Light emitting device, electronic equipment, and organic polarizing film

• US 20030062519A1
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Takayama, Toru, Yamazaki, Shunepi
• Granted Patent: US 7,005,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/40
• 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 27/1266 the substrate on which the devices are formed not being the final device substrate, e.g. using a temporary substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8791 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light

Abstract

A light emitting device capable of reducing degradation caused by dispersion of impurities such as moisture, oxygen, an alkaline metal, and an alkaline earth metal is provided. Specifically, a flexible light emitting device with an OLED formed on a plastic substrate is provided. In a light emitting device using a substrate, a circular polarizing plate has a single layer or two or more layers of barrier films formed of a compound or compounds selected from AlN_XO_Y, Al_XN_Y, and Al₂O₃, which is (are) capable of preventing oxygen and moisture from seeping into an organic light emitting layer of an OLED as well as preventing an alkaline metal, an alkaline earth metal, and other impurities from penetrating an active layer of a TFT.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising a light emitting element, the light emitting element comprising:

a cathode;

an organic compound layer in contact with the cathode; and

an anode in contact with the organic compound layer,

wherein the light emitting device is provided with a circular polarizing plate having a single layer or multilayer of AlN_XO_Y.

2. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the circular polarizing plate has a single layer or multilayer of AlN_XO_Y on one side thereof or on each side thereof.

3. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the circular polarizing plate has a single layer or multilayer of AlN_XO_Y on one side thereof and has a bonding member on the other side thereof.

4. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the circular polarizing plate is interposed between the light emitting element and a viewer (observer), and is positioned at some point along the light path that starts with emission of light from the light emitting element and ends with arrival of the light at the viewer.

5. A light emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the AlN_XO_Y layer(s) contain(s) 2.5 to 47.5 atm % of nitrogen.

6. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the AlN_XO_Y layer(s) is (are) 50 to 500 nm in thickness.

9. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is applied to an electronic apparatus selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a car navigation system, a personal computer, and a portable information terminal.

7. A light emitting device comprising a light emitting element sandwiched between a first substrate and a second substrate, the light emitting element comprising:

a cathode;

an organic compound layer in contact with the cathode; and

an anode in contact with the organic compound layer,

wherein the first substrate or the second substrate is a plastic substrate, and

wherein the plastic substrate is provided with a circular polarizing plate having a single layer or multilayer of a compound or compounds selected from AlN_XO_Y, Al_XN_Y, and Al₂O₃.

8. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the circular polarizing plate is fixed to the first substrate or the second substrate by a bonding member.

10. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the light emitting device is applied to an electronic apparatus selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a car navigation system, a personal computer, and a portable information terminal.

11. An organic polarizing film having on its film surface a single layer or multilayer of a compound or compounds selected from AlN_XO_Y, Al_XN_Y, and Al₂O₃.

12. An organic polarizing film according to claim 11, wherein the single layer or multilayer of a compound or compounds selected from AlN_XO_Y, Al_XN_Y, and Al₂O₃ is (are) 50 to 500 nm thick in total.

13. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

a first insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode over the first insulating film and connected to the thin film transistor through a hole formed in the first insulating film;

a light emitting layer comprising an organic compound over the first electrode;

a second electrode over the light emitting layer;

a second insulating film comprising AlN_XO_Y over the second electrode;

a circular polarizing plate having at least a layer comprising AlN_XO_Y.

14. A light emitting device comprising:

at least one first insulating film comprising AlN_XO_Y over a substrate;

a thin film transistor over the substrate;

a second insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode over the second insulating film and connected to the thin film transistor through a hole formed in the second insulating film;

a light emitting layer comprising an organic compound over the first electrode;

a second electrode over the light emitting layer;

a third insulating film comprising AlN_XO_Y over the second electrode;

a circular polarizing plate having at least a layer comprising AlN_XO_Y.