Optoelectronic display

• US 6,949,879 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2000
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Noble Venture Finance Limited
• Original Assignee: MicroEmissive Displays Limited
• Inventors: Wright, Jeffrey Peter, Underwood, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Vip
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, GLENN D
• Application Number:
  US09/958,102
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 313504-506, 313/509, 313/512, 315/169.3, 427/66, 345/76, 345/36, 257/40, 257/89, 428/411.1
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/816 Multilayers, e.g. transparent multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80517 Multilayers, e.g. transparent multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations

Abstract

An optoelectronic display comprises a substrate 32 of semiconducting material and an array of organic light emitting diode (OLED) pixels arranged on the substrate, which comprises an active circuit for controlling the light emitted from each pixel. Each pixel comprises at least one layer of organic light emitting material 46, and an (at least semi-) transparent electrode 48 in contact with the organic layer on a side thereof remote from the substrate, the electrode comprising an electrically conducting polymer 50.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic display comprising a non-planarized substrate of semiconducting material and an array of organic light emitting diode (OLED) pixels arranged on the substrate, wherein the substrate comprises an active circuit for controlling the light emitted from each pixel, and each pixel comprises at least one layer of organic light emitting material, and a light-permeable electrode in contact with the organic layer on a side thereof remote from the substrate, the electrode comprising an electrically conducting polymer provided as a coating on one of a glass sheet and a plastics sheet which is bonded to the organic layer furthest from the substrate.

2. A display according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is of crystalline silicon.

3. A display according to claim 1, further comprising a metal electrode in contact with the substrate which also serves as a mirror behind the pixel.

4. A display according to claim 1, further comprising a light absorbing black layer adjacent to the substrate.

5. A display according to claim 1, wherein the light-permeable electrode includes a layer of indium tin oxide (ITO).

6. A display according to claim 5, wherein said ITO layer is also provided as a coating on said sheet.

7. A display according to claim 1, wherein the light-permeable electrode includes a layer of low work function metal.

8. A display according to claim 1, wherein the light-permeable electrode includes a layer of high work function metal.

9. A display according to claim 1, wherein the light-permeable electrode includes a layer of conducting epoxy based resin.

10. A display according to claim 1, wherein each pixel includes a bottom electrode comprising a layer of conducting polymer.

11. A display according to claim 1, wherein each pixel includes a bottom electrode comprising a layer of metal oxide.

12. A display according to claim 1, wherein each pixel includes an organic electron transport layer in contact with the layer of light emitting material.

13. A display according to claim 1, wherein each pixel includes an organic hole transport layer in contact with the layer of light emitting material.

14. A display according to claim 1, wherein the conducting polymer is deposited from a polymer blend solution including at least one non-conducting polymer.

15. A display according to claim 1, further comprising a transparent, oxygen- and water-impermeable, encapsulating outer layer.

16. A display according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting material is monomeric.

17. A display according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting material is polymeric.

18. A display according to claim 1, wherein each OLED comprises a transition metal chelate.

19. A display according to claim 1, wherein the apparent brightness of light emitted from each pixel is controllable in an analogue manner.

20. A display according to claim 19, wherein an analogue signal varies the mark/space ratio of the duty cycle for which the OLED of each pixel is switched on.

21. A display according to claim 20, wherein each pixel circuit comprises a variable resistance element for varying the current through the OLED and hence its light intensity output.

22. A display according to claim 21, wherein said variable resistance element comprises the channel of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET).

23. A display according to claim 21, wherein each pixel circuit includes a voltage-controlled switch for connecting a data signal to said variable resistance element so as to adjust its resistance.

24. A display according to claim 23, wherein said switch comprises a transistor.

25. A display according to claim 1, further comprising repeated groups of red-, blue- and green-emitting pixels for forming a color image.

26. A display according to claim 1, wherein the display is arranged to emit white light and is fitted with field sequential color filters for creating color images.

27. A color display unit comprising:

three optoelectronic displays,

each optoelectronic display having a non-planarized substrate of semiconducting material and an array of organic light emitting diode (OLED) pixels arranged on the substrate, the substrate providing an active circuit for controlling the light emitted from each pixel, and each pixel having at least one layer of organic light emitting material and a light-permeable electrode in contact with the organic layer on a side thereof remote from the substrate, the electrode being an electrically conducting polymer provided as a coating on one of a glass sheet and plastic sheet which is bonded to the organic layer furthest from the substrate, and

each optoelectronic display displaying an image in a different primary monochromatic color, and

an optical system for combining the three images into a color image.

28. An optoelectronic display comprising a substrate of semiconducting material and an array of organic light emitting diode pixels arranged on the substrate, wherein the substrate comprises an active circuit for controlling the light emitted from each pixel, and each pixel comprises at least one layer of organic light emitting material, and a light-permeable electrode in contact with the organic layer on a side thereof remote from the substrate, the electrode comprising an electrically conducting polymer provided as a coating on one of a glass sheet and plastics sheet which is bonded to the organic layer furthest from the substrate.

29. A display according to claim 28, wherein a layer of indium tin oxide is also provided as a coating on said sheet.

30. A display according to claim 28, wherein the light-permeable electrode comprises a layer of epoxy resin.