Light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same

• US 20010011868A1
• Filed: 02/01/2001
• Published: 08/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Fukunaga, Takeshi, Maruyama, Junya
• Granted Patent: US 6,559,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 313/506
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1214 comprising a plurality of TFTs formed on a non-semiconducting substrate, e.g. driving circuits for AMLCDs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1288 employing particular masking sequences or specially adapted masks, e.g. half-tone mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/15 including semiconductor components having potential barriers, specially adapted for light emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78645 with multiple gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78669 with inverted-type structure, e.g. with bottom gate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/81 Anodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/818 Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/824 combined with auxiliary electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/828 Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8428 Vertical spacers, e.g. arranged between the sealing arrangement and the OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/856 comprising reflective means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1213 the pixel elements being TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/123 Connection of the pixel electrodes to the thin film transistors [TFT]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/35 comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80518 : Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80522 : combined with auxiliary electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80524 : Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8723 : Vertical spacers, e.g. arranged between the sealing arrangement and the OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/878 : comprising reflective means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 : Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 : Flexible substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 : Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 : Electroluminescent

Abstract

To provide a bright and highly reliable light-emitting device. An anode (102), an EL layer (103), a cathode (104), and an auxiliary electrode (105) are formed sequentially in lamination on a reflecting electrode (101). Further, the anode (102), the cathode (104), and the auxiliary electrode (105) are either transparent or semi-transparent with respect to visible radiation. In such a structure, lights generated in the EL layer (103) are almost all irradiated to the side of the cathode (104), whereby an effect light emitting area of a pixel is drastically enhanced.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

an anode;

a cathode;

an EL layer provided between said anode and said cathode; and

a reflective electrode provided in contact with said anode.

2. A device according to

claim 1

wherein said anode and said cathode are transparent to a visible light.

3. A device according to

claim 1

wherein said anode comprises an oxide conductive film, and said cathode comprises a metallic film which is transparent to a visible light.

4. A device according to

claim 1

further comprising a semiconductor element electrically connected with said reflective electrode.

5. An electric equipment using said light emitting device according to

claim 1

as a display section or a light source.

6. A light emitting device comprising:

a reflective electrode;

an anode provided over said reflective electrode;

an EL layer provided over said anode; and

a cathode provided over said EL layer.

7. A device according to

claim 6

wherein said anode and said cathode are transparent to a visible light.

8. A device according to

claim 6

wherein said anode comprises an oxide conductive film, and said cathode comprises a metallic film which is transparent to a visible light.

9. A device according to

claim 6

further comprising a semiconductor element electrically connected with said reflective electrode.

10. An electric equipment using said light emitting device according to

claim 6

as a display section or a light source.

11. A light emitting device comprising:

an anode;

a cathode;

an EL layer provided between said anode and said cathode;

a reflective electrode provided in contact with said anode; and

an auxiliary electrode provided in contact with said cathode.

12. A device according to

claim 11

wherein said anode, said cathode and said auxiliary electrode are transparent to a visible light.

13. A device according to

claim 11

wherein said auxiliary electrode comprises an oxide conductive film.

14. A device according to

claim 11

wherein said anode comprises an oxide conductive film, and said cathode comprises a metallic film which is transparent to a visible light.

15. A device according to

claim 11

further comprising a semiconductor element electrically connected with said reflective electrode.

16. An electric equipment using said light emitting device according to

claim 11

as a display section or a light source.

17. A light emitting device comprising:

a reflective electrode;

an anode provided over said reflective electrode;

an EL layer provided over said anode;

a cathode provided over said EL layer; and

an auxiliary electrode provided over said cathode.

18. A device according to

claim 17

wherein said anode, said cathode and said auxiliary electrode are transparent to a visible light.

19. A device according to

claim 17

wherein said auxiliary electrode comprises an oxide conductive film.

20. A device according to

claim 17

wherein said anode comprises an oxide conductive film, and said cathode comprises a metallic film which is transparent to a visible light.

21. A device according to

claim 17

further comprising a semiconductor element electrically connected with said reflective electrode.

22. An electric equipment using said light emitting device according to

claim 17

as a display section or a light source.

23. A method for manufacturing a light emitting device comprising:

forming a reflective electrode;

forming an anode over said reflective electrode;

forming an EL layer over said anode; and

forming a cathode over said EL layer.

24. A method according to

claim 23

wherein said anode is made from an oxide conductive film which is transparent to a visible light, and said cathode is made from a metallic film which is transparent to a visible light.

25. A method according to

claim 23

wherein said reflective electrode is formed to be electrically connected with a TFT.

26. A method for manufacturing a light emitting device comprising:

forming a reflective electrode;

forming an anode over said reflective electrode;

forming an EL layer over said anode;

forming a cathode over said EL layer; and

forming an auxiliary electrode over said cathode.

27. A method according to

claim 26

wherein said anode and said auxiliary electrode is made from an oxide conductive film which is transparent to a visible light, and said cathode is made from a metallic film which is transparent to a visible light.

28. A method according to

claim 26

wherein said reflective electrode is formed to be electrically connected with a TFT.