Light-emitting display device and method for making the same

• US 7,192,334 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2005
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: UDC Ireland Limited (Universal Display Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Itokawa, Naoki, Hashimoto, Yasunobu, Seo, Yoshiho, Ohkawa, Yasushi, Kifune, Motonari
• Primary Examiner(s): ACKUN, JACOB K
• Application Number:
  US11/227,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20060009133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 451/28, 451/29, 451/30, 451/31, 451/36, 451/38, 451/39, 451/40, 445/24, 445/25, 313/503, 313/505, 313/500
• US Class Current: 451/29
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/156 two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/80 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/854 comprising scattering means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/173 comprising banks or shadow masks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/877 comprising scattering means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass

Abstract

A method for making a light-emitting display device having a substrate with light-emitting layers on a surface of the substrate and constituting pixels, light emission from the pixels being electrically controlled, and having barriers delimiting at least one side of each respective pixel. A mask pattern is formed on a surface of the substrate, corresponding to the pattern of the barriers to be formed, and the surface is sprayed with sandblasting particles to form grooves having a depth corresponding to a height of the barriers and irregularities producing light scattering on the side walls and bottoms of the grooves, a difference between a maximum height and a minimum height of the irregularities being at least 0.4 mm.

Claims

1. A method for making a light-emitting display device having a substrate with light-emitting layers on a surface of the substrate and constituting pixels, light emission from the pixels being electrically controlled, and having barriers delimiting at least one side of each respective pixel, comprising:

forming a mask pattern on a surface of the substrate, the mask pattern corresponding to the pattern of the barriers to be formed;

spraying first sandblasting particles onto the surface of the substrate to chip off exposed regions of corresponding pixels, not covered by the mask pattern, to form grooves having a depth corresponding to a height of the barriers; and

spraying second sandblasting particles, smaller than the first sandblasting particles, onto the surface of the substrate to form irregularities producing light scattering on the side walls and bottoms of the grooves, a difference between a maximum height and a minimum height of the irregularities being at least 0.4 mm and, on the surface of the substrate, at least part of each region corresponding to a pixel having irregularities producing light scattering.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

forming a planarization layer over the irregularities producing a smooth surface which is sufficiently flat to prevent cracking and disconnection of one or more overlying layers subsequently formed thereon.

3. A method for making a light-emitting display device having a substrate with light-emitting layers constituting pixels on a surface of the substrate, light emission from the pixels being electrically controlled, and having barriers delimiting at least one side of each respective pixel, and wherein a switching element associated with each pixel controls the light-emission from a light-emitting layer in the pixel, the switching elements being placed on tops of respective barriers on the surface of the substrate, comprising:

sandblasting the substrate to form the barriers and to produce irregularities, for light scattering, in at least a part of a region corresponding to each pixel, a difference between a maximum height and a minimum height of the irregularities being at least 0.4 μ

m; and

performing a patterning process, for a material included in the structure of the switching elements, after forming the barriers and the irregularities, the patterning process rounding edges of the barriers and sharp peaks of the irregularities.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

forming a planarization layer over the irregularities producing a smooth surface which is sufficiently flat to prevent cracking and disconnection of one or more overlying layers subsequently formed thereon.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the sandblasting is performed after forming an uppermost insulating layer and during patterning of the uppermost insulating layer, edges of the barriers and sharp peaks of the irregularities being rounded by the patterning.

6. A method for making a light-emitting display device having a substrate and light-emitting layers constituting pixels on a surface of the substrate, light emission from the pixels being electrically controlled, a switch associated with each pixel controlling the light-emission from a light-emitting layer in the pixel, comprising:

forming a mask pattern on a surface of a substrate, the mask pattern corresponding to a pattern of the barriers to be formed;

spraying first sandblasting particles onto the surface of the substrate to chip off exposed regions of the surface not covered by the mask pattern and form grooves defining barriers delimiting respective pixels on at least one side of each pixel, a depth of the grooves corresponding to a height of the barriers; and

spraying second sandblasting particles, smaller than the first sandblasting particles onto the surface of the substrate to form irregularities producing light scattering on the side walls and bottoms of the grooves, in at least a part of a region that corresponds to each pixel, a difference between the maximum height and a minimum height of the irregularities being at least 0.4 mm; and

forming switching elements on top surfaces of the barriers.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

forming a planarization layer over the irregularities producing a smooth surface which is sufficiently flat to prevent cracking and disconnection of one or more overlying layers subsequently formed thereon.