Arrangement of sealing materials for display device

• US 9,929,377 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2017
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nishi, Takeshi, Nakamura, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): PERT, EVAN T
• Application Number:
  US15/460,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20170186998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/56 Materials, e.g. epoxy or silicone resin
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3031 Two-side emission, e.g. transparent OLEDs [TOLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/82 Cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one organic light-emitting element covered by group H10K50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/38 comprising colour filters or colour changing media [CCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/50 Forming devices by joining two substrates together, e.g. lamination techniques

Abstract

A light emitting device having a structure in which oxygen and moisture are prevented from reaching light emitting elements, and a method of manufacturing the same, are provided. Further, the light emitting elements are sealed by using a small number of process steps, without enclosing a drying agent. The present invention has a top surface emission structure. A substrate on which the light emitting elements are formed is bonded to a transparent sealing substrate. The structure is one in which a transparent second sealing material covers the entire surface of a pixel region when bonding the two substrates, and a first sealing material (having a higher viscosity than the second sealing material), which contains a gap material (filler, fine particles, or the like) for protecting a gap between the two substrates, surrounds the pixel region. The two substrates are sealed by the first sealing material and the second sealing material. Further, reaction between electrodes of the light emitting elements (cathodes or anodes) and the sealing materials can be prevented by covering the electrodes with a transparent protective layer, for example, CaF₂, MgF₂, or BaF₂.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a first substrate;

a pixel portion including a plurality of light emitting elements over the first substrate;

a second substrate over the first substrate and the pixel portion

a first sealing material provided between the first substrate and the second substrate and surrounding the pixel portion, wherein the first sealing material has a first end, a second end, and an opening between the first end and the second end; and

a second sealing material provided on the inside of the first sealing material and covering the pixel portion,

wherein a part of the second sealing material spreads out from the opening.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the opening is not overlapping with the pixel portion.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting elements comprises:

a first electrode over the first substrate;

a layer comprising an organic compound over the first electrode; and

a second electrode over the layer comprising the organic compound.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate has a plurality of color filters above the plurality of light emitting elements.

5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the second sealing material is in contact with the plurality of color filters.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing material contains a gap material that maintains a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements passes through the second sealing material and the second substrate.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements passes through the second sealing material and the second substrate, and through the first substrate.

9. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising a driver circuit portion over the first substrate, the driver circuit portion covered with the second sealing material.

10. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is incorporated in at least one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a navigation system, a personal computer, a DVD player, an electronic play equipment, a portable information terminal, a portable telephone, an electronic book, and a display.

11. A display device comprising:

a first substrate;

a pixel portion including a plurality of light emitting elements over the first substrate;

a second substrate over the first substrate and the pixel portion

a first sealing material provided between the first substrate and the second substrate and surrounding the pixel portion, wherein the first sealing material has a first end, a second end, and an opening between the first end and the second end; and

a second sealing material provided between the first substrate and the second substrate and covering the pixel portion, wherein the second sealing material is surrounded by the first sealing material,

wherein a part of the second sealing material bulges out from the opening.

12. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the opening is not overlapping with the pixel portion.

13. The display device according to claim 11, wherein, each of the plurality of light emitting elements comprises:

a first electrode over the first substrate;

a layer comprising an organic compound over the first electrode; and

a second electrode over the layer comprising the organic compound.

14. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the second substrate has a plurality of color filters above the plurality of light emitting elements.

15. The display device according to claim 14, wherein the second sealing material is in contact with the plurality of color filters.

16. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the first sealing material contains a gap material that maintains a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate.

17. The display device according to claim 11, wherein light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements passes through the second sealing material and the second substrate.

18. The display device according to claim 11, wherein light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements passes through the second sealing material and the second substrate, and through the first substrate.

19. The display device according to claim 11, further comprising a driver circuit portion over the first substrate, the driver circuit portion covered with the second sealing material.

20. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the display device is incorporated in at least one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a navigation system, a personal computer, a DVD player, an electronic play equipment, a portable information terminal, a portable telephone, an electronic book, and a display.

21. A display device comprising:

a first substrate;

a pixel portion including a plurality of light emitting elements over the first substrate;

a second substrate over the first substrate and the pixel portion

a first sealing material provided between the first substrate and the second substrate and surrounding the pixel portion, wherein the first sealing material has a first end, a second end, and an opening between the first end and the second end;

a second sealing material provided on the inside of the first sealing material and covering the pixel portion; and

a connecting terminal configured to connect to an FPC over the first substrate, the connecting terminal provided outside the first sealing material and the second substrate,

wherein a part of the second sealing material protrudes from the opening.

22. The display device according to claim 21, wherein the opening is not overlapping with the pixel portion.

23. The display device according to claim 21, wherein, each of the plurality of light emitting elements comprises:

a first electrode over the first substrate;

a light emitting layer over the first electrode; and

a second electrode over the light emitting layer.

24. The display device according to claim 21, wherein the second substrate has a plurality of color filters above the plurality of light emitting elements.

25. The display device according to claim 24, wherein the second sealing material is in contact with the plurality of color filters.

26. The display device according to claim 21, wherein the first sealing material contains a gap material that maintains a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate.

27. The display device according to claim 21, wherein light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements passes through the second sealing material and the second substrate.

28. The display device according to claim 21, wherein light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements passes through the second sealing material and the second substrate, and through the first substrate.

29. The display device according to claim 21, further comprising a driver circuit portion over the first substrate, the driver circuit portion covered with the second sealing material.

30. The display device according to claim 21, wherein the display device is incorporated in at least one selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a navigation system, a personal computer, a DVD player, an electronic play equipment, a portable information terminal, a portable telephone, an electronic book, and a display.