OLED display architecture

• US 9,231,227 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Weaver, Michael S., Hack, Michael, Silverstein, Lou
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandvik, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US13/284,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20130105833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 257/89
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/32 Stacked devices having two or more layers, each emitting at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/352 the areas of the RGB subpixels being different
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/353 characterised by the geometrical arrangement of the RGB subpixels
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass

Abstract

A first device is provided. The first device comprises an integrated OLED structure disposed over a single substrate. The integrated OLED structure includes a blue-emitting OLED, a green emitting OLED, and a red emitting OLED. The blue emitting OLED has a first active area defined by a first electrode of the blue emitting OLED disposed in a first plane. The green emitting OLED has a second active area. The red emitting OLED has a third active area. The second and third active areas are disposed in a second plane different from and parallel to the first plane. Each of the second and third active areas are at least partially superposed with the first active area.

Claims

1. A first device, comprising:

an integrated OLED structure disposed over a single substrate, the integrated OLED structure including a blue-emitting OLED, a green emitting OLED, and a red emitting OLED;

wherein;

the blue emitting OLED has a first active area defined by a first electrode of the blue emitting OLED disposed in a first plane, wherein the first active area is at least partially superposed with the first electrode and the first active area is at least partially superposed with a second electrode;

the green emitting OLED has a second active area;

the red emitting OLED has a third active area;

the second and third active areas are disposed in a second plane different from and parallel to the first plane;

the first and second planes are separated by a common electrode that is common to the blue emitting OLED, the green emitting OLED, and the red emitting OLED;

each of the second and third active areas are at least partially superposed with the first electrode; and

at least one of the second active area and the third active area is at least partially superposed with the second electrode.

2. The first device of claim 1, wherein the integrated OLED structure includes, in order disposed over the substrate:

an electrode layer CA that includes a first electrode of the red emitting OLED and a first electrode of the green emitting OLED,

a non-emitting organic layer (CB) common to the red emitting and green emitting OLEDs;

an emitting layer (CC) that includes an emitting layer of the green emitting OLED that corresponds to the second active area, and an emitting layer of the red emitting OLED that corresponds to the third active area;

a non-emitting layer (CD) common to the red emitting and green emitting OLEDs;

an electrode layer (CE) that includes the common electrode, wherein the common electrode is the second electrode of the green emitting OLED, the second electrode of the red emitting OLED, and the first electrode of the blue emitting OLED;

an emitting layer (CF) that includes an emitting layer of the blue emitting OLED;

an electrode layer (CG) that includes a second electrode of the blue emitting OLED.

3. The first device of claim 2, wherein the first electrode of the red emitting OLED, the first electrode of the green emitting OLED, and the second electrode of the blue emitting OLED are separately addressable.

4. The first device of claim 2, wherein the first electrode of the red emitting OLED, the first electrode of the green emitting OLED, and the second electrode of the blue emitting OLED are not separately addressable.

5. The first device of claim 2, wherein:

the first electrode of the red emitting OLED and the first electrode of the green emitting OLED are anodes;

the second electrode of the green emitting OLED, the second electrode of the red emitting OLED, and the first electrode of the blue emitting OLED are cathodes; and

the second electrode of the blue emitting OLED is an anode.

6. The first device of claim 1, wherein:

each of the second and third active areas are completely superposed with the first active area.

7. The first device of claim 1, wherein the integrated OLED structure includes, in order disposed over the substrate:

an electrode layer (PA) that includes a first electrode of the blue emitting OLED;

an emitting layer (PB) that includes an emitting layer of the blue emitting OLED;

an electrode layer (PC) that includes a second electrode of the blue emitting OLED;

a passivation layer (PD);

an electrode layer (PE) that includes a first electrode of the red emitting OLED and a first electrode of the green emitting OLED,

a non-emitting organic layer (PF) common to the red emitting and green emitting OLEDs;

an emitting layer (PG) that includes an emitting layer of the green emitting OLED that corresponds to the second active area, and an emitting layer of the red emitting OLED that corresponds to the third active area;

a non-emitting layer (PH) common to the red emitting and green emitting OLEDs;

an electrode layer (PI) that includes a common electrode, wherein the common electrode is the second electrode of the green emitting OLED, and the second electrode of the red emitting OLED.

8. The first device of claim 7, wherein the first electrode of the red emitting OLED, the first electrode of the green emitting OLED, and the first electrode of the blue emitting OLED are separately addressable.

9. The first device of claim 7, wherein the first electrode of the red emitting OLED, the first electrode of the green emitting OLED, and the first electrode of the blue emitting OLED are not separately addressable.

10. The first device of claim 1, wherein:

the first electrode of the red emitting OLED and the first electrode of the green emitting OLED are anodes;

the second electrode of the green emitting OLED and the second electrode of the red emitting OLED are cathodes;

the first electrode of the blue emitting OLED is an anode;

the second electrode of the blue emitting OLED is a cathode.

