Light-emitting device and method of manufacturing same

• US 7,498,740 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Santiago; Mariceli
• Application Number:
  US11/276,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20060145168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 313500-512, 428/690
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/18 Carrier blocking layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/181 Electron blocking layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31819 Next to cellulosic

Abstract

The present invention has an object to provide a method of raising a re-coupling efficiency of carriers in an EL element to thereby provide a light-emitting device having high emission efficiency. The method is that the electron trap region 106 and the hole trap region 107 are formed in the interior of the emission layer 103. The electron trap region 106 here is a region that has the action of enclosing within the emission layer an electrons that is transferred at the lowest unoccupied molecular orbit (LUMO) level of the emission layer 103. In addition, the hole trap region 107 is a region that has the action of enclosing within the emission layer a hole that is transferred at the highest occupied molecular orbit (HOMO) level of the emission layer 103.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a first electrode over a substrate;

a first emission layer over the first electrode;

a second emission layer in contact with the first emission layer, the second emission layer including a first region and a second region;

a third emission layer in contact with the second emission layer; and

a second electrode over the third emission layer,

wherein the first region has a LUMO level that is lower than a LUMO level of the first, second and third emission layers, and

wherein the second region has a HOMO level that is higher than a HOMO level of the first, second and third emission layers.

2. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is used as a display portion of an electric equipment selected from group consisting of a video camera, a head mount EL display, a DVD playback device, a mobile computer, a portable telephone and a car audio stereo.

3. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

a first electrode over the thin film transistor;

a first emission layer over the first electrode;

a second emission layer in contact with the first emission layer, the second emission layer including a first region and a second region;

a third emission layer in contact with the second emission layer; and

a second electrode over the third emission layer,

wherein the first region has a LUMO level that is lower than a LUMO level of the first, second and third emission layers, and

wherein the second region has a HOMO level that is higher than a HOMO level of the first, second and third emission layers.

4. A light emitting device according to claim 3, wherein the light emitting device is used as a display portion of an electric equipment selected from group consisting of a video camera, a head mount EL display, a DVD playback device, a mobile computer, a portable telephone and a car audio stereo.

5. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

a passivation film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode over the passivation film;

a first emission layer over the first electrode;

a second emission layer in contact with the first emission layer, the second emission layer including a first region and a second region;

a third emission layer in contact with the second emission layer; and

a second electrode over the third emission layer,

wherein the first region has a LUMO level that is lower than a LUMO level of the first, second and third emission layers, and

wherein the second region has a HOMO level that is higher than a HOMO level of the first, second and third emission layers.

6. A light emitting device according to claim 5, wherein the passivation film comprises tantalum oxide or silicon nitride.

7. A light emitting device according to claim 5, wherein the light emitting device is used as a display portion of an electric equipment selected from group consisting of a video camera, a head mount EL display, a DVD playback device, a mobile computer, a portable telephone and a car audio stereo.

8. A light emitting device comprising:

a first electrode over a substrate;

a first emission layer over the first electrode;

a second emission layer in contact with the first emission layer, the second emission layer including a first region and a second region;

a third emission layer in contact with the second emission layer; and

a second electrode over the third emission layer,

wherein the first region has an action of enclosing within the second emission layer an electron that is transferred at LUMO level of the second emission layer, and

wherein the second region has an action of enclosing within the second emission layer a hole that is transferred at HOMO level of the second emission layer.

9. A light emitting device according to claim 8, wherein the light emitting device is used as a display portion of an electric equipment selected from group consisting of a video camera, a head mount EL display, a DVD playback device, a mobile computer, a portable telephone and a car audio stereo.

10. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

a first electrode over the thin film transistor;

a first emission layer over the first electrode;

a second emission layer in contact with the first emission layer, the second emission layer including a first region and a second region;

a third emission layer in contact with the second emission layer; and

a second electrode over the third emission layer,

wherein the first region has an action of enclosing within the second emission layer an electron that is transferred at LUMO level of the second emission layer, and

wherein the second region has an action of enclosing within the second emission layer a hole that is transferred at HOMO level of the second emission layer.

11. A light emitting device according to claim 10, wherein the light emitting device is used as a display portion of an electric equipment selected from group consisting of a video camera, a head mount EL display, a DVD playback device, a mobile computer, a portable telephone and a car audio stereo.

12. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

a passivation film over the thin film transistor;

a first electrode over the passivation film;

a first emission layer over the first electrode;

a second emission layer in contact with the first emission layer, the second emission layer including a first region and a second region;

a third emission layer in contact with the second emission layer; and

a second electrode over the third emission layer,

wherein the first region has an action of enclosing within the second emission layer an electron that is transferred at LUMO level of the second emission layer, and

wherein the second region has an action of enclosing within the second emission layer a hole that is transferred at HOMO level of the second emission layer.

13. A light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the passivation film comprises tantalum oxide or silicon nitride.

14. A light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the light emitting device is used as a display portion of an electric equipment selected from group consisting of a video camera, a head mount EL display, a DVD playback device, a mobile computer, a portable telephone and a car audio stereo.