Light emitting device comprising triplet compound in electroluminescent layer

• US 8,049,418 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ikeda, Hisao, Nishi, Takeshi, Yamazaki, Shunpei, Mizukami, Mayumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Roy; Sikha
• Application Number:
  US12/081,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20090115348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 313/506
• US Class Current: 313/506
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2101/10 Triplet emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/351 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/125 specially adapted for multicolour light emission, e.g. for emitting white light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/14 Carrier transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/35 comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/631 Amine compounds having at least two aryl rest on at least one amine-nitrogen atom, e.g. triphenylamine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent

Abstract

The luminance of different colors of light emitted from EL elements in a pixel portion of a light emitting device is equalized and the luminance of light emitted from the EL elements is raised. The pixel portion of the light emitting device has EL elements whose EL layers contain triplet compounds and EL elements whose EL layers contain singlet compounds in combination. The luminance of light emitted from the plural EL elements is thus equalized. Furthermore, a hole transporting layer has a laminate structure to thereby cause the EL elements to emit light of higher luminance.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a substrate;

a first EL element formed over the substrate for emitting a light of a first color, the first EL element including;

a first pixel electrode; and

a first EL layer comprising a first triplet compound;

a second EL element formed over the substrate for emitting a light of a second color which is different from the first color, the second EL element including;

a second pixel electrode; and

a second EL layer comprising a second triplet compound;

a third EL element formed over the substrate for emitting a light of a third color which is different from the first and second colors, the third EL element including;

a third pixel electrode; and

a third EL layer comprising a third triplet compound over the substrate and a bank over the substrate, the bank covering an edge portion of the first pixel electrode,

wherein the first EL layer overlaps with the first pixel electrode with at least a part of the bank interposed therebetween, and

wherein at least one of the first, second, and third EL layers comprises a plurality of hole transporting layers.

2. A light emitting device according to claim 1,

wherein the first color is red,

wherein the second color is blue, and

wherein the third color is green.

3. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of hole transporting layers includes at least a layer containing α

-NPD.

4. A light emitting device according to claim 3, wherein the layer containing α

-NPD is in contact with a light emitting layer.

5. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, and the third triplet compound includes iridium.

6. An electric appliance comprising the light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the electric appliance is selected from the group consisting of a display device, a video camera, a head mounted display, an image reproducing device equipped with a recording medium, a goggle type display, a personal computer, a cellular phone, an audio reproducing device, and a digital camera.

7. A light emitting device according to claim 1,

wherein the second EL element is provided between the first EL element and the third EL element,

wherein the first EL element emits red light,

wherein the second EL element emits green light, and

wherein the third EL element emits blue light.

8. A light emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising an interlayer insulating film comprising:

a first inorganic insulating film over the substrate;

a second inorganic insulating film over the first inorganic insulating film; and

an organic insulating film over the second inorganic insulating film,

wherein the first EL element, the second EL element, and the third EL element are provided over the organic insulating film.

9. A light emitting device according to claim 1,

wherein the bank covers an edge portion of the second pixel electrode.

10. A light emitting device according to claim 1,

wherein the second EL layer overlaps with the second pixel electrode with at least a part of the bank interposed therebetween.

11. A light emitting device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

a flexible printed circuit;

a pixel portion including a first thin film transistor over the first substrate;

a driver circuit including a second thin film transistor over the second substrate;

wherein the pixel portion comprises a first EL element for emitting a light of a first color, a second EL element for emitting a light of a second color, and a third EL element for emitting a light of a third color,

wherein the first EL element includes a first pixel electrode and a first EL layer comprising a first triplet compound,

wherein an edge portion of the first pixel electrode is covered with a bank,

wherein the first EL layer overlaps with the first pixel electrode with at least a part of the bank interposed therebetween,

wherein the second EL element comprises a second pixel electrode and a second EL layer comprising a second triplet compound,

wherein the third EL element comprises a third pixel electrode and a third EL layer comprising a third triplet compound,

wherein the second color is different from the first color,

wherein the third color is different from the first and second colors,

wherein at least one of the first, second, and third EL layers comprises a plurality of hole transporting layers, and

wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are connected through the flexible printed circuit.

