Light-emitting device and electric apparatus

• US 6,515,310 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Koyama, Jun, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FORDE, REMMON R
• Application Number:
  US09/848,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20020030193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 257/91, 257/98, 257/99, 257/744, 257/745, 257/749, 313/503, 313/491, 313/492
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/828 Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/85 Arrangements for extracting light from the devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/865 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. light-blocking layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80524 Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8792 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. black layers

Abstract

A light shield film is provided adjacent to an anode of an EL element that consists of the anode, an EL layer, and a cathode. The anode and the cathode are transparent or semitransparent to visible light and hence transmit EL light. With this structure, ambient light is absorbed by the light shield film and does not reach an observer. This prevents an external view from appearing on the observation surface.

Claims

1. A light-emitting device comprising:

an electroluminescence element having an anode and a cathode each of which is a conductive film that is transparent or semitransparent to visible light; and

a light shield film provided in contact with said electroluminescence element.

2. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said anode is an oxide conductive film.

3. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said cathode comprises a metal film containing a group-1 or group-2 element in the periodic table and an oxide conductive film.

4. The light-emitting device according to claim 3, wherein said metal film is 5-70 nm in thickness.

5. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said light shield film is a film selected from the group consisting of an insulating film dispersed with metal particles or carbon particles, a titanium film, a titanium nitride film, a chromium film, a molybdenum film, a tungsten film, a tantalum film, or a tantalum nitride film, and a semiconductor film.

6. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said light-emitting device is incorporated into an electronic apparatus selected from the group consisting of an EL display, a video camera, a digital camera, an image reproducing apparatus, a mobile computer, a personal computer, a cellular phone, and a car audio apparatus.

7. A light-emitting device comprising:

an insulating film;

a light shield film on said insulating film; and

an electroluminescence element on said light shield film,

wherein said electroluminescence element has an anode on said light shield film, and an electroluminescence layer on said anode, and a cathode on said electroluminescence layer, and

wherein said anode is a conductive film that is transparent or semitransparent to visible light.

8. The light-emitting device according to claim 7, wherein said anode is an oxide conductive film.

9. The light-emitting device according to claim 7, wherein said cathode comprises a metal film containing a group-1 or group-2 element in the periodic table and an oxide conductive film.

10. The light-emitting device according to claim 9, wherein said metal film is 5-70 nm in thickness.

11. The light-emitting device according to claim 7, wherein said light shield film is a film selected from the group consisting of an insulating film dispersed with metal particles or carbon particles, a titanium film, a titanium nitride film, a chromium film, a molybdenum film, a tungsten film, a tantalum film, or a tantalum nitride film, and a semiconductor film.

12. The light-emitting device according to claim 7, wherein said light-emitting device is incorporated into an electronic apparatus selected from the group consisting of an EL display, a video camera, a digital camera, an image reproducing apparatus, a mobile computer, a personal computer, a cellular phone, and a car audio apparatus.

13. A light-emitting device comprising:

an electroluminescence element having an anode and a cathode each of which is a conductive film that is transparent or semitransparent to visible light; and

a light shield film provided in contact with said anode or said cathode of said electroluminescence element.

14. The light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein said anode is an oxide conductive film.

15. The light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein said cathode comprises a metal film containing a group-1 or group-2 element in the periodic table and an oxide conductive film.

16. The light-emitting device according to claim 15, wherein said metal film is 5-70 nm in thickness.

17. The light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein said light shield film is a film selected from the group consisting of an insulating film dispersed with metal particles or carbon particles, a titanium film, a titanium nitride film, a chromium film, a molybdenum film, a tungsten film, a tantalum film, or a tantalum nitride film, and a semiconductor film.

18. The light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein said insulating film dispersed with metal particles or carbon particles has resistivity of 1×

10⁶ to 1×

10¹² Ω

·

.

19. The light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein said light-emitting device is incorporated into an electronic apparatus selected from the group consisting of an EL display, a video camera, a digital camera, an image reproducing apparatus, a mobile computer, a personal computer, a cellular phone, and a car audio apparatus.

20. A light-emitting device comprising:

an anode and a cathode each of which is a conductive film that is transparent or semitransparent to visible light, and an electroluminescence layer formed therebetween;

wherein a light shield film is provided in contact with at least one of said cathode and said anode.

21. The light-emitting device according to claim 20, wherein said light shield film is a film selected from the group consisting of an insulating film dispersed with metal particles or carbon particles, a titanium film, a titanium nitride film, a chromium film, a molybdenum film, a tungsten film, a tantalum film, or a tantalum nitride film, and a semiconductor film.

22. The light-emitting device according to claim 20, wherein said anode is an oxide conductive film.

23. The light-emitting device according to claim 20, wherein said light-emitting device is incorporated into an electronic apparatus selected from the group consisting of an EL display, a video camera, a digital camera, an image reproducing apparatus, a mobile computer, a personal computer, a cellular phone, and a car audio apparatus.

24. A light-emitting device comprising:

an insulating film;

a light shield film on said insulating film; and

an electroluminescence element on said light shield film, wherein;

said electroluminescence element has a cathode on said light shield film, an electroluminescence layer on said cathode, and an anode on said electroluminescence layer, and

said cathode is a conductive film that is transparent or semitransparent to visible light.

25. The light-emitting device according to claim 24, wherein said anode is an oxide conductive film.

26. The light-emitting device according to claim 24, wherein said cathode comprises a metal film containing a group-1 or group-2 element in the periodic table and an oxide conductive film.

27. The light-emitting device according to claim 24, wherein said metal film is 5-70 nm in thickness.

28. The light-emitting device according to claim 24, wherein said light shield film is a film selected from the group consisting of an insulating film dispersed with metal particles or carbon particles, a titanium film, a titanium nitride film, a chromium film, a molybdenum film, a tungsten film, a tantalum film, or a tantalum nitride film, and a semiconductor film.

29. The light-emitting device according to claim 24, wherein said light-emitting device is incorporated into an electronic apparatus selected from the group consisting of an EL display, a video camera, a digital camera, an image reproducing apparatus, a mobile computer, a personal computer, a cellular phone, and a car audio apparatus.