US20050242721A1 - Large organic light-emitting diodes and methods of fabricating large organic light-emitting diodes - Google Patents

Large organic light-emitting diodes and methods of fabricating large organic light-emitting diodes Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20050242721A1
US20050242721A1 US11/175,808 US17580805A US2005242721A1 US 20050242721 A1 US20050242721 A1 US 20050242721A1 US 17580805 A US17580805 A US 17580805A US 2005242721 A1 US2005242721 A1 US 2005242721A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
layer
set forth
transparent
metal
disposed over
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US11/175,808
Inventor
Donald Foust
Anil Duggal
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US11/175,808 priority Critical patent/US20050242721A1/en
Publication of US20050242721A1 publication Critical patent/US20050242721A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H10SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10KORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K77/00Constructional details of devices covered by this subclass and not covered by groups H10K10/80, H10K30/80, H10K50/80 or H10K59/80
    • H10K77/10Substrates, e.g. flexible substrates
    • H10K77/111Flexible substrates
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H10SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10KORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K50/00Organic light-emitting devices
    • H10K50/80Constructional details
    • H10K50/805Electrodes
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H10SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10KORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K50/00Organic light-emitting devices
    • H10K50/80Constructional details
    • H10K50/805Electrodes
    • H10K50/81Anodes
    • H10K50/814Anodes combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H10SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10KORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K2102/00Constructional details relating to the organic devices covered by this subclass
    • H10K2102/301Details of OLEDs
    • H10K2102/311Flexible OLED
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H10SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10KORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K50/00Organic light-emitting devices
    • H10K50/10OLEDs or polymer light-emitting diodes [PLED]
    • H10K50/11OLEDs or polymer light-emitting diodes [PLED] characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
    • H10K50/125OLEDs or polymer light-emitting diodes [PLED] characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers specially adapted for multicolour light emission, e.g. for emitting white light
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H10SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10KORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K50/00Organic light-emitting devices
    • H10K50/80Constructional details
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H10SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10KORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K50/00Organic light-emitting devices
    • H10K50/80Constructional details
    • H10K50/84Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
    • H10K50/841Self-supporting sealing arrangements
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H10SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10KORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K50/00Organic light-emitting devices
    • H10K50/80Constructional details
    • H10K50/84Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
    • H10K50/844Encapsulations
    • H10K50/8445Encapsulations multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/549Organic PV cells
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02PCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P70/00Climate change mitigation technologies in the production process for final industrial or consumer products
    • Y02P70/50Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Definitions

