ELECTRONIC DEVICE, DISPLAY APPARATUS, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD

• US 20110018007A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited
• Inventors: Matsumuro, Tomonori, Nishioka, Yukiya, Kasahara, Kenji
• Application Number:
  US12/745,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018007A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks

Abstract

Provided is a solution for narrowing of a light emitting region, increasing of leak current at an edge of a functional layer, peeling of the functional layer, or the like caused by non-uniform thickness of the functional layer at the edges thereof. Provided is an electronic device comprising a substrate; a conductive functional layer formed on the substrate; and an edge covering layer that covers edges of the functional layer, wherein the functional layer includes a functional region that is not covered by the edge covering layer. This functional layer may include a non-functional region that is made non-functional by covering the functional layer with the edge covering layer. The edge covering layer may be adhered to the substrate by an adhesion force that is greater than an adhesion force between the substrate and the functional layer.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a substrate;

a conductive functional layer formed on the substrate; and

an edge covering layer that covers edges of the functional layer, wherein

the functional layer includes a functional region that is not covered by the edge covering layer.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a barrier portion that is formed on the substrate, wherein

a functional layer is formed on an element formation region defined by the barrier portion, and the functional layer has a uniform thickness in a central region of the element formation region.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein

after applying a solution that includes a photosensitive resin to cover the functional layer, the edge covering layer is formed by removing the photosensitive resin covering the functional region.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein

the functional layer includes a lifted region that is formed at the edges of the functional layer by being lifted on a portion of the barrier portion, and

the edge covering layer covers the lifted region of the functional layer.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein

the functional layer includes a thin film region whose thickness is less than an average thickness of the functional region, the thin film region being formed at the edges of the functional layer, and

the edge covering layer covers the thin film region of the functional layer.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a barrier portion formed on the substrate, wherein

the functional layer is formed on an element formation region defined by the barrier portion, and

after applying a solution that includes a photosensitive resin to cover the functional layer, the edge covering layer is formed by removing the photosensitive resin covering the functional region.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein

the functional layer includes a lifted region that is formed at the edges of the functional layer by being lifted on a portion of the barrier portion, and

the edge covering layer covers the lifted region of the functional layer.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein

the functional layer includes a thin film region whose thickness is less than an average thickness of the functional region, the thin film region being formed at the edges of the functional layer, and

the edge covering layer covers the thin film region of the functional layer.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the functional layer is formed by patterning a uniformly formed film on the substrate without forming a barrier portion on the substrate, or by forming a film in a region that is part of the substrate without forming the barrier portion on the substrate.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein

after applying a solution that includes a photosensitive resin covering the functional layer, the edge covering layer is formed by removing the photosensitive resin covering the functional region.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein

the functional layer includes a thin film region whose thickness is greater than an average thickness of the functional region, the thin film region being formed at the edges of the functional layer, and

the edge covering layer covers the thin film region of the functional layer.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the functional layer further includes a non-functional region that is made non-functional by covering the functional layer with the edge covering layer.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the edge covering layer is adhered to the substrate by an adhesion force that is greater than an adhesion force between the substrate and the functional layer.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the functional layer is a light emitting layer.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein

the light emitting layer is an organic light emitting layer, and

the functional layer further includes an organic carrier injection layer between the light emitting layer and the substrate.

16. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the functional layer is formed by a coating technique.

17. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the edge covering layer includes a photosensitive resin.

18. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of opposing electrodes that sandwich the functional layer and supply current to the functional layer, wherein

the edge covering layer isolates a leak current between the pair of electrodes at the edges of the functional layer.

19. A display apparatus comprising:

a substrate; and

display elements arranged in a matrix on the substrate, wherein

the display elements include a conductive functional layer formed on the substrate and an edge covering layer that covers edges of the functional layer, and

the functional layer includes a functional region that is not covered by the edge covering layer.

20. The display apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

the functional layer is formed by patterning a uniformly formed film on the substrate without forming a barrier portion on the substrate, or by forming a film in a region that is part of the substrate without forming the barrier portion on the substrate.

21. The display apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

element formation regions of the display elements are arranged in a matrix by arranging a barrier portion on the substrate in a row direction and a column direction, and

the functional layer has a uniform thickness in a central region of the element formation region.

22. The display apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

element formation regions of the display elements are formed in a matrix by arranging the barrier portion on the substrate in a row direction and a column direction, and

after applying a solution that includes a photosensitive resin covering the functional layer, the edge covering layer is formed by removing the photosensitive resin covering the functional region.

23. An electronic device manufacturing method comprising:

forming a functional layer by patterning a uniformly formed film on a substrate or by forming a film in a region that is part of the substrate;

forming a covering layer that covers the functional layer; and

forming an edge covering layer that covers edges of the functional layer by removing the covering layer from a central region of the functional layer.

24. The electronic device manufacturing method according to claim 23, wherein

forming the covering layer includes coating with a photosensitive covering layer, and

forming the edge covering layer includes using a photolithography technique on the photosensitive covering layer and removing the photosensitive covering layer from a central region of the functional layer.

25. An electronic device manufacturing method comprising:

forming a barrier portion on a surface of a substrate;

forming a functional layer that is separated by the barrier portion on the substrate on which the barrier portion is formed;

forming a covering layer that covers the barrier portion and the functional layer; and

forming an edge covering layer that covers edges of the functional layer by removing the covering layer from a central region of the functional layer.

26. The electronic device manufacturing method according to claim 25, wherein

forming the covering layer includes coating with a photosensitive covering layer, and

forming the edge covering layer includes using a photolithography technique on the photosensitive covering layer and removing the photosensitive covering layer from a central region of the functional layer.