Light emitting device, method of manufacturing the same, and manufacturing apparatus therefor

• US 7,982,206 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2010
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hamatani, Toshiji, Takayama, Toru, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Pert; Evan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson; Scott
• Application Number:
  US12/778,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20100295052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 257/76, 257/77, 257/E21.054, 257/E21.182, 257/E21.541, 257/E21.27, 257/13, 257/78, 257/85, 257/90, 257 94- 97, 257 79-103, 257/918, 257/59, 257/72, 257 88- 93, 257/E21.007, 257/E21.019, 438/105, 438/931
• US Class Current: 257/13
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67207 comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/125 specially adapted for multicolour light emission, e.g. for emitting white light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/13 comprising stacked EL layers within one EL unit
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/865 comprising light absorbing layers, e.g. light-blocking layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• 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 59/32 Stacked devices having two or more layers, each emitting at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/35 comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/353 characterised by the geometrical arrangement of the RGB subpixels
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/38 comprising colour filters or colour changing media [CCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass

Abstract

A light emitting device having high definition, a high aperture ratio, and high reliability is provided. The present invention achieves high definition and a high aperture ratio with a full color flat panel display using red, green, and blue color emission light by intentionally forming laminate portions, wherein portions of different organic compound layers of adjacent light emitting elements overlap with each other, without depending upon the method of forming the organic compound layers or the film formation precision.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a first transistor and a second transistor formed over a first substrate;

an insulating film formed over the first transistor and the second transistor;

a first electrode formed over the first transistor and the insulating film, and electrically connected to the first transistor through a first contact hole in the insulating film;

a second electrode formed over the second transistor and the insulating film, and electrically connected to the second transistor through a second contact hole in the insulating film;

an insulator covering an edge portion of the first electrode and an edge portion of the second electrode, and filling the balance of the first contact hole and the balance of the second contact hole;

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

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

a first colorization layer formed over a second substrate and being opposed to the first light emitting layer;

a second colorization layer formed over the second substrate and being opposed to the second light emitting layer; and

a shading portion formed between the first colorization layer and the second colorization layer,

wherein the shading portion is formed over the second substrate and is opposed to the insulator.

2. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a protective film is formed over the first light emitting layer and the second light emitting layer.

3. The light emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the protective film is a silicon nitride film.

4. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the insulator is formed from an organic material.

5. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the insulator is formed from an inorganic material.

6. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first transistor is a first thin film transistor and the second transistor is a second thin film transistor.

7. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode is a transparent conductive film including indium tin oxide.

8. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a color of light emitted from the first light emitting layer is different from a color of light emitted from the second light emitting layer.

9. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the shading portion is an organic material film containing a black color pigment.

10. An electronic equipment having the light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic equipment is one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a head mounted display, a car navigation system, a car stereo, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, a player using a recording medium, and a display.

11. A light emitting device comprising:

a first transistor and a second transistor formed over a first substrate;

an insulating film formed over the first transistor and the second transistor;

a first electrode formed over the first transistor and the insulating film, and electrically connected to the first transistor through a first contact hole in the insulating film;

a second electrode formed over the second transistor and the insulating film, and electrically connected to the second transistor through a second contact hole in the insulating film;

an insulator covering an edge portion of the first electrode and an edge portion of the second electrode, and filling the balance of the first contact hole and the balance of the second contact hole;

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

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

a third electrode formed over the first light emitting layer and the second light emitting layer;

a first colorization layer formed over a second substrate and being opposed to the first light emitting layer;

a second colorization layer formed over the second substrate and being opposed to the second light emitting layer; and

a shading portion formed between the first colorization layer and the second colorization layer,

wherein the shading portion is formed over the second substrate and is opposed to the insulator.

12. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein a protective film is formed over the third electrode.

13. The light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the protective film is a silicon nitride film.

14. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the insulator is formed from an organic material.

15. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the insulator is formed from an inorganic material.

16. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the first transistor is a first thin film transistor and the second transistor is a second thin film transistor.

17. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode is a transparent conductive film including indium tin oxide.

18. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein a color of light emitted from the first light emitting layer is different from a color of light emitted from the second light emitting layer.

19. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the shading portion is an organic material film containing a black color pigment.

20. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the third electrode is a metal thin film including MgAg.

21. An electronic equipment having the light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the electronic equipment is one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a head mounted display, a car navigation system, a car stereo, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, a player using a recording medium, and a display.

22. A light emitting device comprising:

a first semiconductor film and a second semiconductor film formed over a first substrate;

a gate insulating film formed over the first semiconductor film and the second semiconductor film;

a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode formed over the gate insulating film;

a first insulating film formed over the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode;

a first source electrode and a first drain electrode formed over the first insulating film and electrically connected to the first semiconductor film;

a second source electrode and a second drain electrode formed over the first insulating film and electrically connected to the second semiconductor film;

a second insulating film formed over the first source electrode, the first drain electrode, the second source electrode and the second drain electrode;

a first pixel electrode formed over the second insulating film and electrically connected to one of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode;

a second pixel electrode formed over the second insulating film and electrically connected to one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode;

an insulator formed over the second insulating film, covering an edge portion of the first pixel electrode and an edge portion of the second pixel electrode;

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

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

an opposite electrode formed over the first light emitting layer and the second light emitting layer; and

a first colorization layer formed over a second substrate and being opposed to the first light emitting layer;

a second colorization layer formed over the second substrate and being opposed to the second light emitting layer; and

a shading portion formed between the first colorization layer and the second colorization layer,

wherein the shading portion is formed over the second substrate and is opposed to the insulator.

23. The light emitting device according to claim 22, wherein a protective film is formed over the opposite electrode.

24. The light emitting device according to claim 23, wherein the protective film is a silicon nitride film.

25. The light emitting device according to claim 22, wherein the insulator is formed from an organic material.

26. The light emitting device according to claim 22, wherein the insulator is formed from an inorganic material.

27. The light emitting device according to claim 22, wherein each of the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode is a transparent conductive film including indium tin oxide.

28. The light emitting device according to claim 22, wherein a color of light emitted from the first light emitting layer is different from a color of light emitted from the second light emitting layer.

29. The light emitting device according to claim 22, wherein the shading portion is an organic material film containing a black color pigment.

30. The light emitting device according to claim 22, wherein the opposite electrode is a metal thin film including MgAg.

31. An electronic equipment having the light emitting device according to claim 22, wherein the electronic equipment is one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a head mounted display, a car navigation system, a car stereo, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, a player using a recording medium, and a display.