Organic EL element

• US 9,012,896 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JDI Design and Development GK
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Harada, Kenji, Nishiyama, Seiji, Komatsu, Takahiro, Takeuchi, Takayuki, Ohuchi, Satoru, Tsukamoto, Yoshiaki, Fujimura, Shinya, Sakanoue, Kei
• Primary Examiner(s): Such, Matthew W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kilpatrick, Warren H
• Application Number:
  US13/742,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20130126847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 257/40, 438/22
• US Class Current: 257/40
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2101/30 Highest occupied molecular orbital [HOMO], lowest unoccupied molecular orbital [LUMO] or Fermi energy values
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2101/40 Interrelation of parameters between multiple constituent active layers or sublayers, e.g. HOMO values in adjacent layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/17 Carrier injection 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

Abstract

In an organic EL element, a bank is formed on a hole injection layer so as to surround light-emitting layer. The hole injection layer is formed with a tungsten oxide thin film, and has, in an electronic state thereof, an occupied energy level 1.8 eV to 3.6 eV lower than the lowest energy level of a valence band of the hole injection layer. The hole injection layer has a recessed portion in an upper surface thereof. An inner surface of the recessed portion is in contact with a functional layer (light-emitting layer). the inner side surface of the recessed portion includes an upper edge that is one of aligned with part of a lower edge of the bank, the part being in contact with the functional layer, and in contact with a bottom surface of the bank.

Claims

1. An organic EL element, comprising:

an anode;

a cathode;

a functional layer that is disposed between the anode and the cathode and includes at least a light-emitting layer made of an organic material;

a hole injection layer disposed between the anode and the functional layer; and

a bank that defines a region in which the light-emitting layer is to be formed, wherein

the hole injection layer contains tungsten oxide, includes an occupied energy level that is approximately 1.8 electron volts to approximately 3.6 electron volts lower than a lowest energy level of a valence band of the hole injection layer in terms of a binding energy, and has a recessed portion in an upper surface thereof at the region defined by the bank,

the recessed portion has (i) an inner bottom surface that is in contact with a bottom surface of the functional layer, and (ii) an inner side surface that is continuous with the inner bottom surface and in contact at least with part of a side surface of the functional layer, and

the inner side surface of the recessed portion has a lower edge and an upper edge, the lower edge being continuous with the inner bottom surface, and the upper edge being one of (i) aligned with part of a lower edge of the bank, the part being in contact with the light-emitting layer, and (ii) in contact with a bottom surface of the bank.

2. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

the occupied energy level at an interface between the hole injection layer and the functional layer is approximately equal to an energy level of a highest occupied molecular orbital of the functional layer in terms of the binding energy.

3. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

a gap between the occupied energy level at an interface between the hole injection layer and the functional layer and an energy level of a highest occupied molecular orbital of the functional layer is at most approximately 0.3 electron volts in terms of the binding energy.

4. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

an ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum of the hole injection layer exhibits an upward protrusion that is approximately 1.8 electron volts to approximately 3.6 electron volts lower than the lowest energy level of the valence band in terms of the binding energy.

5. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum of the hole injection layer exhibits an upward protrusion that is approximately 1.8 electron volts to approximately 3.6 electron volts lower than the lowest energy level of the valence band in terms of the binding energy.

6. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

a differential spectrum obtained by differentiating an ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum of the hole injection layer has a shape that is expressed by a non-exponential function throughout a range between approximately 2.0 electron volts and approximately 3.2 electron volts lower than the lowest energy level of the valence band in terms of the binding energy.

7. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

the functional layer comprises an amine-containing material.

8. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

the light-emitting layer emits light by recombination of electrons and holes injected to the functional layer, and

the functional layer further includes one of a hole transfer layer that transfers the holes and a buffer layer that adjusts optical characteristics of the organic EL element and/or blocks electrons.

9. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

the occupied energy level is approximately 2.0 electron volts to 3.2 electron volts lower than the lowest energy level of the valence band in terms of the binding energy.

10. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

the bank is liquid-repellent, and the hole injection layer is liquid-philic.

11. A display device including the organic EL element of claim 1.

16. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

the upper surface of the hole injection layer which has the recessed portion is located closer to the anode than entire bottom surfaces of the banks.

17. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

a film thickness of the hole injection layer in a region defined by the recessed portion is smaller than a film thickness in other regions, and the film thickness in the other regions is uniform.

18. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

a film thickness of the light-emitting layer is uniform.

19. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

the recessed portion extends under the bottom surface of at least one of the banks.

20. The organic EL element of claim 1, wherein

the inner side surface of the recessed portion and a side surface of at least one of the banks have a same inclination angle.

12. A manufacturing method of an organic EL element, comprising:

preparing an anode;

forming a tungsten oxide layer above the anode by introducing a gas comprising an argon gas and an oxygen gas to a chamber of a sputtering device, a total pressure of the gas in the chamber being greater than approximately 2.7 pascals and at most equal to approximately 7.0 pascals, a partial pressure ratio of the oxygen gas with respect to the total pressure of the gas in the chamber being at least approximately 50% and at most approximately 70%, and an input power density per unit surface area of a sputtering target being at least approximately 1 W/cm.sup.2 and at most approximately 2.8 W/cm.sup.2;

forming a bank above the tungsten oxide layer by forming a resist film including a resist material above the tungsten oxide layer and etching the resist film with a developing solution;

after the formation of the bank, forming a hole injection layer by cleaning residuals of the resist film that adhere to the tungsten oxide layer with a cleaning liquid and dissolving part of the tungsten oxide layer with the cleaning liquid, the hole injection layer having a recessed portion in an upper surface thereof at a region defined by the bank, the recessed portion having an inner bottom surface and an inner side surface continuous with the inner bottom surface;

forming a functional layer by coating the inner bottom surface and the inner side surface of the recessed portion of the hole injection layer with ink by ejecting drops of the ink into the region defined by the bank and drying the ink; and

forming a cathode above the functional layer, wherein

in the formation of the hole injection layer, the inner side surface of the recessed portion is formed to be in contact with at least part of a side surface of the functional layer and to have a lower edge and an upper edge, the lower edge being continuous with the inner bottom surface, and the upper edge being one of (i) aligned with part of a lower edge of the bank, the part being in contact with the light-emitting layer, and (ii) in contact with a bottom surface of the bank.

14. The manufacturing method of claim 12, wherein

the tungsten oxide layer is formed such that an ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum of the tungsten oxide layer exhibits an upward protrusion that is approximately 1.8 electron volts to approximately 3.6 electron volts lower than a lowest energy level of a valence band of the tungsten oxide layer in terms of a binding energy.

15. The manufacturing method of claim 12, wherein

the tungsten oxide layer is formed such that a differential spectrum obtained by differentiating an ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum of the tungsten oxide layer has a shape that is expressed by a non-exponential function throughout a range between approximately 2.0 electron volts and approximately 3.2 electron volts lower than a lowest energy level of a valence band of the tungsten oxide layer in terms of a binding energy.

13. A manufacturing method of an organic EL element, comprising:

preparing an anode;

forming a tungsten oxide layer above the anode by introducing a gas comprising an argon gas and an oxygen gas to a chamber of a sputtering device, a total pressure of the gas in the chamber being greater than approximately 2.7 pascals and at most equal to approximately 7.0 pascals, a partial pressure ratio of the oxygen gas with respect to the total pressure of the gas in the chamber being at least approximately 50% and at most approximately 70%, and an input power density per unit surface area of a sputtering target being at least approximately 1 W/cm.sup.2 and at most approximately 2.8 W/cm.sup.2;

forming a bank above the tungsten oxide layer by forming a resist film including a resist material above the tungsten oxide layer and etching the resist film with a developing solution, and forming a hole injection layer by cleaning residuals of the resist film that adhere to the tungsten oxide layer with the developing solution and dissolving part of the tungsten oxide layer with the developing solution, the hole injection layer having a recessed portion in an upper surface thereof at a region defined by the bank, the recessed portion having an inner bottom surface and an inner side surface continuous with the inner bottom surface;

forming a functional layer by coating the inner bottom surface and the inner side surface of the recessed portion of the hole injection layer with ink by ejecting drops of the ink into the region defined by the bank and drying the ink; and

forming a cathode above the functional layer, wherein

in the formation of the hole injection layer, the inner side surface of the recessed portion is formed to be in contact with at least part of a side surface of the functional layer and to have a lower edge and an upper edge, the lower edge being continuous with the inner bottom surface, and the upper edge being one of (i) aligned with part of a lower edge of the bank, the part being in contact with the light-emitting layer, and (ii) in contact with a bottom surface of the bank.