Organic electro-luminescence element and the manufacturing method thereof

• US 6,881,501 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yudasaka, Ichio
• Primary Examiner(s): GARRETT, DAWN L
• Application Number:
  US09/803,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 428/690, 428/917, 428/156, 428/213, 313/504, 313/505, 257/91, 257/99, 427/66
• US Class Current: 428/690
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/85 Arrangements for extracting light from the devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/875 Arrangements for extracting light from the devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/16 using physical vapour deposition [PVD], e.g. vacuum deposition or sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/821 Patterning of a layer by embossing, e.g. stamping to form trenches in an insulating layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2495 Thickness [relative or absolute]

Abstract

The invention increases the outgoing efficiency of light generated in an organic luminous layer of an organic electroluminescence element without decreasing the numerical aperture. A light-transmissive anode electrode layer, an organic luminous layer, and a light-reflective cathode layer are provided on the entire surface of one pixel region. On the anode layer, the organic luminous layer, and the cathode layer, slopes are installed protruding from the anode layer side to the cathode layer side. By this, light generated in the organic luminous layer, and irradiated in parallel to a cumulate surface of a cumulate body, is reflected by the slope on the boundary between the organic luminous layer and the cathode layer and exits toward the anode layer side.

Claims

1. An organic electroluminescence element, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

at least one organic thin film layer containing an organic luminous layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer,

the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer and the organic luminous layer forming a cumulate body with a flat surface,

the first and second electrode layers having slopes that are arranged substantially around the flat surface,

at least one of the first and second electrode layers being formed on a convex section, and

a light generated in the organic layer being reflected by the slope of the second electrode layer and going out to the side of the first electrode layer.

3. The organic electroluminescence element according to claim 1, the slopes being disposed such that a protruding height of the organic luminous layer is larger than a thickness of the organic luminous layer.

4. The organic electroluminescence element according to claim 1, the slopes being disposed such that a protruding height of the organic luminous layer by the slopes is larger than a total value of a thickness of the first electrode layer and a thickness of the organic luminous layer, or a total value of a thickness of the second electrode layer and the thickness of the of the organic luminous layer.

5. The organic electroluminescence element according to claim 1, the slopes including multiple slopes that are uniformly arranged.

6. The organic electroluminescence element according to claim 1, the slopes being formed by providing a projection, made of an insulating material, on a substrate forming a cumulate body of the organic electroluminescence element.

7. The organic electroluminescence element according to claim 1, the slopes being defined by forming projections on at least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the projections corresponding to the slopes.

8. The organic electroluminescent element according to claim 1,

the first electrode layer being light-transmissive, and the second electrode having light-reflectivity.

9. An organic electroluminescent display comprising the organic electroluminescent element according to claim 1.

10. The organic electroluminescent element according to claim 1,

the first electrode layer being an anode layer, and the second electrode layer being a cathode layer.

2. An organic electroluminescence element comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

at least one organic thin film layer containing an organic luminous layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer,

the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer and the organic luminous layer forming a cumulate body with a flat surface,

the first and second electrode layers having slopes that are arranged substantially around the flat surface,

the slopes being formed on rim sides of a pixel, and

the slopes falling outwardly from a pixel region.