LIGHT-EMITTING ELEMENT, LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE COMPRISING LIGHT-EMITTING ELEMENT, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING LIGHT-EMITTING ELEMENT

• US 20110291086A1
• Filed: 08/09/2011
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JDI Design and Development GK
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: NISHIYAMA, Seiji
• Granted Patent: US 8,866,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/40
• 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

A hole injection layer and a light-emitting layer are laminated between a first electrode and a second electrode of a light emitter. A bank defines an area in which the light-emitting layer is to be formed. In the area defined by the bank, a hole injection layer has a recess in an upper surface thereof. An upper peripheral edge of the recess is covered with a part of the bank.

Claims

1. A light-emitter, comprising:

a first electrode;

a laminate disposed on the first electrode that includes a charge injection transport layer and a light-emitting layer;

a second electrode disposed on the laminate; and

a bank that defines an area in which the light-emitting layer is to be formed, wherein the charge injection transport layer has a recess in an upper surface of the area defined by the bank, and an upper peripheral edge of the recess is covered with a part of the bank.

2. The light-emitter of claim 1, wherein the charge injection transport layer is made from a material that is eroded when exposed to a liquid used for forming the bank.

3. The light-emitter of claim 1, wherein the charge injection transport layer is made from one of a metal oxide, a metal nitride, and a metal oxynitride.

4. The light-emitter of claim 1, wherein the part of the bank reaches a bottom of the recess, and a side surface of the bank slopes upward from the bottom of the recess to a top of the bank.

5. The light-emitter of claim 1, wherein the part of the bank is out of contact with a bottom of the recess.

6. The light-emitter of claim 1, wherein the bank includes an insulating material.

7. The light-emitter of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting layer comprises an organic EL layer.

8. The light-emitter of claim 1, wherein the charge injection transport layer extends laterally along a bottom surface of the bank.

9. The light-emitter of claim 1, wherein the upper peripheral edge of the recess comprises a convex portion composed of (i) a part of the upper surface of the charge injection transport layer in which the recess is not formed, and (ii) an inner side surface of the recess.

10. A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitters that are each the light-emitter of claim 1.

11. A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitters that are each the light-emitter of claim 1.

12. A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitters that are each the light-emitter of claim 2.

13. A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitters that are each the light-emitter of claim 3.

14. A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitters that are each the light-emitter of claim 4.

15. A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitters that are each the light-emitter of claim 5.

16. A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitters that are each the light-emitter of claim 6.

17. A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitters that are each the light-emitter of claim 7.

18. A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitters that are each the light-emitter of claim 8.

19. A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitters that are each the light-emitter of claim 9.

20. A method of manufacturing a light-emitter including a first electrode, a laminate disposed on the first electrode that includes a charge injection transport layer and a light-emitting layer, a second electrode disposed on the laminate, and a bank that defines an area in which the light-emitting layer is to be formed, the method comprising:

forming the charge injection transport layer;

forming a bank material layer that forms the bank on the charge injection transport layer;

removing a portion of the bank material layer to partially expose the charge injection transport layer;

heat-treating a remaining portion of the bank material layer; and

forming the light-emitting layer on an exposed surface of the charge injection transport layer after the heat treatment, wherein the charge injection transport layer is made from a material that is eroded when exposed to a liquid used while the charge injection transport layer is partially exposed, the charge injection transport layer having a recess in the exposed surface thereof so that a bottom of the recess is lower than a bottom surface of a remaining portion of the bank material layer, the recess being formed by the exposed surface eroded by the liquid, the remaining portion of the bank material layer being made fluid so that the bank material layer extends to cover an upper peripheral edge of the recess.