  • LEDs Light Emitting Diodes
  • OLEDs Organic Light Emitting Diodes
  • LEDs implement inorganic semiconductor layers to convert electrical energy into light
  • OLEDs implement organic semiconductor layers to convert electrical energy into light.
  • OLEDs are fabricated by disposing multiple layers of organic thin films between two conductors or electrodes. The electrode layers and the organic layers are generally disposed between two substrates, such as glass substrates.
  • OLEDs When electrical current is applied to the electrodes, light is produced. Unlike traditional LEDs, OLEDs can be processed using low cost, large area thin film deposition processes. OLED technology lends itself to the creation of ultra-thin lighting displays that can operate at lower voltages than LEDs. Significant developments have been made in providing general area lighting implementing OLEDs.
  • the operating life of the OLED may be limited due to the heat generated by the high power level and relatively low efficiency of the device.
  • the efficacy of the devices should be improved to reduce the heat generation when operating at a brightness sufficient to provide general illumination.
  • the OLED may be large, approximately one square meter, for example.
  • a number of issues may arise when contemplating fabrication of a large OLED, such as and OLED having a front surface area of one square meter.
  • conventional OLED devices implement top and bottom glass plates.
  • glass substrates provide adequate hermeticity to seal the device from exposure to water and oxygen. Further, glass substrates allow for high temperature processing of the OLED devices.
  • glass substrates may be impractical and less desirable when contemplating the fabrication of large area OLED devices for area lighting when compared to conventional area lighting sources, such as fluorescent lighting sources. Generally speaking, glass may be impractically heavy for area-lighting applications.
  • an OLED device implementing glass substrates having a thickness of 1 ⁇ 8 of an inch and a front surface area of one square meter may weigh approximately 31 pounds.
  • the T12 fluorescent lamp weighs less than one-half a pound.
  • One method of reducing the weight of the OLED device is to implement plastic substrates.
  • plastic substrates advantageously reduce the weight of the device, the hermeticity of the device may be compromised.
  • the alternative source should be fairly robust and easy to manufacture.
  • OLED devices implementing large glass substrates may be difficult to mass produce in a highly automated process.
  • the weight of glass and fragility of glass substrates may disadvantageously burden the manufacturing process.
  • the active layers of organic polymers implemented in OLED devices are disposed between conducting electrodes.
  • the bottom electrode generally comprises a reflective metal such as aluminum, for example.
  • the top electrode generally comprises a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) material, such as Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO), that allows light produced by the active layers to be emitted through the top electrode.
  • TCO transparent conductive oxide
  • ITO Indium-Tin-Oxide
  • the thickness of the ITO layer may be minimized.
  • the ITO layer has a thickness of approximately 1000 angstroms.
  • the conductivity of 1000 angstroms of ITO may not be adequate to supply sufficient electrical current across the entire surface area of the large OLED. Accordingly, the electrical current may be insufficient to generate enough light across the large OLED for use in area lighting applications.
  • a method of fabricating a general area lighting source comprising the acts of: fabricating a transparent backer portion; fabricating an active portion, wherein the active portion comprises an organic layer disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode; coupling the transparent backer portion to the active portion; and coupling electrical leads to each of the first electrode and the second electrode.
  • a method of fabricating a general area lighting source comprising the acts of: providing a flexible transparent film; forming a metal grid pattern on the flexible transparent film; disposing a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer over the metal grid pattern and the transparent film; disposing the organic layer over the transparent conductive oxide layer; and disposing a metal layer over the organic layer.
  • TCO transparent conductive oxide
  • an area lighting system comprising: a rigid plastic layer; a hermetic coating layer disposed on the rigid plastic layer; a flexible transparent film coupled to the hermetic coating layer; a metal grid pattern formed on the flexible transparent film; a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer disposed over the metal grid pattern and the transparent film; an organic layer disposed over the transparent conductive oxide layer; and a metal layer disposed over the organic layer.
  • TCO transparent conductive oxide
  • FIGS. 1-4 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary fabrication process for a transparent backer implemented in a large-area OLED device fabricated in accordance with the present techniques
  • FIGS. 5-9 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary fabrication process of an active portion of a large-area OLED device fabricated in accordance with the present techniques.
  • FIGS. 10-13 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary fabrication process of a large-area OLED device implementing the transparent backer of FIGS. 1-4 and the active portion of FIGS. 5-9 in accordance with the present techniques.
  • FIGS. 1-4 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary process for fabricating a transparent backer implemented in a large-area OLED device in accordance with the present techniques.
  • a film or sheet of transparent plastic 10 which may comprise any suitable polycarbonate, such as a sheet of LEXAN polycarbonate, for example, is provided.
  • the plastic 10 comprises any material having a high melting point, thereby allowing for high processing temperatures (e.g., >200° C.).
  • the plastic 10 is advantageously transparent and has a high rate of transmission of visible light (e.g., >85% transmission).
  • the plastic 10 may advantageously comprise a material having a high impact strength, flame retardancy and thermoformability, for example. Because the plastic 10 may be rigid, the plastic 10 may also provide structural support for the large area OLED device, as described further below.
  • the plastic 10 should be large enough to provide sufficient light for use in area-lighting.
  • the plastic 10 may have a length of approximately 4 feet and a width of approximately 1 foot, for example.
  • the plastic 10 may have a thickness T in the range of approximately 1-125 mils.
  • a material having a thickness of less than 10 mils may generally be referred to as a “film” while a material having a thickness of greater than 10 mils may generally be referred to as a “sheet.”
  • the plastic 10 may comprise a plastic film or a plastic sheet. Further, while the terms may connote particular thicknesses, the terms may be used interchangeably, herein.
  • a thinner plastic 10 may provide a lighter and less expensive material.
  • a thicker plastic 10 may provide more rigidity and thus structural support for the OLED device.
  • the thickness of the plastic 10 may depend on the particular application.
  • apertures 12 are provided to facilitate the electrical connection of the OLED, as illustrated in FIG. 2 .
  • the apertures 12 may be any suitable size and shape to facilitate the electrical connection of the leads to the bottom electrode, as will be illustrated and further described with respect to FIGS. 12 and 13 .
  • the apertures 12 may be formed through laser ablation, for example.
  • the apertures 12 may be formed through a drilling process, a stamping process or a molding process wherein the plastic 10 is heated and dispensed into a mold having structures configured to form the apertures 12 .
  • “adapted to,” “configured to,” and the like refer to elements that are sized, arranged or manufactured to form a specified structure or to achieve a specified result.
  • a hermetic coating 14 is applied over the plastic 10 , as illustrated in FIG. 3 .
  • one of the degradation mechanisms that may reduce the mean-time-to-failure of an unencapsulated OLED is exposure of the organic cathode interface (described further below) to atmospheric oxygen and water.
  • exposure to oxygen or water may lead to oxidation and/or delamination of the metal cathode as well as to chemical reactions within the organic layers.
  • the hermetic coating 14 is implemented to impart water and oxidation resistance on the light-emitting side of the device, as better illustrated and described with reference to FIGS. 10-13 .
  • the hermetic coating 14 may comprise two or more polymer-based materials, such as LEXAN polycarbonate, separated by layers of transparent inorganic materials.
  • the layers of inorganic materials may comprise diamond-like-carbon (DLC), silicon dioxide, silicon nitride or silicon oxy nitride, for example.
  • the hermetic coating 14 comprises a hybrid organic-inorganic multi-layer barrier coating formed on a heat stabilized polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material having a thickness of approximately 175 microns.
  • the composite barrier may comprise alternating layers of polyacrylate films and an inorganic oxide, for example.
  • An acrylic monomer layer may be deposited onto the surface of the PET material by flash evaporation in a vacuum, for example. After deposition, the condensed acrylic monomer maybe cured using ultraviolet light to form a non-conformal highly cross-linked polyacrylate film that planarizes the surface of the PET layer.
  • a layer of aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) may be deposited onto the polyacrylate film layer at a thickness in the range of approximately 100-300 angstoms, for example, to provide a barrier to the diffusion of water and oxygen.
  • the polymer layers e.g., polyacrylate film
  • the processes are repeated 4-5 times, for example.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the exemplary transparent backer 16 .
  • the light produced by the organic layers (described with reference to FIG. 8 ) will be emitted through the transparent backer 16 .
  • an adhesive layer 18 may be applied to the surface of the hermetic coating 14 .
  • the adhesive layer 18 comprises a highly transmissive material so as to allow the light produced by the organic layers to be emitted to the ambient environment. As can be appreciated, it may also be desirable to change the color of the light produced by the organic layer of the OLED.
  • the adhesive layer 18 may include phosphor particles, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
  • short wavelength blue light produced by certain organic materials may activate phosphor particles in the adhesive layer 18 to emit a longer wavelength broadband spectrum that is perceived as white light, which may be preferable for area lighting.
  • a color changing layer comprising phosphor particles may be disposed separately, below the adhesive layer 18 .
  • FIGS. 5-9 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary fabrication process of an active portion of a large-area OLED device fabricated in accordance with the present techniques.
  • a layer of transparent film 20 is illustrated.
  • the transparent film 20 is transparent to visible light and may comprise a polymer material, such as MYLAR, for example.
  • the transparent film 20 is generally thin (2-50 mils) and flexible.
  • the transparent film 20 may be dispensed from a roll, for example.
  • implementing a roll of transparent film 20 enables the use of high-volume, low cost, reel-to-reel processing and fabrication of the active portion.
  • the roll of transparent film 20 may have a width of 1 foot, for example, to match the width of the plastic 10 of the transparent backer 16 .
  • the transparent film 20 may also be cut to a length to match the length of the plastic 10 , such as a length of four (4) feet, for example. As can be appreciated, the transparent film may be cut before or after the fabrication steps described with reference to FIGS. 5-9 . Alternatively, the transparent film 20 may comprise a less flexible transparent material, such as MYLAR.
  • typical OLEDs which are implemented for indicator lighting generally comprise a number of organic layers disposed between two electrodes.
  • One of the electrodes generally comprises a transparent conductive oxide (TCO), such as indium-tin-oxide (ITO), for example.
  • TCO transparent conductive oxide
  • ITO is a conductive ceramic having a conductivity of approximately 10 ohms/square. This amount of electrical conductivity is generally adequate to produce the necessary light emissions to illuminate the small OLEDs used for indicator lighting.