12. A light emitting device according to claim 11,

wherein the first color is red,

wherein the second color is blue, and

wherein the third color is green.

13. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein one of the plurality of hole transporting layers includes at least a layer containing α

-NPD.

14. A light emitting device according to claim 13, wherein the layer containing α

-NPD is in contact with a light emitting layer.

15. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the first, second, and the third triplet compound includes iridium.

16. An electric appliance comprising the light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the electric appliance is selected from the group consisting of a display device, a video camera, a head mounted display, an image reproducing device equipped with a recording medium, a goggle type display, a personal computer, a cellular phone, an audio reproducing device, and a digital camera.

17. A light emitting device according to claim 11,

wherein the second EL element is provided between the first EL element and the third EL element,

wherein the first EL element emits red light,

wherein the second EL element emits green light, and

wherein the third EL element emits blue light.

18. A light emitting device according to claim 11, further comprising an interlayer insulating film comprising:

a first inorganic insulating film over the first thin film transistor;

a second inorganic insulating film over the first inorganic insulating film; and

an organic insulating film over the second inorganic insulating film,

wherein the first EL element, the second EL element, and the third EL element are provided over the organic insulating film.

19. A light emitting device according to claim 11,

wherein the bank covers an edge portion of the second pixel electrode.

20. A light emitting device according to claim 11,

wherein the second EL layer overlaps with the second pixel electrode with at least a part of the bank interposed therebetween.

21. A light emitting device comprising:

a substrate;

a pixel portion including a first thin film transistor over the substrate;

a driver circuit including a second thin film transistor over the substrate;

wherein the pixel portion comprises a first EL element for emitting a light of a first color, a second EL element for emitting a light of a second color, and a third EL element for emitting a light of a third color,

wherein the first EL element comprises a first pixel electrode and a first EL layer comprising a first triplet compound,

wherein an edge portion of the first pixel electrode is covered with a bank,

wherein the first EL layer overlaps with is over the first pixel electrode with at least a part of the bank interposed therebetween,

wherein the second EL element comprises a second pixel electrode and a second EL layer comprising a second triplet compound,

wherein the third EL element comprises a third pixel electrode and a third EL layer comprising a third triplet compound,

wherein the second color is different from the first color,

wherein the third color is different from the first and second colors, and

wherein at least one of the first, second, and third EL layers comprises a plurality of hole transporting layers.

22. A light emitting device according to claim 21,

wherein the first color is red,

wherein the second color is blue, and

wherein the third color is green.

23. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein one of the plurality of hole transporting layers includes at least a layer containing α

-NPD.

24. A light emitting device according to claim 23, wherein the layer containing α

-NPD is in contact with a light emitting layer.

25. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein at least one of the first, second, and the third triplet compound includes iridium.

26. An electric appliance comprising the light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the electric appliance is selected from the group consisting of a display device, a video camera, a head mounted display, an image reproducing device equipped with a recording medium, a goggle type display, a personal computer, a cellular phone, an audio reproducing device, and a digital camera.

27. A light emitting device according to claim 21,

wherein the second EL element is provided between the first EL element and the third EL element,

wherein the first EL element emits red light,

wherein the second EL element emits green light, and

wherein the third EL element emits blue light.

28. A light emitting device according to claim 21, further comprising an interlayer insulating film comprising:

a first inorganic insulating film over the first thin film transistor;

a second inorganic insulating film over the first inorganic insulating film; and

an organic insulating film over the second inorganic insulating film,

wherein the first EL element, the second EL element, and the third EL element are provided over the organic insulating film.

29. A light emitting device according to claim 21,

wherein the bank covers an edge portion of the second pixel electrode.

30. A light emitting device according to claim 21,

wherein the second EL layer overlaps with the second pixel electrode with at least a part of the bank interposed therebetween.