Organic EL element

• US 5,882,761 A
• Filed: 11/19/1996
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronics Corporation (Pioneer Corporation), Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics Corporation (Pioneer Corporation), Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakada, Hitoshi, Naito, Takemi, Kawami, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): RAIMUND, CHRISTOPHER W
• Application Number:
  US08/746,977
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 428/69, 428/76, 428/917, 252/301.16, 313/506, 313/512
• US Class Current: 428/69
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/04 Sealing arrangements , e.g. against humidity
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/12 Light sources with substantially two-dimensional radiating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/846 comprising getter material or desiccants
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/231 Filled with gas other than air; or under vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 Complete cover or casing

Abstract

An organic electro-luminescent element is provided with a drying substance contained in an airtight container and spaced from the element in an internal space of the airtight container for absorbing moisture in the internal space. The drying substance comprises a solid compound which chemically absorbs the moisture and maintains its solid state even after absorbing the moisture.

Claims

1. An organic EL element comprising:

a lamination body comprising a pair of electrodes opposed to each other and an organic luminescent material layer, which comprises an organic compound and is interposed between said pair of electrodes, for emitting a light from said organic luminescent material layer by supplying electrons and holes to said organic luminescent material layer from said pair of electrodes;

an airtight container for airtightly containing said lamination body to isolate said lamination body from an external atmosphere thereof; and

a drying substance airtightly contained in said airtight container and spaced from said lamination body in an internal space of said airtight container, for absorbing moisture in the internal space, said drying substance comprising a solid compound which is formed in a predetermined shape, is fixed on an internal surface of said airtight container by use of a bonding agent, chemically absorbs the moisture and maintains its solid state even after absorbing the moisture.

2. An organic EL element according to claim 1, wherein said lamination body further comprises an electron supplying layer and a holes supplying layer laminated on said pair of electrodes for respectively supplying the electrons and the holes.

3. An organic EL element according to claim 1, wherein said airtight container comprises:

a sealing case, in which said drying substance is disposed;

a transparent substrate, on which said lamination body is disposed and which covers said sealing case; and

a sealing agent for airtightly bonding said transparent substrate to said sealing case.

4. An organic EL element according to claim 1, wherein the internal space of said airtight container is filled with inert gas.

5. An organic EL element according to claim 1, wherein the solid compound of said drying substance comprises an alkaline metal oxide compound.

6. An organic EL element according to claim 1, wherein the solid compound of said drying substance comprises an alkaline earth metal oxide compound.

7. An organic EL element according to claim 1, wherein the solid compound of said drying substance comprises sulfate.

8. An organic EL element according to claim 1, wherein the solid compound of said drying substance comprises metal halide.

9. An organic EL element according to claim 1, wherein the solid compound of said drying substance comprises perchlorate.

10. An organic EL element according to claim 1, wherein the solid compound of said drying substance comprises an organic substance.

11. An organic EL element according to claim 6, wherein the alkaline earth metal oxide compound comprises barium oxide (BaO).

12. An organic EL element according to claim 1, wherein said airtight container comprises:

a sealing case having a bottom wall and a side wall standing from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall, in which said drying substance is fixed on an upper surface of the bottom wall; and

a transparent substrate, on which said lamination body is disposed and which covers said sealing case at an upper edge face of the side wall such that the lamination body is opposed to and spaced from the drying substance in the internal space.

13. An organic EL element comprising:

a lamination body comprising a pair of electrodes opposed to each other and an organic luminescent material layer, which comprises an organic compound and is interposed between said pair of electrodes, for emitting a light from said organic luminescent material layer by supplying electrons and holes to said organic luminescent material layer from said pair of electrodes;

an airtight container for airtightly containing said lamination body to isolate said lamination body from an external atmosphere thereof; and

a drying substance airtightly contained in said airtight container and spaced from said lamination body in an internal space of said airtight container, for absorbing moisture in the internal space, said drying substance comprising a solid compound which is packed in an air-permeable bag, is fixed at the air-permeable bag on an internal surface of said airtight container, chemically absorbs the moisture and maintains its solid state even after absorbing the moisture.

14. An organic EL element comprising:

a lamination body comprising a pair of electrodes opposed to each other and an organic luminescent material layer, which comprises an organic compound and is interposed between said pair of electrodes, for emitting a light from said organic luminescent material layer by supplying electrons and holes to said organic luminescent material layer from said pair of electrodes;

an airtight container for airtightly containing said lamination body to isolate said lamination body from an external atmosphere thereof; and

a drying substance airtightly contained in said airtight container and spaced from said lamination body in an internal space of said airtight container, for absorbing moisture in the internal space, said drying substance comprising a solid compound which is enclosed into a partition of said airtight container at a side thereof opposed to said lamination body, chemically absorbs the moisture and maintains its solid state even after absorbing the moisture.

15. An organic EL element comprising:

a lamination body comprising a pair of electrodes opposed to each other and an organic luminescent material layer, which comprises an organic compound and is interposed between said pair of electrodes, for emitting a light from said organic luminescent material layer by supplying electrons and holes to said organic luminescent material layer from said pair of electrodes;

an airtight container for airtightly containing said lamination body to isolate said lamination body from an external atmosphere thereof; and

a drying substance airtightly contained in said airtight container and spaced from said lamination body in an internal space of said airtight container, for absorbing moisture in the internal space, said drying substance comprising a solid compound which is formed as a film by one of a vacuum-vapor deposition, a spattering and spinner-coating on an internal surface of said airtight container, chemically absorbs the moisture and maintains its solid state even after absorbing the moisture.