33/26: characterised by the composition or arrangement of the conductive material used as an electrode
- H05B 33/28: of translucent electrodes
- H10K 50/19: Tandem OLEDs
- H10K 59/1201: {Manufacture or treatment}
- H10K 59/35: comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels
- H10K 59/353: {characterised by the geometrical arrangement of the RGB subpixels}
- H10K 71/166: {using selective deposition, e.g. using a mask}
- H10K 71/60: Forming conductive regions or layers, e.g. electrodes
- H10K 59/1213: {the pixel elements being TFTs}
- H10K 59/131: Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
- H10K 59/871: {Self-supporting sealing arrangements}
- H10K 59/8722: {Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants}
- H10K 59/8723: {Vertical spacers, e.g. arranged between the sealing arrangement and the OLED}
- H10K 59/873: {Encapsulations}
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- G09F: DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A high-resolution or high-definition display device is provided. The display device is manufactured by forming a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode; forming a first layer over the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode; forming a first sacrificial layer over the first layer; processing the first layer and the first sacrificial layer to expose at least part of the second pixel electrode; forming a second layer over the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode; forming a second sacrificial layer over the second layer; processing the second layer and the second sacrificial layer to expose at least part of the first sacrificial layer; removing the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer; forming a third layer over the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode; forming a counter electrode over the third layer; and processing the third layer and the counter electrode to remove at least part of each of the third layer and the counter electrode included in a region between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode in a top view.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a display device, comprising:
forming a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode;
forming a first layer over the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode;
forming a first sacrificial layer over the first layer;
processing the first layer and the first sacrificial layer to expose at least part of the second pixel electrode;
forming a second layer over the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode;
forming a second sacrificial layer over the second layer;
processing the second layer and the second sacrificial layer to expose at least part of the first sacrificial layer;
removing the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer;
forming a third layer over the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode;
forming a counter electrode over the third layer; and
processing the third layer and the counter electrode to remove at least part of each of the third layer and the counter electrode included in a region between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode in a top view.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 1, further comprising:
forming a protective layer over the counter electrode after the processing of the third layer and the counter electrode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 2,
wherein as the protective layer, a first protective layer is formed by a first deposition method and a second protective layer is formed by a second deposition method, and
wherein the first deposition method is a deposition method that allows a film to be formed at higher coverage than the second deposition method.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 1, further comprising:
forming an insulating layer covering an end portion of the first pixel electrode and an end portion of the second pixel electrode before the formation of the first layer; and
exposing at least part of the insulating layer in the step of processing the third layer and the counter electrode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 1, further comprising:
forming a first resist mask over the first sacrificial layer so as to overlap with the first pixel electrode;
using the first resist mask in the processing of the first layer and the first sacrificial layer;
forming a second resist mask over the second sacrificial layer so as to overlap with the second pixel electrode; and
using the second resist mask in the processing of the second layer and the second sacrificial layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 1, further comprising:
forming a third resist mask over the counter electrode, the third resist mask comprising an opening in the region between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode in the top view; and
using the third resist mask in the processing of the third layer and the counter electrode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 1, further comprising:
forming a third resist mask over the counter electrode, the third resist mask comprising a first part overlapping with the first pixel electrode and a second part overlapping with the second pixel electrode and apart from the first part; and
using the third resist mask in the processing of the third layer and the counter electrode.

