LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE, ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE

• US 20100051973A1
• Filed: 08/25/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lumitek Display Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: YOSHIOKA, Atsushi, SHIRATORI, Koya, KOBAYASHI, Hidekazu
• Application Number:
  US12/547,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20100051973A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/351 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/125 specially adapted for multicolour light emission, e.g. for emitting white light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/171 Electron injection layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• 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 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/852 comprising a resonant cavity structure, e.g. Bragg reflector pair
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/856 comprising reflective means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/30 Devices specially adapted for multicolour light emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/60 Forming conductive regions or layers, e.g. electrodes

Abstract

A light-emitting device includes a light-reflecting layer, a first electrode disposed on or above the light-reflecting layer, a semi-transparent reflective second electrode, a light-emitting function layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an electron-injection layer disposed between the light-emitting function layer and the second electrode. The second electrode is made of an Ag alloy having an Ag content of from 50% by atoms to 98% by atoms.

Claims

1. A light-emitting device comprising:

a light-reflecting layer;

a first electrode disposed on or above the light-reflecting layer;

a semi-transparent reflective second electrode;

a light-emitting function layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

an electron-injection layer disposed between the light-emitting function layer and the second electrode, wherein

the second electrode is made of an Ag alloy having an Ag content of from 50% by atoms to 98% by atoms.

2. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein

the second electrode has a resistivity of 31×

10<sup>−

8</sup> Ω

·

m or less.

3. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein

the second electrode is made of an alloy of a metal of Mg, Cu, Zn, Pd, Nd, or Al and Ag.

4. The light-emitting device according to claim 3, wherein

the electron-injection layer is made of LiF, Li₂O, Liq, MgO, or CaF₂ and has a thickness of 0.5 to 2 nm.

19. Electronic equipment including the light-emitting device according to claim 1.

5. A light-emitting device comprising:

a light-reflecting layer;

a transparent first electrode disposed on or above the light-reflecting layer;

a semi-transparent reflective second electrode;

a light-emitting function layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode;

an electron-injection layer disposed between the light-emitting function layer and the second electrode;

a first layer disposed on the second electrode for absorbing stress to the second electrode; and

a second layer made of an inorganic material disposed on the first layer for absorbing stress, wherein

the second electrode is made of an alloy in which any of Mg, Cu, Zn, Pd, Nd, and Al is mixed with Ag at an atomic number ratio in the range of 1;

3 to 1;

50.

6. The light-emitting device according to claim 5, wherein

the second electrode has a thickness in a range of 10 to 30 nm.

7. The light-emitting device according to claim 6, wherein

the first layer is made of a material having a work function of 4.2 eV or more and being other than Ag.

8. The light-emitting device according to claim 7, wherein

the first layer is made of Zn, Al, Au, SnO₂, ZnO₂, or SiO,

9. The light-emitting device according to claim 6, wherein

the light-emitting function layer includes an electron-injection layer;

and

the first layer is made of the same material as that of the electron-injection layer.

10. The light-emitting device according to claim 9, wherein

the first layer is made of LiF, Li₂O, Liq, MgO, MgF₂, CaF₂, SrF₂, NaF, or WF.

11. A light-emitting device comprising:

a light-reflecting layer;

a transparent first electrode disposed on or above the light-reflecting layer;

a semi-transparent reflective second electrode;

a light-emitting function layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode;

an electron-injection layer disposed between the light-emitting function layer and the second electrode;

a reduction layer disposed between the electron-injection layer and the second electrode and made of a reducible metal material for reducing an electron-injecting material forming the electron-injection layer;

a first layer disposed on the second electrode and absorbing stress to the second electrode; and

a second layer of an inorganic material disposed on the first layer, wherein

the second electrode is made of Ag.

13. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, wherein

the first layer is made of an electron-injecting material.

14. The light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein

the first layer is made of LiF, Li₂O, Liq, MgO, CaF₂, SrF₂, NaF, or WF.

15. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, wherein

the first layer is made of LiF;

and

the reducible metal material is Al.

12. A light-emitting device comprising:

a light-reflecting layer;

a transparent first electrode disposed on or above the light-reflecting layer;

a semi-transparent reflective second electrode;

a light-emitting function layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a mixture layer disposed between the light-emitting function layer and the second electrode and made of a mixture of an electron-injecting material and a reducible metal material for reducing the electron-injecting material;

a first layer disposed on the second electrode and absorbing stress to the second electrode; and

a second layer of an inorganic material disposed on the first layer, wherein

the second electrode is made of Ag,

16. A light-emitting device comprising:

a plurality of light-emitting elements each including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a light-emitting layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a wall separating the plurality of light-emitting elements;

a first layer partially covering the second electrodes and easing the concentration of stress to the second electrodes; and

a second layer of an inorganic material disposed on the first layer, wherein

the second electrode covers the light-emitting layer in each of the plurality of light-emitting elements and covers the wall separating the plurality of light-emitting elements.

17. The light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein

the first layer has openings at positions corresponding to the light-emitting elements.

18. The light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein

the first layer is not provided at at least part of a region where the wall and the second electrode overlap each other, and an auxiliary electrode is disposed at at least part of the region.