Light-emitting apparatus

• US 6,958,490 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Monoe, Shigeharu, Okamoto, Satoru, Yokoshima, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): CRANE, SARA W
• Application Number:
  US10/744,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20040135151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 257/40, 257/103, 257/59, 257/72, 257/98, 257/99, 257/763, 257/764, 313/504, 438/29, 438/99
• US Class Current: 257/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/41733 for thin film transistors with insulated gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/458 for thin film silicon, e.g. source or drain electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/125 specially adapted for multicolour light emission, e.g. for emitting white light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/813 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/818 Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers
• 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 50/856 comprising reflective means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80515 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80518 Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers
• 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 59/873 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/878 comprising reflective means

Abstract

A light-emitting device, which has a structure that improves an opening ratio and light extraction efficiency, can solve a problem of an etching residue occurred during forming the device itself, and reduce deterioration due to poor coverage and short-circuiting to improve greatly the reliability, and a method for manufacturing the light-emitting device. In the light-emitting device having a structure that improves light extraction efficiency, a material used for forming a first electrode is Ti/TiN/Al (or Al—Ti)/Ti (or TiN).

Claims

1. A light-emitting device comprising

a first electrode connected to a thin film transistor formed over a substrate having an insulating surface;

an insulator covering an edge portion of the first electrode;

a layer containing an organic compound formed on the first electrode; and

a second electrode formed on the layer containing the organic compound,

wherein the first electrode includes an edge portion comprising a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer, and a central portion comprising the first layer and the second layer,

wherein the first electrode has an inclined plane between the edge portion and the central portion, and

wherein the first layer comprises titanium, the second layer comprises titanium nitride, the third layer comprises aluminum or aluminum containing titanium, and the fourth layer comprises titanium.

2. A light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein an aspect ratio of irregularities on a surface of the second layer is at most 0.4 and a radius of curvature is at least 300 nm.

3. A light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting device is incorporated in at least one selected from the group consisting of a digital camera, a laptop computer, a mobile computer, a portable image reproducing apparatus, a goggle type display, a video camera, and a cellular phone.

7. A light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is formed over an interlayer insulating film comprising an organic material.

8. A light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the layer containing the organic compound is in contact with the inclined plane.

9. A light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the thin film transistor is a top gate type transistor.

4. A light-emitting device comprising:

a first electrode connected to a thin film transistor formed over a substrate having an insulating surface;

an insulator covering an edge portion of the first electrode;

a layer containing an organic compound formed on the first electrode; and

a second electrode formed on the layer containing the organic compound,

wherein the first electrode includes an edge portion comprising a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer, and a central portion comprising the first layer and the second layer,

wherein the first electrode has an inclined plane between the edge portion and the central portion,

wherein the inclined plane comprises the third layer and the fourth layer,

wherein the second layer is exposed at a surface of the central portion, and

wherein the first layer comprises titanium, the second layer comprises titanium nitride, the third layer comprises aluminum or aluminum containing titanium, and the fourth layer comprises titanium.

5. A light-emitting device according to claim 4, wherein an aspect ratio of irregularities on a surface of the second layer is at most 0.4 and a radius of curvature is at least 300 nm.

6. A light-emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the light-emitting device is incorporated in at least one selected from the group consisting of a digital camera, a laptop computer, a mobile computer, a portable image reproducing apparatus, a goggle type display, a video camera, and a cellular phone.

10. A light-emitting device comprising

a first electrode connected to a thin film transistor formed over a substrate having an insulating surface;

an insulator covering an edge portion of the first electrode;

a layer containing an organic compound formed on the first electrode; and

a second electrode formed on the layer containing the organic compound,

wherein the first electrode includes a first portion comprising a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer, and a second portion comprising the first layer and the second layer,

wherein the first electrode has an inclined plane between the first portion and the second portion, and

wherein the first layer comprises titanium, the second layer comprises titanium nitride, the third layer comprises aluminum, and the fourth layer comprises titanium.

11. A light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein an aspect ratio of irregularities on a surface of the second layer is at most 0.4 and a radius of curvature is at least 300 nm.

12. A light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein the light-emitting device is incorporated in at least one selected from the group consisting of a digital camera, a laptop computer, a mobile computer, a portable image reproducing apparatus, a goggle type display, a video camera, and a cellular phone.

