EL display device and manufacturing method thereof

• US 6,555,969 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2002
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, TUYET THI
• Application Number:
  US10/186,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20020180374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 302 Days
• Field of Search: 315/169.3, 315/169.1, 313/506, 313/507, 313/504, 313/111, 257/643, 257/59, 257/72, 257/350
• US Class Current: 315/169.3
• 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: H01L 29/78621 with LDD structure or an extension or an offset region or characterised by the doping profile
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78627 with a significant overlap between the lightly doped drain and the gate electrode, e.g. GOLDD
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/321 Inverted OLED, i.e. having cathode between substrate and anode
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/81 Anodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/822 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/826 Multilayers, e.g. opaque multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/854 comprising scattering means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/123 Connection of the pixel electrodes to the thin film transistors [TFT]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/17 Passive-matrix OLED displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80521 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80523 Multilayers, e.g. opaque multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/877 comprising scattering means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8791 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light

Abstract

Reducing the manufacturing cost of an EL display device and an electronic device furnished with the EL display device is taken as an objective. A textured structure in which projecting portions are formed on the surface of a cathode is used. External stray light is diffusely (irregularly) reflected by the action of the projecting portions when reflected by the surface of the cathode, and therefore a defect in which the face of an observer or the surrounding scenery is reflected in the surface of the cathode can be prevented. This can be completed without using a conventionally necessary high price circular polarizing film, and therefore it is possible to reduce the cost of manufacturing the EL display device.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a light emitting layer provided over said substrate;

a conducting film comprising an anode and provided over said substrate, said anode provided over said light emitting layer;

an input wiring provided over said substrate;

an insulating film provided over said input wiring;

an opening provided in said insulating film;

wherein said conducting film is provided over said insulating film and in contact with said input wiring through said opening.

2. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a passivation film provided over said anode.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said display device is incorporated into one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a game machine, a car navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, a mobile computer, a portable telephone, an electronic book and an image playback device.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an organic light emitting layer.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an EL layer.

6. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a cathode provided over said substrate;

a light emitting layer provided over said cathode;

a conducting film comprising an anode and provided over said substrate, said anode provided over said light emitting layer;

an input wiring provided over said substrate;

an insulating film provided over said input wiring;

an opening provided in said insulating film;

wherein said conducting film is provided over said insulating film and in contact with said input wiring through said opening, and

wherein a surface of said cathode has a textured structure comprising projecting portions.

7. A device according to claim 6 further comprising a passivation film provided over said anode.

8. A device according to claim 6 wherein said display device is incorporated into one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a game machine, a car navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, a mobile computer, a portable telephone, an electronic book and an image playback device.

9. A device according to claim 6 wherein a pitch between said projecting portions is 0.05 to 1 mm.

10. A device according to claim 6 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an organic light emitting layer.

11. A device according to claim 6 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an EL layer.

12. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a light emitting layer provided over said substrate;

a conducting film comprising an anode and provided over said substrate, said anode provided over said light emitting layer;

a power supply line provided over said substrate;

an insulating film provided over said power supply line;

an opening provided in said insulating film;

wherein said conducting film is provided over said insulating film and in contact with said power supply line through said opening.

13. A device according to claim 12 further comprising a passivation film provided over said anode.

14. A device according to claim 12 wherein said display device is incorporated into one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a game machine, a car navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, a mobile computer, a portable telephone, an electronic book and an image playback device.

15. A device according to claim 12 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an organic light emitting layer.

16. A device according to claim 12 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an EL layer.

17. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a cathode provided over said substrate;

a light emitting layer provided over said cathode;

a conducting film comprising an anode and provided over said substrate, said anode provided over said light emitting layer;

a power supply line provided over said substrate;

an insulating film provided over said power supply line;

an opening provided in said insulating film;

wherein said conducting film is provided over said insulating film and in contact with said power supply line through said opening, and

wherein a surface of said cathode has a textured structure comprising projecting portions.

18. A device according to claim 17 further comprising a passivation film provided over said anode.

19. A device according to claim 17 wherein said display device is incorporated into one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a game machine, a car navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, a mobile computer, a portable telephone, an electronic book and an image playback device.

20. A device according to claim 17 wherein a pitch between said projecting portions is 0.05 to 1 mm.

21. A device according to claim 17 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an organic light emitting layer.

22. A device according to claim 17 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an EL layer.

23. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a light emitting layer provided over said substrate;

a conducting film comprising an anode and provided over said substrate, said anode provided over said light emitting layer;

an input wiring provided over said substrate;

an insulating film provided over said input wiring;

a tapered opening provided in said insulating film;

wherein said conducting film is provided over said insulating film and in contact with said input wiring through said opening.

24. A device according to claim 23 further comprising a passivation film provided over said anode.

25. A device according to claim 23 wherein said display device is incorporated into one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a game machine, a car navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, a mobile computer, a portable telephone, an electronic book and an image playback device.

26. A device according to claim 23 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an organic light emitting layer.

27. A device according to claim 23 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an EL layer.

28. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a cathode provided over said substrate;

a light emitting layer provided over said cathode;

a conducting film comprising an anode and provided over said substrate, said anode provided over said light emitting layer;

an input wiring provided over said substrate;

an insulating film provided over said input wiring;

a tapered opening provided in said insulating film;

wherein said conducting film is provided over said insulating film and in contact with said input wiring through said opening, and

wherein a surface of said cathode has a textured structure comprising projecting portions.

29. A device according to claim 28 further comprising a passivation film provided over said anode.

30. A device according to claim 28 wherein said display device is incorporated into one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a game machine, a car navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, a mobile computer, a portable telephone, an electronic book and an image playback device.

31. A device according to claim 28 wherein a pitch between said projecting portions is 0.05 to 1 mm.

32. A device according to claim 28 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an organic light emitting layer.

33. A device according to claim 28 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an EL layer.

34. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a light emitting layer provided over said substrate;

a conducting film comprising an anode and provided over said substrate, said anode provided over said light emitting layer;

a power supply line provided over said substrate;

an insulating film provided over said power supply line;

a tapered opening provided in said insulating film;

wherein said conducting film is provided over said insulating film and in contact with said power supply line through said opening.

35. A device according to claim 34 further comprising a passivation film provided over said anode.

36. A device according to claim 34 wherein said display device is incorporated into one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a game machine, a car navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, a mobile computer, a portable telephone, an electronic book and an image playback device.

37. A device according to claim 34 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an organic light emitting layer.

38. A device according to claim 34 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an EL layer.

39. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a cathode provided over said substrate;

a light emitting layer provided over said cathode;

a conducting film comprising an anode and provided over said substrate, said anode provided over said light emitting layer;

a power supply line provided over said substrate;

an insulating film provided over said power supply line;

a tapered opening provided in said insulating film;

wherein said conducting film is provided over said insulating film and in contact with said power supply line through said opening, and

wherein a surface of said cathode has a textured structure comprising projecting portions.

40. A device according to claim 39 further comprising a passivation film provided over said anode.

41. A device according to claim 39 wherein said display device is incorporated into one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a game machine, a car navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, a mobile computer, a portable telephone, an electronic book and an image playback device.

42. A device according to claim 39 wherein a pitch between said projecting portions is 0.05 to 1 mm.

43. A device according to claim 39 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an organic light emitting layer.

44. A device according to claim 39 wherein said light emitting layer comprises an EL layer.