Device structure

• US 8,466,455 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Burrows, Paul E., Weaver, Michael Stuart, Adamovich, Vadim
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Jr., Jerome
• Application Number:
  US12/881,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20110062462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 257/40
• US Class Current: 257/40
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/35 comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/342 comprising iridium

Abstract

Organic light emitting devices are provided having multiple subpixels. An organic spacer layer is provided in at least one subpixel to protect the emissive layer of the at least one subpixel from overspray due to the deposition of a different emissive layer in a nearby subpixel. More generally, a first device is provided, where the first device comprises a multicolor organic light emitting device. The first device may be the multicolor organic device itself. Or, the first device may be a larger device, such as a consumer device, that includes one or many of the multicolor organic devices. The multicolor organic light emitting, device further comprises multiple subpixels. In the most general case, there are at least a first subpixel and a second subpixel.

Claims

1. A first device comprising a multicolor organic light emitting device, further comprising:

a first subpixel, further comprising;

a first electrode of the first subpixel;

a second electrode of the first subpixel;

an emissive layer of the first subpixel disposed between the first electrode of the first subpixel and the second electrode of the first subpixel, the emissive layer of the first subpixel further comprising a first organic emitting material having a first emissive spectrum with a first peak in the visible spectrum;

a first overspray layer of the first subpixel disposed between the first electrode of the first subpixel and the second electrode of the first subpixel, the first overspray layer of the first subpixel further comprising a second organic emitting material, different from the first organic emitting material, the second organic emitting material having a second emissive spectrum with a second peak in the visible spectrum;

a first organic spacer layer of the first subpixel disposed between first emissive layer of the first subpixel and the second overspray layer of the first subpixel;

a second subpixel, further comprising;

a first electrode of the second subpixel;

a second electrode of the second subpixel;

a first overspray layer of the second subpixel disposed between the first electrode of the second subpixel and the second electrode of the second subpixel, the first overspray layer of the second subpixel further comprising the first organic emitting material;

an emissive layer of the second subpixel disposed between the first electrode of the second subpixel and the second electrode of the second subpixel, the emissive layer of the second subpixel further comprising the second organic emitting material,

wherein, the first overspray layer of the first subpixel is thinner than the emissive layer of the second subpixel, and the first overspray layer of the second subpixel is thinner than the emissive layer of the first subpixel.

2. The first device of claim 1, wherein:

the first subpixel comprises;

the first electrode of the first subpixel;

the emissive layer of the first subpixel disposed over the first electrode;

the first spacer layer of the first subpixel disposed over the emissive layer of the first subpixel;

the first overspray layer of the first subpixel disposed over the first spacer layer of the first subpixel;

the second electrode of the first subpixel disposed over the first overspray layer of the first subpixel;

the second subpixel comprises;

the first electrode of the second subpixel;

the first overspray layer of the second subpixel disposed over the first electrode of the second subpixel;

the emissive layer of the second subpixel disposed over the first overspray layer of the second subpixel;

the second electrode of the second subpixel disposed over the emissive layer of the second subpixel.

3. The first device of claim 2, wherein:

in the first subpixel;

the first spacer layer of the first subpixel is in contact with the emissive layer of the first subpixel;

the first overspray layer of the first subpixel is in contact with the first spacer layer of the first subpixel.

4. The first device of claim 1, wherein:

the first subpixel comprises;

the first electrode of the first subpixel;

the first overspray layer of the first subpixel disposed over the first electrode of the first subpixel;

the first spacer layer of the first subpixel disposed over the first overspray layer of the first subpixel;

the emissive layer of the first subpixel disposed over the first spacer layer;

the second electrode of the first subpixel disposed over the emissive layer of the first subpixel;

the second subpixel comprises;

the first electrode of the second subpixel;

the emissive layer of the second subpixel disposed over the first electrode of the second subpixel;

the first overspray layer of the second subpixel disposed over the emissive layer of the second subpixel;

the second electrode of the second subpixel disposed over the first overspray layer of the second subpixel.

