Light-emitting element and light-emitting device

• US 8,502,210 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2011
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kumaki, Daisuke, Seo, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US13/043,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20110156029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 257/40, 257/E51.001
• US Class Current: 257/40
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/157 between the light-emitting layer and the cathode
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/82 Cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/852 comprising a resonant cavity structure, e.g. Bragg reflector pair
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8052 Cathodes

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a light-emitting element having, between a pair of electrodes, a layer containing a light-emitting material and a transparent conductive film, wherein the electric erosion of the transparent conductive film and reflective metal can be prevented and to provide a light-emitting device using the light-emitting element. According to the present invention, a first layer 102 containing a light-emitting material, a second layer 103 containing an N-type semiconductor, a third layer 104 including a transparent conductive film, and a fourth layer 105 containing a hole-transporting medium are provided between an anode 101 and a cathode 106, wherein the first layer 102, the second layer 103, the third layer 104, the fourth layer 105, and the cathode 106 are provided in order, and wherein the cathode has a layer containing reflective metal.

Claims

1. A light-emitting device comprising:

an anode;

a first layer containing a light-emitting material over the anode;

a second layer containing an N-type semiconductor over the first layer;

a third layer including a transparent conductive film over the second layer;

a fourth layer containing a hole-transporting material over the third layer; and

a cathode over and in direct contact with the fourth layer.

2. The light-emitting device according to claim 1,

wherein the transparent conductive film comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium tin oxide containing silicon, and indium oxide containing zinc oxide by 2 to 20%.

3. The light-emitting device according to claim 1,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises metal oxide.

4. The light-emitting device according to claim 1,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide, a compound containing two or more of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide.

5. A light-emitting device comprising:

an anode;

a first layer containing a light-emitting material over the anode;

a second layer containing an N-type semiconductor over the first layer;

a third layer including a transparent conductive film over the second layer;

a fourth layer containing a hole-transporting material over the third layer; and

a cathode containing a reflective metal over and in direct contact with the fourth layer.

6. The light-emitting device according to claim 5,

wherein the reflective metal comprises aluminum, silver, alloy containing aluminum, or alloy containing silver.

7. The light-emitting device according to claim 5,

wherein the transparent conductive film comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium tin oxide containing silicon, and indium oxide containing zinc oxide by 2 to 20%.

8. The light-emitting device according to claim 5,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises metal oxide.

9. The light-emitting device according to claim 5,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide, a compound containing two or more of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide.

10. A light-emitting device comprising:

an anode;

a cathode;

a first layer containing a light-emitting material between the anode and the cathode;

a second layer containing an N-type semiconductor between the first layer and the cathode;

a third layer including a transparent conductive film between the second layer and the cathode; and

a fourth layer containing a hole-transporting material between the third layer and the cathode,

wherein the fourth layer is in direct contact with the cathode.

11. The light-emitting device according to claim 10,

wherein the cathode contains a reflective metal.

12. The light-emitting device according to claim 11,

wherein the reflective metal comprises aluminum, silver, alloy containing aluminum, or alloy containing silver.

13. The light-emitting device according to claim 10,

wherein the transparent conductive film comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium tin oxide containing silicon, and indium oxide containing zinc oxide by 2 to 20%.

14. The light-emitting device according to claim 10,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises metal oxide.

15. The light-emitting device according to claim 10,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide, a compound containing two or more of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide.

16. A light-emitting device comprising:

an anode;

a cathode;

a first layer containing a light-emitting material between the anode and the cathode;

a second layer containing an N-type semiconductor between the first layer and the cathode;

a third layer including a transparent conductive film between the second layer and the cathode; and

a fourth layer containing an P-type semiconductor between the third layer and the cathode,

wherein the fourth layer is in direct contact with the cathode.

17. The light-emitting device according to claim 16,

wherein the P-type semiconductor is one selected from the group consisting vanadium oxide, chromium oxide, molybdenum oxide, cobalt oxide, and nickel oxide, a compound containing two or more of vanadium oxide, chromium oxide, molybdenum oxide, cobalt oxide, and nickel oxide.

18. The light-emitting device according to claim 16,

wherein the cathode contains a reflective metal.

19. The light-emitting device according to claim 18,

wherein the reflective metal comprises aluminum, silver, alloy containing aluminum, or alloy containing silver.

20. The light-emitting device according to claim 16,

wherein the transparent conductive film comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium tin oxide containing silicon, and indium oxide containing zinc oxide by 2 to 20%.

21. The light-emitting device according to claim 16,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises metal oxide.

22. The light-emitting device according to claim 16,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide, a compound containing two or more of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide.

37. The light-emitting device according to claim 20,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide, a compound containing two or more of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide.

23. A light-emitting device comprising:

an anode;

a cathode;

a first layer containing a light-emitting material between the anode and the cathode;

a second layer containing an N-type semiconductor between the first layer and the cathode;

a third layer including a transparent conductive film between the second layer and the cathode; and

a fourth layer containing an organic compound between the third layer and the cathode,

wherein the fourth layer is in direct contact with the cathode.

24. The light-emitting device according to claim 23,

wherein the organic compound includes an aromatic amine skeleton.

25. The light-emitting device according to claim 23,

wherein the cathode contains a reflective metal.

26. The light-emitting device according to claim 25,

wherein the reflective metal comprises aluminum, silver, alloy containing aluminum, or alloy containing silver.

27. The light-emitting device according to claim 23,

wherein the transparent conductive film comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium tin oxide containing silicon, and indium oxide containing zinc oxide by 2 to 20%.

28. The light-emitting device according to claim 23,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises metal oxide.

29. The light-emitting device according to claim 23,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide, a compound containing two or more of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and titanium oxide.

30. A light-emitting device comprising:

an anode;

a cathode;

a first layer containing a light-emitting material between the anode and the cathode;

a second layer containing an N-type semiconductor between the first layer and the cathode;

a third layer including a transparent conductive film between the second layer and the cathode; and

a fourth layer containing a material having electron-receiving properties to an organic compound between the third layer and the cathode,

wherein the fourth layer is in direct contact with the cathode.

31. The light-emitting device according to claim 30,

wherein the material having electron-receiving properties comprises metal oxide.

32. The light-emitting device according to claim 30,

wherein the material having electron-receiving properties comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxide, rhenium oxide, and a compound containing two or more of molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxide, and rhenium oxide.

33. The light-emitting device according to claim 30,

wherein the cathode contains a reflective metal.

34. The light-emitting device according to claim 33,

wherein the reflective metal comprises aluminum, silver, alloy containing aluminum, or alloy containing silver.

35. The light-emitting device according to claim 30,

wherein the transparent conductive film comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium tin oxide containing silicon, and indium oxide containing zinc oxide by 2 to 20%.

36. The light-emitting device according to claim 30,

wherein the N-type semiconductor contained in the second layer comprises metal oxide.