13. A light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein the first electrode is formed over an interlayer insulating film comprising an organic material.

14. A light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein the layer containing the organic compound is in contact with the inclined plane.

15. A light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein the thin film transistor is a top gate type transistor.

16. A light-emitting device comprising:

a first electrode connected to a thin film transistor formed over a substrate having an insulating surface;

an insulator covering an edge portion of the first electrode;

a layer containing an organic compound formed on the first electrode; and

a second electrode formed on the layer containing the organic compound,

wherein the first electrode includes a first portion comprising a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer, and a second portion comprising the first layer and the second layer,

wherein the first electrode has an included plane between the first portion and the second portion,

wherein the inclined plane comprises the third layer and the fourth layer, and

wherein the first layer comprises titanium, the second layer comprises titanium nitride, the third layer comprises aluminum, and the fourth layer comprises titanium.

17. A light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein an aspect ratio of irregularities on a surface of the second layer is at most 0.4 and a radius of curvature is a least 300 nm.

18. A light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the light-emitting device is incorporated in at least one selected from the group consisting of a digital camera, a laptop computer, a mobile computer, a portable image reproducing apparatus, a goggle type display, a video camera, and a cellular phone.

19. A light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the first electrode is formed over an interlayer insulating film comprising an organic material.

20. A light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the layer containing the organic compound is in contact with the inclined plane.

21. A light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the thin film transistor is a top gate type transistor.

22. A light-emitting device comprising

a first electrode connected to a thin film transistor formed over a substrate having an insulating surface;

an insulator covering an edge portion of the first electrode;

a layer containing an organic compound formed on the first electrode; and

a second electrode formed on the layer containing the organic compound,

wherein the first electrode includes a first portion comprising a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer, and a second portion comprising the first layer and the second layer,

wherein the layer containing the organic compound is formed in contact with the second layer,

wherein the first electrode has an inclined plane between the first portion and the second portion, and

wherein the first layer comprises titanium, the second layer comprises titanium nitride, the third layer comprises aluminum, and the fourth layer comprises titanium.

23. A light-emitting device according to claim 22, wherein an aspect ratio of irregularities on a surface of the second layer is at most 0.4 and a radius of curvature is at least 300 nm.

24. A light-emitting device according to claim 22, wherein the light-emitting device is incorporated in at least one selected from the group consisting of a digital camera, a laptop computer, a mobile computer, a portable image reproducing apparatus, a goggle type display, a video camera, and a cellular phone.

25. A light-emitting device according to claim 22, wherein the first electrode is formed over an interlayer insulating film comprising an organic material.

26. A light-emitting device according to claim 22, wherein the layer containing the organic compound is in contact with the inclined plane.

27. A light-emitting device according to claim 22, wherein the thin film transistor is a top gate type transistor.

28. A light-emitting device comprising:

a first electrode connected to a thin film transistor formed over a substrate having an insulating surface;

an insulator covering an edge portion of the first electrode;

a layer containing an organic compound formed on the first electrode; and

a second electrode formed on the layer containing the organic compound,

wherein the first electrode includes a first portion comprising a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer, and a second portion comprising the first layer and the second layer,

wherein the layer containing the organic compound is formed in contact with the second layer,

wherein the first electrode has an inclined plane between the first portion and the second portion,

wherein the inclined plane comprises the third layer and the fourth layer, and

wherein the first layer comprises titanium, the second layer comprises titanium nitride, the third layer comprises aluminum, and the fourth layer comprises titanium.

29. A light-emitting device according to claim 28, wherein an aspect ratio of irregularities on a surface of the second layer is at most 0.4 and a radius of curvature is at least 300 nm.

30. A light-emitting device according to claim 28, wherein the light-emitting device is incorporated in at least one selected from the group consisting of a digital camera, a laptop computer, a mobile computer, a portable image reproducing apparatus, a goggle type display, a video camera, and a cellular phone.

31. A light-emitting device according to claim 28, wherein the first electrode is formed over an interlayer insulating film comprising an organic material.

32. A light-emitting device according claim 28, wherein the layer containing the organic compound is in contact with the inclined plane.

33. A light-emitting device according claim 28, wherein the thin film transistor is a top gate type transistor.