Light emitting element

• US 7,737,626 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2005
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Seo, Satoshi, Kumaki, Daisuke, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Nimeshkumar D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bowman; Mary Ellen
• Application Number:
  US10/581,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20080278064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 313504-512, 428/690
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3031 Two-side emission, e.g. transparent OLEDs [TOLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/155 comprising dopants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/157 between the light-emitting layer and the cathode
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/165 comprising dopants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/828 Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/852 comprising a resonant cavity structure, e.g. Bragg reflector pair
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a light-emitting element having a structure in which the drive voltage is relatively low. Further, it is an object of the invention to provide a highly reliable light emitting device by alleviating the stress to the light emitting layer. Further, it is another object of the invention to provide a light emitting element having a structure in which increase in the drive voltage over time is small. It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device in which the drive voltage is low and increase in the drive voltage over time is small and which can withstand long-term use. In a light emitting element, a layer in contact with an electrode serves as a hole generating layer such as an organic compound layer containing a P-type semiconductor or an electron accepting material, a light emitting layer is provided between hole generating layers, an electron generating layer is formed between the hole generation layer on the cathode side and the light emitting layer.

Claims

1. A light emitting element comprising:

a first electrode and a second electrode;

a first layer and a second layer each generating holes;

a third layer containing a light emitting material; and

a fourth layer generating electrons,

wherein the first layer is in direct contact with the first electrode,

the second layer is in direct contact with the second electrode,

the third layer is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode with the first layer and the second layer respectively therebetween, and

the fourth layer is provided between the third layer and the second layer.

2. A light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of each of the first layer and the second layer is 30 nm to 1 μ

m.

3. A light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the second layer is 50% to 150% of a thickness of the first layer, and the thickness of the first layer is 50% to 150% of the thickness of the second layer.

4. A light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein t voltage is applied so as to make the light emitting element emit light, the electrode applied with higher potential is the first electrode, and the electrode applied with lower potential is the second electrode.

13. A light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is incorporated in one selected from the group consisting of a television, a mobile phone, a computer, and a game machine.

5. A light emitting element comprising:

a first electrode and a second electrode;

a first layer and a second layer each containing a P-type semiconductor;

a third layer containing a light emitting material; and

a fourth layer containing an N-type semiconductor,

wherein the first layer is in direct contact with the first electrode,

the second layer is in direct contact with the second electrode,

the third layer is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode with the first layer and the second layer respectively therebetween, and

the fourth layer is provided between the third layer and the second layer.

6. A light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein the P-type semiconductor is a metal oxide.

7. A light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein the P-type semiconductor is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of vanadium oxide, molybdenum oxide, cobalt oxide, and nickel oxide.

8. A light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein the N-type semiconductor is a metal oxide.

9. A light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein the N-type semiconductor is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, zinc sulfide, zinc selenide, and titanium oxide.

10. A light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein a thickness of each of the first layer and the second layer is 30 nm to 1 μ

m.

11. A light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein a thickness of the second layer is 50% to 150% of a thickness of the first layer, and the thickness of the first layer is 50% to 150% of the thickness of the second layer.

12. A light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein t voltage is applied so as to make the light emitting element emit light, the electrode applied with higher potential is the first electrode, and the electrode applied with lower potential is the second electrode.

14. A light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein the light emitting element is incorporated in one selected from the group consisting of a television, a mobile phone, a computer, and a game machine.

15. A light emitting element comprising:

a first electrode over a substrate;

a first layer generating holes over and in direct contact with the first electrode;

a third layer containing a light emitting material over the first layer;

a fourth layer generating electrons over the third layer;

a second layer generating holes over the fourth layer; and

a second electrode over and in direct contact with the second layer.

16. A light emitting element according to claim 15, wherein a thickness of each of the first layer and the second layer is 30 nm to 1 μ

m.

17. A light emitting element according to claim 15, wherein a thickness of the second layer is 50% to 150% of a thickness of the first layer, and the thickness of the first layer is 50% to 150% of the thickness of the second layer.

18. A light emitting element according to claim 15, wherein t voltage is applied so as to make the light emitting element emit light, the electrode applied with higher potential is the first electrode, and the electrode applied with lower potential is the second electrode.

19. A Tight emitting element according to claim 15, wherein the light emitting element is incorporated in one selected from the group consisting of a television, a mobile phone, a computer, and a game machine.

20. A light emitting element comprising:

a first electrode over a substrate;

a first layer containing a P-type semiconductor over and in direct contact with the first electrode;

a third layer containing a light emitting material over the first layer;

a fourth layer containing an N-type semiconductor over the third layer;

a second layer containing a P-type semiconductor over the fourth layer; and

a second electrode over and in direct contact with the second layer.

21. A light emitting element according to claim 20, wherein the P-type semiconductor is a metal oxide.

22. A light emitting element according to claim 20, wherein the P-type semiconductor is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of vanadium oxide, molybdenum oxide, cobalt oxide, and nickel oxide.

23. A light emitting element according to claim 20, wherein the N-type semiconductor is a metal oxide.

24. A light emitting element according to claim 20, wherein the N-type semiconductor is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, zinc sulfide, zinc selenide, and titanium oxide.

25. A light emitting element according to claim 20, wherein a thickness of each of the first layer and the second layer is 30 nm to 1 μ

m.

26. A light emitting element according to claim 20, wherein a thickness of the second layer is 50% to 150% of a thickness of the first layer, and the thickness of the first layer is 50% to 150% of the thickness of the second layer.

27. A light emitting element according to claim 20, wherein t voltage is applied so as to make the light emitting element emit light, the electrode applied with higher potential is the first electrode, and the electrode applied with lower potential is the second electrode.

28. A light emitting element according to claim 20, wherein the light emitting element is incorporated in one selected from the group consisting of a television, a mobile phone, a computer, and a game machine.