Method of manufacturing an electro-optical device

• US 6,420,200 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2000
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Konuma, Toshimitsu, Yamazaki, Shunpei, Mizukami, Mayumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roman, Angel
• Application Number:
  US09/598,641
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 438/30, 438/166, 427/66, 427/359
• US Class Current: 438/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02381 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02488 Insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02667 Crystallisation or recrystallisation of non-monocrystalline semiconductor materials, e.g. regrowth
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02686 Pulsed laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1214 comprising a plurality of TFTs formed on a non-semiconducting substrate, e.g. driving circuits for AMLCDs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1251 comprising TFTs having a different architecture, e.g. top- and bottom gate TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/826 Multilayers, e.g. opaque multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1213 the pixel elements being TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/124 Insulating layers formed between TFT elements and OLED elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/13 using printing techniques, e.g. ink-jet printing or screen printing
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/18 using non-liquid printing techniques, e.g. thermal transfer printing from a donor sheet

Abstract

An object of the invention is to reduce the manufacturing cost of EL display devices and electronic devices incorporating the EL display devices.

An EL material is formed by printing in an active matrix EL display device. Relief printing or screen printing may be used as the method of printing. Manufacturing steps of the EL layer is therefore simplified and reduction of manufacturing cost is devised.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of semiconductor elements over a substrate;

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes that are connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements; and

printing an electroluminescence forming substance over the plurality of pixel electrodes,

wherein the electroluminescence forming substance is printed selectively at each pixel.

6. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance is a mixture of an EL material and a solvent.

7. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 6 wherein said electroluminescence material is an organic compound.

8. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein said EL forming substance is printed in a clean booth filled with an inert gas.

9. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to one of the claims 1 to 5 wherein said electroluminescence forming substance is printed by a printing method using a relief printing.

10. A method of manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said electro-optical device is incorporated into an electronic device selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a car navigation system, a portable information terminal, and an image playback device.

28. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 1, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance has the velocity of 10 to 50 cp.

2. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of semiconductor elements over a substrate;

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes that are connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements; and

printing an electroluminescence forming substance over the plurality of pixel electrodes.

21. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 2, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance is printed selectively at each pixel.

29. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 2, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance has the velocity of 10 to 50 cp.

3. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of semiconductor elements over a substrate;

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes that are connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements; and

printing an electroluminescence forming substance over the plurality of pixel electrodes and performing a heat treatment onto said electroluminescence forming substance.

22. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 3, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance is printed selectively at each pixel.

30. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 3, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance has the velocity of 10 to 50 cp.

4. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of semiconductor elements over a substrate;

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes that are connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements;

forming a first electroluminescence material over the plurality of pixel electrodes; and

forming a second electroluminescence material by a vapor deposition method over the first electroluminescence material,

wherein said first electroluminescence material is formed by printing an electroluminescence forming substance.

23. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 4, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance is printed selectively at each pixel.

31. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 4, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance has the velocity of 10 to 50 cp.

5. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of semiconductor elements over a substrate;

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes that are connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements;

forming a first electroluminescence material over the plurality of pixel electrodes; and

forming a second electroluminescence material by a vapor deposition method over the first electroluminescence material,

wherein said first electroluminescence material is formed by printing an electroluminescence forming substance and then performing a heat treatment onto the electroluminescence forming substance.

24. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 5, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance is printed selectively at each pixel.

32. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 5, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance has the velocity of 10 to 50 cp.

11. A method of manufacturing an electroluminescence display device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of semiconductor elements over a substrate;

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes that are connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements; and

printing an electroluminescence forming substance over the plurality of pixel electrodes,

wherein the electroluminescence forming substance is printed selectively at each pixel.

13. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to one of the claim 11 or 12 wherein said EL forming substance is a mixture of an electroluminescence material and a solvent.

14. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 13 wherein said electroluminescence material is an organic compound.

15. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to one of the claim 11 or 12 wherein said electroluminescence forming substance is printed in a clean booth filled with an inert gas.

16. A method of manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to one of claim 11 or 12 wherein said electro-optical device is incorporated into an electronic device selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a car navigation system, a portable information terminal, and an image playback device.

33. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 11, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance has the velocity of 10 to 50 cp.

12. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of semiconductor elements over a substrate;

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes that are connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements; and

printing an electroluminescence forming substance over the plurality of pixel electrodes by a relief printing method.

25. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 12, wherein said electrolumninescence forming substance is printed selectively at each pixel.

34. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 12, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance has the velocity of 10 to 50 cp.

17. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of semiconductor elements over a substrate;

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes that are connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements; and

printing an electroluminescence forming substance over the plurality of pixel electrodes,

wherein the printing are performed by using an anilox roll having meshed grooves over a surface thereof, a doctor bar contacting with the meshed grooves of the anilox roll, and a printing roll having projections over a surface thereof.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the printing is performed by a method comprising the steps of:

pooling the electroluminescence substance at around surface of the anilox roll by the doctor bar;

keeping the electroluminescence forming substance on the meshed grooves while the anilox roll rolls;

providing the projections of the printing roll with said electroluminescence substance while the printing roll rolls; and

printing the electroluminescence substance over pixel electrode.

26. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 17, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance is printed selectively at each pixel.

35. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 17, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance has the velocity of 10 to 50 cp.

18. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of semiconductor elements over a substrate;

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes that are connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements;

forming a first electroluminescence material over the plurality of pixel electrodes; and

forming a second electroluminescence material by a vapor deposition method over the first electroluminescence material,

wherein said first electroluminescence material is formed by printing an electroluminescence forming substance,

wherein the printing are performed by using an anilox roll having meshed grooves over a surface thereof, a doctor bar contacting with the meshed grooves of the anilox roll, and a printing roll having projections over a surface thereof.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the printing is performed by a method comprising the steps of:

pooling the electroluminescence substance at around surface of the anilox roll by the doctor bar;

keeping the EL forming substance on the meshed grooves while the anilox roll rolls;

providing the projections of the printing roll with said electroluminescence substance while the printing roll rolls; and

printing the electroluminescence substance over pixel electrode.

27. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 18, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance is printed selectively at each pixel.

36. A method for manufacturing an electroluminescence display device according to claim 18, wherein said electroluminescence forming substance has the velocity of 10 to 50 cp.