Display device having an auxiliary electrode on the substrate with an end surface contacting an electrode of the organic light emitting element

• US 10,186,569 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2015
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsumi, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Kielin, Erik
• Application Number:
  US15/510,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20170278919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/824 combined with auxiliary electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1315 comprising structures specially adapted for lowering the resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80522 combined with auxiliary electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80524 Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers

Abstract

A display device includes a base, an organic light-emitting element including a stacked structure that has a first electrode layer, an organic light-emitting layer, and a second electrode layer that are stacked in order on the base, a drive element that is provided on the base, and drives the organic light-emitting element, and an auxiliary electrode layer provided on the base, and including an end surface that is in contact with the second electrode layer.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a base;

an organic light-emitting element including a stacked structure, wherein the stacked structure comprises a first electrode layer, an organic light-emitting layer, and a second electrode layer that are stacked on the base;

a drive element on the base, wherein the drive element is configured to drive the organic light-emitting element; and

an auxiliary electrode layer on the base, wherein the auxiliary electrode layer includes an end surface that is in contact with the second electrode layer,

wherein a portion of the auxiliary electrode layer is covered with an insulating layer,

wherein the insulating layer has an opening in a region overlapped with the auxiliary electrode layer,

wherein an angle between a straight line and a direction that is perpendicular to a surface of the base is one of 45°

or less, and

wherein the straight line joins a first upper edge that faces the end surface of the auxiliary electrode layer in the opening of the insulating layer and a second upper edge of the end surface of the auxiliary electrode layer.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary electrode layer is in a level that includes the drive element.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary electrode layer has a first thickness that is larger than a second thickness of the organic light-emitting layer.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary electrode layer has a first conductivity that is higher than a second conductivity of the second electrode layer.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the end surface of the auxiliary electrode layer is one of perpendicular to the surface of the base or extends in a direction of distance which increases from the base.

6. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein the drive element includes a wiring line layer, and

wherein the wiring line layer of the drive element has a constituent material that is same as a constituent material of the auxiliary electrode layer.

7. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising an underlayer between the base and the auxiliary electrode layer,

wherein the drive element includes a gate electrode, and

wherein the underlayer has a constituent material that is same as a constituent material of the gate electrode.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode layer has a first light transmittance that is higher than a second light transmittance of the auxiliary electrode layer.

9. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein the auxiliary electrode layer is a vacuum vapor deposited layer, and

wherein the second electrode layer is a sputter deposited layer.

10. A method of manufacturing a display device, the method comprising:

forming, on a base, a drive element and an auxiliary electrode layer;

forming a first insulating layer to cover the drive element and the auxiliary electrode layer;

forming a first opening on a portion of the first insulating layer to expose an end surface of the auxiliary electrode layer;

selectively forming a first electrode layer on the first insulating layer;

forming a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer,

wherein the second insulating layer comprises a second opening at a first position that corresponds to the first electrode layer and a third opening at a second position that corresponds to an auxiliary wiring line layer, and

wherein the third opening is in communication with the first opening;

forming an organic light-emitting layer to cover the first electrode layer without covering the end surface of the auxiliary electrode layer; and

forming a second electrode layer to cover both the organic light-emitting layer and the end surface of the auxiliary electrode layer,

wherein an angle between a straight line and a direction that is perpendicular to a surface of the base is one of 45°

or less, and

wherein the straight line joins a first upper edge that faces the end surface of the auxiliary electrode layer in the first opening of the first insulating layer and a second upper edge of the end surface of the auxiliary electrode layer.

11. An electronic apparatus comprising a display device, wherein the display device comprises:

a base;

an organic light-emitting element including a stacked structure, wherein the stacked structure comprises a first electrode layer, an organic light-emitting layer, and a second electrode layer that are stacked on the base;

a drive element on the base, wherein the drive element is configured to drive the organic light-emitting element;

an auxiliary electrode layer on the base, wherein the auxiliary electrode layer includes an end surface that is in contact with the second electrode layer,

wherein a portion of the auxiliary electrode layer is covered with an insulating layer,

wherein the insulating layer has an opening in a region overlapped with the auxiliary electrode layer,

wherein an angle between a straight line and a direction that is perpendicular to a surface of the base is one of 45°

or less, and

wherein the straight line joins a first upper edge that faces the end surface of the auxiliary electrode layer in the opening of the insulating layer and a second upper edge of the end surface of the auxiliary electrode layer.