Light-emitting device and display device

• US 6,605,826 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2001
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Arai, Yasuyuki, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, TAN N
• Application Number:
  US09/929,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20020024096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 257/359, 257/79, 257/81, 257/89, 257/72, 257/59, 438/30, 438/151, 438/149, 438/160, 438/155, 349/508, 349/609, 349/153, 313/500, 313/506, 313/511, 313/512, 313/519, 313/518
• US Class Current: 257/72
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• 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 29/78603 characterised by the insulating substrate or support H01L29/78657 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/82 Cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/846 comprising getter material or desiccants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one organic light-emitting element covered by group H10K50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1201 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1213 the pixel elements being TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/871 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/874 including getter material or desiccant
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8792 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. black layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 : Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/80 : using temporary substrates

Abstract

Although an organic resin substrate is highly effective at reducing the weight and improving the shock resistance of a display device, it is required to improve the moisture resistance of the organic resin substrate for the sake of maintaining the reliability of an EL element. Hard carbon films are formed to cover a surface of the organic resin substrate and outer surfaces of a sealing member. Typically, DLC (Diamond like Carbon) films are used as the carbon films. The DLC films have a construction where carbon atoms are bonded into an SP³ bond in terms of a short-distance order, although the films have an amorphous construction from a macroscopic viewpoint. The DLC films contain 95 to 70 atomic % carbon and 5 to 30 atomic % hydrogen, so that the DLC films are very hard and minute and have a superior gas barrier property and insulation performance.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a pair of substrates that are each flexible and made of an organic resin material;

a light-emitting element provided between said pair of substrates; and

a sealing member provided between end portions of said pair of substrates,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed in end portions of the pair of substrates and on outer surfaces of the sealing member.

10. A display device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein carbon atoms are bonded into an SP³ bond in said coating film.

11. A display device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said coating film has a hardness of 15 to 25 GPa.

12. A display device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said coating film is a DLC film.

14. A display device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said light-emitting element includes a compound that emits light via a triplet excited state.

15. A display device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said display device is incorporated into an electric equipment selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a mobile computer, a portable book, a video camera, a personal computer, a player, a digital camera and a car audio system.

2. A display device comprising:

a pair of substrates that are each flexible and made of an organic resin material;

a light-emitting element provided between the pair of substrates; and

a sealing member provided between end portions of the pair of substrates,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed in end portions of said pair of substrates, on outer surface of one of said pair of substrates, and on outer surfaces of said sealing member.

3. A display device comprising:

a pair of substrates that are each flexible and made of an organic resin material;

a light-emitting element provided between said pair of substrates; and

a sealing member provided between end portions of said pair of substrates,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed on outer surfaces of said pair of substrates, and on outer surfaces of said sealing member.

4. A display device comprising:

a first substrate that is flexible and made of an organic resin material;

a light-emitting element formed over said first substrate;

a second substrate that is flexible, made of an organic resin material, and provided to oppose the light-emitting element; and

a sealing member provided to fix said first substrate and said second substrate,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed in end portions of said first substrate and said second substrate and on outer surfaces of said sealing member.

13. A display device according to any one of claims 4 to 9, wherein said second substrate is permeable to luminescence light emitted from the light-emitting element.

5. A display device comprising:

a first substrate that is flexible and made of an organic resin material;

a light-emitting element formed over said first substrate;

a second substrate that is flexible, made of an organic resin material, and provided to oppose said light-emitting element; and

a sealing member provided to fix said first substrate and said second substrate,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed in end portions of said first substrate and said second substrate, on outer surface of said first substrate, and on outer surfaces of said sealing member.

6. A display device comprising:

a first substrate that is flexible and made of an organic resin material;

a light-emitting element formed over said first substrate;

a second substrate that is flexible, made of an organic resin material, and provided to oppose said light-emitting element; and

a sealing member provided to fix said first substrate and said second substrate,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed on outer surfaces of said first substrate, and said second substrate and on outer surfaces of said sealing member.

7. A display device comprising:

a first substrate that is flexible and made of an organic resin material;

a pixel portion that is formed over said first substrate using a TFT and a light-emitting element;

a second substrate that is flexible, made of an organic resin material, and provided to oppose said light-emitting element; and

a sealing member provided to fix said first substrate and said second substrate,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed in end portions of said first substrate and said second substrate and on outer surfaces of said sealing member.

8. A display device comprising:

a first substrate that is flexible and made of an organic resin material;

a pixel portion that is formed over said first substrate using a TFT and a light-emitting element;

a second substrate that is flexible, made of an organic resin material, and provided to oppose said light-emitting element; and

a sealing member provided to fix said first substrate and said second substrate,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed in end portions of said first substrate and said second substrate, on outer surface of said first substrate, and on outer surfaces of said sealing member.

9. A display device comprising:

a first substrate that is flexible and made of an organic resin material;

a pixel portion that is formed over said first substrate using a TFT and a light-emitting element;

a second substrate that is flexible, made of an organic resin material, and provided to oppose said light-emitting element; and

a sealing member provided to fix said first substrate and said second substrate,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed on outer surfaces of said first substrate and said second substrate, and on outer surfaces of said sealing member.

16. A display device comprising:

a pair of substrates;

a light-emitting element provided between said pair of substrates; and

a sealing member provided between end portions of said pair of substrates,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed in end portions of the pair of substrates and on outer surfaces of the sealing member.

19. A display device according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein carbon atoms are bonded into an SP³ bond in said coating film.

20. A display device according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein said coating film has a hardness of 15 to 25 GPa.

21. A display device according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein said coating film is a DLC film.

22. A display device according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein said light-emitting element includes a compound that emits light via a triplet excited state.

23. A display device according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein said display device is incorporated into an electric equipment selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a mobile computer, a portable book, a video camera, a personal computer, a player, a digital camera and a car audio system.

17. A display device comprising:

a pair of substrates;

a light-emitting element provided between the pair of substrates; and

a sealing member provided between end portions of the pair of substrates,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed in end portions of said pair of substrates, on outer surface of one of said pair of substrates, and on outer surfaces of said sealing member.

18. A display device comprising:

a pair of substrates;

a light-emitting element provided between said pair of substrates; and

a sealing member provided between end portions of said pair of substrates,

wherein a coating film whose main ingredient is carbon is formed on outer surfaces of said pair of substrates, and on outer surfaces of said sealing member.