Structure and method of fabricating organic devices

• US 6,982,179 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2002
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Kwong, Raymond, Lu, Min-Hao Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Mulpuri, Savitri
• Application Number:
  US10/295,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20040097101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 438/99, 438 22- 35, 427 66- 68, 428/690, 313503-507
• US Class Current: 438/22
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2101/10 Triplet emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/15 Hole transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/13 using printing techniques, e.g. ink-jet printing or screen printing
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/1135 Polyethylene dioxythiophene [PEDOT]; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/311 Phthalocyanine
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/324 comprising aluminium, e.g. Alq3
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/342 comprising iridium
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/611 Charge transfer complexes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/631 Amine compounds having at least two aryl rest on at least one amine-nitrogen atom, e.g. triphenylamine
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/649 Aromatic compounds comprising a hetero atom
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/6565 Oxadiazole compounds

Abstract

A method of fabricating an organic light emitting device is provided. A first organic layer is deposited over a first electrode. A second organic layer comprising a small molecule organic material is then deposited using solution processing over and in physical contact with the first organic layer, such that the first organic layer is insoluble in the solution used to deposit the second organic layer. A second electrode is then deposited over the second organic layer.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an organic light emitting device, comprising:

(a) depositing a first organic layer over a first electrode;

(b) depositing a second organic layer over and in physical contact with the first organic layer, wherein

(1) the second organic layer comprises a small molecule emissive material,

(2) the second organic layer is a patterned layer deposited by solution processing, and

(3) the first organic layer is insoluble in the solution used to deposit the second organic layer; and

(c) depositing a second electrode over the second organic layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first organic layer is not soluble in organic solvents, and an organic solvent is used to deposit the second organic layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first organic layer comprises a cross-linked material, and the second organic layer is deposited by solution processing using an organic solvent.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first organic layer comprises an aromatic macrocyclic material, and the second organic layer is deposited by solution processing using an organic solvent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first organic layer comprises a polyaromatic material, and the second organic layer is deposited by solution processing using an organic solvent.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the first organic layer is PEDOT:

PSS, and the second organic layer is deposited by solution processing using an organic solvent.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second organic layer is deposited via ink-jet printing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second organic layer comprises three distinct small molecule emissive materials, patterned into three distinct regions capable of emitting red, green, and blue spectra of light, respectively.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing a third organic layer over the first electrode prior to depositing the first organic layer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the third organic layer is PEDOT:

PSS, and the first organic layer is cross-linked prior to depositing the second organic layer.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the third organic layer is CuPc, and the first organic layer is cross-linked prior to depositing the second organic layer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first organic layer is a hole transport layer, and the second organic layer is an emissive layer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the emissive layer comprises a phosphorescent material.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second organic layer is an emissive layer that further comprises a small molecule host material and a small molecule dopant material.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the small molecule dopant is a phosphorescent emissive material.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the second organic layer is an emissive layer consisting essentially of an emissive material.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the emissive material is phosphorescent.

18. The method of claim 3, wherein the cross-linked material is cross-linked thermally, photochemically, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 3, wherein, prior to cross-linking, the cross-linked material comprises cross-linkable groups selected from the group consisting of acrylate groups, vinyl groups, diacetylene groups, epoxide groups, oxetane groups, and a combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first organic layer comprises at least one of NPD, an aromatic macrocyclic material, and a polyaromatic material.

21. The method of claim 4, wherein the first organic layer comprises cross-linked material.

22. The method of claim 5, wherein the first organic layer comprises cross-linked material.