Passive matrix OLED display

• US 6,069,443 A
• Filed: 03/13/1998
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eMagin Corporation (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Fed Corp. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ghosh, Amalkumar P., Jones, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAY, MICHAEL HENRY
• Application Number:
  US09/042,154
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 313/499, 313/500, 313/504, 313/506, 313/509, 313/512, 427/66, 428/917
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/814 combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/173 comprising banks or shadow masks

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an organic light emitting device having a substrate, and at least one conductor formed on the substrate. A first insulator layer is formed on the at least one conductor and the substrate. The insulator layer includes at least one pixel opening formed therein defining a pixel area. A second insulator layer is formed on the first insulator layer. The organic light emitting device also include an OLED layer formed on the at least one conductor in the pixel area. The organic light emitting device may further include a sealing structure formed over the OLED layer. The sealing structure includes at least one material formed over the OLED layer. The first insulator layer and the sealing structure form a protective barrier around the OLED layer. The first insulator layer includes a uniformly sloping surface surrounding the pixel area. The OLED layer preferably extends over the uniformly sloping surface. The organic light emitting may further include at least one OLED connector pad formed on the substrate. Methods of forming the pixel area and the organic light emitting devices are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An organic light emitting device comprising:

a substrate;

at least one conductor formed on said substrate;

a first insulator layer formed on said at least one conductor and said substrate, wherein said insulator layer includes at least one pixel opening formed therein defining a pixel area, wherein said first insulator layer includes a uniformly sloping surface surrounding said pixel area;

a second insulator layer formed on said first insulator layer; and

an OLED layer formed on said at least one conductor in said pixel area wherein said OLED layer extends over said uniformly sloping surface of said first insulator layer.

2. The organic light emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sealing assembly secured to said substrate for enclosing said first insulator layer, said second insulator layer, said OLED layer and a portion of said at least one conductor.

3. The organic light emitting device according to claim 2, wherein said sealing assembly includes a seals and a sealing plate.

4. The organic light emitting device according to claim 3, further comprising a getter material deposited on said sealing plate for absorbing moisture and oxygen.

5. The organic light emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sealing structure formed over said OLED layer.

6. The organic light emitting device according to claim 5, wherein said sealing structure includes at least one material formed over said OLED layer.

7. The organic light emitting device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a sealing assembly secured to said substrate for enclosing said first insulator layer, said second insulator layer, said OLED layer and a portion of said at least one conductor.

8. The organic light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein said sealing assembly includes a seals and a sealing plate.

9. The organic light emitting device according to claim 8, further comprising a getter material deposited on said sealing plate for absorbing moisture and oxygen.

10. The organic light emitting device according to claim 5, wherein said first insulator layer, said at least one conductor, and said sealing structure form a protective barrier around said OLED layer.

11. The organic light emitting device according to claim 6, wherein said sealing structure includes two layers formed over said OLED layer.

12. The organic light emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one OLED connector pad formed on said substrate, said at least one OLED connector pad is capable of being electrically connected to said OLED layer.

13. The organic light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein said at least one OLED connector pad is orthogonal to the at least one conductor.

14. The organic light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein said OLED layer comprises at least one layer, and one of said at least one layer is electrically connected to one of said at least one OLED connector pad.

15. The organic light emitting device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a sealing structure formed over said OLED layer.

16. The organic light emitting device according to claim 15, further comprising:

a sealing structure formed over said OLED layer, wherein said sealing structure electrically connects said OLED layer to one of said at least one conductor pad.

17. The organic light emitting device according to claim 12, further comprising:

a sealing assembly secured to said substrate for enclosing said first insulator layer, said second insulator layer, said OLED layer, a portion of said at least one conductor, and a portion of said at least one OLED connector pad.

18. The organic light emitting device according to claim 17, wherein said sealing assembly includes a seals and a sealing plate.

19. The organic light emitting device according to claim 18, further comprising a getter material deposited on said sealing plate for absorbing moisture and oxygen.

20. The organic light emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising a conductor line formed on each of said at least one conductor.

21. The organic light emitting device according to claim 20, wherein said conductor line is positioned along an edge of each of said at least one conductor.

22. The organic light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein said conductor line is formed from a material having greater electrical conductivity than the material forming said at least one conductor.

23. The organic light emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising a high conductive material formed on a portion of each of said at least one conductor to increase the conductivity of said at least one conductor.

24. An organic light emitting device comprising:

a substrate;

at least one conductor formed on said substrate;

at least one OLED connector pad formed on said substrate;

a first insulator layer formed on said at least one conductor and said substrate, wherein said insulator layer includes at least one pixel opening formed therein defining a pixel area, wherein said first insulator layer includes a uniformly sloping surface surrounding said pixel area; and

an OLED layer formed on said at least one conductor in said pixel area, wherein said at least one OLED connector pad is capable of being electrically connected to said OLED layer, wherein said OLED layer extends over said uniformly sloping surface.

25. The organic light emitting device according to claim 24, further comprising:

a sealing assembly secured to said substrate for enclosing said insulator layer, said OLED layer, a portion of said at least one conductor, and a portion of said at least one OLED connector pad.

26. The organic light emitting device according to claim 25, wherein said sealing assembly includes a seals and a sealing plate.

27. The organic light emitting device according to claim 26, further comprising a getter material deposited on said sealing plate for absorbing moisture and oxygen.

28. The organic light emitting device according to claim 24, further comprising a conductor line formed on each of said at least one conductor.

29. The organic light emitting device according to claim 28, wherein said conductor line is positioned along an edge of each of said at least one conductor.

30. The organic light emitting device according to claim 29, wherein said conductor line is formed from a material having greater electrical conductivity than the material forming said at least one conductor.

31. The organic light emitting device according to claim 27, further comprising:

a second insulator layer formed on said first insulator layer.

32. The organic light emitting device according to claim 31, further comprising:

a sealing structure formed over said OLED layer.

33. The organic light emitting device according to claim 32, wherein said sealing structure includes at least one material formed over said OLED layer.

34. The organic light emitting device according to claim 24, further comprising:

a sealing structure formed over said OLED layer.

35. The organic light emitting device according to claim 34, wherein said first insulator layer and said sealing structure form a protective barrier around said OLED layer.

36. The organic light emitting device according to claim 35, wherein said sealing structure includes at least one material formed over said OLED layer.

37. The organic light emitting device according to claim 36, wherein said sealing structure includes two layers formed over said OLED layer.

38. The organic light emitting device according to claim 37, wherein one of said two layers of said sealing structure electrically connects one of said at least one OLED conductor pad to said OLED layer.