  • the power output of a conventional ITO layer may be insufficient to produce the necessary current to illuminate a large area OLED, such as the present device, since the resistance losses across the large surface area may be large.
  • the electrode comprises a transparent material to allow light emissions to pass from the underlying organic layers to the ambient environment
  • a metal layer having a higher conductivity may not be used.
  • increasing the thickness of the ITO layer may increase the conductivity, the increased thickness may disadvantageously reduce the transparency of the layer.
  • the metal grid 22 is electrically coupled to the ITO layer 24 (illustrated in FIG. 7 ) to provide increased conductivity across the bottom electrode (i.e., the ITO layer 24 ).
  • the metal grid 22 may comprise aluminum, for example.
  • the metal grid 22 may comprise another conductive metal such as silver or copper, for example.
  • a metal layer may be disposed over the transparent film 20 at a thickness in the range of 0.5-2.0 microns, by a sputtering technique, for example.
  • the metal layer may be patterned and etched to provide a metal grid 22 having a plurality of metal square disposed thereon.
  • the metal squares may comprise 1 ⁇ 2′′ ⁇ 1 ⁇ 2′′ squares or 1′′ ⁇ 1′′ squares, for example.
  • the squares may be located every 2-4 inches, for example.
  • the metal layer may be patterned to provide any other desirable pattern having interdispersed metal areas for increased conductivity. For instance, circles, rectangles or linear strips may be patterned to provide the metal grid 22 .
  • the metal grid 22 will be electrically coupled to conductive leads, as will be illustrated and described further with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 . As can be appreciated, the metal grid 22 provides increased conductivity through the ITO layer 24 , illustrated with reference to FIG. 7 .
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a transparent conductive layer, such as an ITO layer 24 disposed over the transparent film 20 and the metal grid 22 .
  • the ITO layer 24 may be disposed at a thickness in the range of approximately 500-2500 angstroms, for example, and may be disposed by a sputtering technique, for example.
  • the ITO layer 24 has a transmission ratio of at least 0.8.
  • the transparent conductive layer may comprise other suitable conductive materials that may be disposed at other suitable thicknesses and having a transmission ratio of at least 0.8, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
  • the ITO layer 24 may be referred to herein as the “bottom electrode” or the “anode” of the OLED device being described.
  • the ITO layer 24 may not comprise a continuous layer.
  • the electrodes (and possibly the organic layer disposed therebetween) of an OLED device may be patterned or “pixelated” to provide a dense layer of discrete, electrically isolated patches or “pixels.” By pixelating the electrodes of the OLED device (including the ITO layer 24 ) such that the patterns align, shorting between the top and bottom electrodes will only effect the pixels that are shorted, rather than shorting the entire electrode. These techniques are well known to mitigate complete failure of the OLED devices.
  • an organic layer 26 may be disposed on the surface of the ITO layer 24 , as illustrated in FIG. 8 .
  • the organic layer 26 may comprise several layers of organic light-emitting polymers, such as a polyphenylene vinylene or a polyfluorene, typically from a xylene solution.
  • the number of layers and the type of organic polymers disposed will vary depending on the application, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
  • the organic layer 26 may be disposed at a thickness in the range of approximately 500-2500 angstroms, for example. However, as can be appreciated, the thickness of the organic layer 26 may vary, depending on the application.
  • the organic layer 26 may comprise a blue-light emitting polymer such as poly(3,4)-ethylendioxythiophene/polystrene sulfonate (PEDOT/PSS).
  • a blue-light emitting polymer such as poly(3,4)-ethylendioxythiophene/polystrene sulfonate (PEDOT/PSS).
  • PDOT/PSS poly(3,4)-ethylendioxythiophene/polystrene sulfonate
  • one or more conversion layers comprising organic molecules, such as perylene orange and perylene red, and inorganic phosphor particles, such as [Y(Gd)AG:Ce)]
  • Various layers may be implemented in the organic layer 26 to provide light in a desired color. Certain colors may be easier and/or cheaper to produce in the organic layer 26 based on the available materials and the processes for disposing the materials, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
  • the transparent film 20 is advantageously capable of reel-to-reel processing. Accordingly, the deposition of the thin organic light emitting polymer layers in the organic layer 26 may be more difficult than in conventional, small-area indicator lighting OLEDs. It should be understood that to apply the various layers that constitute the organic layer 26 , a number of coating steps may be implemented. Accordingly, further discussion regarding disposition of the organic layer 26 generally refers to a number of iterative coating steps. Also, as previously described, the layers deposited on the transparent film 20 may not comprise continuous layers. That is to say that each of the ITO layer 24 , the organic layer 26 and the top electrode 28 (described below with reference to FIG. 9 ) may be deposited or pattered into precisely aligned patches or pixels.
  • patterned deposition of the ITO layer 24 and the top electrode 28 may be achieved by conventional means, deposition of the organic layers may be more difficult.
  • the following techniques for disposing the organic layer 26 are merely provided by way of example. As can be appreciated, other techniques for disposing the organic layer 26 may be implemented.
  • micro-gravure coating is a continuous coating process specially adapted to apply thin uniform layer of low-viscosity liquids.
  • An engraved roll (“gravure roll”) having a small diameter is dipped with coating solution, thereby filling the cells or grooves in the surface of the roll. Excess liquid may be scraped from the surface of the roll.
  • the gravure roll is reverse-wiped across a moving tensioned reel-to-reel surface, such as the transparent film 20 having the ITO layer 24 disposed thereon, to transfer a fraction of the liquid contained in the engraving onto the surface. Because microgravure is a continuous coating technique, the disposed layer may be subsequently patterned.
  • One patterning technique is to apply a patterned monolayer that will either attract or repel the underlying coating.
  • the coating may be patterned via a laser ablation process.
  • the organic layer 26 may remain as a continuous layer since the patterning (pixelating) of the electrodes (ITO layer 24 and the top electrode 28 ) may provide sufficient electrical isolation.
  • a gravure printing is a process where the desired pattern is directly engraved on the gravure roll as millions of tiny cells.
  • the roll is directly pressed onto the application surface to transfer coating from these cells.
  • the organic material layer may be disposed onto the surface of the ITO layer 24 through a series of elastohydrodynamic processes, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
  • flexographic printing is a process wherein the area to be printed is raised on a flexible plate attached to a roll. Coating is transferred to the raised image from an engraved roll, after which the coating is transferred to the surface.
  • Rotary screen printing uses a squeegee to push coating through open areas of a fine fabric mesh onto the substrate.
  • Inkjet printing starts with drop formation at the nozzle of an inkjet device. The drop is dispensed onto the surface and inertial force causes the drop to spread as it hits the surface. ⁇ Don—please make sure that I have not disclosed anything that should remain GE proprietary with regard to these exemplary coating techniques.>>
  • the top electrode 28 is disposed to complete the active portion 30 of the large area OLED device. As will be described further below with reference ro FIGS. 10-13 , after fabrication of the active portion 30 , the active portion 30 may be coupled to the transparent backer 16 .
  • the top electrode 28 may be dipsposed at a thickness in the range of approximately 500-2500 angstroms.
  • the top electrode 28 preferably comprises aluminum.
  • the top electrode 28 may comprise calcium, magnesium or silver, for example.
  • the top electrode 28 is advantageously reflective to reflect impinging light toward the front of the device where it can be coupled to the ambient environment.
  • the top electrode 28 provides hermeticity for the backside of the OLED device, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
  • the top electrode 28 may be patterned or pixelated to align with a pattern that may be formed in the TCO layer 24 to reduce device failures caused by shorting between the electrodes.
  • FIGS. 10-13 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary fabrication process of a large-area OLED device implementing the transparent backer of FIGS. 1-4 and the active portion of FIGS. 5-9 .
  • FIG. 10 illustrates an OLED device 32 comprising the active portion 30 coupled to the transparent backer 16 .
  • the active portion 30 is coupled to the transparent backer 16 such that the metal grid 22 of the active portion 30 aligns with the apertures 12 of the transparent backer 16 .
  • the transparent backer 16 may be fabricated using low-cost, high volume reel-to-reel equipment.
  • the active portion 30 is coupled to the transparent backer 16 via the adhesive layer 18 .
  • the rigidity of the transparent backer 16 provides structural support for the OLED device 32 .
  • the active portion 30 may be coupled to the transparent backer 16 by applying mechanical pressure to one or both of the active portion 30 and the transparent backer 16 such that they are forced together. In one exemplary technique, the active portion 30 and the transparent backer 16 may be pressed using one or more rollers. Further, depending on the adhesive 18 , the OLED device 32 may be advantageously cured at room temperature, for example. As can be appreciated, because the active portion 30 may have been fabricated in a reel-to-reel system, the active portion 30 may be cut into panels before or after adhesion to the transparent backer 16 . As can be appreciated, the active portion 30 may be cut to match the dimensions defined by the plastic 10 of the transparent backer 16 .
  • electrical leads may be coupled to the metal grid 22 .
  • the apertures 12 are extended through the transparent film 20 , as illustrated in FIG. 11 .
  • the openings in the transparent film 20 may be created by laser ablation, for example.
  • openings may not be provided to expose all of the isolated segments in the metal grid 22 , as illustrated in FIG. 11 .
  • the electrical leads 34 may comprise insulated wire having an uninusulated end portion, as illustrated in FIG. 12 .
  • the length of the uninsulated end portion may vary depending on whether the electrical leads 34 are coupled to the top electrode 28 or the metal grid 22 .
  • the uninsulated end portion of each electrical lead 34 coupled to the metal grid 22 may be long enough to extend through the depth of the aperture 12 , as illustrated in the present exemplary embodiment.
  • the electrical leads 34 may be coupled to the top electrode 28 or the metal grid 22 via a conductive material 36 .
  • the conductive material 36 may comprise a conductive paste or epoxy that can be cured at room temperature or cured by low temperature heating, for instance.
  • the conductive material 36 may comprise solder ball that may be cured using a low temperature curing process.
  • the conductive material 36 should be such that it can be cured at a temperature (e.g., less than 180° C.).
  • a temperature e.g., less than 180° C.
  • exposure of the organic layer 26 to high temperatures e.g., greater than 180° C.
  • the apertures 12 may be filled with a conductive or non-conductive sealing material (not illustrated).
  • the OLED device 32 may be sealed by an encapsulating layer 38 , as illustrated in FIG. 13 .
  • the encapsulating layer 38 provides further hermeticity for the OLED device 32 to further protect the device from external elements.
  • the encapsulating layer 38 may be disposed over the top electrode 28 and along the sides of the OLED device 32 .
  • an electrical potential is provided through the electrodes 34 , the polymers in the organic layer 26 are activated and light is produced. The light is emitted through the transparent layers in the front of the large area OLED device 32 such that it is coupled into the ambient environment, as illustrated by light indicator arrows 40 .
  • the present OLED device 32 may be used as a large area, general lighting source.

