Display device and method of fabricating the display device

• US 6,995,511 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2005
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzawa, Hideomi, Yamazaki, Shunpei, Uehara, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Vip
• Application Number:
  US11/100,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20050174051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 313/422, 313/477.R, 313/505, 313/506, 313/512, 313/634
• US Class Current: 313/512
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1214 comprising a plurality of TFTs formed on a non-semiconducting substrate, e.g. driving circuits for AMLCDs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/124 with a particular composition, shape or layout of the wiring layers specially adapted to the circuit arrangement, e.g. scanning lines in LCD pixel circuits wiring structures per se H01L23/52
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1248 with a particular composition or shape of the interlayer dielectric specially adapted to the circuit arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent

Abstract

In an EL element having an anode, an insulating film (bump) formed on the anode, and an EL film and a cathode formed on the insulating film, each of a bottom end portion and a top end portion of the insulating film is formed so as to have a curved surface. The taper angle of a central portion of the insulating film is set within the range from 35° to 70°, thereby preventing the gradient of the film forming surface on which the EL film and the cathode are to be formed from being abruptly changed. On the thus-formed film forming surface, the EL film and the cathode can be formed so as to be uniform in thickness, so that occurrence of discontinuity in each of EL film and the cathode is prevented.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

an interlayer insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode on the interlayer insulating film;

a bump selectively formed for covering an end portion of the first-electrode;

an electroluminescence film on the first electrode; and

a second electrode on the electroluminescence film;

wherein the bump has a bottom end portion contacting with an upper surface of the first electrode and a top end portion connecting continuously to a flat upper surface of the bump,

wherein the top end portion of the bump is rounded, and

wherein the thin film transistor is overlapped with the bump with at least the interlayer insulating film interposed therebetween.

2. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the bottom end portion of the bump is rounded.

3. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein an angle between a tangent of the bump and the upper surface of the first electrode changes continuously from the bottom end portion to the top end portion, the angle being within 0°

to 70°

.

4. The light emitting device e according to claim 1, wherein the bump comprises an organic material.

5. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the bump is within 1.0 to 3.0 μ

m.

6. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the electroluminescence film comprises an organic material.

7. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode is formed on the bottom end portion and the top end portion.

8. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a portable information terminal, a digital camera, a digital video disc player, and an electronic game machine.

9. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the thin film transistor is a pixel thin film transistor.

10. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the thin film transistor is a current control thin film transistor.

11. A display device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

an interlayer insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode on the interlayer insulating surface;

a bump selectively formed for covering an end portion of the first electrode;

an electroluminescence film on the first electrode; and

a second electrode on the electroluminescence film,

wherein the bump has a bottom end portion contacting with an upper surface of the electrode, a top end portion connecting continuously to a flat upper surface of the bump, and a central portion between the bottom end portion and the top end portion,

wherein the top end portion of the bump is rounded,

wherein a tangent of the central portion has a taper angle of 35°

to 70°

with respect to the upper surface of the first electrode, and

wherein the thin film transistor is overlapped with the bump with at least the interlayer insulating film interposed therebetween.

12. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the bottom end portion of the bump is rounded.

13. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein an angle between a tangent of the bump and the upper surface of the first electrode changes continuously from the bottom end portion to the top end portion, the angle being within 0°

to 70°

.

14. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the bump comprises an organic material.

15. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the thickness of the bump is within 1.0 to 3.0 μ

m.

16. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the electroluminescence film comprises an organic material.

17. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the second electrode is formed on the bottom end portion and the top end portion.

18. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the light emitting device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a portable information terminal, a digital camera, a digital video disc player, and an electronic game machine.

19. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the thin film transistor is a pixel thin film transistor.

20. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the thin film transistor is a current control thin film transistor.

21. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

an interlayer insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode on an interlayer insulating surface;

a bump selectively formed for covering an end portion of the first electrode;

an electroluminescence film on the first electrode; and

a second electrode on the electroluminescence film;

wherein the bump has a bottom end portion contacting with an upper surface of the first electrode and a top end portion connecting continuously to a flat upper surface of the bump,

wherein the top end portion the bump has a curved surface having a first radius of a curvature and a center of curvature located inside the bump, and

wherein the thin film transistor is overlapped with the bump with at least the interlayer insulating film interposed therebetween.

22. The light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the bottom end portion has a curved surface having a second radius of a curvature and a center of curvature located above the first electrode.

23. The light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein an angle between a tangent of the bump and the upper surface of the first electrode changes continuously from the bottom end portion to the top end portion, the angle being within 0°

to 70°

.

24. The light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the bump comprises an organic material.

25. The light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the thickness of the bump is within 1.0 to 3.0 μ

m.

26. The light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the electroluminescence film comprises an organic material.

27. The light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the second electrode is formed on the bottom end portion and the top end portion.