5. The first device of claim 4, wherein:

in the first subpixel;

the first spacer layer of the first subpixel is in contact with the first overspray layer of the first subpixel;

the emissive layer of the first subpixel is in contact with the first spacer layer.

6. The first device of claim 1, wherein:

the first subpixel further comprises;

the first electrode of the first subpixel;

the emissive layer of the first subpixel disposed over the first electrode of the first subpixel;

the first organic spacer layer of the first subpixel disposed over the emissive layer of the first subpixel;

the first overspray layer of the first subpixel disposed over the first organic spacer layer of the first subpixel;

a second overspray layer of the first subpixel disposed over the first overspray layer of the first subpixel, the second overspray layer of the first subpixel further comprising a third organic emitting material, different from the first organic emitting material and the second organic emitting material, the third organic emitting material having a third emissive spectrum with a third peak in the visible spectrum;

the second electrode of the first subpixel disposed over the second overspray layer of the first subpixel;

the second subpixel further comprises;

the first electrode of the second subpixel;

the first overspray layer of the second subpixel disposed over the first electrode of the second subpixel;

the emissive layer of the second subpixel disposed over the first overspray layerof the second subpixel;

the first organic spacer layer of the second subpixel disposed over the emissive layer of the second subpixel;

a second overspray layer of the second subpixel disposed over the first overspray layer of the second subpixel, the second overspray layer of the second subpixel further comprising the third organic emitting material;

the second electrode of the second subpixel disposed over the second overspray layer of the second subpixel;

wherein the multicolor organic light emitting device further comprises a third subpixel, the third subpixel further comprising;

a first electrode of the third subpixel;

a first overspray layer of the third subpixel disposed over the first electrode of the third subpixel, the first overspray layer of the third subpixel comprising the first emissive material;

a second overspray layer of the third subpixel disposed over the first overspray layer of the third pixel, the second overspray layer of the third subpixel comprising the second emissive material;

an emissive layer of the third subpixel disposed over the second overspray layer of the third subpixel, the emissive layer of the third subpixel comprising the third organic emitting material;

a second electrode of the third subpixel disposed over the emissive layer of the third subpixel.

7. The first device of claim 1, wherein:

the first subpixel further comprises;

the first electrode of the first subpixel;

the emissive layer of the first subpixel disposed over the first electrode of the first subpixel;

the first organic spacer layer of the first subpixel disposed over the emissive layer of the first subpixel;

the first overspray layer of the first subpixel disposed over the first organic spacer layer of the first subpixel;

a second overspray layer of the first subpixel disposed over the first overspray layer of the first subpixel, the second overspray layer of the first subpixel further comprising a third organic emitting material, different from the first organic emitting material and the second organic emitting material, the third organic emitting material having a third emissive spectrum with a third peak in the visible spectrum;

the second electrode of the first subpixel disposed over the second overspray layer of the first subpixel;

the second subpixel further comprises;

the first electrode of the second subpixel;

the first overspray layer of the second subpixel disposed over the first electrode of the second subpixel;

the first organic spacer layer of the second subpixel disposed over the first overspray layer of the second subpixel;

the emissive layer of the second subpixel disposed over the first organic spacer layer of the second subpixel;

a second organic spacer layer of the second subpixel disposed over the emissive layer of the second subpixel;

a second overspray layer of the second subpixel disposed over the second organic spacer layer of the second subpixel, the second overspray layer of the second subpixel further comprising the third organic emitting material;

the second electrode of the second subpixel disposed over the second overspray layer of the second subpixel;

wherein the multicolor organic light emitting device further comprises a third subpixel, the third subpixel further comprising;

a first electrode of the third subpixel;

a first overspray layer of the third subpixel disposed over the first electrode of the third subpixel, the first overspray layer of the third subpixel comprising the first emissive material;

a second overspray layer of the third subpixel disposed over the first overspray layer of the third pixel, the second overspray layer of the third subpixel comprising the second emissive material;

an emissive layer of the third subpixel disposed over the second overspray layer of the third subpixel, the emissive layer of the third subpixel comprising the third organic emitting material;

a second electrode of the third subpixel disposed over the emissive layer of the third subpixel.

