IP Library Granted Patent US 6,870,186
Granted Patent B2
US 6,870,186 · App. 10/330,310 · Granted Mar 22, 2005

Organic electroluminescent display device

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,870,186
App. No.
10/330,310
Granted
Mar 22, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

An organic electroluminescent device includes first and second substrates attached by a seal pattern, array elements including a plurality of thin film transistors formed on the first substrate, a first electrode formed on a rear surface of the second substrate, a plurality of electrode separators formed on the rear surface of the first electrode, wherein the plurality of electrode separators is made of an insulating material defining sub-pixel regions that correspond to each thin film transistor, an organic electroluminescent layer formed on a rear surface of the first electrode in each of the sub-pixel regions, a second electrode formed on a rear surface of the organic electroluminescent layer in each of sub-pixel regions, a conductive connector formed between the first and second substrates in each sub-pixel region for connecting to the second electrode of a sub-pixel region.

Claims (49)

1. An organic electroluminescent device, comprising:

first and second substrates attached by a seal pattern;

array elements including a plurality of thin film transistors formed on the first substrate;

a first electrode formed on a rear surface of the second substrate;

a plurality of electrode separators formed on the rear surface of the first electrode, wherein the plurality of electrode separators is made of an insulating material defining sub-pixel regions that correspond to each thin film transistor,

an organic electroluminescent layer formed on a rear surface of the first electrode in each of the sub-pixel regions;

a second electrode formed on a rear surface of the organic electroluminescent layer in each of sub-pixel regions; and

a conductive connector formed within a cell gap between the first and second substrates in each sub-pixel region for connecting to the second electrode of a sub-pixel region.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive connector contacts each thin film transistor and has a planar top surface that contacts the second electrode.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each thin film transistor comprises:

a semiconductor layer;

a gate insulation layer on the semiconductor layer;

a gate electrode on the gate insulation layer, wherein gate electrode is disposed above a central part of the semiconductor layer;

a passivation layer covering both the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode, and having first and second contact holes that expose the semiconductor layer on both sides of the gate electrode;

a source electrode on the passivation layer that contacts the semiconductor layer through the first contact hole; and

a drain electrode on the passivation layer that contacts the semiconductor layer through the second contact hole.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is anode, the second electrode is cathode, and the organic electroluminescent layer includes a hole injection layer, a hole transporting layer, a luminous layer, an electron transporting layer and an electron injection layer in series from the first electrode.

5. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a buffer electrode between the plurality of conductive connectors and the second electrode.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the buffer electrode is made of metallic material including aluminum.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the each conductive connector is a double-layered structure having a first metal layer and a second metal layer.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the first metal layer is a metallic material having a lower specific resistance than the second metal layer.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the second metal layer is metallic material having a larger ductility than the first metal layer.

10. The device according to claim 8 , further comprising a buffer electrode between each conductive connector and the second electrode.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the buffer electrode is made of metallic material including aluminum.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the each conductive connector is a multi-layered structure having a plurality of metal layers.

13. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode, the organic electroluminescent layer and the second electrode constitute an organic electroluminescent diode that emits light in a direction toward the second substrate.

14. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cell gap between the first and second substrates containing an inert gas.

15. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each conductive connector has a trapezoidal like shaped taper.

16. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is made of a transparent conductive material and the second electrode is made of an opaque metallic material.

17. An organic electroluminescent device, comprising:

first and second substrates attached by a seal pattern;

array elements including a plurality of thin film transistors formed on the first substrate;

a color changing medium formed on a rear surface of the second substrate, wherein the color changing medium has a black matrix that defines sub-pixel regions having red, green and blue color changing layers respectively corresponding to each sub-pixel region of a pixel;

a first electrode attached on a rear surface of the color changing medium;

an organic electroluminescent layer formed on a rear surface of the first electrode, wherein the organic electroluminescent layer emits blue light;

a second electrode formed on a rear surface of the organic electroluminescent layer, the second electrode corresponding to the sub-pixel region;

a plurality of electrode separators on the rear surface of the first electrode corresponding in position to the black matrix in defining the sub-pixel regions; and

a plurality of conductive connectors formed between the first and second substrates, each conductive connector electrically connecting an array element to the second electrode in each sub-pixel region.

18. The device according to claim 17 , wherein the first electrode is anode, the second electrode is cathode, and the organic electroluminescent layer includes a hole injection layer, a hole transporting layer, a luminous layer, an electron transporting layer and an electron injection layer in series from the first electrode.

19. The device according to claim 17 , wherein the conductive connector is a double-layered structure having a first metal layer and a second metal layer.

20. The device according to claim 19 , wherein the first metal layer is a metallic material having a lower specific resistance than the second metal layer.

21. The device according to claim 20 , wherein the second metal layer is metallic material having a higher ductility than the first metal layer.

22. The device according to claim 21 , further comprising a buffer electrode between each conductive connector and the second electrode.

23. The device according to claim 22 , wherein the buffer electrode is made of metallic material including aluminum.

24. The device according to claim 17 , wherein the conductive connector is a multi-layered structure having a plurality of metal layers.

25. The device according to claim 17 , wherein the first electrode, the organic electroluminescent layer and the second electrode constitute an organic electroluminescent diode that emits light in a direction toward the second substrate.

26. The device according to claim 17 , wherein a cell gap between the first and second substrates contains an inert gas.

27. The device according to claim 17 , wherein each conductive connector has a trapezoidal like shaped taper.

28. The device according to claim 17 , wherein the first electrode is made of a transparent conductive material and the second electrode is magic of an opaque metallic material.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 19, 2008
From: LG.PHILIPS LCD CO., LTD.
To: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021147/0009 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2002
From: PARK, JAE-YONG; KIM, OCK HEE; YOO, CHOONG KEUN; LEE, NAM YANG; KIM, KWAN SOO
To: LG. PHILIPS LCD CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 013629/0539 →