Abstract

Large, light-weight organic light emitting diode (OLED) devices and methods of preparing large, light-weight displays of organic light emitting diode (OLED) devices for area-lighting. Specifically, flexible and rigid light-weight plastics are implemented. The flexible plastic may be disposed from a reel. A metal grid is fabricated on the flexible plastic to provide current conduction over the large area. A transparent oxide layer is provided over the metal grid to form the bottom electrode of the OLED. A light emitting organic layer is disposed on the transparent oxide layer. A second electrode is disposed over the organic layer. Electrodes are coupled to the metal grid and the second electrode to provide electrical current to facilitate light emission from the organic layer.

Description

    CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
  • This is a divisional of co-pending application Ser. No. 10/324,417 filed on Dec. 20, 2002.
  • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • High efficiency lighting sources are continually being developed to compete with traditional area lighting sources, such as fluorescent lighting. For example, while light emitting diodes have traditionally been implemented FOR indicator lighting and numerical displays, advances in light emitting diode technology have fueled interest in using such technology for area lighting. Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are solid-state semiconductor devices that convert electrical energy into light. While LEDs implement inorganic semiconductor layers to convert electrical energy into light, OLEDs implement organic semiconductor layers to convert electrical energy into light. Generally, OLEDs are fabricated by disposing multiple layers of organic thin films between two conductors or electrodes. The electrode layers and the organic layers are generally disposed between two substrates, such as glass substrates. When electrical current is applied to the electrodes, light is produced. Unlike traditional LEDs, OLEDs can be processed using low cost, large area thin film deposition processes. OLED technology lends itself to the creation of ultra-thin lighting displays that can operate at lower voltages than LEDs. Significant developments have been made in providing general area lighting implementing OLEDs.
  • However, while traditional OLEDs having a relatively low efficacy (e.g. 3-4 lumens per watt) may be able to achieve sufficient brightness for area lighting at low voltages, the operating life of the OLED may be limited due to the heat generated by the high power level and relatively low efficiency of the device. To provide commercially viable light sources implementing OLEDs, the efficacy of the devices should be improved to reduce the heat generation when operating at a brightness sufficient to provide general illumination.
  • To emit light having a brightness that is equivalent to the light produced by conventional lighting sources such as fluorescent lighting sources, the OLED may be large, approximately one square meter, for example. A number of issues may arise when contemplating fabrication of a large OLED, such as and OLED having a front surface area of one square meter. When fabricating OLED devices, conventional OLED devices implement top and bottom glass plates. Advantageously, glass substrates provide adequate hermeticity to seal the device from exposure to water and oxygen. Further, glass substrates allow for high temperature processing of the OLED devices. However, glass substrates may be impractical and less desirable when contemplating the fabrication of large area OLED devices for area lighting when compared to conventional area lighting sources, such as fluorescent lighting sources. Generally speaking, glass may be impractically heavy for area-lighting applications. For instance, to produce the light equivalent to a four foot T12 fluorescent lamp, for example, an OLED device implementing glass substrates having a thickness of ⅛ of an inch and a front surface area of one square meter may weigh approximately 31 pounds. The T12 fluorescent lamp weighs less than one-half a pound. One method of reducing the weight of the OLED device is to implement plastic substrates. However, while plastic substrates advantageously reduce the weight of the device, the hermeticity of the device may be compromised.
  • Further, as can be appreciated, general area lighting is widely used and the demands for such lighting are understandably high. Accordingly, to provide a viable alternative source for area lighting to that of fluorescent lighting, for example, the alternative source should be fairly robust and easy to manufacture. OLED devices implementing large glass substrates may be difficult to mass produce in a highly automated process. The weight of glass and fragility of glass substrates may disadvantageously burden the manufacturing process.
  • Still further, as can be appreciated, the active layers of organic polymers implemented in OLED devices are disposed between conducting electrodes. The bottom electrode generally comprises a reflective metal such as aluminum, for example. The top electrode generally comprises a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) material, such as Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO), that allows light produced by the active layers to be emitted through the top electrode. To maximize the amount of light that is emitted from the OLED device, the thickness of the ITO layer may be minimized. In typical OLED devices, the ITO layer has a thickness of approximately 1000 angstroms. However, the conductivity of 1000 angstroms of ITO may not be adequate to supply sufficient electrical current across the entire surface area of the large OLED. Accordingly, the electrical current may be insufficient to generate enough light across the large OLED for use in area lighting applications.
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  • In accordance with one aspect of the present techniques, there is provide a method of fabricating a general area lighting source comprising the acts of: fabricating a transparent backer portion; fabricating an active portion, wherein the active portion comprises an organic layer disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode; coupling the transparent backer portion to the active portion; and coupling electrical leads to each of the first electrode and the second electrode.
  • In accordance with another aspect of the present techniques, there is provide a method of fabricating a general area lighting source comprising the acts of: providing a flexible transparent film; forming a metal grid pattern on the flexible transparent film; disposing a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer over the metal grid pattern and the transparent film; disposing the organic layer over the transparent conductive oxide layer; and disposing a metal layer over the organic layer.
  • In accordance with yet another aspect of the present techniques, there is provide an area lighting system comprising: a rigid plastic layer; a hermetic coating layer disposed on the rigid plastic layer; a flexible transparent film coupled to the hermetic coating layer; a metal grid pattern formed on the flexible transparent film; a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer disposed over the metal grid pattern and the transparent film; an organic layer disposed over the transparent conductive oxide layer; and a metal layer disposed over the organic layer.
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • Advantages and features of the invention may become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:
  • FIGS. 1-4 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary fabrication process for a transparent backer implemented in a large-area OLED device fabricated in accordance with the present techniques;
  • FIGS. 5-9 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary fabrication process of an active portion of a large-area OLED device fabricated in accordance with the present techniques; and
  • FIGS. 10-13 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary fabrication process of a large-area OLED device implementing the transparent backer of FIGS. 1-4 and the active portion of FIGS. 5-9 in accordance with the present techniques.
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
  • FIGS. 1-4 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary process for fabricating a transparent backer implemented in a large-area OLED device in accordance with the present techniques. Referring initially to FIG. 1, a film or sheet of transparent plastic 10 which may comprise any suitable polycarbonate, such as a sheet of LEXAN polycarbonate, for example, is provided. Preferably, the plastic 10 comprises any material having a high melting point, thereby allowing for high processing temperatures (e.g., >200° C.). Further, the plastic 10 is advantageously transparent and has a high rate of transmission of visible light (e.g., >85% transmission). Further, the plastic 10 may advantageously comprise a material having a high impact strength, flame retardancy and thermoformability, for example. Because the plastic 10 may be rigid, the plastic 10 may also provide structural support for the large area OLED device, as described further below.
  • The plastic 10 should be large enough to provide sufficient light for use in area-lighting. In the present exemplary embodiment, the plastic 10 may have a length of approximately 4 feet and a width of approximately 1 foot, for example. As can be appreciated, other desirable dimensions of the plastic 10 may be implemented. The plastic 10 may have a thickness T in the range of approximately 1-125 mils. As can be appreciated, a material having a thickness of less than 10 mils may generally be referred to as a “film” while a material having a thickness of greater than 10 mils may generally be referred to as a “sheet.” It should be understood that the plastic 10 may comprise a plastic film or a plastic sheet. Further, while the terms may connote particular thicknesses, the terms may be used interchangeably, herein. Accordingly, the use of either term herein is not meant to limit the thickness of the respective material, but rather, is provided for simplicity. Generally speaking, a thinner plastic 10 may provide a lighter and less expensive material. However, a thicker plastic 10 may provide more rigidity and thus structural support for the OLED device. The thickness of the plastic 10 may depend on the particular application.
  • In fabricating the transparent backer, apertures 12 are provided to facilitate the electrical connection of the OLED, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The apertures 12 may be any suitable size and shape to facilitate the electrical connection of the leads to the bottom electrode, as will be illustrated and further described with respect to FIGS. 12 and 13. As can be appreciated, the apertures 12 may be formed through laser ablation, for example. Alternatively, the apertures 12 may be formed through a drilling process, a stamping process or a molding process wherein the plastic 10 is heated and dispensed into a mold having structures configured to form the apertures 12. As used herein, “adapted to,” “configured to,” and the like refer to elements that are sized, arranged or manufactured to form a specified structure or to achieve a specified result.
  • In the present embodiment of the transparent backer, a hermetic coating 14 is applied over the plastic 10, as illustrated in FIG. 3. As can be appreciated, one of the degradation mechanisms that may reduce the mean-time-to-failure of an unencapsulated OLED is exposure of the organic cathode interface (described further below) to atmospheric oxygen and water. Disadvantageously, exposure to oxygen or water may lead to oxidation and/or delamination of the metal cathode as well as to chemical reactions within the organic layers. Accordingly, the hermetic coating 14 is implemented to impart water and oxidation resistance on the light-emitting side of the device, as better illustrated and described with reference to FIGS. 10-13. The hermetic coating 14 may comprise two or more polymer-based materials, such as LEXAN polycarbonate, separated by layers of transparent inorganic materials. The layers of inorganic materials may comprise diamond-like-carbon (DLC), silicon dioxide, silicon nitride or silicon oxy nitride, for example.
  • In one specific exemplary embodiment, the hermetic coating 14 comprises a hybrid organic-inorganic multi-layer barrier coating formed on a heat stabilized polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material having a thickness of approximately 175 microns. The composite barrier may comprise alternating layers of polyacrylate films and an inorganic oxide, for example. An acrylic monomer layer may be deposited onto the surface of the PET material by flash evaporation in a vacuum, for example. After deposition, the condensed acrylic monomer maybe cured using ultraviolet light to form a non-conformal highly cross-linked polyacrylate film that planarizes the surface of the PET layer. Next a layer of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) may be deposited onto the polyacrylate film layer at a thickness in the range of approximately 100-300 angstoms, for example, to provide a barrier to the diffusion of water and oxygen. Advantageously, by alternately repeating the processes to deposit multiple layers, the polymer layers (e.g., polyacrylate film) decouple any defects in the oxide layers (e.g., aluminum oxide layer) thereby preventing propagation of defects through the multi layer hermetic coating 14. In one embodiment, the processes are repeated 4-5 times, for example.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the exemplary transparent backer 16. The light produced by the organic layers (described with reference to FIG. 8) will be emitted through the transparent backer 16. To facilitate the coupling of the transparent backer 16 to the active portion of the large area OLED device (described with reference to FIGS. 5-9), an adhesive layer 18 may be applied to the surface of the hermetic coating 14. The adhesive layer 18 comprises a highly transmissive material so as to allow the light produced by the organic layers to be emitted to the ambient environment. As can be appreciated, it may also be desirable to change the color of the light produced by the organic layer of the OLED. Accordingly, to change the color of the light emitted by the organic layer of the OLED, the adhesive layer 18 may include phosphor particles, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art. For instance, short wavelength blue light produced by certain organic materials may activate phosphor particles in the adhesive layer 18 to emit a longer wavelength broadband spectrum that is perceived as white light, which may be preferable for area lighting. Alternatively, a color changing layer comprising phosphor particles, for example, may be disposed separately, below the adhesive layer 18.
  • FIGS. 5-9 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary fabrication process of an active portion of a large-area OLED device fabricated in accordance with the present techniques. Referring initially to FIG. 5, a layer of transparent film 20 is illustrated. The transparent film 20 is transparent to visible light and may comprise a polymer material, such as MYLAR, for example. The transparent film 20 is generally thin (2-50 mils) and flexible. The transparent film 20 may be dispensed from a roll, for example. Advantageously, implementing a roll of transparent film 20 enables the use of high-volume, low cost, reel-to-reel processing and fabrication of the active portion. The roll of transparent film 20 may have a width of 1 foot, for example, to match the width of the plastic 10 of the transparent backer 16. The transparent film 20 may also be cut to a length to match the length of the plastic 10, such as a length of four (4) feet, for example. As can be appreciated, the transparent film may be cut before or after the fabrication steps described with reference to FIGS. 5-9. Alternatively, the transparent film 20 may comprise a less flexible transparent material, such as MYLAR.
