Simplified patterned light panel

• US 8,981,640 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Levermore, Peter, Pang, Huiqing, Mandlik, Prashant
• Primary Examiner(s): Roy, Sikha
• Application Number:
  US13/468,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20120286651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 313504-506, 428/690, 428/917
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/10 Apparatus or processes specially adapted to the manufacture of electroluminescent light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/813 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/814 combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/816 Multilayers, e.g. transparent multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent

Abstract

A first device may be provided in some embodiments. The first device may comprise a substrate, a first emissive region, and a second emissive region, where the first emissive region and the second emissive region may comprise a contiguous area. The first device may further comprise a first electrode disposed over the substrate that extends across the first and the second emissive regions, and an organic layer disposed over the substrate that extends across the first and second emissive regions, where the organic layer comprises the same emissive material across the first and the second emissive regions. The first device may further include a second electrode disposed over the substrate that extends across the first and second emissive regions, where the second electrode includes a patterned layer of conductive material that is disposed in the first emissive region and that is not disposed in the second emissive region.

Claims

1. A first device comprising:

a substrate;

a first emissive region and a second emissive region, wherein the first emissive region and the second emissive region comprise a contiguous area,

wherein light that is emitted by the first emissive region at normal incidence has a first point on the CIE 1976 (L*, u*, v*) color space chromaticity diagram;

wherein light that is emitted by the second emissive region at normal incidence has a second point on the CIE 1976 (L*, u*, v*) color space chromaticity diagram; and

wherein the difference between the first point and the second point has a duv value that is at least 0.01;

a first electrode disposed over the substrate that extends across the first and the second emissive regions;

an organic layer disposed over the substrate that extends across the first and second emissive regions, wherein the organic layer comprises the same emissive material across the first and the second emissive regions; and

a second electrode disposed over the substrate that extends across the first and second emissive regions, wherein the second electrode includes a patterned layer of conductive material that is disposed in the first emissive region and is not disposed in the second emissive region.

2. The first device of claim 1,

wherein the second electrode is semi-transparent in the first emissive region;

wherein the second electrode is transparent in the second emissive region; and

wherein the first electrode is opaque or reflective.

3. The first device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode further comprises a blanket layer of conductive material that extends across the first and second emissive regions.

4. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode further comprises a blanket layer of conductive material and a patterned layer of conductive material.

5. The first device of claim 1, wherein the organic layer has the same composition in the first and the second emissive regions.

6. The first device of claim 1, wherein the organic layer has a different composition in the first and the second emissive regions.

7. The first device of claim 1, wherein the device has an aperture ratio of at least 90%.

8. The first device of claim 1,

wherein the light that is emitted by the first emissive region has a first luminance intensity,

wherein the light that is emitted by the second emissive region has a second luminance intensity, and

wherein the first luminance intensity is at least 20% different from the second luminance intensity.

9. The first device of claim 1,

wherein light that is emitted by the first emissive region at a viewing angle of 30°

has a third point on the CIE 1976 (L*, u*, v*) color space chromaticity diagram; and

wherein the difference between the first point and the third point has a duv value that is at least 0.02.

10. The first device of claim 1,

wherein light that is emitted by the second emissive region at a viewing angle of 30°

has a third point on the CIE 1976 (L*, u*, v*) color space chromaticity diagram; and

wherein the difference between the third point and the second point has a duv value that is less than 0.05.

11. The first device of claim 1, wherein the organic layer is a blanket layer.

12. The first device of claim 1,

wherein the first device comprises a total emissive area that includes the first emissive region and the second emissive region;

wherein the total emissive area is greater than 50 cm²; and

wherein the first device has luminance uniformity across the second emissive region of at least 50%.

13. The first device of claim 1,

wherein the second electrode further comprises a first conductive layer that extends across the first and second emissive regions and a second conductive layer that extends across the first and second emissive regions;

and

wherein the patterned layer of the second electrode is disposed between the first and second conductive layers.

14. The first device of claim 1, wherein the transmittance of the second electrode in the second emissive region is at least 10% greater than the transmittance of the second electrode in the first emissive region.

15. The first device of claim 1,

wherein the second electrode comprises a first conductive layer;

and

wherein the first conductive layer has a sheet resistance that is at least 20% greater than the sheet resistance of the patterned layer of conductive material.

16. The first device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is flexible.

17. The first device of claim 1,

the conductive material having a first thickness disposed in the first emissive region and a second thickness disposed in the second region, wherein the first and second thicknesses are different.

18. The first device of claim 17, wherein the substrate is flexible.

19. The first device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is reflective.

20. The first device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode is semi-transparent in the first emissive region.

21. The first device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode is transparent in the second emissive region.

22. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is opaque or reflective.