Non-common capping layer on an organic device

• US 10,340,313 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2014
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Weaver, Michael S., Hack, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Pizarro, Marcos D.
• Application Number:
  US14/507,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20150021582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/351 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8445 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/85 Arrangements for extracting light from the devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/852 comprising a resonant cavity structure, e.g. Bragg reflector pair
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/858 comprising refractive means, e.g. lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/30 Devices specially adapted for multicolour light emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/35 comprising red-green-blue [RGB] subpixels
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/38 comprising colour filters or colour changing media [CCM]

Abstract

A first method comprises providing a plurality of organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) on a first substrate. Each of the OLEDs includes a transmissive top electrode. The plurality of OLEDs includes a first portion of OLEDs and a second portion of OLEDs that is different from the first portion. The first method further includes depositing a first capping layer over at least the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs such that the first capping layer is optically coupled to at least the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs. A second capping layer is deposited over at least the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs such that the second capping layer is optically coupled to the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs but not the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of OLEDs provided on a first substrate, wherein each OLED comprises;

a first electrode;

a second electrode disposed over the first electrode; and

an organic electroluminescent (EL) material disposed between the first and the second electrodes, wherein the plurality of OLEDs comprising a first portion and a second portion;

a first capping layer disposed over the plurality of OLEDs, wherein a first portion of the first capping layer is disposed over at least the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs and a second portion of the first capping layer is disposed over the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs, wherein the first capping layer and the second electrode are in contact with each other throughout the first and second portions of the first capping layer, such that the first capping layer is optically coupled to at least the first portion and the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs,

wherein substantially all of the light emitting from the first portion and the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs in a direction perpendicular to the second electrode propagates through the first capping layer,

wherein the first capping layer is the only capping layer over the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs and has a first optical thickness that is between 90-130 nm;

a second capping layer disposed over the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs and in contact with the first capping layer throughout the second portion of the first capping layer, such that the second capping layer is optically coupled to the first capping layer and the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs but not the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs,

wherein substantially all of the light emitting from the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs in a direction perpendicular to the second electrode and propagating through the first capping layer also propagates through the second capping layer,

wherein the first capping layer and the second capping layer are the only capping layers over the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs and in combination have a second optical thickness between 125-200 nm that is different from the first optical thickness; and

wherein the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs emits light of different wavelength from the first portion when a driving voltage is applied across the first and second electrodes and the first capping layer having the first optical thickness enhances the amount of light outcoupled from the first portion and the first and second capping layer having the second optical thickness enhance the amount of light outcoupled from the second portion;

wherein the plurality of OLEDs further comprises a third portion of the plurality of OLEDs that is different from the first and second portions of the plurality of OLEDs, wherein the second electrode and a third portion of the first capping layer extend over the third portion of the plurality of OLEDs, wherein the second electrode is in contact with the first capping layer throughout the third portion of the first capping layer such that the first capping layer is also optically coupled to the third portion of the plurality of OLEDs, the apparatus further comprising;

a third capping layer disposed over the third portion of the plurality of OLEDs and in contact with the first capping layer throughout the third portion of the first capping layer such that the third capping layer is optically coupled to the first capping layer and the third portion of the plurality of OLEDs, wherein substantially all of the light emitting from the third portion of the plurality of OLEDs in a direction perpendicular to the second electrode and propagating through the first capping layer also propagates through the third capping layer;

wherein the first capping layer and the third capping layer are the only capping layers over the third portion of the plurality of OLEDs and in combination have a third optical thickness between 125-200 nm that is different from the first optical thickness and the second optical thickness; and

wherein the third portion of the plurality of OLEDs emits light of different wavelength from the first portion and the second portion when a driving voltage is applied across the first and second electrodes and the first and the third capping layers having the third optical thickness enhances the amount of light outcoupled from the third portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs comprises a plurality of blue OLEDs, the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs comprises a plurality of red OLEDs, and the third portion of the plurality OLEDs comprises a plurality of green OLEDs.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first capping layer has a first total optical path that is constant over the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs and the second capping layer has a second total optical path that is constant over the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs, and wherein the first total optical path and the second total optical path are different.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs comprises a plurality of blue OLEDs, the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs comprises a plurality of green OLEDs, and the third portion of the plurality OLEDs comprises a plurality of red OLEDs.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first capping layer has a first total optical path that is constant over the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs and the third capping layer has a third total optical path that is constant over the third portion of the plurality of OLEDs, and wherein the first total optical path and the third total optical path are different.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first capping layer has a first total optical path that is constant over the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs, wherein the second capping layer has a second total optical path that is constant over the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs, wherein the third capping layer has a third total optical path that is constant over the third portion of the plurality of OLEDs, and wherein the first total optical path, the second total optical path, and the third total optical path are different.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third capping layer is not optically coupled to the first portion or the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs comprises a plurality of blue OLEDs, and the second portion of the plurality of OLEDs comprises a plurality of red OLEDs or a plurality of green OLEDs.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first capping layer has a thickness that is optimized for the plurality of blue OLEDs.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second capping layer has a thickness that is optimized for the plurality of red OLEDs and/or the plurality of green OLEDs.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the plurality of OLEDs comprises a plurality of blue OLEDs, and the third portion of the plurality of OLEDs comprises a plurality of red OLEDs or a plurality of green OLEDs.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first capping layer has a thickness that is optimized for the plurality of blue OLEDs.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the third capping layer has a thickness that is optimized for the plurality of red OLEDs and/or the plurality of green OLEDs.