  • As previously described, typical OLEDs which are implemented for indicator lighting, for example, generally comprise a number of organic layers disposed between two electrodes. One of the electrodes generally comprises a transparent conductive oxide (TCO), such as indium-tin-oxide (ITO), for example. ITO is a conductive ceramic having a conductivity of approximately 10 ohms/square. This amount of electrical conductivity is generally adequate to produce the necessary light emissions to illuminate the small OLEDs used for indicator lighting. However, as can be appreciated, the power output of a conventional ITO layer may be insufficient to produce the necessary current to illuminate a large area OLED, such as the present device, since the resistance losses across the large surface area may be large. Because the electrode comprises a transparent material to allow light emissions to pass from the underlying organic layers to the ambient environment, a metal layer having a higher conductivity may not be used. Further, while increasing the thickness of the ITO layer may increase the conductivity, the increased thickness may disadvantageously reduce the transparency of the layer.
  • One solution to the limited conductivity of the ITO is to implement a metal grid 22, as indicated in FIG. 6. The metal grid 22 is electrically coupled to the ITO layer 24 (illustrated in FIG. 7) to provide increased conductivity across the bottom electrode (i.e., the ITO layer 24). The metal grid 22 may comprise aluminum, for example. Alternatively, the metal grid 22 may comprise another conductive metal such as silver or copper, for example. To form the metal grid 22, a metal layer may be disposed over the transparent film 20 at a thickness in the range of 0.5-2.0 microns, by a sputtering technique, for example. The metal layer may be patterned and etched to provide a metal grid 22 having a plurality of metal square disposed thereon. The metal squares may comprise ½″×½″ squares or 1″×1″ squares, for example. The squares may be located every 2-4 inches, for example. Alternatively, the metal layer may be patterned to provide any other desirable pattern having interdispersed metal areas for increased conductivity. For instance, circles, rectangles or linear strips may be patterned to provide the metal grid 22. The metal grid 22 will be electrically coupled to conductive leads, as will be illustrated and described further with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. As can be appreciated, the metal grid 22 provides increased conductivity through the ITO layer 24, illustrated with reference to FIG. 7.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a transparent conductive layer, such as an ITO layer 24 disposed over the transparent film 20 and the metal grid 22. The ITO layer 24 may be disposed at a thickness in the range of approximately 500-2500 angstroms, for example, and may be disposed by a sputtering technique, for example. Preferably, the ITO layer 24 has a transmission ratio of at least 0.8. The transparent conductive layer may comprise other suitable conductive materials that may be disposed at other suitable thicknesses and having a transmission ratio of at least 0.8, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The ITO layer 24 may be referred to herein as the “bottom electrode” or the “anode” of the OLED device being described. Further, the ITO layer 24 may not comprise a continuous layer. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the electrodes (and possibly the organic layer disposed therebetween) of an OLED device may be patterned or “pixelated” to provide a dense layer of discrete, electrically isolated patches or “pixels.” By pixelating the electrodes of the OLED device (including the ITO layer 24) such that the patterns align, shorting between the top and bottom electrodes will only effect the pixels that are shorted, rather than shorting the entire electrode. These techniques are well known to mitigate complete failure of the OLED devices.
  • After formation of the bottom electrode (here, ITO layer 24), an organic layer 26 may be disposed on the surface of the ITO layer 24, as illustrated in FIG. 8. As can be appreciated, the organic layer 26 may comprise several layers of organic light-emitting polymers, such as a polyphenylene vinylene or a polyfluorene, typically from a xylene solution. The number of layers and the type of organic polymers disposed will vary depending on the application, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The organic layer 26 may be disposed at a thickness in the range of approximately 500-2500 angstroms, for example. However, as can be appreciated, the thickness of the organic layer 26 may vary, depending on the application. In one exemplary embodiment, the organic layer 26 may comprise a blue-light emitting polymer such as poly(3,4)-ethylendioxythiophene/polystrene sulfonate (PEDOT/PSS). As previously described, to convert the blue-light to white light for use in area lighting, one or more conversion layers comprising organic molecules, such as perylene orange and perylene red, and inorganic phosphor particles, such as [Y(Gd)AG:Ce)], may be included in the adhesive layer 18 (FIG. 4) or disposed below the adhesive layer 18. Various layers may be implemented in the organic layer 26 to provide light in a desired color. Certain colors may be easier and/or cheaper to produce in the organic layer 26 based on the available materials and the processes for disposing the materials, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
  • As previously described, the transparent film 20 is advantageously capable of reel-to-reel processing. Accordingly, the deposition of the thin organic light emitting polymer layers in the organic layer 26 may be more difficult than in conventional, small-area indicator lighting OLEDs. It should be understood that to apply the various layers that constitute the organic layer 26, a number of coating steps may be implemented. Accordingly, further discussion regarding disposition of the organic layer 26 generally refers to a number of iterative coating steps. Also, as previously described, the layers deposited on the transparent film 20 may not comprise continuous layers. That is to say that each of the ITO layer 24, the organic layer 26 and the top electrode 28 (described below with reference to FIG. 9) may be deposited or pattered into precisely aligned patches or pixels. While patterned deposition of the ITO layer 24 and the top electrode 28 may be achieved by conventional means, deposition of the organic layers may be more difficult. The following techniques for disposing the organic layer 26 are merely provided by way of example. As can be appreciated, other techniques for disposing the organic layer 26 may be implemented.
  • One technique of disposing the organic layer 26 is “micro-gravure coating” which is a continuous coating process specially adapted to apply thin uniform layer of low-viscosity liquids. An engraved roll (“gravure roll”) having a small diameter is dipped with coating solution, thereby filling the cells or grooves in the surface of the roll. Excess liquid may be scraped from the surface of the roll. The gravure roll is reverse-wiped across a moving tensioned reel-to-reel surface, such as the transparent film 20 having the ITO layer 24 disposed thereon, to transfer a fraction of the liquid contained in the engraving onto the surface. Because microgravure is a continuous coating technique, the disposed layer may be subsequently patterned. One patterning technique is to apply a patterned monolayer that will either attract or repel the underlying coating. Alternatively, the coating may be patterned via a laser ablation process. As can be appreciated, the organic layer 26 may remain as a continuous layer since the patterning (pixelating) of the electrodes (ITO layer 24 and the top electrode 28) may provide sufficient electrical isolation.
  • Alternatively a gravure printing is a process where the desired pattern is directly engraved on the gravure roll as millions of tiny cells. The roll is directly pressed onto the application surface to transfer coating from these cells. The organic material layer may be disposed onto the surface of the ITO layer 24 through a series of elastohydrodynamic processes, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
  • Further, flexographic printing, screen printing or inkjet printing may be implemented to dispose the individual organic materials that form the organic layer 12. Flexographic printing is a process wherein the area to be printed is raised on a flexible plate attached to a roll. Coating is transferred to the raised image from an engraved roll, after which the coating is transferred to the surface. Rotary screen printing uses a squeegee to push coating through open areas of a fine fabric mesh onto the substrate. Inkjet printing starts with drop formation at the nozzle of an inkjet device. The drop is dispensed onto the surface and inertial force causes the drop to spread as it hits the surface. <<Don—please make sure that I have not disclosed anything that should remain GE proprietary with regard to these exemplary coating techniques.>>
  • Referring now to FIG. 9, the top electrode 28 is disposed to complete the active portion 30 of the large area OLED device. As will be described further below with reference ro FIGS. 10-13, after fabrication of the active portion 30, the active portion 30 may be coupled to the transparent backer 16. The top electrode 28 may be dipsposed at a thickness in the range of approximately 500-2500 angstroms. The top electrode 28 preferably comprises aluminum. Alternatively, the top electrode 28 may comprise calcium, magnesium or silver, for example. The top electrode 28 is advantageously reflective to reflect impinging light toward the front of the device where it can be coupled to the ambient environment. As can be appreciated, when a voltage potential is produced across the top electrode 28 and the bottom electrode (ITO layer 24), light is emitted from the organic layer 26. Further, the top electrode 28 provides hermeticity for the backside of the OLED device, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art. As previously described, the top electrode 28 may be patterned or pixelated to align with a pattern that may be formed in the TCO layer 24 to reduce device failures caused by shorting between the electrodes.
  • FIGS. 10-13 illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary fabrication process of a large-area OLED device implementing the transparent backer of FIGS. 1-4 and the active portion of FIGS. 5-9. Specifically, FIG. 10 illustrates an OLED device 32 comprising the active portion 30 coupled to the transparent backer 16. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the active portion 30 is coupled to the transparent backer 16 such that the metal grid 22 of the active portion 30 aligns with the apertures 12 of the transparent backer 16. Advantageously, by applying the transparent backer 16 late in the manufacturing process (i.e. after the formation of the active portion 30), the active portion 30 may be fabricated using low-cost, high volume reel-to-reel equipment. As can be appreciated, the active portion 30 is coupled to the transparent backer 16 via the adhesive layer 18. The rigidity of the transparent backer 16 provides structural support for the OLED device 32. The active portion 30 may be coupled to the transparent backer 16 by applying mechanical pressure to one or both of the active portion 30 and the transparent backer 16 such that they are forced together. In one exemplary technique, the active portion 30 and the transparent backer 16 may be pressed using one or more rollers. Further, depending on the adhesive 18, the OLED device 32 may be advantageously cured at room temperature, for example. As can be appreciated, because the active portion 30 may have been fabricated in a reel-to-reel system, the active portion 30 may be cut into panels before or after adhesion to the transparent backer 16. As can be appreciated, the active portion 30 may be cut to match the dimensions defined by the plastic 10 of the transparent backer 16.
  • To provide electrical current to the bottom electrode (ITO layer 24), electrical leads may be coupled to the metal grid 22. To provide access to the metal grid 22, the apertures 12 are extended through the transparent film 20, as illustrated in FIG. 11. By creating openings in the transparent film 20 through the apertures 12, the underlying metal grid 22 is exposed through the apertures 12. The openings in the transparent film 20 may be created by laser ablation, for example. As can be appreciated, in one exemplary embodiment, openings may not be provided to expose all of the isolated segments in the metal grid 22, as illustrated in FIG. 11.
  • Referring to FIG. 12, exemplary electrical leads 34 are illustrated. The electrical leads 34 may comprise insulated wire having an uninusulated end portion, as illustrated in FIG. 12. The length of the uninsulated end portion may vary depending on whether the electrical leads 34 are coupled to the top electrode 28 or the metal grid 22. For instance, the uninsulated end portion of each electrical lead 34 coupled to the metal grid 22 may be long enough to extend through the depth of the aperture 12, as illustrated in the present exemplary embodiment. The electrical leads 34 may be coupled to the top electrode 28 or the metal grid 22 via a conductive material 36. The conductive material 36 may comprise a conductive paste or epoxy that can be cured at room temperature or cured by low temperature heating, for instance. Alternatively, the conductive material 36 may comprise solder ball that may be cured using a low temperature curing process. The conductive material 36 should be such that it can be cured at a temperature (e.g., less than 180° C.). As can be appreciated, exposure of the organic layer 26 to high temperatures (e.g., greater than 180° C.) may be undesirable since it may reduce the light emitting ability of the organic layer 26. Further, once the electrical leads 34 are attached to the metal grid 22, the apertures 12 may be filled with a conductive or non-conductive sealing material (not illustrated).
  • The OLED device 32 may be sealed by an encapsulating layer 38, as illustrated in FIG. 13. The encapsulating layer 38 provides further hermeticity for the OLED device 32 to further protect the device from external elements. The encapsulating layer 38 may be disposed over the top electrode 28 and along the sides of the OLED device 32. As can be appreciated, when an electrical potential is provided through the electrodes 34, the polymers in the organic layer 26 are activated and light is produced. The light is emitted through the transparent layers in the front of the large area OLED device 32 such that it is coupled into the ambient environment, as illustrated by light indicator arrows 40. As can be appreciated, the present OLED device 32 may be used as a large area, general lighting source.
  • While the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims.

