CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0034002, filed on Mar. 19, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

Field

Exemplary embodiments/implementations of the invention relate generally to a display device.

Discussion of the Background

A display device may include a display panel and a touch sensor disposed so as to overlap the display panel. For example, the touch sensor may be attached to one surface of the display panel, or a touch sensor produced to be integrated with the display panel may be used. These days, technology to dispose a sensor module, including a camera device and the like, in a display area is being researched in order to minimize a non-display area, such as the bezel of the display device and the like.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments of the inventive concepts are directed to a display device capable of decreasing the reflectivity of light incident to the periphery of the hole of a touch sensor.

Additional features of the inventive concepts will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the inventive concepts.

An embodiment of the inventive concepts may provide for a display device. The display device may include a base layer including a non-sensing area and a sensing area configured to surround the non-sensing area, a touch sensor disposed on the sensing area of the base layer, an optical structure disposed on the base layer, and a polarization layer disposed on the touch sensor so as to overlap the sensing area. The touch sensor and the optical structure may define a first through hole located in the non-sensing area, and the non-sensing area may include a first area corresponding to the first through hole and a second area configured to surround the first area. The optical structure may include an optical pattern disposed in the second area and including a plurality of openings.

In an embodiment, the touch sensor may include a first electrode layer disposed on the sensing area of the base layer, a first insulation layer disposed on the sensing area of the base layer and the first electrode layer, a second electrode layer disposed on the first insulation layer and including first sensing electrodes and second sensing electrodes, which are arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other, and a second insulation layer disposed on the first insulation layer and the second electrode layer. The first sensing electrodes adjacent to each other, among the first sensing electrodes, may be coupled to the second electrode layer by penetrating through the first insulation layer, and the optical pattern may be disposed on a layer identical to the second electrode layer.

In an embodiment, the optical structure may further include a third insulation layer disposed on the second area of the base layer. The first insulation layer and the third insulation layer may be formed as a single body, and the optical pattern may be disposed on the third insulation layer.

In an embodiment, the optical structure may further include a fourth insulation layer configured to cover the optical pattern. The second insulation layer and the fourth insulation layer may be formed as a single body, and the refractive index of the fourth insulation layer may be lower than the refractive index of the optical pattern.

In an embodiment, the second electrode layer and the optical pattern may include an identical metal material.

In an embodiment, the optical structure may further include a metal layer disposed on the second area of the base layer and a third insulation layer configured to cover the metal layer. The first insulation layer and the third insulation layer may be formed as a single body, and the metal layer may be disposed on a layer identical to the first electrode layer.

In an embodiment, the optical structure may further include a fourth insulation layer configured to cover the optical pattern. The second insulation layer and the fourth insulation layer may be formed as a single body.

In an embodiment, the optical structure may further include a first metal oxide film disposed between the base layer and the metal layer and a second metal oxide film disposed between the metal layer and the third insulation layer.

In an embodiment, the first electrode layer and the metal layer may include an identical metal material.

In an embodiment, the first metal oxide film, the second metal oxide film, and the metal layer may include an identical metal material.

In an embodiment, the touch sensor may include a first electrode layer disposed on the sensing area of the base layer, a first insulation layer disposed on the sensing area of the base layer and the first electrode layer, a second electrode layer disposed on the first insulation layer and including first sensing electrodes and second sensing electrodes, which are arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other, and a second insulation layer disposed on the first insulation layer and the second electrode layer. The first sensing electrodes adjacent to each other, among the first sensing electrodes, may be coupled to the second electrode layer by penetrating through the first insulation layer, and the optical pattern may be formed on a layer identical to the second insulation layer.

In an embodiment, the optical structure may further include a metal layer disposed on the second area of the base layer and a capping layer configured to cover the metal layer. The metal layer may be disposed on a layer identical to the first electrode layer, the capping layer may be disposed on a layer identical to the second electrode layer, the optical pattern may be disposed on the capping layer, and the second insulation layer and the optical pattern may include an identical material.

In an embodiment, the display device may further include a window layer disposed on the polarization layer and the touch sensor and an adhesive layer configured to bond the polarization layer to the window layer in the sensing area and to bond the optical structure to the window layer in the non-sensing area.

In an embodiment, the adhesive layer may cover the optical pattern, and the refractive index of the adhesive layer may be lower than the refractive index of the optical pattern.

In an embodiment, the display device may further include a window layer disposed on the polarization layer so as to overlap the sensing area and an adhesive layer configured to bond the polarization layer to the window layer. At least a part of the optical pattern may be exposed to the outside.

In an embodiment, the display device may further include a substrate including a non-display area corresponding to the non-sensing area and a display area corresponding to the sensing area, a display element layer disposed between the first surface of the substrate and the base layer and configured to define a second through hole corresponding to the first through hole, and a sensor module disposed on the second surface facing the first surface of the substrate so as to correspond to at least a part of the first area.

An embodiment of the inventive concepts may provide for a display device. The display device may include a base layer including a non-sensing area and a sensing area configured to surround the non-sensing area, a touch sensor disposed on the sensing area of the base layer, an optical structure disposed on the base layer, and a polarization layer disposed on the touch sensor so as to overlap the sensing area. The touch sensor and the optical structure may define a first through hole located in the non-sensing area, and the non-sensing area may include a first area corresponding to the first through hole and a second area configured to surround the first area. The optical structure may include a first metal oxide film disposed on the second area of the base layer, a metal layer disposed on the first metal oxide film, and a second metal oxide film disposed on the metal layer.

In an embodiment, the touch sensor may include a first electrode layer disposed on the sensing area of the base layer, a first insulation layer disposed on the sensing area of the base layer and the first electrode layer, a second electrode layer disposed on the first insulation layer and including first sensing electrodes and second sensing electrodes, which are arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other, and a second insulation layer disposed on the first insulation layer and the second electrode layer. The first sensing electrodes adjacent to each other, among the first sensing electrodes, may be coupled to the second electrode layer by penetrating through the first insulation layer, and the metal layer, the first metal oxide film, and the second metal oxide film may be disposed on a layer identical to the first electrode layer.

In an embodiment, the optical structure may further include a third insulation layer disposed on the second area of the base layer. The first insulation layer and the third insulation layer may be formed as a single body, and the third insulation layer may cover the second metal oxide film.

In an embodiment, the metal layer, the first metal oxide film, the second metal oxide film, and the first electrode layer may include an identical metal material.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