28. The light emitting device according to claim 22, wherein each of the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature is within 0.2 to 3.0 μ

m.

29. The light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the light emitting device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a portable information terminal, a digital camera, a digital video disc player, and an electronic game machine.

30. The light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the thin film transistor is a pixel thin film transistor.

31. The light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the thin film transistor is a current control thin film transistor.

32. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

an interlayer insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode on the interlayer insulating film;

a bump selectively formed for covering an end portion of the first electrode;

an electroluminescence film on the first electrode; and

a second electrode on the electroluminescence film,

wherein the bump has a bottom end portion contacting with an upper surface of the first electrode, a top end portion connecting continuously to a flat upper surface of the bump, and a central portion between the bottom end portion and the top end portion,

wherein the top end portion has a curved surface having a first radius of a curvature and a center of curvature located inside the bump,

wherein a tangent of the central portion has a taper angle of 35°

to 70°

with respect to the upper surface of the first electrode, and

wherein the thin film transistor is overlapped with the bump with at least the interlayer insulating film interposed therebetween.

33. The light emitting device according to claim 32, wherein the bottom end portion has a curved surface having a second radius of a curvature and a center of curvature located above the first electrode.

34. The light emitting device according to claim 32, wherein an angle between a tangent of bump and the upper surface of the first electrode changes continuously from the bottom end portion to the top end portion, the angle being within 0°

to 70°

.

35. The light emitting device according to claim 32, wherein the bump comprises an organic material.

36. The light emitting device according to claim 32, wherein the thickness of the bump is within 1.0 to 3.0 μ

m.

37. The light emitting device according to claim 32, wherein the electroluminescence film comprises an organic material.

38. The light emitting device according to claim 32, wherein the second electrode is formed on the bottom end portion and the top end portion.

39. The light emitting device according to claim 33, wherein each of the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature is within 0.2 to 3.0 μ

m.

40. The light emitting device according to claim 32, wherein the light emitting device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a portable information terminal, a digital camera, a digital video disc player, and an electronic game machine.

41. The light emitting device according to claim 32, wherein the thin film transistor is a pixel thin film transistor.

42. The light emitting device according to claim 32, wherein the thin film transistor is a current control thin film transistor.

43. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

an interlayer insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode on the interlayer insulating film;

a bump selectively formed for covering an end portion of the first electrode;

an electroluminescence film on the first electrode; and

a second electrode on the electroluminescence film;

wherein the bump has a bottom end portion contacting with an upper surface of the first electrode and a top end portion connecting continuously to a flat upper surface of the bump,

wherein an angle between a tangent of the bump and the upper surface of the first electrode changes continuously from the bottom end portion to the top end portion, the angle being within 0°

to 70°

, and

wherein the thin film transistor is overlapped with the bump with at least the interlayer insulating film interposed therebetween.

44. The light emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the bump comprises an organic material.

45. The light emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the thickness of the bump is within 1.0 to 3.0 μ

m.

46. The light emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the electroluminescence film comprises an organic material.

47. The light emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the second electrode is formed on the bottom end portion and the top end portion.

48. The light emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the light emitting device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a portable information terminal, a digital camera, a digital video disc player, and an electronic game machine.

49. The light emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the thin film transistor is a pixel thin film transistor.

50. The light emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the thin film transistor is a current control thin film transistor.

51. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

an interlayer insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode on the interlayer insulating film;

a bump selectively formed for covering an end portion of the first electrode,

an electroluminescence film on the first electrode; and

a second electrode on the electroluminescence film;

wherein the bump has a bottom end portion contacting with an upper surface of the first electrode and a top end portion connecting continuously to a flat upper surface of the bump,

wherein the top end portion has an elliptic or circular surface having a center located inside the bump, and

wherein the thin film transistor is overlapped with the bump with at least the interlayer insulating film interposed therebetween.

52. The light emitting device according to claim 51, wherein the bottom end portion has an elliptic or circular surface having a center located above the first electrode.

53. The light emitting device according to claim 51, wherein an angle between a tangent of the bump and the upper surface of the first electrode changes continuously from the bottom end portion to the top end portion, the angle being within 0°

to 70°

.

54. The light emitting device according to claim 51, wherein the bump comprises an organic material.

55. The light emitting device according to claim 51, wherein the thickness of the bump is within 1.0 to 3.0 μ

m.

56. The light emitting device according to claim 51, wherein the electroluminescence film comprises an organic material.

57. A display device according to claim 51, wherein the second electrode is formed by superposed on the bottom end portion and the top end portion.

58. The light emitting device according to claim 51, wherein the light emitting device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a video camera, a portable information terminal, a digital camera, a digital video disc player, and an electronic game machine.

59. The light emitting device according to claim 51, wherein the thin film transistor is a pixel thin film transistor.

60. The light emitting device according to claim 51, wherein the thin film transistor is a current control thin film transistor.