Light-emitting device

• US 6,692,845 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2001
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ikeda, Hisao, Maruyama, Junya
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelly, Cynthia H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARRETT, DAWN L
• Application Number:
  US09/852,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20010041270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 257/93, 257/88, 257/100, 428/690, 428/917, 313/502, 313/509, 313/506, 427/66
• US Class Current: 428/690
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/14 Carrier transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/171 Electron injection layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/17 Passive-matrix OLED displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/173 comprising banks or shadow masks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent

Abstract

The present invention provides a technique for performing film-forming of a cathode comprising a metallic with a good adhesion, as well as a light-emitting device producing a good image to be displayed. An EL element is fabricated to have a structure in which an electron transport layer comprising a low molecular weight film is provided on a luminescent layer (104) comprising a polymer film and a cathode (106) comprising a metallic film is provided on the resultant electron transport layer. With such structure, occurrence of delamination or a dark spot derived from inferior adhesion of the cathode (106) can be prevented to obtain the light-emitting device producing a good image quality.

Claims

1. A light-emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

a resin interlayer insulating film over the thin film transistor and having a hardened uppermost surface; and

an electroluminescence element over said resin interlayer insulating film, said electroliminescence element comprising an anode, a polymer film provided on said anode, a low molecular weight film provided in contact with said polymer film and a cathode provided in contact with said low molecular weight film;

wherein an edge of said anode is covered with a resin film having an uppermost surface convered with a protective film comprising DLC.

7. A light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said polymer film is a luminescent layer and said low molecular weight film is an electron transport layer or an electron injection layer.

13. An electronic apparatus comprising said light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said electronic apparatus is one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal.

19. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the low molecular weight film comprises Alq3, TAZ, TPOB, BeBq2 or PySPy.

2. A light-emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor provided on an insulating surface; and

an electroluminescence element which is electrically connected with said thin film transistor,

a resin interlayer insulating film having an uppermost surface hardened over said thin film transistor, and

wherein said electroluminescence element comprises an anode, a polymer film provided on said anode, a low molecular weight film provided in contact with said polymer film and a cathode provided in contact with said low molecular weight film.

8. A light-emitting device according to claim 2, wherein said polymer film is a luminescent layer and said low molecular weight film is an electron transport layer or an electron injection layer.

14. An electronic apparatus comprising said light-emitting device according to claim 2, wherein said electronic apparatus is one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal.

20. A light emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the low molecular weight film comprises Alq3, TAZ, TPOB, BeBq2 or PySPy.

3. A light-emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor provided on an insulating film; and

an electroluminescence element which is electrically connected with said thin film transistor,

wherein said electroluminescence element comprises an anode, a polymer film provided on said anode, a low molecular weight film provided in contact with said polymer film and a cathode provided in contact with said low molecular weight film, and

wherein an edge of said anode is covered with a resin film having an uppermost surface thereof being hardened.

9. A light-emitting device according to claim 3, wherein said polymer film is a luminescent layer and said low molecular weight film is an electron transport layer or an electron injection layer.

15. An electronic apparatus comprising said light-emitting device according to claim 3, wherein said electronic apparatus is one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal.

21. A light emitting device according to claim 3, wherein the low molecular weight film comprises Alq3, TAZ, TPOB, BeBq2 or PySPy.

4. A light-emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor provided on an insulating surface; and

an electroluminescence element which is electrically connected with said thin film transistor,

a resin interlayer insulating film having an uppermost surface hardened over said thin film transistor,

wherein said electroluminescence element comprises an anode, a polymer film provided on said anode, a low molecular weight film provided in contact with said polymer film and a cathode provided in contact with said low molecular weight film, and

wherein an edge of said anode is covered with a resin film having an uppermost surface thereof being hardened.

10. A light-emitting device according to claim 4, wherein said polymer film is a luminescent layer and said low molecular weight film is an electron transport layer or an electron injection layer.

16. An electronic apparatus comprising said light-emitting device according to claim 4, wherein said electronic apparatus is one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal.

22. A light emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the low molecular weight film comprises Alq3, TAZ, TPOB, BeBq2 or PySPy.

5. A light-emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor provided on an insulating surface; and

an electroluminescence element which is electrically connected with said thin film transistor,

wherein said electroluminescence element comprises an anode, a polymer film provided on said anode, a low molecular weight film provided in contact with said polymer film and a cathode provided in contact with said low molecular weight film, and

wherein an edge of said anode is covered with a resin film having an uppermost surface covered with a protective film.

11. A light-emitting device according to claim 5, wherein said polymer film is a luminescent layer and said low molecular weight film is an electron transport layer or an electron injection layer.

17. An electronic apparatus comprising said light-emitting device according to claim 5, wherein said electronic apparatus is one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal.

23. A light emitting device according to claim 5, wherein the low molecular weight film comprises Alq3, TAZ, TPOB, BeBq2 or PySPy.

6. A light-emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor provided on an insulating surface; and

an electroluminescence element which is electrically connected with said thin film transistor,

a resin interlayer insulating film having an uppermost surface hardened over said thin film transistor,

wherein said electroluminescence element comprises an anode, a polymer film provided on said anode, a low molecular weight film provided in contact with said polymer film and a cathode provided in contact with said low molecular weight film, and

wherein an edge of said anode is covered with a resin film having an uppermost surface covered with a protective film.

12. A light-emitting device according to claim 6, wherein said polymer film is a luminescent layer and said low molecular weight film is an electron transport layer or an electron injection layer.

18. An electronic apparatus comprising said light-emitting device according to claim 6, wherein said electronic apparatus is one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle type display, a navigation system, a personal computer, a portable information terminal.

24. A light emitting device according to claim 6, wherein the low molecular weight film comprises Alq3, TAZ, TPOB, BeBq2 or PySPy.