Light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same

• US 8,497,525 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamagata, Hirokazu, Yamazaki, Shunpei, Takayama, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): FOURSON III, GEORGE R
• Application Number:
  US12/898,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20110024787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 438/22, 438/26, 438/115, 257/E33.063, 257/100
• US Class Current: 257/100
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/15 Hole transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/81 Anodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/124 Insulating layers formed between TFT elements and OLED elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8051 Anodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/12 using liquid deposition, e.g. spin coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/976 Temporary protective layer

Abstract

A high-quality light emitting device is provided which has a long-lasting light emitting element free from the problems of conventional ones because of a structure that allows less degradation, and a method of manufacturing the light emitting device is provided. After a bank is formed, an exposed anode surface is wiped using a PVA (polyvinyl alcohol)-based porous substance or the like to level the surface and remove dusts from the surface. An insulating film is formed between an interlayer insulating film on a TFT and the anode. Alternatively, plasma treatment is performed on the surface of the interlayer insulating film on the TFT for surface modification.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor;

a first insulating film including an inorganic insulating material over the thin film transistor;

a second insulating film including an organic resin material over the first insulating film;

a first electrode over the second insulating film;

a bank including an organic resin material, the bank covering an edge of the first electrode;

an organic compound layer including a first region having a first thickness over the first electrode and a second region having a second thickness over the bank; and

a second electrode over the organic compound layer,

wherein the first thickness is larger than the second thickness, and

wherein a source or drain electrode of the thin film transistor is electrically connected to the first electrode.

2. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is formed from indium oxide with 2 to 20% of zinc oxide mixed therein.

3. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the organic compound layer at an edge part, at which the first electrode and the bank are in contact with each other, is larger than the first thickness and the second thickness.

4. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the organic compound layer is formed by a spin coating method or a spraying method.

5. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is incorporated into one of a digital camera, a cellular phone, a mobile computer, a video camera, a goggle type display, a navigation system, an audio reproducing device, a personal computer, a game machine, a portable game machine, an electronic book, and an image reproducing device.

6. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is an anode.

22. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the organic compound layer has a curved upper surface at an edge part, at which the first electrode and the bank are in contact with each other.

23. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the organic compound layer comprises a light emitting layer.

24. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating film includes a silicon oxide film or a silicon oxynitride film.

25. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating film includes a silicon nitride film.

7. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor;

a first insulating film including an organic resin material over the thin film transistor;

a second insulating film including a silicon oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film, or a silicon nitride film, over the first insulating film;

a first electrode over the second insulating film;

a bank including an organic resin material, the bank covering an edge of the first electrode;

an organic compound layer including a first region having a first thickness over the first electrode and a second region having a second thickness over the bank; and

a second electrode over the organic compound layer,

wherein the first thickness is larger than the second thickness.

8. The light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the first electrode is formed from indium oxide with 2 to 20% of zinc oxide mixed therein.

9. The light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein a thickness of the organic compound layer at an edge part, at which the first electrode and the bank are in contact with each other, is larger than the first thickness and the second thickness.

10. The light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the organic compound layer is formed by a spin coating method or a spraying method.

11. The light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the light emitting device is incorporated into one of a digital camera, a cellular phone, a mobile computer, a video camera, a goggle type display, a navigation system, an audio reproducing device, a personal computer, a game machine, a portable game machine, an electronic book, and an image reproducing device.

26. The light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the organic compound layer has a curved upper surface at an edge part, at which the first electrode and the bank are in contact with each other.

27. The light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the organic compound layer comprises a light emitting layer.

12. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor;

a first insulating film including an organic resin material over the thin film transistor, the first insulating film being a cured film formed by plasma treatment;

a second insulating film including a DLC film over the first insulating film;

a first electrode over the second insulating film;

a bank including an organic resin material, the bank covering an edge of the first electrode;

an organic compound layer including a first region having a first thickness over the first electrode and a second region having a second thickness over the bank; and

a second electrode over the organic compound layer,

wherein the first thickness is larger than the second thickness.

13. The light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the first electrode is formed from indium oxide with 2 to 20% of zinc oxide mixed therein.

14. The light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein a thickness of the organic compound layer at an edge part, at which the first electrode and the bank are in contact with each other, is larger than the first thickness and the second thickness.

15. The light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the organic compound layer is formed by a spin coating method or a spraying method.

16. The light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the light emitting device is incorporated into one of a digital camera, a cellular phone, a mobile computer, a video camera, a goggle type display, a navigation system, an audio reproducing device, a personal computer, a game machine, a portable game machine, an electronic book, and an image reproducing device.

28. The light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the organic compound layer has a curved upper surface at an edge part, at which the first electrode and the bank are in contact with each other.

29. The light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the organic compound layer comprises a light emitting layer.

17. A light emitting device comprising:

a thin film transistor;

a first insulating film including an organic resin material over the thin film transistor;

a second insulating film including an aluminum oxide nitride film over the first insulating film;

a first electrode over the second insulating film;

a bank including an organic resin material, the bank covering an edge of the first electrode;

an organic compound layer including a first region having a first thickness over the first electrode and a second region having a second thickness over the bank; and

a second electrode over the organic compound layer,

wherein the first thickness is larger than the second thickness.

18. The light emitting device according to claim 17, wherein the first electrode is formed from indium oxide with 2 to 20% of zinc oxide mixed therein.

19. The light emitting device according to claim 17, wherein a thickness of the organic compound layer at an edge part, at which the first electrode and the bank are in contact with each other, is larger than the first thickness and the second thickness.

20. The light emitting device according to claim 17, wherein the organic compound layer is formed by a spin coating method or a spraying method.

21. The light emitting device according to claim 17, wherein the light emitting device is incorporated into one of a digital camera, a cellular phone, a mobile computer, a video camera, a goggle type display, a navigation system, an audio reproducing device, a personal computer, a game machine, a portable game machine, an electronic book, and an image reproducing device.

30. The light emitting device according to claim 17, wherein the organic compound layer has a curved upper surface at an edge part, at which the first electrode and the bank are in contact with each other.

31. The light emitting device according to claim 17, wherein the organic compound layer comprises a light emitting layer.