Organic light emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A design for an organic light-emitting display device that increases capacitor capacity and increases aperture ratio by forming an initializing voltage electrode on a different layer than an electrode of the capacitor and forming only one via hole for an entire set of three sub-pixels. One of the source electrodes and the drain electrodes of switching transistors for the three sub-pixels are formed in common, along with the gate electrodes of the switching transistors.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. An organic light-emitting display device, comprising:
 first through third sub-pixels each comprising at least one capacitor, at least one thin-film transistor (TFT), and an organic light-emitting device (OLED); 
 first, second andfirst through third switching devices including one of a common source electrode and a common drain electrode, the first, second andfirst through third switching devices being electrically connected to the first through third sub-pixels, respectively to apply an initializing voltage to the first, second andfirst through third sub-pixels when the first, second andfirst through third switching devices are turned on; 
 a planarization layer arranged on the first, second and first through third switching devices; 
 a via-hole arranged through the planarization layer to expose the one of a the common source electrode and a the common drain electrode; and 
 an initializing electrode electrically connected to the one of a the common source electrode and a the common drain electrode through the via-hole, the initializing electrode to transmit transmitting the initializing voltage to the one of a the common source electrode and a the common drain electrode. 
 
     
     
       2. The organic light-emitting display device of  claim 1 , the organic light-emitting display device is composed of just only one via hole to serve first, second and first through third sub-pixels. 
     
     
       3. The organic light-emitting display device of  claim 1 , wherein each organic light-emitting device comprises:
 a pixel electrode; 
 a counter electrode; and 
 an organic layer arranged between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode. 
 
     
     
       4. The organic light-emitting display device of  claim 3 , wherein the initializing electrode is comprised of a the same material and is arranged on a the same layer as the pixel electrode. 
     
     
       5. The organic light-emitting display device of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the first switching device comprises: a first active layer to form forming a channel, a first gate electrode insulated from the first active layer, a first source electrode electrically connected to the first active layer, and a first drain electrode; wherein 
 the second switching device comprises: a second active layer to form forming a channel, a second gate electrode insulated from the second active layer, a second source electrode electrically connected to the second active layer, and a second drain electrode; wherein 
 the third switching device comprises: a third active layer to form forming a channel, a third gate electrode insulated from the third active layer, a third source electrode electrically connected to the third active layer, and a third drain electrode; and wherein 
 the first through third source electrodes commonly constitute a common source electrode. 
 
     
     
       6. The organic light-emitting display device of  claim 5 , wherein the first, second and first through third active layers are connected together. 
     
     
       7. The organic light-emitting display device of  claim 5 , wherein the first, second and first through third gate electrodes are connected together. 
     
     
       8. The organic light-emitting display device of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a gate insulating layer arranged between the first, second and first through third active layers and the first through third gate electrodes; 
 an insulating interlayer arranged on the first, second and first through third gate electrodes; and 
 a common contact hole arranged in the gate insulating layer and in the insulating interlayer to electrically connect the common source electrode to the first, second and first through third active layers. 
 
     
     
       9. The organic light-emitting display device of  claim 8 , the organic light-emitting display device being composed of just only one common contact hole to serve the first, second and first through third sub-pixels. 
     
     
       10. The organic light-emitting display device of  claim 8 , wherein the common contact hole is arranged near the via-hole. 
     
     
       11. A method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display device, the method comprising:
 defining first through third sub-pixels each comprising at least one capacitor, at least one thin-film transistor (TFT), and an organic light-emitting device (OLED); 
 forming first through third switching devices electrically connected to first through third sub-pixels, respectively, the first through third switching devices include including one of a commonly formed drain electrode or a commonly formed source electrode, the first through third switching devices disposed to apply an initializing voltage to the first through third sub-pixels when the first through third switching devices are turned on; 
 forming a planarization layer on the first through third switching devices; 
 forming a via-hole through the planarization layer to expose the one of a the commonly formed drain electrode or a the commonly formed source electrode; and 
 forming an initializing electrode electrically connected to the one of a the commonly formed drain electrode or a the commonly formed source electrode via the via-hole to transmit the initializing voltage to the one of a the commonly formed drain electrode or a the commonly formed source electrode. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , the organic light-emitting display device is composed of just only one via hole to serve the first through third sub-pixels. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein each organic light-emitting display device comprises:
 a pixel electrode; 
 a counter electrode; and 
 an organic layer arranged between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the initializing electrode is comprised of the same material and is arranged on the same layer as the pixel electrode. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first switching device is formed by sequentially forming a first active layer to form a channel, a first gate electrode insulated from the first active layer, a first source electrode electrically connected to the first active layer, and a first drain electrode; 
 the second switching device is formed by sequentially forming a second active layer to form a channel, a second gate electrode insulated from the second active layer, a second source electrode electrically connected to the second active layer, and a second drain electrode; 
 the third switching device is formed by sequentially forming a third active layer to form a channel, a third gate electrode insulated from the third active layer, a third source electrode electrically connected to the third active layer, and a third drain electrode; and wherein 
 the first through third source electrodes commonly constitute a common source electrode. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first through third active layers are connected together. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first through third gate electrodes are connected together. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 forming a gate insulating layer between the first through third active layers and the first through third gate electrodes; 
 forming an insulating interlayer on the first through third gate electrodes; and 
 forming a common contact hole in the gate insulating layer and in the insulating interlayer to electrically connect the common source electrode to the first through third active layers. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , the organic light-emitting display device being composed of just only one common contact hole to serve the first through third sub-pixels. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim  11 , wherein the organic light emitting display device comprises:
 the first through third sub-pixels each comprising at least one capacitor, at least one thin-film transistor (TFT), and an organic light-emitting device (OLED); 
 first through third switching devices including one of the commonly formed source electrode and the commonly formed drain electrode, the first through third switching devices being electrically connected to the first through third sub-pixels, respectively to apply the initializing voltage to the first through third sub-pixels when the first through third switching devices are turned on; 
 the planarization layer arranged on the first through third switching devices; 
 the via-hole arranged through the planarization layer to expose the one of the commonly formed source electrode and the commonly formed drain electrode; and 
 the initializing electrode electrically connected to the one of the commonly formed source electrode and the commonly formed drain electrode through the via-hole, the initializing electrode to transmit the initializing voltage to the one of the commonly formed source electrode and the commonly formed drain electrode 18, wherein the common contact hole is formed in a vicinity of the via-hole. 
 