8. The first device of claim 6, wherein the first, second and third subpixels are separately addressable.

9. The first device of claim 6, wherein:

the first electrode of the first subpixel, the first electrode of the second subpixel and the first electrode of the third subpixel are anodes;

the second electrode of the first subpixel, the second electrode of the second subpixel and the second electrode of the third subpixel are cathodes;

the device further comprises a hole transport layer common to the first, second and third subpixels, wherein the hole transport layer is disposed between the first electrode of the first subpixel and the emissive layer of the first subpixel in the first subpixel, between the first electrode of the second subpixel and the first overspray layer of the second subpixel in the second subpixel, and between the first electrode of the third subpixel and the first overspray layer of the third subpixel in the third subpixel.

10. The first device of claim 6, wherein:

the first electrode of the first subpixel, the first electrode of the second subpixel and the first electrode of the third subpixel are anodes;

the second electrode of the first subpixel, the second electrode of the second subpixel and the second electrode of the third subpixel are cathodes;

the device further comprises an electron transport layer common to the first, second and third subpixels, wherein the electron transport layer is disposed between the second electrode of the first subpixel and the second overspray layer of the first subpixel in the first subpixel, between the second electrode of the second subpixel and the second overspray layer of the second subpixel in the second subpixel, and between the second electrode of the third subpixel and the emissive layer of the third subpixel in the third subpixel.

11. The first device of claim 6, wherein the first peak is between 400 and 500 nm, the second peak is between 500 and 600 nm, and the third peak is between 600 and 700 nm.

12. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first device is a consumer device.

13. A method of depositing a first device comprising a multi-color organic light emitting device having first and second subpixels, comprising:

providing a first electrode of the first subpixel, and a first electrode of the second subpixel;

depositing over the first electrode of the first subpixel and the first electrode of the second subpixel, in order;

a layer comprising a first emitting material having an emissive spectrum with a first peak in the visible spectrum, the layer being deposited via organic vapor jet deposition with the jet positioned such that a first emissive layer is formed in the first subpixel, and a first overspray layer is formed in the second subpixel;

a first blocking layer over at least one of the first and second subpixels;

a layer comprising a second emitting material having an emissive spectrum with a second peak in the visible spectrum, different from the first peak the layer being deposited via organic vapor jet deposition with the jet positioned such that a second emissive layer is formed in the second subpixel, and a second overspray layer is formed in the first subpixel;

depositing a second electrode over the layer comprising the second emitting material,

wherein, the first overspray layer of the second subpixel is thinner than the first emissive layer of the first subpixel, and the second overspray layer of the first subpixel is thinner than the second emissive layer of the second subpixel.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the multi-color organic light emitting device has first, second and third subpixels, and the method further comprises:

providing a first electrode of the third subpixel in addition to the first electrode of the first subpixel, and the first electrode of the second subpixel;

wherein the deposition, in order, is over the first electrode of the first subpixel, the first electrode of the second subpixel, and the first electrode of the third subpixel,

wherein, during deposition of the layer comprising the first emitting material, the first overspray layer is also formed in the third subpixel;

wherein, during deposition of the layer comprising a second emitting material, a second overspray layer is also formed in the third subpixel;

wherein the deposition further comprises depositing, in order and after depositing the layer comprising a second emitting material and before depositing the second electrode,

a second blocking layer in the second subpixel;

a layer comprising a third emitting material having an emissive spectrum with a third peak in the visible spectrum, different from the first and second peaks, the jet being positioned such that a third emissive layer is formed in the third subpixel, and a third overspray layer is formed in the first and second subpixels.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first peak is between 400 and 500 nm, the second peak is between 500 and 600 nm, and the third peak is between 600 and 700 nm.