Light-Emitting Device and Manufacturing Method Thereof

• US 20120235126A1
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei, Ohsawa, Nobuharu
• Granted Patent: US 9,123,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/40
• 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 50/852 comprising a resonant cavity structure, e.g. Bragg reflector pair
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/40 Thermal treatment, e.g. annealing in the presence of a solvent vapour

Abstract

To provide a method for manufacturing light-emitting devices with different emission colors using EL layers formed using the same apparatus and condition, and a light-emitting device with high added value. A substrate in which a transparent conductive layer is formed in advance on a surface over which an EL layer is to be formed and another substrate in which a transparent conductive layer with a thickness different from that of the transparent conductive layer are prepared, and EL layers are formed over the substrates using the same apparatus and condition. Thus, even when the EL layers are formed using the same apparatus and condition, optical path lengths of the substrates can be different.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a light-emitting device comprising the steps of:

preparing a first substrate;

forming a first insulating layer over the first substrate;

forming a first conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the first insulating layer;

forming a first EL layer over the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light;

preparing a second substrate;

forming a second insulating layer over the second substrate;

forming a second conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the second insulating layer;

forming a second EL layer over the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light;

forming a first conductive layer over the first EL layer; and

forming a second conductive layer over the second EL layer,

wherein the second EL layer is formed in a same film formation chamber with a substantially same condition as the first EL layer is formed, and

wherein a thickness of the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light is different from a thickness of the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light.

2. The method for manufacturing a light-emitting device, according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light is formed in a same film formation chamber with a substantially same condition as the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light is formed.

3. A method for manufacturing a light-emitting device comprising the steps of:

preparing a first substrate;

forming a first insulating layer over the first substrate;

forming a first reflective layer over the first insulating layer;

forming a first conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the first reflective layer;

forming a first EL layer over the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light;

preparing a second substrate;

forming a second insulating layer over the second substrate;

forming a second reflective layer over the second insulating layer;

forming a second conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the second reflective layer;

forming a second EL layer over the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light;

forming a third conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the first EL layer; and

forming a fourth conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the second EL layer,

wherein the second EL layer is formed in a same film formation chamber with a substantially same condition as the first EL layer is formed, and

wherein a thickness of the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light is different from a thickness of the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light.

4. The method for manufacturing a light-emitting device, according to claim 3, wherein one or both of the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light and the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light are formed to have a light reflectance of greater than or equal to 30% and a light transmittance of greater than or equal to 50% with a wavelength of greater than or equal to 400 nm and less than or equal to 700 nm.

5. The method for manufacturing a light-emitting device, according to claim 3, wherein the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light is formed in a same film formation chamber with a substantially same condition as the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light is formed.

6. A method for manufacturing a light-emitting device comprising the steps of:

preparing a first substrate;

forming a first insulating layer over the first substrate;

forming a first conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the first insulating layer;

forming a first EL layer over the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light;

preparing a second substrate;

forming a second insulating layer over the second substrate;

forming a second conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the second insulating layer;

forming a second EL layer over the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light;

forming a first reflective layer having conductivity over the first EL layer; and

forming a second reflective layer having conductivity over the second EL layer,

wherein the second EL layer is formed in a same film formation chamber with a substantially same condition as the first EL layer is formed,

wherein a thickness of the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light is different from a thickness of the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light, and

wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are capable of transmitting light.

7. The method for manufacturing a light-emitting device, according to claim 6, wherein one or both of the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light and the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light are formed to have a light reflectance of greater than or equal to 30% and a light transmittance of greater than or equal to 50% with a wavelength of greater than or equal to 400 nm and less than or equal to 700 nm.

8. The method for manufacturing a light-emitting device, according to claim 6, wherein the second reflective layer is formed in a same film formation chamber with a substantially same condition as the first reflective layer is formed.

9. A method for manufacturing a light-emitting device comprising the steps of:

preparing a first substrate;

forming a first insulating layer over the first substrate;

forming a reflective layer over the first insulating layer;

forming a first conductive layer capable of transmitting light to partly have a different thickness over the reflective layer;

forming a first EL layer over the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light;

preparing a second substrate;

forming a second insulating layer over the second substrate;

forming a second conductive layer capable of transmitting light to partly have a different thickness over the second insulating layer;

forming a second EL layer over the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light;

forming a third conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the first EL layer; and

forming a fourth conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the second EL layer,

wherein the second EL layer is formed in a same film formation chamber with a substantially same condition as the first EL layer is formed, and

wherein a thickness of the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light is partly different from a thickness of the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light.

10. The method for manufacturing a light-emitting device, according to claim 9, wherein one or both of the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light and the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light are formed to have a light reflectance of greater than or equal to 30% and a light transmittance of greater than or equal to 50% with a wavelength of greater than or equal to 400 nm and less than or equal to 700 nm.

11. A method for manufacturing a light-emitting device comprising the steps of:

preparing a first substrate;

forming a first insulating layer over the first substrate;

forming a first conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the first insulating layer;

forming a first EL layer over the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light;

preparing a second substrate;

forming a second insulating layer over the second substrate;

forming a second conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the second insulating layer;

forming a second EL layer over the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light;

forming a first reflective layer having conductivity over the first EL layer; and

forming a second reflective layer having conductivity over the second EL layer,

wherein the second EL layer is formed in a same film formation chamber with a substantially same condition as the first EL layer is formed,

wherein a thickness of the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light is partly different from a thickness of the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light, and

wherein the first substrate and the second substrate have a light-transmitting property.

12. The method for manufacturing a light-emitting device, according to claim 11, wherein one or both of the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light and the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light are formed to have a light reflectance of greater than or equal to 30% and a light transmittance of greater than or equal to 50% with a wavelength of greater than or equal to 400 nm and less than or equal to 700 nm.

13. A light-emitting device comprising:

a substrate;

an insulating surface over the substrate;

a reflective layer over the insulating surface;

a first conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the reflective layer;

an EL layer over the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light; and

a second conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the EL layer,

wherein the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light includes a region with a partly different thickness, and

wherein the EL layer comprises substantially the same composition on an entire surface.

14. The light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein the second conductive layer capable of transmitting light has a light reflectance of greater than or equal to 30% and a light transmittance of greater than or equal to 50% with a wavelength of greater than or equal to 400 nm and less than or equal to 700 nm.

15. The light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein the first conductive layer capable of transmitting light includes a region with a continuously changed thickness.

16. A light-emitting device comprising:

a light-transmitting substrate;

an insulating surface over the light-transmitting substrate;

a conductive layer capable of transmitting light over the insulating surface;

an EL layer over the conductive layer capable of transmitting light; and

a reflective layer having conductivity over the EL layer,

wherein the conductive layer capable of transmitting light includes a region with a partly different thickness, and

wherein the EL layer comprises substantially the same composition on an entire surface.

17. The light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the conductive layer capable of transmitting light comprises a layer having a light reflectance of greater than or equal to 30% and a light transmittance of greater than or equal to 50% with a wavelength of greater than or equal to 400 nm and less than or equal to 700 nm.

18. The light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the conductive layer capable of transmitting light includes a region with a continuously changed thickness.