Self-light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same

• US 7,732,824 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Konuma, Toshimitsu, Maruyama, Junya
• Primary Examiner(s): Louie; Wai-Sing
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jahan; Bilkis
• Application Number:
  US11/592,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20070051959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 257/83
• US Class Current: 257/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1248 with a particular composition or shape of the interlayer dielectric specially adapted to the circuit arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78621 with LDD structure or an extension or an offset region or characterised by the doping profile
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78627 with a significant overlap between the lightly doped drain and the gate electrode, e.g. GOLDD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78645 with multiple gate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/341 Short-circuit prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/351 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/123 Connection of the pixel electrodes to the thin film transistors [TFT]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/124 Insulating layers formed between TFT elements and OLED elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/17 Passive-matrix OLED displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/10 Organic polymers or oligomers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/111 comprising aromatic, heteroaromatic, or aryl chains, e.g. polyaniline, polyphenylene or polyphenylene vinylene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/114 Poly-phenylenevinylene; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/146 poly N-vinylcarbazol; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/341 Transition metal complexes, e.g. Ru(II)polypyridine complexes H10K85/331 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/342 : comprising iridium
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/60 : Organic compounds having low molecular weight H10K85/10 - H10K85/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/649 : Aromatic compounds comprising a hetero atom

Abstract

Failure light emission of an EL element due to failure film formation of an organic EL material in an electrode hole 46 is improved. By forming the organic EL material after embedding an insulator in an electrode hole 46 on a pixel electrode and forming a protective portion 41b, failure film formation in the electrode hole 46 can be prevented. This can prevent concentration of electric current due to a short circuit between a cathode and an anode of the EL element, and can prevent failure light emission of an EL layer.

Claims

1. A portable information terminal comprising:

a display portion comprising,

a TFT;

an interlayer insulating film over the TFT;

a pixel electrode over the interlayer insulating film;

a light emitting layer over the pixel electrode; and

a counter electrode over the light emitting layer,

wherein the pixel electrode comprises an electrode hole which is filled up with an insulator comprising an organic resin,

wherein the pixel electrode is connected to the TFT, and

wherein at least a portion of an upper surface of the insulator is overlapped with the light emitting layer.

2. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the pixel electrode and a surface of the insulator are planarized to be flush with each other.

3. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of a portion of the insulator higher than a top surface of the pixel electrodes is 0.1 to 1μ

m.

4. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting layer comprises an organic material.

5. A portable information terminal according to claim 4, wherein the organic resin comprises a material selected from the group consisting of acrylic resin, polyimide resin, polyamide resin.

6. A portable information terminal according to claim 4, wherein the organic resin comprises a resin containing a high molecular compound of siloxane.

7. A portable information terminal according to claim 4, wherein a viscosity of the organic resin is 10⁻

3 Pa·

s to 10<sup>−

1</sup> Pa·

s.

8. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the insulator in the electrode hole is sandwiched between the pixel electrode and the light emitting layer.

9. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting layer is also formed over a surface of the insulator.

10. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting layer and the insulator are sandwiched between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode.

11. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the counter electrode is a cathode and the pixel electrode is an anode.

12. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the counter electrode is an anode and the pixel electrode is a cathode.

13. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the information terminal is selected from the group consisting of a mobile computer, a cellular phone, a portable game machine and an electronic book.

14. A portable information terminal comprising:

a display portion comprising,

an electric current controlling element;

a first interlayer insulating film formed over the electric current controlling element;

a second interlayer insulating film over the first interlayer insulating film;

a contact hole opened in the second interlayer insulating film;

a pixel electrode formed over the second interlayer insulating film and electrically connected to the electric current controlling element through the contact hole;

an insulator comprising an organic resin formed over a portion of the pixel electrode in the contact hole;

a light emitting layer formed over the pixel electrode and the insulator; and

an electrode formed over the light emitting layer,

wherein at least a portion of an upper surface of the insulator is overlapped with the light emitting layer.

15. A portable information terminal according to claim 14, wherein the electric current controlling element includes a transistor formed within a silicon substrate.

16. A portable information terminal according to claim 14, wherein the pixel electrode is an anode while the electrode is a cathode.

17. A portable information terminal according to claim 14, wherein the pixel electrode is a cathode while the electrode is an anode.

18. A portable information terminal according to claim 14, wherein a surface of the pixel electrode and a surface of the insulator are planarized to be flush with each other.

19. A portable information terminal according to claim 14, wherein a thickness of a portion of the insulator higher than a top surface of the pixel electrodes is 0.1 to 1μ

m.