     
     
       21. An organic light-emitting display device, comprising:
 a plurality of sub-pixels each comprising at least one capacitor, at least one thin-film transistor (TFT), and an organic light-emitting device (OLED);   a plurality of switching devices including one of a common source electrode and a common drain electrode, the plurality of switching devices being electrically connected to the plurality of sub-pixels, respectively to apply an initializing voltage to the plurality of sub-pixels when the plurality of switching devices are turned on, each of the plurality of switching devices including a gate electrode, the gate electrodes for the plurality of switching devices being connected together;   a planarization layer arranged on the plurality of switching devices;   a via-hole arranged through the planarization layer to expose the one of the common source electrode and the common drain electrode; and   an initializing electrode electrically connected to the one of the common source electrode and the common drain electrode through the via-hole, the initializing electrode transmitting the initializing voltage to the one of the common source electrode and the common drain electrode.   
     
     
       22. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 21, further comprised of the organic light-emitting display device comprised of a single via hole serving the plurality of sub-pixels. 
     
     
       23. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 21, wherein each organic light-emitting device comprises:
 a pixel electrode;   a counter electrode; and   an organic layer arranged between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode.   
     
     
       24. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 23, wherein the initializing electrode is comprised of the same material and is arranged on the same layer as the pixel electrode. 
     
     
       25. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 21, comprised of:
 each of the plurality of switching devices comprising an active layer forming a channel, the gate electrode insulated from the active layer, a source electrode electrically connected to the active layer, and a drain electrode; and   the source electrodes for each of the plurality of switching devices commonly constitute a common source electrode.   
     
     
       26. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 25 comprised of the active layers for the plurality of switching devices being connected together. 
     
     
       27. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 25 comprised of the gate electrodes for the plurality of switching devices being connected together by a gate line. 
     
     
       28. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 25, further comprising:
 a gate insulating layer arranged between the active layers and the gate electrodes for the plurality of switching devices;   an insulating interlayer arranged on the electrodes of the plurality of switching devices; and   a common contact hole arranged in the gate insulating layer and in the insulating interlayer to electrically connect the common source electrode for the plurality of switching devices.   
     
     
       29. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 28, further comprising the organic light-emitting display device having only one common contact hole to electrically connect the common source electrode for the plurality of switching devices. 
     
     
       30. The organic light-emitting display of claim 28, further comprised of the common contact hole located near the via-hole. 
     
     
       31. A method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display device, the method comprised of:
 defining a plurality of sub-pixels each comprising at least one capacitor, at least one thin-film transistor (TFT), and an organic light-emitting device (OLED);   forming a plurality of switching devices electrically connected to different corresponding ones of the plurality of sub-pixels, the plurality of switching devices including one of a commonly formed drain electrode or a commonly formed source electrode, the plurality of switching devices applying an initializing voltage to the plurality of sub-pixels when the plurality of switching devices are turned on, each of the plurality of switching devices including a gate electrode, the gate electrodes for the plurality of switching devices being connected together;   forming a planarization layer on the plurality of switching devices;   forming a via-hole through the planarization layer to expose the one of the commonly formed drain electrode or the commonly formed source electrode; and   forming an initializing electrode electrically connected to the one of the commonly formed drain electrode or the commonly formed source electrode via the via hole to transmit the initializing voltage to the one of the commonly formed drain electrode or the commonly formed source electrode.   
     
     
       32. The method of claim 31, further comprised of forming only one via hole for the organic light-emitting display device to transmit the initializing voltage to the one of the commonly formed drain electrode or the commonly formed source electrode. 
     
     
       33. The method of claim 31, further comprised of forming each organic light-emitting display device to comprise:
 a pixel electrode;   a counter electrode; and   an organic layer arranged between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode.   
     
     
       34. The method of claim 33, further comprised of forming the initializing electrode from the same material as the pixel electrode and arranging the initializing electrode on the same layer as the pixel electrode. 
     
     
       35. The method of claim 31, further comprised of:
 forming each of the plurality of switching devices by forming an active layer to provide a channel, the gate electrode insulated from the active layer, a source electrode electrically connected to the active layer, and a drain electrode; and   forming the source electrodes for the plurality of switching devices to commonly comprise a common source electrode.   
     
     
       36. The method of claim 35, comprised of forming the active layers for the plurality of switching devices to be connected together. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim 35, comprised of forming the gate electrodes for the plurality of switching devices to be connected together by a gate line. 
     
     
       38. The method of claim 35, further comprising:
 forming a gate insulating layer between each of the active layers and the gate electrodes;   forming an insulating interlayer on each of the gate electrodes; and   forming a common contact hole in the gate insulating layer and in the insulating interlayer that electrically connects the common source electrode to all of the active layers.   
     
     
       39. The method of claim 38, further comprised of forming the organic light-emitting display device to have a single common contact hole serving the plurality of sub-pixels. 
     
     
       40. The method of claim 38, comprised of forming the common contact hole in a vicinity of the via-hole.