### Claim 8

A method for manufacturing a display device, comprising:
forming a plurality of first pixel electrodes aligned in a first direction and a plurality of second pixel electrodes aligned in the first direction, the plurality of first pixel electrodes and the plurality of second pixel electrodes being aligned in a second direction;
forming a first layer over the plurality of first pixel electrodes and the plurality of second pixel electrodes;
forming a first sacrificial layer over the first layer;
processing the first layer and the first sacrificial layer to expose at least part of each of the plurality of second pixel electrodes;
forming a second layer over the plurality of first pixel electrodes and the plurality of second pixel electrodes;
forming a second sacrificial layer over the second layer;
processing the second layer and the second sacrificial layer to expose at least part of the first sacrificial layer;
removing the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer;
forming a third layer over the plurality of first pixel electrodes and the plurality of second pixel electrodes;
forming a counter electrode over the third layer;
processing the third layer and the counter electrode to remove at least part of each of the third layer and the counter electrode included in a region between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode in a top view;
forming a protective layer over the counter electrode;
processing the protective layer to expose at least part of the counter electrode included in a region between the plurality of first pixel electrodes and a region between the plurality of second pixel electrodes in the top view; and
forming a conductive layer over the counter electrode and the protective layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 8,
wherein as the protective layer, a first protective layer is formed by a first deposition method and a second protective layer is formed by a second deposition method, and
wherein the first deposition method is a deposition method that allows a film to be formed at higher coverage than the second deposition method.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 8, further comprising:
forming an insulating layer covering end portions of the plurality of first pixel electrodes and end portions of the plurality of second pixel electrodes before the formation of the first layer; and
exposing at least part of the insulating layer in the step of processing the third layer and the counter electrode.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 8, further comprising:
forming a first resist mask over the first sacrificial layer so as to overlap with the first pixel electrode;
using the first resist mask in the processing of the first layer and the first sacrificial layer;
forming a second resist mask over the second sacrificial layer so as to overlap with the second pixel electrode; and
using the second resist mask in the processing of the second layer and the second sacrificial layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 8, further comprising:
forming a third resist mask over the counter electrode, the third resist mask comprising an opening in the region between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode in the top view; and
using the third resist mask in the processing of the third layer and the counter electrode.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 8, further comprising:
forming a third resist mask over the counter electrode, the third resist mask comprising a first part overlapping with the plurality of first pixel electrodes and a second part overlapping with the plurality of second pixel electrodes and apart from the first part; and
using the third resist mask in the processing of the third layer and the counter electrode.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 8, further comprising:
forming a fourth resist mask over the protective layer, the fourth resist mask comprising an opening in the region between the plurality of first pixel electrodes and the region between the plurality of second pixel electrodes in the top view; and
using the fourth resist mask in the processing of the protective layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The method for manufacturing a display device, according to claim 8, further comprising:
forming a fourth resist mask over the protective layer, the fourth resist mask comprising a third part overlapping with at least one of the plurality of first pixel electrodes and at least part of the plurality of second pixel electrodes and a fourth part overlapping with at least one of the other first pixel electrodes and at least one of the other second pixel electrodes and apart from the third part, and
using the fourth resist mask in the processing of the protective layer.

### Claim 16

A display device comprising:
a plurality of first light-emitting devices and a plurality of second light-emitting devices;
a protective layer over the plurality of first light-emitting devices and the plurality of second light-emitting devices; and
a conductive layer over the protective layer,
wherein the first light-emitting devices each include a first pixel electrode, a first layer over the first pixel electrode, a third layer over the first layer, and a counter electrode over the third layer,
wherein the second light-emitting devices each include a second pixel electrode, a second layer over the second pixel electrode, the third layer over the second layer, and the counter electrode over the third layer,
wherein the first light-emitting devices and the second light-emitting devices are configured to emit light of different colors,
wherein a region between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode in a top view includes a first part where the third layer and the counter electrode are not provided,
wherein the third layer and the counter electrode are shared by the plurality of first light-emitting devices,
wherein the third layer and the counter electrode are shared by the plurality of second light-emitting devices,
wherein a region between two first pixel electrodes and a region between two second pixel electrodes in the top view each include a second part where the protective layer is not provided, and
wherein in the second part, the counter electrode and the conductive layer are electrically connected to each other.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The display device according to claim 16,
wherein a space surrounded by the protective layer is included between the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The display device according to claim 16,
wherein the protective layer includes a first protective layer over the counter electrode and a second protective layer over the first protective layer, and
wherein a space surrounded by the first protective layer and the second protective layer is included between the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device.