Light emitting device

• US 8,129,715 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei, Arai, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Parker, Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US12/715,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20100156287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 257/40, 257/84
• US Class Current: 257/40
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/464 Lateral top-gate IGFETs comprising only a single gate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/466 Lateral bottom-gate IGFETs comprising only a single gate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/80 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8445 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/85 Arrangements for extracting light from the devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/856 comprising reflective means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/125 including organic TFTs [OTFT]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/17 Passive-matrix OLED displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/179 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8731 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/878 comprising reflective means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/113 Heteroaromatic compounds comprising sulfur or selene, e.g. polythiophene

Abstract

A light emitting device having a plastic substrate is capable of preventing the substrate from deterioration with the transmission of oxygen or moisture content can be obtained. The light emitting device has light emitting elements formed between a lamination layer and an inorganic compound layer that transmits visual light, where the lamination layer is constructed of one unit or two or more units, and each unit is a laminated structure of a metal layer and an organic compound layer. Alternatively, the light emitting device has light emitting elements formed between a lamination layer and an inorganic compound layer that transmits visual light, where the lamination layer is constructed of one unit or two or more units, and each unit is a laminated structure of a metal layer and an organic compound layer, wherein the inorganic compound layer is formed so as to cover the end face of the lamination layer. In the present invention, the lamination layer is formed on the primary surface of the plastic substrate, so that a flexible substrate structure can be obtained while preventing the substrate from deterioration with the transmission of oxygen or moisture content.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a first flexible substrate;

a first electrode having an angle θ

of a reflection surface of a reflector formed over the first flexible substrate;

a light emitting layer formed over the first electrode;

a second electrode formed over the light emitting layer; and

a second flexible substrate formed over the second electrode,

wherein the angle θ

of the reflection surface of the reflector is in the range of 30°

to 75°

with respect to a principal surface of the first flexible substrate,

wherein the second electrode and the second flexible substrate transmit visual light, and

wherein the first electrode comprises one selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, titanium nitride, and tungsten nitride.

2. A light emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising a partition wall layer formed over the reflector.

3. A light emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising a lamination layer formed over the first flexible substrate, the lamination layer comprising a metal layer and an organic compound layer.

4. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first flexible substrate comprises one selected from the group consisting of polyether sulphone, polyallylate, polyimide, polyamide, acrylic resin, epoxy resin, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylenenaphthalate and polycarbonate.

5. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is a lighting means.

6. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting layer comprises a material for emitting light of white color, and

wherein the light emitting device is arranged to emit white light.

7. A light emitting device comprising:

a first flexible substrate;

a first electrode having an angle θ

of a reflection surface of a reflector formed over the first flexible substrate;

a light emitting layer formed over the first electrode;

a second electrode formed over the light emitting layer; and

a second flexible substrate formed over the second electrode,

wherein the first electrode is formed as a laminate of a conductive material and the reflector,

wherein the second electrode and the second flexible substrate transmit visual light, and

wherein the angle θ

of the reflection surface of the reflector is in the range of 30°

to 75°

with respect to a principal surface of the first flexible substrate.

8. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the conductive material comprises one selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, titanium nitride, and tungsten nitride.

9. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the conductive material is a titanium nitride film of 100 to 500 nm in thickness.

10. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the reflector is made of a metal material having a high reflectivity.

11. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the reflector is an aluminum film of 100 to 1000 nm in thickness.

12. A light emitting device according to claim 7, further comprising a partition wall layer formed over the reflector.

13. A light emitting device according to claim 7, further comprising a lamination layer formed over the first flexible substrate, the lamination layer comprising a metal layer and an organic compound layer.

14. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the light emitting device is a lighting means.

15. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the light emitting layer comprises a material for emitting light of white color, and

wherein the light emitting device is arranged to emit white light.

16. A light emitting device comprising:

a first flexible substrate;

a first electrode having an angle θ

of a reflection surface of a reflector formed over the first flexible substrate;

at least one thin film transistor electrically connected to the first electrode;

a light emitting layer formed over the first electrode;

a second electrode formed over the light emitting layer; and

a second flexible substrate formed over the second electrode,

wherein the thin film transistor has an organic semiconductor,

wherein the second electrode and the second flexible substrate transmit visual light, and

wherein the angle θ

of the reflection surface of the reflector is in the range of 30°

to 75°

with respect to a principal surface of the first flexible substrate.

17. A light emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the first electrode is formed as a laminate of a conductive material and the reflector.

18. A light emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the organic semiconductor comprises one selected from the group consisting of polythiophene, poly(3-alkylthiophene), and polythiophene derivative.

19. A light emitting device according to claim 16, further comprising a partition wall layer formed over the reflector.

20. A light emitting device according to claim 16, further comprising a lamination layer formed over the first flexible substrate, the lamination layer comprising a metal layer and an organic compound layer.

21. A light emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the first flexible substrate comprises one selected from the group consisting of polyether sulphone, polyallylate, polyimide, polyamide, acrylic resin, epoxy resin, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylenenaphthalate and polycarbonate.

22. A light emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the light emitting device is a lighting means.

23. A light emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the light emitting layer comprises a material for emitting light of white color, and

wherein the light emitting device is arranged to emit white light.