Light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same

• US 7,190,335 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2003
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Seo, Satoshi, Yamazaki, Shunpei, Murakami, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala; Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, DAVID LEE
• Application Number:
  US10/395,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20030184217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 345 55-100, 349139-152, 349/66, 439 55- 91, 3151691-1694
• US Class Current: 345/76
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8423 Metallic sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8428 Vertical spacers, e.g. arranged between the sealing arrangement and the OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/38 comprising colour filters or colour changing media [CCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass

Abstract

An ink jet method known as a method for selectively forming a layer made of a polymeric organic compound is advantageous in that a layer containing an organic compound can be separately colored for emitting light of three colors (R, G, B) at a time. However, this ink jet method is disadvantageous in its poor film formation accuracy, and therefore, it is difficult to control the formation of the film for obtaining the uniformity. As a result, the obtained film is likely to have unevenness. In the present invention, an layer containing an organic compound is formed on the entire surface of a lower electrode connected to a thin film transistor by application. After forming an upper electrode on the lower electrode, an layer containing an organic compound is etched in a self-aligned manner by plasma etching using the upper electrode as a mask so as to allow the selective formation of an layer containing an organic compound. Furthermore, for connection with the upper electrode, the electrical connection is achieved by using an adhesive containing a conductive particle or a paste. Furthermore, a material emitting white light or a material emitting monochromatic light is used as the layer containing an organic compound. The full-color display is achieved by combining the layer containing an organic compound with a color conversion layer or a colored layer.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a pixel portion including a plurality of light emitting elements, and a terminal portion, between a first substrate having an insulating surface and a second substrate having translucency,

each of the light emitting elements including;

a first electrode;

a layer containing an organic compound on the first electrode; and

a second electrode on the layer containing the organic compound, and

a wiring electrically connected to the terminal portion,

wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded to each other through an adhesive in which conductive fine particles having different diameters are mixed,

wherein the second electrode and the wiring are electrically connected to each other through the adhesive.

2. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode is one of an anode and a cathode.

3. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode has the same pattern form as that of the layer containing the organic compound.

4. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the organic compound is made of a polymeric material.

5. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the layer containing the organic compound comprises a layer made of a polymeric material and a layer made of a monomeric material.

6. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein an end of the first electrode is covered with an insulator, an upper end of the insulator includes a curved surface having a first curvature radius, a lower end of the insulator includes a curved surface having a second curvature radius, and each of the first curvature radius and the second curvature radius is 0.2 to 3 μ

m.

7. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is made of a material having translucency, and is one of an anode and a cathode.

8. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting elements emit white light, and further comprising color filters.

9. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting elements emit monochromatic light, and further comprising color converting layers or colored layers.

10. A light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is any one of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a car navigation system, a personal computer and a portable information terminal.

40. A light emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising a driving circuit.

41. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode is not in contact with the wiring.

42. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the terminal portion is electrically connected to a flexible printed circuit.

43. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the terminal portion is placed on the first substrate so as to be positioned outside the second substrate.

11. A light emitting device comprising:

a pixel portion including a plurality of light emitting elements, and a terminal portion, between a first substrate having an insulating surface and a second substrate having translucency,

each of the light emitting elements including;

a first electrode;

a layer containing an organic compound on the first electrode; and

a second electrode on the layer containing the organic compound, and

a wiring electrically connected to the terminal portion,

wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded to each other through an adhesive in which a fine particle made of an inorganic material and a conductive fine particle having a larger diameter than that of the fine particle are mixed,

wherein the second electrode and the wiring are electrically connected to each other through the adhesive.

12. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the second electrode is one of an anode and a cathode.

13. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the second electrode has the same pattern form as that of the layer containing the organic compound.

14. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the organic compound is made of a polymeric material.

15. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the layer containing the organic compound comprises a layer made of a polymeric material and a layer made of a monomeric material.

16. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein an end of the first electrode is covered with an insulator, an upper end of the insulator includes a curved surface having a first curvature radius, a lower end of the insulator includes a curved surface having a second curvature radius, and each of the first curvature radius and the second curvature radius is 0.2 to 3 μ

m.

17. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the first electrode is made of a material having translucency, and is one of an anode and a cathode.

18. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the light emitting elements emit white light, and further comprising color filters.

19. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the light emitting elements emit monochromatic light, and further comprising color converting layers or colored layers.

20. A light emitting element according to claim 11, wherein the light emitting device is any one of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a car navigation system, a personal computer and a portable information terminal.

44. A light emitting device according to claim 11, further comprising a driving circuit.

45. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the second electrode is not in contact with the wiring.

46. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the terminal portion is electrically connected to a flexible printed circuit.

47. A light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the terminal portion is placed on the first substrate so as to be positioned outside the second substrate.

21. A light emitting device comprising:

a pixel portion including a plurality of light emitting elements, between a first substrate and a second substrate,

each of the light emitting elements including;

a first electrode;

a layer containing an organic compound on the first electrode; and

a second electrode on the layer containing the organic compound;

a terminal portion, and

a wiring electrically connected to the terminal portion,

wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded with a sealer,

wherein an end face of the layer containing the organic compound is flush with that of the second electrode; and

wherein the second electrode and the wiring are electrically connected through an adhesive containing a conductive fine particle.

22. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the second electrode is one of an anode and a cathode.

23. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the organic compound is made of a polymeric material.

24. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the layer containing the organic compound comprises a layer made of a polymeric material and a layer made of a monomeric material.

25. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein an end of the first electrode is covered with an insulator, an upper end of the insulator includes a curved surface having a first curvature radius, a lower end of the insulator includes a curved surface having a second curvature radius, and each of the first curvature radius and the second curvature radius is 0.2 to 3 μ

m.

26. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the first electrode is made of a material having translucency, and is one of an anode and a cathode.

27. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the light emitting elements emit white light, and further comprising color filters.

28. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the light emitting elements emit monochromatic light, and further comprising color converting layers or colored layers.

29. A light emitting element according to claim 21, wherein the light emitting device is any one of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a car navigation system, a personal computer and a portable information terminal.

48. A light emitting device according to claim 21, further comprising a driving circuit.

49. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the second electrode is not in contact with the wiring.

50. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the terminal portion is electrically connected to a flexible printed circuit.

51. A light emitting device according to claim 21, wherein the terminal portion is placed on the first substrate so as to be positioned outside the second substrate.

52. A light emitting device according to claim 21, further comprising a protective film over the second electrode and the adhesive.

30. A light emitting device comprising:

a pixel portion including a plurality of light emitting elements,

each of the light emitting elements including;

a first electrode;

a layer containing an organic compound on the first electrode; and

a second electrode on the layer containing the organic compound;

a third electrode over the second electrode,

a terminal portion, and

a wiring electrically connected to the terminal portion,

wherein an end face of the layer containing the organic compound is flush with that of the second electrode; and

wherein the second electrode and the wiring are connected through the third electrode.

31. A light emitting device according to claim 30, wherein the third electrode is made of a metal.

32. A light emitting device according to claim 30, wherein the second electrode is one of an anode and a cathode.

33. A light emitting device according to claim 30, wherein the organic compound is made of a polymeric material.

34. A light emitting device according to claim 30, wherein the layer containing the organic compound comprises a layer made of a polymeric material and a layer made of a monomeric material.

35. A light emitting device according to claim 30, wherein an end of the first electrode is covered with an insulator, an upper end of the insulator includes a curved surface having a first curvature radius, a lower end of the insulator includes a curved surface having a second curvature radius, and each of the first curvature radius and the second curvature radius is 0.2 to 3 μ

m.

36. A light emitting device according to claim 30, wherein the first electrode is made of a material having translucency, and is one of an anode and a cathode.

37. A light emitting device according to claim 30, wherein the light emitting elements emit white light, and further comprising color filters.

38. A light emitting device according to claim 30, wherein the light emitting elements emit monochromatic light, and further comprising color converting layers or colored layers.

39. A light emitting element according to claim 30, wherein the light emitting device is any one of a video camera, a digital camera, a goggle-type display, a car navigation system, a personal computer and a portable information terminal.

53. A light emitting device according to claim 30, further comprising a driving circuit.

54. A light emitting device according to claim 30, wherein the third electrode is not in contact with the wiring.

55. A light emitting device according to claim 30, wherein the terminal portion is electrically connected to a flexible printed circuit.