Claims (31)

1. A system comprising:
a rigid plastic layer;
a hermetic coating layer disposed on the rigid plastic layer;
a flexible transparent film coupled to the hermetic coating layer;
a metal grid pattern formed on the flexible transparent film;
a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer disposed over the metal grid pattern and the transparent film;
an organic layer disposed over the transparent conductive oxide layer; and
a top electrode disposed over the organic layer.
2. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the flexible transparent film comprises a film disposed from a reel.
3. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the metal grid pattern comprises a plurality of electrically isolated metal squares.
4. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive layer comprises an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) layer.
5. The system, as set forth in claim 1, comprising electrical leads coupled to each of the metal grid pattern and the top electrode.
6. The system, as set forth in claim 1, comprising electrical leads coupled to some of the plurality of metal squares.
7. The system, as set forth in claim 1, comprising a hermetic coating disposed over the top electrode.
8. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the top electrode comprises a reflective metal to reflect impinging light through the system.
9. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein an adhesive is disposed between the flexible transparent film and the hermetic coating.
10. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a color changing layer is disposed between the flexible transparent film and the hermetic coating.
9. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the system comprises an area lighting system.
10. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the system comprises a photovoltaic system.
11. A system comprising:
a transparent backer portion;
a transparent film coupled to the transparent backer portion;
a metal pattern formed on the flexible transparent film;
a transparent conductive layer disposed over the metal pattern and transparent film;
an organic layer disposed over the transparent conductive layer; and
a top electrode layer disposed over the organic layer.
12. The system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the transparent backer portion comprises a plastic layer, a hermetic coating disposed over the plastic layer, and an adhesive layer disposed over the hermetic coating.
13. The system, as set forth in claim 12, wherein a color changing layer is disposed between the hermetic coating and the adhesive layer.
14. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein apertures extend through the transparent backer portion coincident with the metal pattern.
15. The system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the transparent film comprises a film disposed from a reel.
16. The system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the metal pattern comprises a plurality of electrically isolated metal squares.
17. The system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the transparent conductive layer comprises an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) layer.
18. The system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the top electrode layer comprises a reflective metal to reflect impinging light through the transparent portions of the system.
19. The system, as set forth in claim 11, comprising a hermetic coating disposed over the top electrode layer.
20. The system, as set forth in claim 11, comprising electrical leads coupled to each of the metal pattern and the top electrode layer.
21. The system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the system comprises an area lighting system.
22. The system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the system comprises a photovoltaic system.
23. An area lighting system comprising:
a transparent backer portion having a plurality of apertures;
a transparent film coupled to the transparent backer portion and having a plurality of apertures coincident with the plurality of apertures of the transparent backer portion;
a metal pattern formed on the flexible transparent film;
a transparent conductive layer disposed over the metal pattern;
an organic layer disposed over the transparent conductive layer;
a metal layer disposed over the organic layer; and
electrical leads coupled to each of the metal pattern and the metal layer disposed over the organic layer.
24. The area lighting system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the transparent backer comprises a plastic layer, a hermetic coating over the plastic layer, and an adhesive layer over the hermetic coating.
25. The system, as set forth in claim 24, wherein a color changing layer is disposed between the hermetic coating and the adhesive layer.
26. The area lighting system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the transparent film comprises a film disposed from a reel.
27. The system, as set forth in claim 23, comprising a hermetic coating disposed over the metal layer disposed over the organic layer.
28. The area lighting system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the electrical leads coupled to the first electrode are disposed in the apertures extending through the transparent backer portion and the transparent film and coincident with the metal pattern formed on the flexible transparent film.
29. The system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the system comprises a photovoltaic system.
US11/175,808 2002-12-20 2005-07-05 Large organic light-emitting diodes and methods of fabricating large organic light-emitting diodes Abandoned US20050242721A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US11/175,808 US20050242721A1 (en) 2002-12-20 2005-07-05 Large organic light-emitting diodes and methods of fabricating large organic light-emitting diodes

