Transparent contacts for organic devices

• US 7,173,369 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University)
• Original Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University)
• Inventors: Forrest, Stephen R., Bulovic, Vladimir, Thompson, Mark E., Burrows, Paul E., Gu, Gong
• Primary Examiner(s): Santiago; Mariceli
• Application Number:
  US10/460,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20030213967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 313/503, 313/504, 313/506, 313/509
• US Class Current: 313/503
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/06 containing organic luminescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/335 being organic light emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/24145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/156 two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01021 Scandium [Sc]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 Erbium [Er]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12044 OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3031 Two-side emission, e.g. transparent OLEDs [TOLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/125 specially adapted for multicolour light emission, e.g. for emitting white light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/14 Carrier transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/828 Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8423 Metallic 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 59/32 Stacked devices having two or more layers, each emitting at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80524 Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8721 Metallic 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 85/10 : Organic polymers or oligomers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/111 : comprising aromatic, heteroaromatic, or aryl chains, e.g. polyaniline, polyphenylene or polyphenylene vinylene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/113 : Heteroaromatic compounds comprising sulfur or selene, e.g. polythiophene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/114 : Poly-phenylenevinylene; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/146 : poly N-vinylcarbazol; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/30 : Coordination compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/322 : comprising boron
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/324 : comprising aluminium, e.g. Alq3
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/341 : Transition metal complexes, e.g. Ru(II)polypyridine complexes H10K85/331 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/60 : Organic compounds having low molecular weight H10K85/10 - H10K85/50 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

An organic light emitting device structure includes a substrate, a first electrically conductive layer formed over the substrate wherein the first electrically conductive layer has a positive polarity, and a transparent organic light emitting device formed over the first electrically conductive layer. The structure also includes a transparent electrically conductive metal layer formed over the transparent organic light emitting device wherein the metal has a work function less than 4 eV, and a second electrically conductive layer formed over the transparent electrically conductive metal layer, wherein the second electrically conductive layer has a negative polarity, and wherein the second electrically conductive layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a transparent electrically conductive oxide and a transparent electrically conductive polymer.

Claims

1. An organic light emitting device structure, comprising:

a substrate;

a first electrically conductive layer formed over the substrate, wherein the first electrically conductive layer has a positive polarity;

a transparent organic light emitting device formed over the first electrically conductive layer;

a transparent electrically conductive metal layer formed over the transparent organic light emitting device, wherein the metal has a work function less than 4 eV; and

a second electrically conductive layer formed over the transparent electrically conductive metal layer, wherein the second electrically conductive layer has a negative polarity, and wherein the second electrically conductive layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a transparent electrically conductive oxide and a transparent electrically conductive polymer.

2. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 1 wherein the second electrically conductive layer comprises a transparent electrically conductive oxide.

3. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 2 wherein the second electrically conductive layer comprises indium tin oxide.

4. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 2 wherein the transparent electrically conductive metal layer comprises magnesium.

5. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 2 wherein the transparent electrically conductive metal layer comprises silver.

6. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 2 wherein the substrate is transparent.

7. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 2 wherein the substrate is rigid.

8. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 2 wherein the first electrically conductive layer is transparent.

9. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 2 wherein the first electrically conductive layer comprises indium tin oxide.

10. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 2 wherein the first electrically conductive layer comprises a metal layer.

11. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 2 wherein the transparent electrically conductive metal layer has a thickness of 50–

400 angstroms.

12. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 2 wherein the transparent electrically conductive metal layer has a thickness less than 100 angstroms.

13. An organic light emitting device structure comprising:

a substrate layer comprising a first transparent electrically conductive coating deposited on a surface;

a first light emitting device deposited on the first transparent electrically conductive coating;

a second transparent electrically conductive coating deposited on the surface of the first device not in contact with the first coating;

a second light emitting device deposited on the surface of the second coating;

a third transparent electrically conductive coating deposited on the surface of the second device not in contact with the second coating;

a third light emitting device deposited on the surface of the third coating, wherein the first, second, and third light emitting devices each include an organic emission layer for emitting light of a desired color, respectively; and

a fourth transparent electrically conductive coating deposited on the surface of the third device not in contact with the third coating.

14. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 13, wherein the first, second, third and fourth transparent electrically conductive coatings are adapted to receive individual sources of biasing potential, respectively.

15. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 13 wherein the substrate layer is rigid.

16. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 13 wherein the first transparent electrically conductive coating comprises indium tin oxide.

17. The organic light emitting device structure of claim 13 wherein the first transparent electrically conductive coating comprises a metal layer.