Light emitting device with microlens array

• US 7,777,416 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC (LG Display Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC (LG Display Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Liao, Liang-Sheng, Yacobucci, Paul D., Lander, Charles W., Chari, Krishnan
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US11/763,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20080310186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 313506-512, 362/308
• US Class Current: 313/512
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00365 Production of microlenses lenticular sheets B29D11/00278
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00807 Producing lenses combined with electronics, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0006 Arrays G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a micro-lens array and light-emitting device, including forming a first structured polymer film with close packed surface cavities having a mean diameter of less than 20 micrometers and a relatively lower surface energy surface, forming a transparent second structured film with an array of microlenses formed thereon corresponding to the cavities of the first structured film, wherein the second structured film includes a relatively high surface energy material and has a refractive index greater than 1.45, and wherein the microlenses are randomly distributed, separating the second structured film with the micro-lens array from the first structured polymer film, and attaching the second structured film to a transparent substrate or cover of a light-emitting device through which light is emitted. Use of microlens arrays formed from relatively high surface energy materials enables matching refractive index of microlens array to that of light-emitting devices substrate or cover through which light is emitted and relatively high elastic modulus providing good scratch resistance.

Claims

1. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a light emitting element on a first side of a transparent substrate or cover through which light is emitted; and

a microlens array on a second side, opposite to the first side, of the transparent substrate or cover though which light is emitted;

wherein the microlens array has a refractive index greater than 1.45 and an elastic modulus of at least 1,000 kPa and comprises individual microlenses having a mean diameter of less than 20 micrometers that are randomly distributed over 300 μ

m×

300 μ

m areas of the microlens array.

2. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a pixellated flat-panel display device, and where the individual micro-lenses of the array are randomly distributed at the scale of a pixel in the display device.

3. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the microlens array has a microlens fill factor greater than 0.80.

4. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the device comprise, in order, a transparent glass substrate through which light is emitted, a first transparent electrode on a first side of the substrate, one or more layers of organic light-emitting material, and a second electrode, and wherein the microlens array is on a second side, opposite to the first side, of the transparent substrate, and has an refractive index within 0.05 of the refractive index of the glass substrate.

5. The light emitting device of claim 4, wherein the microlens array has an refractive index within 0.03 of the refractive index of the glass substrate.

6. The light emitting device according to claim 5, wherein the elastic modulus of the second structured film is at least 10,000 kPa.