Active matrix display device

Abstract

An active matrix display device is provided in which parasitic capacitance or the like is suppressed by forming a thick insulating film around an organic semiconductor film, and disconnection or the like does not occur in an opposing electrode formed on the upper layer of the thick insulating film. In the active matrix display device, first, a bank layer composed of a resist film is formed along data lines and scanning lines. By depositing an opposing electrode of a thin film luminescent element on the upper layer side of the bank layer, capacitance that parasitizes the data lines can be suppressed. Additionally, a discontinuities portion is formed in the bank layer. Since the discontinuities portion is a planar section which does not have a step due to the existence of the bank layer, disconnection of the opposing electrode does not occur at this section. When an organic semiconductor film is formed by an ink jet process, a liquid material discharged from an ink jet head is blocked by the bank layer.

1 . An active matrix display device comprising a display area comprising a plurality of scanning lines on a substrate, a plurality of data lines extending in the direction orthogonal to the direction of extension of the scanning lines, and a plurality of pixels formed in a matrix by the data lines and the scanning lines; each of the pixels being provided with a thin film luminescent element comprising a conduction control circuit having a thin film transistor for supplying scanning signals to a gate electrode through the scanning lines, a pixel electrode, an organic semiconductor film deposited above the pixel electrode, and an opposing electrode formed at least over the entire surface of the display area above the organic semiconductor film; the thin film luminescent element emitting light in response to picture signals supplied from the data lines through the conduction control circuit; 
 wherein a region for forming the organic semiconductor film is bound by an insulating film which is thicker than the organic semiconductor film and formed below the opposing electrode; and    the insulating film is provided with a discontinuities portion for connecting the individual opposing electrode sections of the pixels to each other through a planar section not having a step formed by the insulating film.    
     
     
         2 . An active matrix display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the conduction control circuit comprises a first thin film transistor in which the scanning signals are supplied to a gate electrode and a second thin film transistor in which a gate electrode is connected to the data lines through the first thin film transistor; and 
 the second thin film transistor and the thin film luminescent element are connected in series between the opposing electrode and a common feeder formed independently of the data lines and the scanning lines for feeding a driving current.    
     
     
         3 . An active matrix display device according to one of claims  1  and  2 , wherein the insulating film is used as a bank layer for preventing spreading of a discharged liquid when the organic semiconductor film is formed by an ink jet process in the region bound by the insulating film.  
     
     
         4 . An active matrix display device according to  claim 3 , wherein the insulating film has a thickness of 1 μm or more.  
     
     
         5 . An active matrix display device according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the insulating film is formed along the data lines and the scanning lines so as to surround a region in which the organic semiconductor film is formed, and the insulating film is provided with the discontinuities portion between adjacent pixels in both directions of extension of the scanning lines and the data lines.  
     
     
         6 . An active matrix display device according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the insulating film is formed along the data lines and the scanning lines so as to surround a region in which the organic semiconductor film is formed, and the insulating film is provided with the discontinuities portion between adjacent pixels in the direction of extension of the scanning lines.  
     
     
         7 . An active matrix display device according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the insulating film is formed along the data lines and the scanning lines so as to surround a region in which the organic semiconductor film is formed, and the insulating film is provided with the discontinuities portion between adjacent pixels in the direction of extension of the data lines.  
     
     
         8 . An active matrix display device according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the insulating film is formed in a strip along the data lines, and the discontinuities portion is provided on at least one end in the direction of formation.  
     
     
         9 . An active matrix display device according to any one of  claims 5  to  8 , wherein, in the region in which the pixel electrode is formed, a region overlapping the region in which the conduction control circuit is formed is covered with the insulating film.  
     
     
         10 . An active matrix display device according to any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein a data side drive circuit for supplying data signals through the data lines and a scanning side drive circuit for supplying scanning signals through the scanning lines are formed in the periphery of the display area; the insulating film is also formed above the scanning side drive circuit and the data side drive circuit; and the insulating film is provided with a discontinuities portion for connecting the opposing electrodes between the display area side and the substrate periphery side through a planar section which does not have a step due to the existence of the insulating film at the position between the region in which the scanning side drive circuit is formed and the region in which the data side drive circuit is formed.  
     
     
         11 . An active matrix display device according to any one of  claims 1  to  10 , wherein the insulating film comprises an organic material.  
     
     
         12 . An active matrix display device according to any one of  claims 1  to  10 , wherein the insulating film comprises an inorganic material.