Light emitting element and light emitting device using the same

• US 9,520,532 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2014
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kumaki, Daisuke, Seo, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Phat X
• Application Number:
  US14/521,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20150035000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/15 including semiconductor components having potential barriers, specially adapted for light emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/00 Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof H10K50/00 takes precedence; devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor components formed in or on a common substrate and including semiconductor components having potential barriers, specially adapted for light emission H01L27/15; semiconductor lasers H01S5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0008 having p-n or hi-lo junctions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/42 Transparent materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/351 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/155 comprising dopants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/157 between the light-emitting layer and the cathode
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/165 comprising dopants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/30 Organic light-emitting transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/852 comprising a resonant cavity structure, e.g. Bragg reflector pair
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/324 comprising aluminium, e.g. Alq3

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a light emitting element having slight increase in driving voltage with accumulation of light emitting time. Another object of the invention is to provide a light emitting element having slight increase in resistance value with increase in film thickness. A light emitting element of the invention includes a first layer for generating holes, a second layer for generating electrons and a third layer comprising a light emitting substance between first and second electrodes. The first and third layers are in contact with the first and second electrodes, respectively. The second and third layers are connected to each other so as to inject electrons generated in the second layer into the third layer when applying the voltage to the light emitting element such that a potential of the second electrode is higher than that of the first electrode.

Claims

1. A light-emitting device comprising:

a transistor over a substrate;

a first electrode over and electrically connected to the transistor;

a first layer over and in direct contact with the first electrode, the first layer being configured to generate a hole;

a second layer over and in direct contact with the first layer, the second layer being configured to generate an electron;

a third layer over the second layer, the third layer being configured to emit light; and

a second electrode over the third layer,

wherein the first layer is a single layer,

wherein the second layer is a single layer,

wherein an electron transporting property of the second layer is stronger than a hole transporting property of the second layer, and

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are a cathode and an anode, respectively.

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

wherein:

the first layer comprises a first substance having a hole transporting property and a second substance having an electron accepting property to the first substance; and

the second layer comprises a third substance having the electron transporting property and a fourth substance having an electron donating property to the third substance.

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

wherein:

the hole transporting property of the first substance is stronger than an electron transporting property thereof; and

the electron transporting property of the third substance is stronger than a hole transporting property thereof.

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

wherein:

the first layer comprises a p-type semiconductor; and

the second layer comprises an n-type semiconductor.

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

wherein:

the first layer further comprises an electron-accepting substance with respect to the p-type semiconductor; and

the second layer further comprises an electron-donating substance with respect to the n-type semiconductor.

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

wherein the second layer is in direct contact with the third layer.

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

wherein the second electrode is configured to transmit light emitted from the third layer.

8. A light-emitting device comprising:

a substrate;

a pixel portion over the substrate;

a wiring over the substrate, the wiring electrically connected to the pixel portion; and

an external input terminal electrically connected to the wiring,

wherein;

the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form; and

at least one of the pixels comprises;

a transistor;

a first electrode over and electrically connected to the transistor;

a first layer over and in direct contact with the first electrode, the first layer being configured to generate a hole;

a second layer over and in direct contact with the first layer, the second layer being configured to generate an electron;

a third layer over the second layer, the third layer being configured to emit light; and

a second electrode over the third layer,

wherein the first layer is a single layer,

wherein the second layer is a single layer,

wherein an electron transporting property of the second layer is stronger than a hole transporting property of the second layer; and

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are a cathode and an anode, respectively.

9. The light-emitting device according to claim 8, further comprising a driver circuit electrically connected to the external input terminal through the wiring.

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

wherein the driver circuit is provided over the substrate.

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

wherein the driver circuit is provided outside the substrate.

12. The light-emitting device according to claim 8, further comprising an IC chip over the external input terminal.

13. The light-emitting device according to claim 8, further comprising a printed wiring board connected to the external input terminal.

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

wherein:

the first layer comprises a first substance having a hole transporting property and a second substance having an electron accepting property to the first substance; and

the second layer comprises a third substance having the electron transporting property and a fourth substance having an electron donating property to the third substance.

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

wherein:

the hole transporting property of the first substance is stronger than an electron transporting property thereof; and

the electron transporting property of the third substance is stronger than a hole transporting property thereof.

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

wherein:

the first layer comprises a p-type semiconductor; and

the second layer comprises an n-type semiconductor.

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

wherein:

the first layer further comprises an electron-accepting substance with respect to the p-type semiconductor; and

the second layer further comprises an electron-donating substance with respect to the n-type semiconductor.

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

wherein the second electrode is configured to transmit light emitted from the third layer.

19. An electronic appliance comprising the light-emitting device according to claim 8.