IP Library Granted Patent US 7,646,146
Granted Patent B2
US 7,646,146 · App. 11/512,772 · Granted Jan 12, 2010

OLED display with planar contrast-enhancement element

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,646,146
App. No.
11/512,772
Granted
Jan 12, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device, comprising: a first electrode and a second electrode. One or more organic layers are formed there-between, including an organic light-emitting layer. The second electrode is transparent. A contrast enhancement element is formed on a side of the second electrode, opposite the organic layer, and has a geometric area for controlling ambient light contrast ratio of the OLED device.

Claims (14)

1. An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device, comprising:

a substrate and a cover located over the substrate through which light is emitted;

a first reflective electrode formed over the substrate, one or more organic light-emitting layers formed over the first reflective electrode, a second transparent electrode formed over the one or more organic light-emitting layers;

a contrast enhancement element having a planar transparent film with a planar light-absorbing layer and a planar light-reflecting layer and wherein the planar transparent film is located on a side of the second transparent electrode opposite the organic layer and has a geometric area for controlling ambient light contrast ratio of the OLED device; and

wherein the planar transparent film has a patterned planar light-reflecting layer and a corresponding planar light-absorbing layer formed over the patterned planar light-reflecting layer on the same side of the planar transparent film, wherein the patterned planar light-reflecting layer is located between the planar light-absorbing layer and the second transparent electrode and wherein the patterned planar light-reflecting layer and the planar light-absorbing layer define one or more transparent openings though the patterned planar light-emitting organic layer passes through the transparent openings of the planar transparent film; and

a scattering layer, wherein the one or more transparent openings in the contrast enhancement element form a low-index element having a refractive index lower than the refractive index range of the organic layers and of the cover, and wherein the low-index element is between the scattering layer and the cover.

2. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device of claim 1 , wherein the planar transparent film has a refractive index greater than or equal to the refractive index of the organic light-emitting layer and the planar transparent film is optically integrated with the organic layers.

3. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more transparent openings through the planar light-reflecting layer and planar light-absorbing patterned layer include physical holes in the planar transparent film.

4. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device of claim 1 , further comprising portions of the planar transparent film having no reflective area.

5. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device of claim 4 , further comprising discrete light-emitting areas and wherein the portions of the planar transparent film having an absorbing area but no reflective area are located between the light-emitting areas.

6. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device of claim 1 , wherein the contrast enhancement element is adjacent to the transparent electrode or a protective layer formed on the transparent electrode.

7. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device of claim 1 , wherein the first or second electrode is patterned to form multiple light-emitting areas each having first and second distances in at least two dimensions and wherein the one or more transparent openings in the contrast enhancement element are spaced apart by a distance equal to or smaller than the distance in each dimension.

8. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device of claim 1 , wherein the first or second electrode is patterned to form multiple light-emitting areas and wherein the one or more transparent openings in the contrast enhancement element are located over each light-emitting area.

9. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrodes form one or more light-emitting areas and wherein the one or more transparent openings in the contrast enhancement element are located over each light-emitting area.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2010
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
To: GLOBAL OLED TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 024068/0468 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 30, 2006
From: COK, RONALD S.
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Reel/Frame 018252/0519 →