Electroluminescent or photocell device having protective packaging

• US 6,383,664 B2
• Filed: 05/11/1999
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bernius, Mark T., Woo, Edmund P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelly, Cynthia H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garrett, Dawn L.
• Application Number:
  US09/309,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20020018911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 428/690, 428/917, 313/502, 313/504, 313/506, 313/512, 257/100, 257/99
• US Class Current: 428/690
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2077 Sealing arrangements, e.g. to prevent the leakage of the electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/00 Organic devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10K39/00, H10K65/00; electrolytic light-sensitive devices H01G9/20
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 39/601 Assemblies of multiple devices comprising at least one organic radiation-sensitive element
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8428 Vertical spacers, e.g. arranged between the sealing arrangement and the OLED
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/542 Dye sensitized solar cells

Abstract

The device of this invention comprises a optoelectronic element, a cover, and an adhesive. The optoelectronic element comprises a substrate bearing an anode, a film comprising an optoelectronic material, and a cathode. The cover comprises a lid and a raised rim which is recessed from the outer edge of the lid. The cover contacts the element so that the film comprising the optoelectronic material is located between the substrate and the lid, and within the region defined by the raised rim. An adhesive, located in a channel defined by the bottom surface of the lid from the outer edge to the rim, the rim, and the top surface of the optoelectronic element outside of the region defined by the rim, serves to attach the cover to the optoelectronic element.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

(a) a optoelectronic element comprising (i) a substrate, (ii) a film comprising an optoelectronic material on a side of the substrate, and (iii) an anode and a cathode each of which are in contact with the film comprising the optoelectronic material and are separated from each other, wherein the side of the substrate bearing the film comprising the optoelectronic material, the film comprising optoelectronic material, the anode and the cathode define a top surface of the optoelectronic element,

(b) a cover comprising (i) a lid having a bottom surface, and an outer edge, and (ii) a rim extending from the bottom surface of the lid, recessed from the outer edge of the lid, and defining a region circumscribed by the rim, wherein the rim contacts the top surface of the optoelectronic element so that the optoelectronic material is within the region defined by the rim, and

(c) an adhesive located in a channel defined by (i) the bottom surface of the lid between the outer edge and the rim, (ii) the rim, and (iii) the top surface of the optoelectronic element not within the region circumscribed by the rim.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the optoelectronic material is a luminescent organic compound.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the luminescent organic compound is a polymer.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the optoelectronic material conducts current when exposed to light.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the optoelectronic material is sandwiched between the anode and the cathode.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the cathode comprises a low work function metal.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein there is a thin layer of a getter material on the bottom surface of the lid.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein there is a thin film of an inorganic, insulating material on the cathode.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the lid comprises a material selected from glass, quartz, ceramic, rigid polymers having a coating of a barrier material, aluminum, and stainless steel.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the rim comprises a material selected from glass, quartz, ceramic, rigid polymers having a coating of a barrier material, aluminum, and stainless steel, with the proviso that if the material is electrically conducting, the portion of the rim that contacts the element is coated with an electrically insulating material.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the adhesive is selected from UV-curable adhesive and two-component epoxy adhesives.