Electroluminescent Organic Semiconductor Element and a Method for Repair of an Electroluminescent Organic Semiconductor Element

• US 20130056718A1
• Filed: 10/24/2012
• Published: 03/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pictiva Displays International Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 5 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Klein, Markus, Schlenker, Tilman
• Granted Patent: US 8,610,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/40
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/81 Anodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/814 combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/824 combined with auxiliary electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/861 Repairing

Abstract

An electroluminescent organic semiconductor element includes a substrate and a first electrode arranged on the substrate. The semiconductor element additionally contains a second electrode and at least one organic layer, which is arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. The organic layer is a layer that generates light by recombination of charge carriers. At least one of the first and the second electrode contains a highly conductive organic sublayer.

Claims

1. An electroluminescent organic semiconductor element comprising:

a substrate;

a first electrode arranged above the substrate;

a second electrode, wherein the first and/or the second electrode comprises a highly conductive organic sublayer; and

an organic layer arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, the organic layer comprising a layer that generates light by a recombination of charge carriers;

wherein at least one electrode comprises a highly conductive bus electrode, which is applied to the highly conductive organic sublayer;

wherein the bus electrode is a metallic bus electrode having a plurality of conductive segments extending essentially parallel over the highly conductive organic sublayer; and

wherein the essentially parallel conductive segments of the at least one electrode are arranged alternating with respect to essentially parallel conductive segments of the other electrode or the essentially parallel conductive segments of the at least one electrode and the other electrode are arranged on top of each other.

2. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the first electrode and/or the second electrode are designed for wide-area delivery of charge carriers of different types to the at least one organic layer.

3. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the highly conductive organic sublayer comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of:

polymers,

small molecules,

doped polymers,

doped small molecules,

PEDOT;

PSS,

PANI;

PSS,

ZnPc/F4-TCNQ,

MeO-TPD/F4-TCNQ, and

BEDT-TTF.

4. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the highly conductive organic sublayer comprises a polymer doped with a metal.

5. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the highly conductive organic sublayer comprises a polymer doped with an organic salt.

6. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the highly conductive organic sublayer comprises a polymer doped with an inorganic salt.

7. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the highly conductive organic sublayer comprises a polymer doped with a doped small molecule.

8. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, further comprising a second conductive sublayer that comprises a metallization layer and which is applied between the highly conductive organic sublayer and the substrate or on the second electrode.

9. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the substrate and the first electrode are at least partially transparent for one wavelength of the light generated by the at least one organic layer.

10. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the second electrode is at least partially transparent for one wavelength of the light generated by the at least one organic layer.

11. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the highly conductive organic sublayer has a conductivity greater than 0.1 S/cm.

12. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes have essentially the same sheet resistance.

13. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the bus electrode of the first electrode is applied on the first electrode and thus in the substrate.

14. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is an inorganic layer.

15. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is a metallic layer.

16. The electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein the materials of the highly conductive organic sublayer of the second electrode and the materials of the first electrode are the same.

17. A method for repair of an electroluminescent organic semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein at least one electrode comprises a metallic bus electrode to improve a lateral voltage drop, the method comprising:

determining a faulty site in an organic layer of the semiconductor element;

identifying conductive segments of the bus electrode in an area of the determined faulty site; and

selectively destroying the identified conductive segments to increase the lateral voltage drop in a region of the faulty site in the organic layer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the faulty site comprises visually inspecting the electroluminescent organic semiconductor element.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein selectively destroying comprises cutting the identified conductive segments using a laser beam.