Electroluminescence device

• US 8,207,665 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2009
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ibe, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US12/480,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20100051990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 313504-512
• US Class Current: 313/506
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/32 Stacked devices having two or more layers, each emitting at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/84 Parallel electrical configurations of multiple OLEDs

Abstract

An organic EL element has excellent features as compared with other electroluminescent elements, but on the other hand, has a problem that the life of the element is not sufficiently long. In addition, since the organic EL element is expected to be applied to a mobile display and the like, it is also important to improve power efficiency. Hence, an object of the invention is to provide an element structure to realize an improvement in power efficiency and an improvement in the life of the element at the same. In the construction of an organic EL element of the invention, the first electroluminescent film 303 is sandwiched by the first anode 302 and a cathode 304, and the second electroluminescent film 305 and the second anode 306 are laminated over the cathode 304. At this time, the first anode 302 is put into contact with the second anode 306 to form a parallel circuit to decrease an electric current passing through the respective electroluminescent films.

Claims

1. An electroluminescence device comprising;

a first electrode formed over a substrate;

an insulator covering an end of the first electrode;

a first electroluminescent film in contact with the first electrode and the insulator;

a second electrode in contact with the first electroluminescent film;

a second electroluminescent film in contact with the second electrode; and

a third electrode in contact with the second electroluminescent film, and

wherein the third electrode overlaps the first electrode, and

wherein the first electrode and the third electrode function as one of an anode or a cathode and the second electrode functions as the other of the anode or the cathode.

2. An electroluminescence device comprising;

a first electrode formed over a substrate;

an insulator covering an end of the first electrode;

a first electroluminescent film over the first electrode and the insulator;

a second electrode over the first electroluminescent film;

a second electroluminescent film over the second electrode; and

a third electrode over the second electroluminescent film.

3. An electroluminescence device according to claim 2,

wherein the first electrode and the third electrode function as one of an anode or a cathode and the second electrode functions as the other of the anode or the cathode.

4. An electric appliance comprising;

a first electrode over a substrate;

an insulator covering an end of the first electrode;

a first electroluminescent film over the first electrode;

a second electrode over the first electroluminescent film and the insulator;

a second electroluminescent film over the second electrode; and

a third electrode over the second electroluminescent film,

wherein a first light emitting color of the first electroluminescent film and a second light emitting color of the second electroluminescent film are in a relationship of complementary colors.

5. An electric appliance according to claim 4,

wherein the first electrode and the third electrode function as one of an anode or a cathode and the second electrode functions as the other of the anode or the cathode.

6. An electric appliance according to claim 4,

wherein a first electroluminescent element comprising the first electroluminescent film is configured to emit a green light and a second electroluminescent element comprising the second electroluminescent film is configured to emit an orange light.

7. An electric appliance according to claim 4,

wherein a first electroluminescent element comprising the first electroluminescent film is configured to emit an orange light and a second electroluminescent element comprising the second electroluminescent film is configured to emit a green light.

8. An electric appliance comprising:

a first electrode over a substrate;

an insulator covering an end of the first electrode;

a first electroluminescent film over the first electrode;

a second electrode over the first electroluminescent film and the insulator;

a second electroluminescent film over the second electrode;

a third electrode over the second electroluminescent film;

a third electroluminescent film over the third electrode; and

a fourth electroluminescent film over the third electroluminescent film;

wherein a first light emitting color of the first electroluminescent film are different from a second light emitting color of the second electroluminescent film,

wherein the second light emitting color are different from a third light emitting color of the third electroluminescent film,

wherein the third light emitting color are different from the first light emitting color, and

wherein the electric appliance is configured to emit a white light.

9. An electric appliance according to claim 8,

wherein one of the first, second, and third light emitting colors is a red, green, or blue color.

10. An electroluminescence device comprising;

a first electrode formed over a substrate;

an insulator covering an end of the first electrode;

a first electroluminescent film in contact with the first electrode and the insulator;

a second electrode in contact with the first electroluminescent film and over the first electrode;

a second electroluminescent film in contact with the second electrode; and

a third electrode in contact with the second electroluminescent film and over the second electrode, and

wherein the first electrode and the third electrode function as one of an anode or a cathode and the second electrode functions as the other of the anode or the cathode.