Organic electroluminescent device employing multi-layered anode

• US 7,190,111 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Choi, Yongjoong, Kwon, Janghyuk, Lee, Kwanhee, Shin, Hyuneok, Jung, Jinwoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Santiago; Mariceli
• Application Number:
  US10/385,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20030234608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 313/504, 313/506, 257/40, 427/66
• US Class Current: 313/503
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/818 Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/85 Arrangements for extracting light from the devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80518 Reflective anodes, e.g. ITO combined with thick metallic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/878 comprising reflective means

Abstract

An organic electroluminescent (EL) device includes a substrate, a first anode formed on the substrate with a reflectivity of 60% or higher, a second anode formed on the first anode, wherein the second anode includes a conductive metal or an oxide thereof having a work function of 4.3 to 5.8 eV, an organic layer formed on the second anode, and a cathode formed on the organic layer.

Claims

1. An organic electroluminescent (EL) device comprising:

a substrate;

a first anode formed on the substrate, made of a reflective metal and having a reflectivity of 60% or higher;

a second anode formed directly on the first anode, and made of a conductive metal or an oxide thereof having a work function of 4.3 to 5.8 eV;

an organic layer formed on the second anode; and

a cathode formed on the organic layer,

wherein the first anode comprises at least one material selected from the group of materials consisting of Al, Al alloy, Ag, Ag alloy and alloys of these materials.

2. The organic EL device according to claim 1, further comprising a third anode made of a conductive metal or an oxide thereof having a work function of 4.3 to 5.8 eV between the substrate and the first anode.

3. The organic EL device according to claim 2, wherein the second anode and the third anode each comprises, independently, at least one material selected from the group consisting of ITO (indium tin oxide), IZO (indium zinc oxide), Ni, Pt, Au, Ir, Cr, Ag and oxides thereof.

4. The organic EL device according to claim 1, wherein the second anode comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of ITO (indium tin oxide), IZO (indium zinc oxide), Ni, Pt, Au, Ir, Cr, Ag and oxides thereof.

5. The organic EL device according to claim 2, wherein the first anode exhibits a thickness within a range of 50–

300 nm, and the second and the third anodes each comprises a same material and exhibits a thickness within a range of 3–

30 nm.

6. The organic EL device according to claim 2, wherein the first anode comprises Al, and the second and the third anodes comprise Ni.

7. The organic EL device according to claim 1, wherein the first anode comprises Al, and the second anode comprises Ni.

8. The organic EL device according to claim 1, wherein the cathode is transparent.

9. An organic EL device of an active matrix drive type, comprising:

a substrate;

a thin film transistor formed on the substrate;

an insulator layer formed on the thin film transistor;

a first anode connected to source/drain electrodes of the thin film transistor through a via hole of the insulator layer, wherein the first anode is made of a reflective metal and has a reflectivity of 60% or higher;

a second anode formed directly on the first anode, and made of a conductive metal or an oxide thereof having a work function of 4.3 to 5.8 eV;

an organic layer formed on the second anode; and

a cathode formed on the organic layer,

wherein the first anode comprises at least one material selected from the group of materials consisting of Al, Al alloy, Ag, Ag alloy and alloys of these materials.

10. The organic EL device according to claim 9, further comprising a third anode made of a conductive metal or an oxide thereof having a work function of 4.3 to 5.8 eV between the substrate and the first anode.

11. The organic EL device according to claim 9, wherein the second anode contacting the organic material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of ITO (indium tin oxide), Ni, Pt, Au, Ir, Cr, Ag and oxides thereof.

12. The organic EL device according to claim 10, wherein the first anode comprises Al exhibiting a thickness within a range of 50–

300 nm, and the second and the third anodes comprise Ni, each exhibiting a thickness within a range of 3–

30 nm.

13. The organic EL device according to claim 9, wherein the cathode is transparent.

14. An organic EL device of an active matrix drive type, comprising:

a substrate;

a thin film transistor formed on the substrate;

an insulator layer formed on the thin film transistor;

a third anode connected to source/drain electrodes of the thin film transistor through a via hole of the insulator layer, and made of a conductive metal or an oxide thereof having a work function of 4.3 to 5.8 eV;

a first anode formed directly on the third anode, made of a reflective metal and having a reflectivity of 60% or higher;

a second anode formed directly on the first anode, and made of a conductive metal or an oxide thereof having a work function of 4.3 to 5.8 eV;

an organic layer formed on the second anode; and

a cathode formed on the organic layer,

wherein the first anode comprises at least one material selected from the group of materials consisting of Al, Al alloy, Ag, Ag alloy and alloys of these materials.

15. The organic EL device according to claim 14, wherein the first anode exhibits a thickness within a range of 50–

300 nm, and the second and third anodes each exhibits a thickness within a range of 3–

30 nm.

16. The organic EL device according to claim 15, wherein the second and the third anode each comprises, independently, at least one material selected from the group consisting of ITO (indium tin oxide), IZO (indium zinc oxide), Ni, Pt, Au, Ir, Cr, Ag and oxides thereof.

17. The organic EL device according to claim 16, wherein the second and the third anodes each comprises a same material.

18. The organic EL device according to claim 15, wherein the first anode comprises Al, and the second and the third anodes comprise Ni.

19. The organic EL device according to claim 14, wherein the cathode is transparent.