Organic electroluminescent display panel and production method thereof

• US 7,538,485 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: Chi Mei Optoelectronics (InnoLux Corporation), Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Murayama, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Nimeshkumar D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walford; Natalie K
• Application Number:
  US11/159,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20050285512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 313/504, 428/690
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/85 Arrangements for extracting light from the devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/856 comprising reflective 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 59/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/878 comprising reflective means

Abstract

An OLED display panel according to the present invention comprises: a substrate; a plurality of banks, each having a tapered shape of cross section in a traverse direction comprises by a pair of side surfaces, an upper surface and a bottom surface respectively connected to the side surfaces, the banks being arranged on a top surface of the substrate in side by side at an interval; and an electrode layer covering the top surface of the substrate between banks and the side surfaces of the banks adjacent to such top surface.

Claims

1. An organic electroluminescent display panel comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of banks, each having a tapered shape of cross section comprised by a pair of side surfaces, an upper surface and a bottom surface respectively connected to the side surfaces, the banks being arranged on a top surface of the substrate in side-by-side relationship at an interval;

a first electrode layer covering the top surface of the substrate between the banks and the side surfaces of the banks adjacent to such top surface;

a pair of insulating layers coating a portion of the first electrode layer, said portion covering the side surfaces of the banks, each of the insulating layers having one end on a respective bank;

an organic layer laminated on the insulating layer and the first electrode layer, the organic layer having two ends which are disposed on the banks;

a second electrode layer laminated on the organic layer, the second electrode layer having two ends which are disposed on the banks; and

a plurality of walls, each standing on the upper surface of the banks;

wherein the walls have an upper surface wider than a lower surface; and

wherein said two ends of the second electrode layer and the organic layer are positioned so as not to cover said one end of the respective insulating layer.

2. The organic electroluminescent display panel according to claim 1, wherein the banks are formed of polymer.

3. The organic electroluminescent display according to claim 1, wherein an angle formed by the bottom surface and one of the side surfaces of the banks is not less than 40°

and not more than 50°

.

4. The organic electroluminescent display panel according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the insulating layer is not smaller than 100 angstrom and not greater than 3,000 angstrom.

5. The organic electroluminescent display panel according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is formed of polymer.

6. The organic electroluminescent display panel according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer has a visible light transmittance of not less than 95%.

7. The organic electroluminescent display panel according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is formed by a photoresist.

8. The organic electroluminescent display panel according to claim 1,

wherein a portion of the second electrode layer covers the upper surface of the walls.

9. A method for producing an organic electroluminescent display panel comprising the steps of:

preparing a substrate;

forming a plurality of banks on a top surface of the substrate, each of banks having a tapered shape of cross section comprised by a pair of side surfaces, an upper surface and a bottom surface respectively connected to the side surfaces, the banks being arranged in side-by-side relationship at an interval;

forming a plurality of walls on the upper surface of the banks;

forming a first electrode layer covering the top surface of the substrate between the banks and the side surfaces of the banks adjacent to such top surface;

forming a pair of insulating layers coating a portion of the first electrode layer, said portion covering the side surfaces of the banks, each of the insulating layers having one end on a respective bank;

forming an organic layer laminated on the insulating layer and the first electrode layer, the organic layer having two ends which are disposed on the banks;

forming a second electrode layer laminated on the organic layer, said second electrode layer having two ends which are disposed on the banks; and

wherein said two ends of the second electrode layer and the organic layer are positioned so as not to cover said one end of the respective insulating layer.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the banks are formed of polymer.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein an angle formed by the bottom surface and one of the side surfaces of the banks is not less than 40°

and not more than 50°

.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the insulating layer is formed of polymer.