Light attenuation in defective pixel in organic EL panel

• US 7,234,984 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Takashi, Nishikawa, Ryuji, Jinno, Yushi, Nagata, Ryouzou
• Primary Examiner(s): Guharay; Karabi
• Application Number:
  US10/392,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 313504-512, 315/169.3, 315/169.1, 349/54, 349/55, 349/192, 428/690, 428/917, 445/2
• US Class Current: 445/2
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/006 Electronic inspection or testing of displays and display drivers, e.g. of LED or LCD displays testing individual LED's G01R31/2635; testing lamps G01R31/44; testing of optical features of LCD displays G02F1/1309
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/861 Repairing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent

Abstract

An organic EL element of one pixel is selectively irradiated with laser light. With the laser irradiation, the functionality of the organic layer of the organic EL element is selectively degraded and the light emission capability is removed without damaging the cathode.

Claims

1. A laser processing method in an organic EL panel in which a plurality of pixels each comprising an organic EL element are arranged in a matrix form, wherein the method comprises an attenuation process including:

irradiating a peripheral region of a foreign body adhered to the organic EL element with laser light to make an organic layer of the organic EL element to which the foreign body is adhered highly resistive; and

altering characteristics of organic matter in the organic layer by irradiation of laser to the organic layer and increasing the resistance of the organic layer without removing the organic layer.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein

the laser irradiation is performed in a plurality of bursts in the peripheral regions of the foreign body.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the wavelength of the laser light is 532 nm or less.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein a cathode of the organic EL element is not damaged during the attenuation process and laser is selectively irradiated to a region in which the organic emissive layer is present.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein a short-circuited portion of the organic layer where the foreign body is adhered is short-circuited and the short circuited portion is not removed.