11. The first device of claim 1, wherein the integrated OLED structure comprises exactly one green emitting OLED and exactly one red emitting OLED superposed with exactly one blue emitting OLED.

12. The first device of claim 11, wherein the first active area is at least 1.5 time greater than the sum of the second and third active areas.

13. The first device of claim 1, wherein the integrated OLED structure comprises exactly two green emitting OLEDs and exactly two red emitting OLEDs superposed with exactly one blue emitting OLED.

14. The first device of claim 13, wherein the first active area is at least 2.25 times greater than the sum of the second and third active areas.

15. The first device of claim 1, wherein the integrated OLED structure comprises exactly three green emitting OLEDs and exactly three red emitting OLEDs superposed with exactly one blue emitting OLED.

16. The first device of claim 15, wherein the first active area is at least 2.083 times greater than the sum of the second and third active areas.

17. The first device of claim 1, wherein the integrated OLED structure comprises exactly eight green emitting OLEDs and exactly eight red emitting OLEDs superposed with exactly one blue emitting OLED.

18. The first device of claim 17, wherein the first active area is at least 3 times time greater than the sum of the second and third active areas.

19. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first device is a consumer product.

20. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first device is an OLED panel.

21. The first device of claim 1, wherein the red emitting OLED, the green emitting OLED and the blue emitting OLED are phosphorescent OLEDs.

22. The first device of claim 1, wherein each of the second and third active areas is at least partially superposed with the second electrode.

23. The first device of claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third active areas is at least partially superposed with a third electrode.

24. A method of fabricating an integrated OLED structure disposed over a single substrate, the integrated OLED structure including a blue-emitting OLED, a green emitting OLED, and a red emitting OLED;

wherein;

the blue emitting OLED has a first active area defined by a first electrode of the blue emitting OLED disposed in a first plane, the first active area being at least partially superposed with the first electrode and the first active area being at least partially superposed with a second electrode;

the green emitting OLED has a second active area at least partially superposed with the first electrode;

the red emitting OLED has a third active area at least partially superposed with the first electrode;

at least one of the second active area and the third active area is at least partially superposed with the second electrode;

the second and third active areas are disposed in a second plane superposed with the first plane; and

the first and second planes are separated by a common electrode that is common to the blue emitting OLED, the green emitting OLED and the red emitting OLED;

the method comprising depositing, in order, over a substrate;

an electrode layer (CA) that includes a first electrode of a red emitting OLED and a first electrode of a green emitting OLED;

a non-emitting organic layer (CB) common to the red emitting and green emitting OLEDs;

an emitting layer (CC) that includes an emitting layer of the green emitting OLED that corresponds to the second active area, and an emitting layer of the red emitting OLED that corresponds to the third active area;

a non-emitting layer (CD) common to the red emitting and green emitting OLEDs;

an electrode layer (CE) that includes the common electrode, wherein the common electrode is the second electrode of the green emitting OLED, the second electrode of the red emitting OLED, and the first electrode of the blue emitting OLED;

an emitting layer (CF) that includes an emitting layer of the blue emitting OLED;

an electrode layer (CG) that includes a second electrode of the blue emitting OLED.

25. A method of fabricating an integrated OLED structure disposed over a single substrate, the integrated OLED structure including a blue-emitting OLED, a green emitting OLED, and a red emitting OLED;

wherein;

the blue emitting OLED has a first active area defined by a first electrode of the blue emitting OLED disposed in a first plane, the first active area at least partially superposed with the first electrode and the first active area at least partially superposed with a second electrode;

the green emitting OLED has a second active area at least partially superposed with the first electrode;

the red emitting OLED has a third active area at least partially superposed with the first electrode;

at least one of the second active area and the third active area is at least partially superposed with the second electrode;

the second and third active areas are disposed in a second plane superposed with the first plane; and

the first and second planes are separated by a passivation layer;

the method comprising depositing, in order, over a substrate;

an electrode layer (PA) that includes a first electrode of the blue emitting OLED;

an emitting layer (PB) that includes an emitting layer of the blue emitting OLED;

an electrode layer (PC) that includes a second electrode of the blue emitting OLED;

a passivation layer (PD);

an electrode layer (PE) that includes a first electrode of the red emitting OLED and a first electrode of the green emitting OLED,

a non-emitting organic layer (PF) common to the red emitting and green emitting OLEDs;

an emitting layer (PG) that includes an emitting layer of the green emitting OLED that corresponds to the second active area, and an emitting layer of the red emitting OLED that corresponds to the third active area;

a non-emitting layer (PH) common to the red emitting and green emitting OLEDs;

an electrode layer (PI) that includes a common electrode, wherein the common electrode is the second electrode of the green emitting OLED, and the second electrode of the red emitting OLED.