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/324,417 US7011983B2 (en) 2002-12-20 2002-12-20 Large organic devices and methods of fabricating large organic devices
US11/175,808 US20050242721A1 (en) 2002-12-20 2005-07-05 Large organic light-emitting diodes and methods of fabricating large organic light-emitting diodes

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/324,417 Division US7011983B2 (en) 2002-12-20 2002-12-20 Large organic devices and methods of fabricating large organic devices

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20050242721A1 true US20050242721A1 (en) 2005-11-03

Family

ID=32393066

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/324,417 Expired - Lifetime US7011983B2 (en) 2002-12-20 2002-12-20 Large organic devices and methods of fabricating large organic devices
US11/175,808 Abandoned US20050242721A1 (en) 2002-12-20 2005-07-05 Large organic light-emitting diodes and methods of fabricating large organic light-emitting diodes

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/324,417 Expired - Lifetime US7011983B2 (en) 2002-12-20 2002-12-20 Large organic devices and methods of fabricating large organic devices

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (2) US7011983B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1432050B1 (en)
JP (1) JP4624664B2 (en)
CN (1) CN100481558C (en)
AT (1) ATE527704T1 (en)
TW (1) TWI352555B (en)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090091258A1 (en) * 2007-09-20 2009-04-09 Osram Opto Semiconductors Gmbh Optoelectronic Component and Method for Producing an Optoelectronic Component
US20090290345A1 (en) * 2008-05-20 2009-11-26 Apl Ip Holding Llc Enclosures for led circuit boards
US20110018433A1 (en) * 2008-03-31 2011-01-27 Sumitomo Chemcial Company, Limited Method of producing organic electroluminescence element, organic electroluminescence element, and display device
WO2011071372A3 (en) * 2009-12-11 2011-07-28 Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno Electro-optical device, electrode therefore, and method and apparatus of manufacturing an electrode and the electro-optical device provided therewith
US20110215706A1 (en) * 2010-03-04 2011-09-08 General Electric Company MITIGATING SHORTING RISKS IN ENCAPSULATED ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DEVICES (OLEDs)
WO2012172059A1 (en) 2011-06-17 2012-12-20 Astron Fiamm Safety Oled encapsulated in a full-wafer adhesive having a perforated cover
US10434846B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2019-10-08 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Surfaces of plastic glazing of tailgates
US10597097B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2020-03-24 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Aerodynamic features of plastic glazing of tailgates
US10690314B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2020-06-23 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Lighting systems of tailgates with plastic glazing
US11267173B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2022-03-08 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Molding of plastic glazing of tailgates
US11466834B2 (en) 2015-11-23 2022-10-11 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Lighting systems for windows having plastic glazing

Families Citing this family (30)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7011983B2 (en) * 2002-12-20 2006-03-14 General Electric Company Large organic devices and methods of fabricating large organic devices
DE502004003677D1 (en) * 2003-01-21 2007-06-14 Polyic Gmbh & Co Kg ORGANIC ELECTRONIC COMPONENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING ORGANIC ELECTRONICS
WO2004086462A2 (en) * 2003-03-24 2004-10-07 Konarka Technologies, Inc. Photovoltaic cell with mesh electrode
US7419846B2 (en) 2004-04-13 2008-09-02 The Trustees Of Princeton University Method of fabricating an optoelectronic device having a bulk heterojunction
US7348738B2 (en) * 2004-09-02 2008-03-25 General Electric Company OLED area illumination source
US20070224464A1 (en) * 2005-03-21 2007-09-27 Srini Balasubramanian Dye-sensitized photovoltaic cells
US20070013293A1 (en) * 2005-07-12 2007-01-18 Eastman Kodak Company OLED device having spacers
DE102005035696A1 (en) * 2005-07-27 2007-02-15 Thüringisches Institut für Textil- und Kunststoff-Forschung e.V. Process for the production of organic field effect transistors and circuits based thereon on solvent and temperature sensitive plastic surfaces and organic field effect transistors and organic optoelectronic devices according to this process
EP1932194A2 (en) * 2005-09-28 2008-06-18 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. A large area organic diode device and a method of manufacturing it
US20070200489A1 (en) * 2006-02-01 2007-08-30 Poon Hak F Large area organic electronic devices and methods of fabricating the same
EP2139616B1 (en) * 2007-04-02 2018-08-29 Merck Patent GmbH Novel electrode
EP2168184B1 (en) * 2007-07-11 2012-10-03 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Organic functional device and manufacturing method therefore
US7741140B2 (en) * 2008-01-21 2010-06-22 General Electric Company Methods, apparatus, and rollers for cross-web forming of optoelectronic devices
US20090186550A1 (en) * 2008-01-21 2009-07-23 General Electric Company Methods, apparatus, and rollers for forming optoelectronic devices
DE102008021655B4 (en) * 2008-04-30 2012-06-06 Saint-Gobain Sekurit Deutschland Gmbh & Co. Kg Radiation source and solar cell
US20090284158A1 (en) * 2008-05-16 2009-11-19 General Electric Company Organic light emitting device based lighting for low cost, flexible large area signage
US8022623B2 (en) * 2008-08-15 2011-09-20 General Electric Company Ultra-thin multi-substrate color tunable OLED device
KR101064082B1 (en) * 2009-01-21 2011-09-08 엘지이노텍 주식회사 Light emitting element
US8310150B2 (en) * 2009-02-04 2012-11-13 The Regents Of The University Of Michigan Light emitting device with high outcoupling
US8450926B2 (en) * 2009-05-21 2013-05-28 General Electric Company OLED lighting devices including electrodes with magnetic material
US8427845B2 (en) * 2009-05-21 2013-04-23 General Electric Company Electrical connectors for optoelectronic device packaging
JPWO2011070951A1 (en) * 2009-12-11 2013-04-22 コニカミノルタホールディングス株式会社 Organic electronics panel and manufacturing method thereof
US8692457B2 (en) 2010-12-20 2014-04-08 General Electric Company Large area light emitting electrical package with current spreading bus
JP2014526985A (en) * 2011-08-04 2014-10-09 スリーエム イノベイティブ プロパティズ カンパニー Edge protected barrier assembly
CN103988578B (en) 2011-08-04 2017-07-21 3M创新有限公司 The shielded barrier component in edge
KR101456023B1 (en) * 2012-10-31 2014-11-03 엘지디스플레이 주식회사 Method of fabricating organic electro luminescent device
CN103606633B (en) * 2013-11-28 2016-03-02 电子科技大学 A kind of organic electroluminescent and integrated photovoltaic device and preparation method
DE102014111345B4 (en) * 2014-08-08 2023-05-04 Osram Oled Gmbh Optoelectronic component and method for its production
CN105374853A (en) * 2015-12-10 2016-03-02 深圳市华星光电技术有限公司 Oled display panel and display device
CN110656339B (en) * 2019-09-30 2021-02-26 清华大学 Method for preparing large-area photoelectrode with patterned metal electrode

Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4855190A (en) * 1986-12-03 1989-08-08 Technoset Ltd. Electroluminescent lighting elements
US5686360A (en) * 1995-11-30 1997-11-11 Motorola Passivation of organic devices
US6133581A (en) * 1997-09-22 2000-10-17 Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. Organic light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
US20010033135A1 (en) * 2000-03-31 2001-10-25 Duggal Anil Raj Organic electroluminescent devices with enhanced light extraction
US20020088986A1 (en) * 2000-12-04 2002-07-11 Shun Kayama Display device, producing method of electronic apparatus and display device
US6472804B2 (en) * 1998-07-04 2002-10-29 International Business Machines Corporation Electrode for use in electro-optical devices
US6579422B1 (en) * 1999-07-07 2003-06-17 Sony Corporation Method and apparatus for manufacturing flexible organic EL display
US20040121508A1 (en) * 2002-12-20 2004-06-24 Foust Donald F. Large organic devices and methods of fabricating large organic devices
US6844673B1 (en) * 2001-12-06 2005-01-18 Alien Technology Corporation Split-fabrication for light emitting display structures
US7417867B1 (en) * 1999-09-27 2008-08-26 Sony Corporation Printed wiring board and display apparatus
US7514866B2 (en) * 1998-04-02 2009-04-07 Cambridge Display Technology Limited Flexible substrates for organic devices
US7576496B2 (en) * 1999-12-22 2009-08-18 General Electric Company AC powered OLED device

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3181712B2 (en) * 1992-04-28 2001-07-03 東北パイオニア株式会社 EL display module
JP2780216B2 (en) * 1992-06-30 1998-07-30 関西日本電気株式会社 Electroluminescent lamp
MXPA01010917A (en) * 1999-04-28 2002-07-30 Du Pont Flexible organic electronic device with improved resistance to oxygen and moisture degradation.
JP2001052858A (en) * 1999-08-05 2001-02-23 Futaba Corp Organic el display device
TWI273722B (en) 2000-01-27 2007-02-11 Gen Electric Organic light emitting device and method for mounting
JP3992450B2 (en) * 2001-03-30 2007-10-17 三洋電機株式会社 Electroluminescence display device and manufacturing method thereof
JP2002299047A (en) * 2001-03-30 2002-10-11 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd Electroluminescence display device and method of manufacture therefor

Patent Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4855190A (en) * 1986-12-03 1989-08-08 Technoset Ltd. Electroluminescent lighting elements
US5686360A (en) * 1995-11-30 1997-11-11 Motorola Passivation of organic devices
US5757126A (en) * 1995-11-30 1998-05-26 Motorola, Inc. Passivated organic device having alternating layers of polymer and dielectric
US6133581A (en) * 1997-09-22 2000-10-17 Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. Organic light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
US7514866B2 (en) * 1998-04-02 2009-04-07 Cambridge Display Technology Limited Flexible substrates for organic devices
US6472804B2 (en) * 1998-07-04 2002-10-29 International Business Machines Corporation Electrode for use in electro-optical devices
US6579422B1 (en) * 1999-07-07 2003-06-17 Sony Corporation Method and apparatus for manufacturing flexible organic EL display
US7417867B1 (en) * 1999-09-27 2008-08-26 Sony Corporation Printed wiring board and display apparatus
US7576496B2 (en) * 1999-12-22 2009-08-18 General Electric Company AC powered OLED device
US20010033135A1 (en) * 2000-03-31 2001-10-25 Duggal Anil Raj Organic electroluminescent devices with enhanced light extraction
US20020088986A1 (en) * 2000-12-04 2002-07-11 Shun Kayama Display device, producing method of electronic apparatus and display device
US6844673B1 (en) * 2001-12-06 2005-01-18 Alien Technology Corporation Split-fabrication for light emitting display structures
US20040121508A1 (en) * 2002-12-20 2004-06-24 Foust Donald F. Large organic devices and methods of fabricating large organic devices

Cited By (23)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090091258A1 (en) * 2007-09-20 2009-04-09 Osram Opto Semiconductors Gmbh Optoelectronic Component and Method for Producing an Optoelectronic Component
US20110018433A1 (en) * 2008-03-31 2011-01-27 Sumitomo Chemcial Company, Limited Method of producing organic electroluminescence element, organic electroluminescence element, and display device
US20090290345A1 (en) * 2008-05-20 2009-11-26 Apl Ip Holding Llc Enclosures for led circuit boards
US7845829B2 (en) 2008-05-20 2010-12-07 Abl Ip Holding Llc Enclosures for LED circuit boards
WO2011071372A3 (en) * 2009-12-11 2011-07-28 Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno Electro-optical device, electrode therefore, and method and apparatus of manufacturing an electrode and the electro-optical device provided therewith
US8994044B2 (en) 2009-12-11 2015-03-31 Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast—Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno Electro-optical device, electrode therefore, and method and apparatus of manufacturing an electrode and the electro-optical device provided therewith
US20110215706A1 (en) * 2010-03-04 2011-09-08 General Electric Company MITIGATING SHORTING RISKS IN ENCAPSULATED ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DEVICES (OLEDs)
WO2011109240A1 (en) * 2010-03-04 2011-09-09 General Electric Company Mitigating shorting risks in encapsulated organic light emitting devices (oleds)
US8154183B2 (en) * 2010-03-04 2012-04-10 General Electric Company Mitigating shorting risks in encapsulated organic light emitting devices (OLEDs)
US20140217377A1 (en) * 2011-06-17 2014-08-07 Bruno Dussert-Vidalet Oled encapsulated in a full-wafer adhesive having a perforated cover
FR2976730A1 (en) * 2011-06-17 2012-12-21 Astron Fiamm Safety ENCLOSURE ENCAPSULATED IN GLUE FULL PLATE WITH HOOD HOUSING
WO2012172059A1 (en) 2011-06-17 2012-12-20 Astron Fiamm Safety Oled encapsulated in a full-wafer adhesive having a perforated cover
US9515293B2 (en) * 2011-06-17 2016-12-06 Astron Flamm Safety Sarl OLED encapsulated in a full-wafer adhesive having a perforated cover
US10717348B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2020-07-21 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Surfaces of plastic glazing of tailgates
US10597097B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2020-03-24 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Aerodynamic features of plastic glazing of tailgates
US10690314B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2020-06-23 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Lighting systems of tailgates with plastic glazing
US10434846B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2019-10-08 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Surfaces of plastic glazing of tailgates
US10948152B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2021-03-16 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Lighting systems of tailgates with plastic glazing
US11267173B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2022-03-08 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Molding of plastic glazing of tailgates
US11458709B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2022-10-04 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Three shot plastic tailgate
US11845240B2 (en) 2015-09-07 2023-12-19 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Three shot plastic tailgate
US11466834B2 (en) 2015-11-23 2022-10-11 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Lighting systems for windows having plastic glazing
US11766965B2 (en) 2015-11-23 2023-09-26 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Illuminated graphic in an automotive plastic glazing

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1510769A (en) 2004-07-07
EP1432050A3 (en) 2009-09-30
US20040121508A1 (en) 2004-06-24
EP1432050A2 (en) 2004-06-23
JP4624664B2 (en) 2011-02-02
JP2004207236A (en) 2004-07-22
TW200417286A (en) 2004-09-01
CN100481558C (en) 2009-04-22
ATE527704T1 (en) 2011-10-15
TWI352555B (en) 2011-11-11
US7011983B2 (en) 2006-03-14
EP1432050B1 (en) 2011-10-05

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US20050242721A1 (en) Large organic light-emitting diodes and methods of fabricating large organic light-emitting diodes
US8425272B2 (en) Laminated interconnects for organic opto-electronic device modules and method
US7321193B2 (en) Device structure for OLED light device having multi element light extraction and luminescence conversion layer
KR100726061B1 (en) Electrical connection of optoelectronic devices
JP5410000B2 (en) Organic electro-optical device and manufacturing method thereof
JP5744022B2 (en) Encapsulated optoelectronic device and manufacturing method thereof
US8759884B2 (en) Electronic device and method of manufacturing the same
TWI394304B (en) Organic electronic devices having two dimensional series interconnections
TWI301038B (en) Electrolumenscent organic light emitting device and production method thereof
CN101965654B (en) The method of Organic Light Emitting Diode, contact device and manufacture Organic Light Emitting Diode
MX2014008948A (en) Light emitting laminate and method of making thereof.
US20090284158A1 (en) Organic light emitting device based lighting for low cost, flexible large area signage
KR20130046435A (en) Organic electroluminescent element
JP5606450B2 (en) Electro-optic element and manufacturing method thereof
JP6073143B2 (en) Organic EL device
JP5292863B2 (en) Organic electroluminescent display device and manufacturing method thereof
JP2014072013A (en) Organic el display device

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- AFTER EXAMINER'S ANSWER OR BOARD OF APPEALS DECISION