Structure of thin film electroluminescent device

• US 5,352,543 A
• Filed: 10/30/1991
• Issued: 10/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goldstar Jewellery LLC
• Original Assignee: Goldstar Jewellery LLC
• Inventors: Ryu, Jae H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nold, Charles R.
• Application Number:
  US07/785,371
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 428/690, 428/917, 428/141, 428/408, 428/213, 313/506-509
• US Class Current: 428/690
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/10 Apparatus or processes specially adapted to the manufacture of electroluminescent light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/12 Light sources with substantially two-dimensional radiating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/145 Arrangements of the electroluminescent material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/22 characterised by the chemical or physical composition or the arrangement of auxiliary dielectric or reflective layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent

Abstract

Disclosed is a thin film electroluminescent device of this invention comprising a transparent substrate, a transparent electrode, a fluorescent layer emitting a light when being charged with a certain voltage, a first and second insulating layer being laminated on the top and the bottom of the fluorescent layer to make a dopant be excited and emit a light efficiently, a first light absorbing layer being laminated on the second insulating layer to improve the function of contrast of the device of electroluminescence, a rear electrode formed on the first light absorbing layer at regular intervals, a rear insulating layer being laminated on the rear electrode to prevent the current from leaking from the rear electrode, and a second light absorbing layer being laminated on the rear insulating layer to blacken the etched portion of the first light absorbing layer. A method of fabrication is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A thin film electroluminescent device, comprising:

a) a substrate;

b) a transparent electrode formed on said substrate;

c) a first insulating layer formed on said transparent electrode;

d) a fluorescent layer formed on said first insulating layer and including dopants for emitting light when being charged;

e) a second insulating layer formed on said fluorescent layer wherein said first and second insulating layers effectively excite the dopants in said fluorescent layer and make said dopants emit light;

f) a first light absorbing layer formed on said second insulating layer and including an etched portion to improve the effect of contrast by preventing light from being reflected;

g) a rear electrode formed on said first light absorbing layer;

h) a rear insulating layer formed on said rear electrode to prevent current leakage; and

i) a second light absorbing layer formed on said rear insulating layer for preventing blackening of the etched portion of said first light absorbing layer.

2. A thin film electroluminescent device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first light absorbing layer consists of SiNx and the value of `x` is within 0.1 to 0.5.

3. A thin film electroluminescent device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rear insulating layer and said second insulating layer comprise identical material.

4. A thin film electroluminescent device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second light absorbing layer consists of carbon.

5. A thin film electroluminescent device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first light absorbing layer has a thickness of 100 to 200 nm.

6. A thin film electroluminescent device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the etched portion of said first light absorbing layer is the same size as said rear electrode.

7. A thin film electroluminescent device, comprising:

a) a substrate;

b) a transparent electrode formed on said substrate;

c) a first insulating layer formed on said transparent electrode;

d) a fluorescent layer formed on said first insulating layer and including dopants for emitting light when being charged;

e) a second insulating layer formed on said fluorescent layer wherein said first and second insulating layers effectively excite the dopants in said fluorescent layer and make said dopants emit light;

f) a first light absorbing layer formed on said second insulating layer and including an etched portion to improve the effect of contrast by preventing light from being reflected, wherein said first light absorbing layer is produced from SiNx and the value of `x` is less than 1.33;

g) a rear electrode formed on said first light absorbing layer;

h) a rear insulating layer formed on said rear electrode to prevent current leakage; and

i) a second light absorbing layer formed on said rear insulating layer for preventing blackening of the etched portion of said first light absorbing layer.