Organic electroluminescent device and method of manufacturing the same

• US 20030080678A1
• Filed: 05/22/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung NEC Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Tae Seung, Kim, Seon Hee, Kim, Kyung Han
• Granted Patent: US 6,850,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/17 Passive-matrix OLED displays

Abstract

An organic electroluminescent device and a method of manufacturing the same. The organic electroluminescent device includes: a transparent substrate; a first electrode layer including a series of first electrode lines formed on the top surface of the substrate as a predetermined pattern and connected to first electrode pad portions at opposite edges of the substrate; an organic layer formed as a predetermined pattern on the first electrode lines; a second electrode layer including a series of second electrode lines formed on the substrate, on which the first electrode lines and the organic layer are formed, as a predetermined pattern to be insulated from the first electrode lines and connected to second electrode pad portions at the other edges of the substrate; a cap bonded to the substrate using a sealant to seal the organic layer within its inner sealing space; and a barrier portion which blocks the flow of the sealant on the substrate inwards or outwards the sealing space.

Claims

1. An organic electroluminescent device comprising:

a substrate which is transparent;

a first electrode layer including a series of first electrode lines formed on the top surface of said substrate as a predetermined pattern and connected to first electrode pad portions at two opposite edges of said substrate;

an organic layer formed as a predetermined pattern on the first electrode lines;

a second electrode layer including a series of second electrode lines formed on said substrate, on which said first electrode lines and said organic layer are formed, as a predetermined pattern to be insulated from said first electrode lines and connected to second electrode pad portions at the other two edges of said substrate;

a cap bonded to said substrate using a sealant to seal said organic layer within an inner sealing space; and

a barrier portion which blocks the flow of said sealant on said substrate inwards or outwards of said sealing space.

2. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein saids barrier portion has a height greater than said first and second electrode pad portions located at the edges of said substrate.

3. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein said barrier portion comprises at least one protrusion from each of said first and second electrode pad portions.

4. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 3, wherein said at least one protrusion protrudes from each of said first and second electrode pad portions in a staggered fashion.

5. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 4, wherein said at least one protrusion protrudes from each of said first and second electrode pad portions on both sides of a bonding site of said substrate on which said sealant is applied.

6. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein said barrier portion is formed as a closed loop along a bonding site of said substrate on which said sealant is applied.

7. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein said barrier portion further comprises an extension between each of said first and second electrode pad portions located at the edges of said substrate and to be electrically connected to a flexible printed circuit board.

8. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 7, wherein said barrier portion further comprises an auxiliary barrier portion along the edge of said substrate to coat the ends of said first and second electrode pad portions.

9. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 7, wherein said barrier portion is formed outwards and adjacent to a bonding site of said substrate to have a height greater than said first and second electrode pad portions.

10. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 8, wherein said barrier portion is formed outwards and adjacent to a bonding site of said substrate to have a height greater than said first and second electrode pad portions.

11. An organic electroluminescent device comprising:

a substrate which is transparent;

an organic emission portion including a first electrode layer having a series of first electrode lines formed on a top surface of said substrate as a predetermined pattern and connected to first electrode pad portions at two opposite edges of said substrate, an organic layer formed as a predetermined pattern on said first electrode lines, a second electrode layer having a series of second electrode lines formed on said substrate, on which said first electrode lines and said organic layer are formed, as a predetermined pattern to be insulated from said first electrode lines and connected to second electrode pad portions at two other edges of said substrate;

a sealing layer which covers only said organic emission portion but uncovers said first and second electrode pad portions located at the edges of said substrate;

a flexible printed circuit board which supplies a predetermined current to said series of first and second electrode lines in connection with said first and second electrode pad portions located at the edges of said substrate; and

a barrier portion which covers a portion of said first and second electrode pad portions exposed when bonded to said flexible printed circuit board.

12. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 11, wherein said barrier portion is formed on said substrate as a closed loop along the boundary of said sealing layer.

13. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 11, wherein said barrier portion comprises an extension between each of said first and second electrode pad portions located at the edges of said substrate and electrically connected to said flexible printed circuit board.

14. The organic electroluminescent device according claim 13, wherein said barrier portion further comprises an auxiliary barrier portion along the edges of said substrate to coat the ends of said first and second electrode pad portions.

15. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 11, further comprising a cap boded to said substrate to cover said sealing layer.

16. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 11, further comprising an internal insulation layer formed on said substrate as a predetermined pattern to divide said first electrode lines.

17. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 16, further comprising a separator layer with tapered walls formed on said internal insulation layer to define separate regions of said second electrode lines, and intersects said first electrode lines.

18. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 11, wherein said organic layer is deposited on an exposed portion of said first electrode lines.

19. A method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescent device, the method comprising:

preparing a substrate which is transparent and has a transparent conductive layer and a metal conductive layer which are sequentially stacked on the top surface of said substrate;

forming first and second electrode pad portions at the edges of said substrate by processing said metal conductive layer;

forming a series of first electrode lines as a predetermined pattern to be connected with the respective first electrode pad portions by processing a portion of said transparent conductive layer exposed by said first and second electrode pad portions;

forming an internal insulator layer as a grid pattern on said substrate to divide said first electrode lines located at an active area;

forming a barrier portion on said substrate along the boundary of said active area to block a sealant from spreading out inwards or outwards of said active area of said substrate when said substrate is bonded to a cap using the sealant;

forming an organic layer and a series of second electrode lines connected to the respective second electrode pad portions on the substrate; and

sealing said active area by bonding said substrate to the cap using the sealant.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising forming a plurality of separators, which are spaced a predetermined distance apart, on said substrate having the internal insulator layer in a direction perpendicular to the direction of said first electrode lines.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the forming of said internal insulator layer and the forming of said barrier portion are performed at the same time in a single process.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein forming said barrier portion and forming said plurality of separators are performed at the same time in a single process.

23. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

forming an extension extending from said barrier portion and between each of the first and second electrode pad portions.

24. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

forming an auxiliary barrier portion along the ends of the first and second electrode pad portions to coat the ends of the first and second electrode pad portions.

25. A method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescent device, the method comprising:

preparing a substrate which is transparent;

forming an organic emission portion on said substrate, said organic emission portion including an organic layer and first and second electrode lines connected, respectively, to first and second electrode pad portions, said organic layer being interposed between said first and second electrode lines;

forming a barrier portion on said substrate along the boundary of said organic emission portion to block a sealant from spreading out inwards or outwards of the organic emission portion when said substrate is bonded to a cap using the sealant; and

sealing said organic emission portion by bonding said substrate to said cap using the sealant.

26. An organic electroluminescent device comprising:

a transparent substrate;

an organic emission portion having electrode pad portions at edges of said substrate;

a cap sealed to said substrate with a sealant to contain said organic emission portion and a portion of said electrode pad portions within a sealing space such that ends of said electrode pad portions are exposed beyond said cap; and

a barrier portion which blocks the flow of sealant on said substrate inwards or outwards of said sealing space.