Display device and method of manufacturing the display device

A display device comprising:

• light-emitting regions which are non-overlapping on a plane;
• a peripheral region disposed between the light-emitting regions;
• a base substrate;
• a circuit element layer disposed on the base substrate;
• a pixel defining film disposed on the circuit element layer, wherein light-emitting openings defined in the pixel defining film correspond to the light-emitting regions;
• a light-emitting element comprising:
• a first electrode at least partially overlapping the pixel defining film and disposed on the circuit element layer,
• a second electrode facing the first electrode, and
• a functional layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode;
• and
• a protective layer disposed directly between the first electrode and the pixel defining film, wherein the protective layer corresponds to the peripheral region and is formed of an amorphous transparent conductive oxide film.

A method for manufacturing a display device, the method comprising:

• sequentially providing a preliminary first sub-electrode, a preliminary intermediate layer, a preliminary second sub-electrode, and a preliminary protective layer on a circuit element layer;
• patterning the preliminary protective layer by removing a portion of the preliminary protective layer;
• forming a first electrode, in which a first sub-electrode, an intermediate layer, and a second sub-electrode are stacked, by etching portions of the preliminary first sub-electrode, the preliminary intermediate layer, and the preliminary second sub-electrode which overlap a region from which the portion of the preliminary protective layer is removed;
• providing a preliminary pixel defining film layer on the formed first electrode;
• forming a pixel defining film by patterning the preliminary pixel defining film layer, wherein a light-emitting opening is defined in the pixel defining film;
• and
• forming a protective layer by removing a portion of the preliminary protective layer exposed through the light-emitting opening, wherein an edge of the protective layer exposed through the light-emitting opening is more recessed toward an inside of the pixel defining film than an edge of the pixel defining film.