STACKED ORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE

• US 20110095702A1
• Filed: 02/22/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Byun, Chun Won, Chu, Hye Yong, Lee, Jeong Ik, Lee, Jong Hee
• Application Number:
  US12/709,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20110095702A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/294
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/60 Circuit arrangements for operating LEDs comprising organic material, e.g. for operating organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] or polymer light-emitting diodes [PLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/125 specially adapted for multicolour light emission, e.g. for emitting white light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/32 Stacked devices having two or more layers, each emitting at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/84 Parallel electrical configurations of multiple OLEDs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A stacked organic light-emitting device is provided. The stacked organic light-emitting device includes a first electrode, first and second light-emitting units formed under and on the first electrode respectively, transparent or semi-transparent second and third electrodes formed under the first light-emitting unit and on the second light-emitting unit respectively, and having the same polarity, and a drive controller electrically connected with the first, second and third electrodes to connect the first and second light-emitting units in parallel, and capable of controlling at least one of the first and second light-emitting units to emit light. Accordingly, the organic light-emitting device has a lower driving voltage than a conventional stacked light-emitting device in which light-emitting units are serially connected.

Claims

1. A stacked organic light-emitting device, comprising:

a first electrode;

first and second light-emitting units formed under and on the first electrode, respectively;

transparent or semi-transparent second and third electrodes formed under the first light-emitting unit and on the second light-emitting unit respectively, and having the same polarity; and

a drive controller electrically connected with the first, second and third electrodes to connect the first and second light-emitting units in parallel, and controlling at least one of the first and second light-emitting units to emit light.

2. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 1, wherein the drive controller includes:

a first voltage regulation unit for regulating a voltage applied to the second electrode; and

a second voltage regulation unit for regulating a voltage applied to the third electrode.

3. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 2, wherein the drive controller further includes:

a first electrode line for connecting the second electrode with the first voltage regulation unit;

a second electrode line for connecting the third electrode with the second voltage regulation unit;

a first diode for connecting the first electrode with the second electrode and arranged in a direction corresponding to a polarity of the first electrode; and

a second diode for connecting the first electrode with the third electrode and arranged in a direction corresponding to the polarity of the first electrode.

4. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 3, wherein the drive controller further includes an additional driving switch formed between the first electrode line and the second electrode line and enabling electrical on-off control so that both the first and second light-emitting units emit the light in an ON state of the first voltage regulation unit or the second voltage regulation unit.

5. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is formed of an opaque material.

6. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 5, wherein an emission direction is controlled in an upward direction, in a downward direction, or in both of the directions by the drive controller.

7. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is formed of a transparent or semi-transparent material.

8. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 7, wherein the first and second light-emitting units are formed of materials emitting light of the same color, and brightness is adjusted by the drive controller.

9. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 7, wherein the first and second light-emitting units are formed of materials emitting light of different colors, and brightness and color are adjusted by the drive controller.

10. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 1, wherein the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit have one structure selected from an organic light-emitting layer, a hole injection layer/organic light-emitting layer, an organic light-emitting layer/electron injection layer, a hole-injection layer/organic light-emitting layer/electron injection layer, a hole injection layer/hole transport layer/organic light-emitting layer/electron injection layer, a hole injection layer/organic light-emitting layer/electron transport layer/electron injection layer, and a hole injection layer/hole transport layer/organic light-emitting layer/electron transport layer/electron injection layer.

11. A stacked organic light-emitting device, comprising:

an insulating layer;

first and second electrodes formed under and on the insulating layer respectively, and having the same polarity;

first and second light-emitting units formed under the first electrode and on the second electrode, respectively;

transparent or semi-transparent third and fourth electrodes formed under the first light-emitting unit and on the second light-emitting unit respectively, and having the same polarity; and

a drive controller electrically connected with the first, second, third and fourth electrodes to connect the first and second light-emitting units in parallel, and controlling at least one of the first and second light-emitting units to emit light.

12. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 11, wherein the drive controller includes:

a first voltage regulation unit for regulating a voltage applied to the third electrode; and

a second voltage regulation unit for regulating a voltage applied to the fourth electrode.

13. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 12, wherein the drive controller further includes:

a first electrode line for connecting the third electrode with the first voltage regulation unit;

a second electrode line for connecting the fourth electrode with the second voltage regulation unit;

a first diode for connecting the first electrode with the third electrode and arranged in a direction corresponding to the polarity of the first electrode; and

a second diode for connecting the second electrode with the fourth electrode and arranged in a direction corresponding to the polarity of the second electrode.

14. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 13, wherein the drive controller further includes an additional driving switch formed between the first electrode line and the second electrode line and enabling electrical on-off control so that both the first and second light-emitting units emit the light in an ON state of the first voltage regulation unit or the second voltage regulation unit.

15. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 11, wherein the first and second electrodes are formed of an opaque material.

16. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 15, wherein an emission direction is controlled in an upward direction, in a downward direction, or in both of the directions by the drive controller.

17. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 11, wherein the first and second electrodes are formed of a transparent or semi-transparent material.

18. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 17, wherein the first and second light-emitting units are formed of materials emitting light of the same color, and brightness is adjusted by the drive controller.

19. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 17, wherein the first and second light-emitting units are formed of materials emitting light of different colors, and brightness and color are adjusted by the drive controller.

20. The stacked organic light-emitting device of claim 11, wherein a thickness of the insulating layer is determined based on a transmissivity and refractive index of the insulating layer and an optical length of the first and second light-emitting units so that an amount and color of the light are adjusted due to a microcavity effect.