Light-emitting element including a charge injection transport layer having a recess portion for accumulating ink, and display device and method for manufacturing thereof

• US 8,890,173 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2011
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JDI Design and Development GK
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Harada, Kenji, Takeuchi, Takayuki, Nishiyama, Seiji, Komatsu, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Toledo, Fernando L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bradford, Peter
• Application Number:
  US13/205,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20110291128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 257/E51.022, 257/40, 257/79, 257/91, 257/E51.019, 257/E27.119, 257/E51.018, 438/46, 438/99
• US Class Current: 257/79
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/14 Carrier transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/135 using ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/233 by photolithographic etching

Abstract

A light emitter and method for manufacturing a light emitter. The light emitter includes a first electrode, a charge injection transport layer, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode that are layered in this order. At least the light-emitting layer is defined by bank. The charge injection transport layer includes a recessed portion having an inner bottom surface in contact with a bottom surface of the light-emitting layer and an inner side surface continuous with the inner bottom surface and in contact at least partly with a side surface of the light-emitting layer. The inner side surface has a lower edge continuous with the inner bottom surface, and an upper edge is aligned with a portion of a bottom periphery of the bank, the portion being in contact with the light-emitting layer or in contact with a bottom surface of the bank.

Claims

1. A light emitter, comprising:

a first electrode;

a charge injection transport layer;

a light-emitting layer; and

a second electrode, said first electrode, said charge injection transport layer, said light-emitting layer and said second electrode being layered in this order, at least said light-emitting layer being defined by a bank, wherein

said charge injection transport layer includes a recessed portion, said recessed portion including an inner bottom surface that is in contact with a bottom surface of said light-emitting layer and an inner side surface that is continuous with said inner bottom surface, said inner side surface being in contact at least with a part of a side surface of said light-emitting layer,

said inner side surface of said recessed portion having a lower edge continuous with said inner bottom surface, and an upper edge at least one of aligned with a portion of a bottom periphery of said bank that contacts said light-emitting layer, and contacting a bottom surface of said bank.

2. The light emitter of claim 1, wherein said charge injection transport layer is liquid-philic and said bank is liquid-repellent with respect to an ink composition containing an organic EL material from which said light-emitting layer is formed.

3. The light emitter of claim 1, wherein said charge injection transport layer includes a metal compound dissolvable by a predetermined solvent, said recessed portion comprising a portion of said charge injection transport layer where said metal compound has been dissolved by the predetermined solvent.

4. The light emitter of claim 3, wherein the predetermined solvent comprises at least one of a developing solution for removing a part of a resist film used to form said bank and a cleaning fluid for cleaning residuals of the resist film that remain after forming said bank.

5. The light emitter of claim 1, wherein said charge injection transport layer comprises a hole injection layer including a metal oxide.

6. The light emitter of claim 5, wherein said metal oxide comprises an oxide of one of tungsten and molybdenum.

7. A display apparatus, comprising said light emitter of claim 1.

8. The light emitter of claim 1, wherein said recessed portion has an average depth of 5 nm to 100 nm.

9. The light emitter of claim 1, wherein said light-emitting layer has an average film thickness that is smaller than an average depth of said recessed portion.

10. The light emitter of claim 1, wherein an inclination angle of said inner side surface of said recessed portion relative to said inner bottom surface is substantially equal to an inclination angle of said bank relative to said inner bottom surface.

11. The light emitter of claim 1, wherein an inclination angle of said inner side surface of said recessed portion relative to said inner bottom surface is greater than an inclination angle of said bank relative to said inner bottom surface.

12. The light emitter of claim 1, wherein an inclination angle of said inner side surface of said recessed portion relative to said inner bottom surface is less than an inclination angle of said bank are substantially equal relative to said inner bottom surface.

13. The light emitter of claim 3, wherein a depth of said recessed portion is predetermined in accordance with a melting speed of said metal compound with respect to the predetermined solvent, the melting speed being based on a temperature of the predetermined solvent.

14. A light emitter, comprising:

a first electrode;

a charge injection transport layer;

an intermediate layer;

a light-emitting layer; and

a second electrode, said first electrode, said charge injection transport layer, said intermediate layer, said light-emitting layer and said second electrode being layered in this order, at least said light-emitting layer being defined by a bank, wherein

said charge injection transport layer includes a recessed portion, said recessed portion including an inner bottom surface that is in contact with a bottom surface of said intermediate layer and an inner side surface that is continuous with said inner bottom surface, said inner side surface being in contact at least with a part of a side surface of said intermediate layer, and

said inner side surface of said recessed portion having a lower edge continuous with said inner bottom surface, and an upper edge at least one of aligned with a portion of a bottom periphery of said bank that contacts said intermediate layer, and contacting a bottom surface of said bank.

15. The light emitter of claim 14, wherein said intermediate layer is liquid-philic with respect to an ink composition containing an organic EL material from which said light-emitting layer is formed.

16. The light emitter of claim 14, wherein said light-emitting layer is in contact with said intermediate layer.

17. The light emitter of claim 14, wherein said intermediate layer has an average film thickness that is smaller than an average depth of said recessed portion.

18. The light emitter of claim 14, wherein said charge injection transport layer is liquid-philic and said bank is liquid-repellent with respect to an ink composition containing an organic EL material from which said light-emitting layer is formed.

19. The light emitter of claim 14, wherein said charge injection transport layer includes a metal compound dissolvable by a predetermined solvent, said recessed portion comprising a portion of said charge injection transport layer where said metal compound has been dissolved by the predetermined solvent.

20. The light emitter of claim 19, wherein the predetermined solvent comprises at least one of a developing solution for removing a part of a resist film used to form said bank and a cleaning fluid for cleaning residuals of the resist film that remain after forming said bank.

21. The light emitter of claim 19, wherein a depth of said recessed portion is predetermined in accordance with a melting speed of said metal compound with respect to the predetermined solvent, the melting speed being based on a temperature of the predetermined solvent.

22. The light emitter of claim 14, wherein said charge injection transport layer comprises a hole injection layer including a metal oxide.

23. The light emitter of claim 22, wherein said metal oxide comprises an oxide of one of tungsten and molybdenum.

24. A display apparatus, comprising said light emitter of claim 14.