Light emitting device, electronic equipment, and organic polarizing film

• US 7,005,671 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Takayama, Toru, Yamazaki, Shunepi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Long
• Assistant Examiner(s): Louie, Wai-Sing
• Application Number:
  US10/260,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20030062519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 257/40, 438/99, 349/38, 349/54, 349/96, 349/112, 349/155
• US Class Current: 257/40
• 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 27/1266 the substrate on which the devices are formed not being the final device substrate, e.g. using a temporary substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays

Abstract

A light emitting device capable of reducing degradation caused by dispersion of impurities such as moisture, oxygen, an alkaline metal, and an alkaline earth metal is provided. Specifically, a flexible light emitting device with an OLED formed on a plastic substrate is provided. In a light emitting device using a substrate, a circular polarizing plate has a single layer or two or more layers of barrier films formed of a compound or compounds selected from AlN_XO_Y, Al_XN_Y, and Al₂O₃, which is (are) capable of preventing oxygen and moisture from seeping into an organic light emitting layer of an OLED as well as preventing an alkaline metal, an alkaline earth metal, and other impurities from penetrating an active layer of a TFT.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

a first insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode over the first insulating film and connected to the thin film transistor through a hole formed in the first insulating film;

a light emitting layer comprising an organic compound over the first electrode;

a second electrode over the light emitting layer;

a second insulating film comprising AlN_XO_Y over the second electrode;

a circular polarizing plate having at least a layer comprising AlN_XO_Y to prevent oxygen and moisture from seeping into the organic compound layer.

5. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a plastic film substrate comprising a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyether sulfone (PES), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), nylon, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polysulfone (PSF), polyether imide (PEI), polyarylate (PAR) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

9. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the total thickness of the layer comprising AlN_XO_Y is 50 to 500 nm.

13. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the layer comprising AlN_XO_Y contains 2.5 to 47.5 atm % of nitrogen.

17. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is comprised in an electronic apparatus selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a car navigation system, a personal computer, and a portable information terminal.

2. A light emitting device comprising:

at least one first insulating film comprising AlN_XO_Y over a substrate;

a thin film transistor over the substrate;

a second insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode over the second insulating film and connected to the thin film transistor through a hole formed in the second insulating film;

a light emitting layer comprising an organic compound over the first electrode;

a second electrode over the light emitting layer;

a third insulating film comprising AlN_XO_Y over the second electrode;

a circular polarizing plate having at least a layer comprising AlN_XO_Y to prevent oxygen and moisture from seeping into the organic compound layer.

6. A light emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the substrate is a plastic film substrate comprising a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyether sulfone (PES), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), nylon, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polysulfone (PSF), polyether imide (PEI), polyarylate (PAR) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

10. A light emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the total thickness of the layer comprising AlN_XO_Y is 50 to 500 nm.

14. A light emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the layer comprising AlN_XO_Y contains 2.5 to 47.5 atm % of nitrogen.

18. A light emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the light emitting device is comprised in an electronic apparatus selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a car navigation system a personal computer, and a portable information terminal.

3. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

a first insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode over the first insulating film and connected to the thin film transistor through a hole formed in the first insulating film;

a light emitting layer comprising an organic compound over the first electrode;

a second electrode over the light emitting layer;

a second insulating film comprising AlN_XO_Y over the second electrode;

a circular polarizing plate having at least a layer comprising AlN_XO_Y over the second insulating film; and

an air gap provided between the second insulating film and the circular polarizing plate.

7. A light emitting device according to claim 3, wherein the substrate is a plastic film substrate comprising a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyether sulfone (PES), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), nylon, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polysulfone (PSF), polyether imide (PEI), polyarylate (PAR) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

11. A light emitting device according to claim 3, wherein the total thickness of the layer comprising AlN_XO_Y is 50 to 500 nm.

15. A light emitting device according to claim 3, wherein the layer comprising AlN_XO_Y contains 2.5 to 47.5 atm % of nitrogen.

19. A light emitting device according to claim 3, wherein the light emitting device is comprised in an electronic apparatus selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a car navigation system, a personal computer, and a portable information terminal.

4. A light emitting device comprising:

at least one first insulating film comprising AlN_XO_Y over a substrate;

a thin film transistor over the substrate;

a second insulating film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode over the second insulating film and connected to the thin film transistor through a hole formed in the second insulating film;

a light emitting layer comprising an organic compound over the first electrode;

a second electrode over the light emitting layer;

a third insulating film comprising AlN_XO_Y over the second electrode;

a circular polarizing plate having at least a layer comprising AlN_XO_Y over the second insulating film; and

an air gap provided between the second insulating film and the circular polarizing plate.

8. A light emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the substrate is a plastic film substrate comprising a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyether sulfone (PBS), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), nylon, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polysulfone (PSF), polyether imide (PEI), polyarylate (PAR) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

12. A light emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the total thickness of the layer comprising AlN_XO_Y is 50 to 500 nm.

16. A light emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the layer comprising AlN_XO_Y contains 2.5 to 47.5 atm % of nitrogen.

20. A light emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the light emitting device is comprised in an electronic apparatus selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a car navigation system, a personal computer, and a portable information terminal.