20. A portable information terminal according to claim 14, wherein the light emitting layer comprises an organic material.

21. A portable information terminal according to claim 20, wherein the organic resin comprises a material selected from the group consisting of acrylic resin, polyimide resin, polyamide resin.

22. A portable information terminal according to claim 20, wherein the organic resin comprises a resin containing a high molecular compound of siloxane.

23. A portable information terminal according to claim 20, wherein a viscosity of the organic resin is 10⁻

3 Pa·

s to 10<sup>−

1</sup> Pa·

s.

24. A portable information terminal according to claim 14, wherein the information terminal is selected from the group consisting of a mobile computer, a cellular phone, a portable game machine and an electronic book.

25. An audio playback device comprising:

a display portion comprising,

a TFT;

an interlayer insulating film over the TFT;

a pixel electrode over the interlayer insulating film;

a light emitting layer over the pixel electrode; and

a counter electrode over the light emitting layer,

wherein the pixel electrode comprises an electrode hole which is filled up with an insulator comprising an organic resin,

wherein the pixel electrode is connected to the TFT, and

wherein at least a portion of an upper surface of the insulator is overlapped with the light emitting layer.

26. An audio playback device according to claim 25, wherein a surface of the pixel electrode and a surface of the insulator are planarized to be flush with each other.

27. An audio playback device according to claim 25, wherein a thickness of a portion of the insulator higher than a top surface of the pixel electrodes is 0.1 to 1μ

m.

28. An audio playback device according to claim 25, wherein the light emitting layer comprises an organic material.

29. An audio playback device according to claim 28, wherein the organic resin comprises a material selected from the group consisting of acrylic resin, polyimide resin, polyamide resin.

30. An audio playback device according to claim 28, wherein the organic resin comprises a resin containing a high molecular compound of siloxane.

31. An audio playback device according to claim 28, wherein a viscosity of the organic resin is 10⁻

3 Pa·

s to 10<sup>−

1</sup> Pa·

s.

32. An audio playback device according to claim 25, wherein the insulator in the electrode hole is sandwiched between the pixel electrode and the light emitting layer.

33. An audio playback device according to claim 25, wherein the light emitting layer is also formed over a surface of the insulator.

34. An audio playback device according to claim 25, wherein the light emitting layer and the insulator are sandwiched between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode.

35. An audio playback device according to claim 25, wherein the counter electrode is a cathode and the pixel electrode is an anode.

36. An audio playback device according to claim 25, wherein the counter electrode is an anode and the pixel electrode is a cathode.

37. An audio playback device according to claim 25, wherein the audio playback device is selected from the group consisting of a car audio system, and an audio component system.

38. An audio playback device comprising:

a display portion comprising,

an electric current controlling element;

a first interlayer insulating film formed over the electric current controlling element;

a second interlayer insulating film over the first interlayer insulating film;

a contact hole opened in the second interlayer insulating film;

a pixel electrode formed over the second interlayer insulating film and electrically connected to the electric current controlling element through the contact hole;

an insulator comprising an organic resin formed over a portion of the pixel electrode in the contact hole;

a light emitting layer formed over the pixel electrode and the insulator; and

an electrode formed over the light emitting layer,

wherein at least a portion of an upper surface of the insulator is overlapped with the light emitting layer.

39. An audio playback device according to claim 38, wherein the electric current controlling element includes a transistor formed within a silicon substrate.

40. An audio playback device according to claim 38, wherein the pixel electrode is an anode while the electrode is a cathode.

41. An audio playback device according to claim 38, wherein the pixel electrode is a cathode while the electrode is an anode.

42. An audio playback device according to claim 38, wherein a surface of the pixel electrode and a surface of the insulator are planarized to be flush with each other.

43. An audio playback device according to claim 42, wherein the audio playback device is selected from the group consisting of a car audio system, and an audio component system.

44. An audio playback device according to claim 38, wherein a thickness of a portion of the insulator higher than a top surface of the pixel electrodes is 0.1 to 1μ

m.

45. An audio playback device according to claim 38, wherein the light emitting layer comprises an organic material.

46. An audio playback device according to claim 45, wherein the organic resin comprises a material selected from the group consisting of acrylic resin, polyimide resin, polyamide resin.

47. An audio playback device according to claim 45, wherein the organic resin comprises a resin containing a high molecular compound of siloxane.

48. An audio playback device according to claim 45, wherein a viscosity of the organic resin is 10⁻

3 P·

s to 10<sup>−

1</sup> Pa·

s.