Sealed structure, light-emitting device, electronic device, and lighting device

• US 10,361,392 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2015
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei, Nakamura, Daiki, Nishido, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Lauren R
• Application Number:
  US14/972,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20160104864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 27/00 Joining pieces of glass to pieces of other inorganic material; Joining glass to glass other than by fusing C03C17/00 takes precedence; layered structures comprising at least one glass sheet B32B17/00; wired glass C03B; joining glass to ceramics C04
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 27/06 Joining glass to glass by processes other than fusing fusing C03B23/20; units for use as elements for closing wall or like openings and comprising two or more parallel glass panes in spaced relationship, the panes being permanently secured together E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/131 with spacer layers between the electroluminescent layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8428 Vertical spacers, e.g. arranged between the sealing arrangement and the OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/846 comprising getter material or desiccants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/85 Arrangements for extracting light from the devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/865 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. light-blocking layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/38 comprising colour filters or colour changing media [CCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8723 Vertical spacers, e.g. arranged between the sealing arrangement and the OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/874 including getter material or desiccant
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/875 Arrangements for extracting light from the devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8792 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. black layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 Complete cover or casing

Abstract

A sealed structure which has high sealing capability and whose border can be slim is provided. The sealed structure includes a pair of substrates whose respective surfaces face each other with a space therebetween, and a glass layer which is in contact with the substrates, defines a space between the substrates, and has at least one corner portion and side portions in continuity with the corner portion. The width of the corner portion of the glass layer is smaller than or equal to that of the side portion of the same. The sealed structure may comprise a highly reliable light-emitting element including a layer containing a light-emitting organic compound provided between a pair of electrodes.

Claims

1. A sealed structure comprising:

a substrate and a counter substrate respective surfaces of which face each other with a space therebetween; and

a sealant layer which is in contact with both of the substrate and the counter substrate, defines a sealed space between the substrate and the counter substrate, and

when viewed in a plan view, the sealant layer comprises;

an outer contour of the sealant layer and an inner contour of the sealant layer;

a corner portion in continuity with a first side portion and a second side portion, the corner portion being continuously formed from the first side portion to the second side portion,

wherein one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the first side portion of the sealant layer is a straight line and one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the second side portion of the sealant layer is a straight line,

wherein the one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the first side portion of the sealant layer is not parallel to the one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the second side portion of the sealant layer,

wherein the outer contour of the sealant layer and the inner contour of the sealant layer can each be described as a curve generally free of inflection points and singular points, when seen in the plan view,

wherein a width of the corner portion of the sealant layer is smaller than a width of each of the first side portion and the second side portion of the sealant layer, the widths being defined as distances from the inner contour of the sealant layer to the outer contour of the sealant layer along a direction perpendicular to the inner contour of the sealant layer, and

wherein an entirety of the outer contour of the sealant layer is inset from an edge of the substrate, when seen in the plan view.

2. The sealed structure according to claim 1,

wherein an entire surface of the sealant layer in the corner portion and in contact with the substrate adheres to the substrate.

3. The sealed structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

a resin layer between the substrate and the counter substrate in an outside region of the corner portion of the sealant layer,

wherein the resin layer is localized in the outside region of the corner portion.

4. The sealed structure according to claim 1,

wherein the outer contour of the corner portion of the sealant layer has a radius of curvature greater than the inner contour of the corner portion of the sealant layer.

5. The sealed structure according to claim 1,

wherein the sealant layer comprises a sealant material in direct contact with the substrate and the counter substrate, and continuously formed between the substrate and the counter substrate.

6. The sealed structure according to claim 1,

wherein the sealant layer is a glass layer.

7. The sealed structure according to claim 1,

wherein the one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the first side portion of the sealant layer is substantially perpendicular to the one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the second side portion of the sealant layer.

8. The sealed structure according to claim 1,

a length of each of the one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the first side portion of the sealant layer and the one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the second side portion of the sealant layer is larger than a length of the inner contour of the corner portion of the sealant layer.

9. The sealed structure according to claim 1, further comprising a second corner portion, the first side portion being continuously formed from the corner portion to the second corner portion.

10. The sealed structure according to claim 9, wherein another one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the first side portion of the sealant layer is a straight line.

11. A light-emitting device comprising:

a substrate and a counter substrate respective surfaces of which face each other with a space therebetween; and

a sealant layer which is in contact with both of the substrate and the counter substrate, defines a sealed space between the substrate and the counter substrate, and

when viewed in a plan view, the sealant layer comprises;

an outer contour of the sealant layer and an inner contour of the sealant layer;

a corner portion in continuity with a first side portion and a second side portion, the corner portion being continuously formed from the first side portion to the second side portion,

wherein one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the first side portion of the sealant layer is a straight line and one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the second side portion of the sealant layer is a straight line,

wherein the one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the first side portion of the sealant layer is not parallel to the one of the inner contour and the outer contour of the second side portion of the sealant layer,

wherein the outer contour of the sealant layer and the inner contour of the sealant layer can each be described as a curve generally free of inflection points and singular points, when seen in the plan view,

wherein the sealed space includes a light-emitting element in which a layer containing a light-emitting organic compound is provided between a pair of electrodes,

wherein a width of the corner portion of the sealant layer is smaller than a width of each of the first side portion and the second side portion of the sealant layer, the widths being defined as distances from the inner contour of the sealant layer to the outer contour of the sealant layer along a direction perpendicular to the inner contour of the sealant layer, and

wherein an entirety of the outer contour of the sealant layer is inset from an edge of the substrate, when seen in the plan view.

12. An electronic device wherein the light-emitting device according to claim 11 is used in a display portion.

13. A lighting device wherein the light-emitting device according to claim 11 is used in a light-emitting portion.

14. The light-emitting device according to claim 11,

wherein an entire surface of the sealant layer in the corner portion and in contact with the substrate adheres to the substrate.

15. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, further comprising:

a resin layer between the substrate and the counter substrate in an outside region of the corner portion of the sealant layer,

wherein the resin layer is localized in the outside region of the corner portion.

16. The light-emitting device according to claim 11,

wherein the outer contour of the corner portion of the sealant layer has a radius of curvature greater than the inner contour of the corner portion of the sealant layer.

17. The light-emitting device according to claim 11,

wherein the sealant layer comprises a sealant material in direct contact with the substrate and the counter substrate, and continuously formed between the substrate and the counter substrate.

18. The light-emitting device according to claim 11,

wherein the sealant layer is a glass layer.