Display device and manufacturing method thereof

• US 20050162079A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UDC Ireland Limited (Universal Display Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Yoshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,368,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1201 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/35 comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels

Abstract

Each pixel (21) includes a plurality of light emitting regions (11R, 11G, and 11B) corresponding R, G, and B each having an organic EL layer (3), and a plurality of TFT elements (12) provided corresponding to the light emitting regions to control light emission in the respective light emitting regions. The light emitting regions are provided in a zigzag manner and adjacent light emitting regions are kept from contacting one another. Each pixel (21) is divided into six segments (22a to 22c and 23a to 23c), and the light emitting regions are arranged in three segments (22a to 22c) in a zigzag manner. In this way, in a bottom emission type, active matrix organic EL display, a sufficient aperture ratio can efficiently be secured, and pixels can be arranged so that the aperture ratio is hardly a trade off for higher resolution. Therefore, power consumption for obtaining necessary luminance can be reduced, and this can contribute to downsizing of the driving circuit and the device as a whole.

Claims

1. A display device having an active matrix organic EL panel comprising:

first and second electrodes provided on a substrate, and

an organic EL light emitting layer provided between said first and second electrodes, wherein

said organic EL light emitting layer includes light emitting regions, arranged in a zigzag manner, and adjacent ones of said light emitting regions are kept from contacting each other.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein,

three kinds of said light emitting regions corresponding to R, G, and B and three switching circuits corresponding to the three kinds of said light emitting regions are arranged in a matrix, and

in six segments arranged in two rows and three columns, said light emitting regions are arranged in three of said segments positioned in a zigzag manner and said three switching circuits are arranged in the three remaining segments.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein

said light emitting regions for the same color are aligned with said switching circuit interposed therebetween.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein

the area of said organic EL light emitting layer is greater than the area of said first electrode.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein

a non-light emitting region is formed at a corner of said light emitting region, and adjacent ones of said light emitting regions are separated by said non-light emitting region.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein

the area of said light emitting region is greater than the area of said switching circuit.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein

said light emitting region has an area smaller than the area of said switching circuit and is separated from adjacent one of said light emitting regions with said switching circuit interposed therebetween.

8. A method of manufacturing a display device having an active matrix organic EL panel comprising first and second electrodes provided on a substrate and an organic EL light emitting layer provided between said first and second electrodes, wherein said organic EL light emitting layer includes a light emitting region, the method comprising the step of

forming a plurality of said light emitting regions by mask vapor deposition, wherein said organic EL light emitting layers corresponding to each of said light emitting regions are arranged in a zigzag manner and adjacent ones of said light emitting regions are kept from contacting each other.

9. The method of manufacturing a display device according to claim 8, wherein

the same mask is sequentially moved to form said organic EL light emitting layers corresponding to each of said light emitting regions.

10. The method of manufacturing a display device according to claim 8, wherein:

three kinds of said light emitting regions corresponding to R, G, and B and said three switching circuits corresponding to the three kinds of said light emitting regions are arranged in a matrix;

in six segments arranged in two rows and three columns, said light emitting regions are arranged in three of said segments positioned in a zigzag manner and said three switching circuits are arranged in the three remaining segments.

11. The method of manufacturing a display device according to claim 10, wherein

said light emitting regions for the same color are aligned with said switching circuit interposed therebetween.

12. The method of manufacturing a display device according to claim 8, wherein

said organic EL light emitting layer is formed to have a greater area than the area of said first electrode.

13. The method of manufacturing a display device according to claim 8, wherein

said light emitting region is formed to have a corner part serving as a non-light emitting region.

14. The method of manufacturing a display device according to claim 8, wherein

said light emitting region is formed to have a greater area than the area of said switching circuit.

15. The method of manufacturing a display device according to claim 8, wherein

said light emitting region has an area smaller than the area of said switching circuit and is separated from adjacent one of said light emitting regions with said switching circuit interposed therebetween.