IP Library Granted Patent US 9,903,986
Granted Patent B2
US 9,903,986 · App. 14/408,720 · Granted Feb 27, 2018

Light extraction film for EL elements, surface light emitting body, and method for producing light extraction film for EL elements

Inventors: Takeshi Morinaka (Yokohama, JP); Kazunori Mukunoki (Yokohama, JP); Toshiaki Hattori (Yokohama, JP); Yusuke Kurita (Yokohama, JP); Naoko Yamada (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
G02B5/0242G02B3/0056G02B5/0215G02B5/0268G02B5/0278H01L51/5268H01L51/5275G02B6/004G02B6/0043G02B6/0051G02B6/0053
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,903,986
App. No.
14/408,720
Granted
Feb 27, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A light extraction film for EL elements enables a surface light emitting body to have a good balance between suppression of emission angle dependence of the wavelength of emitted light and improvement of light extraction efficiency and luminance in the normal direction. A surface light emitting body has improved light extraction efficiency and luminance in the normal direction, while being suppressed in emission angle dependence of the wavelength of emitted light. A light extraction film for EL elements comprises a recessed and projected structure having a plurality of spherical projections, each containing a resin and fine particles added into the resin. The content of the fine particles in the spherical projections is 22-55% by mass, and the average maximum diameter (A ave ) of the bottom portions of the spherical projections and the volume average particle diameter (P) of the fine particles satisfy the following mathematical formula (1). A ave /P ≧5  (1)

Claims (21)

1. A light extraction film for electroluminescence (EL) devices comprising: a base material; a convex-concave structure layer having a convex-concave structure and a base layer having a thickness of 3 to 50 μm interposed between the base material and the convex-concave structure,

wherein:

the convex-concave structure is provided with a plurality of spherical protrusions having an average height B ave of 10 to 100 μm, where each of the spherical protrusions contains a resin and fine particles added into the resin;

a content of the fine particles in the spherical protrusions is 22 to 55% by mass;

a difference in refractive index between the resin and the fine particles is 0.04 to 0.20;

an average maximum diameter A ave of bottom portions of the spherical protrusions and a volume average particle diameter P of the fine particles satisfy the following mathematical formula:

A ave /P≧ 5; and

the spherical protrusions have an aspect ratio B ave /A ave =0.3 to 1.4.

2. The light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein a content of the fine particles in the spherical protrusions is 24 to 50% by mass.

3. The light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein a content of the fine particles in the spherical protrusions is 27 to 45% by mass.

4. The light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein an arrangement of the plurality of spherical protrusions is any one of hexagonal arrangement, rectangular arrangement, and rhomboidal arrangement.

5. The light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of total area of bottom portions of the plurality of the spherical protrusions compared to an area of the light extraction film for EL devices is 50 to 90%.

6. The light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein a material of the resin is an acrylic resin and the material of the fine particle is a silicone resin.

7. The light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein the fine particles are almost evenly dispersed in the resin.

8. The light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein, when a surface light emitter is produced by attachment on an EL device, the luminance in the normal direction of the surface light emitter after attachment is 150% or more compared to the luminance in the normal direction of the EL device before attachment.

9. A surface light emitter comprising the light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 .

10. A method for producing the light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein a mixture consisting of an active energy ray curable composition and fine particles is filled between an outer peripheral surface of a roll mold and a base material while rotating the roll mold with an outer peripheral surface, on which a plurality of transfer parts of the spherical protrusions with a concave shape are arranged, and running the base material in a rotational direction of the roll mold along the outer peripheral surface of the roll mold, and the active energy ray curable composition is cured all at once in a state in which the mixture is sandwiched between the outer peripheral surface of the roll mold and the base material by irradiating a region between the outer peripheral surface of the roll mold and the base material with an active energy ray.

11. The light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein the aspect ratio B ave /A ave of the spherical protrusions is 0.35 to 1.3.

12. The light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein the aspect ratio B ave /A ave of the spherical protrusions is 0.4 to 1.0.

13. The light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the base layer is 5 to 45 μm.

14. The light extraction film for EL devices according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the base layer is 10 to 40 μm.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Aug 8, 2017
From: MITSUBISHI RAYON CO., LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043482/0074 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2014
From: MORINAKA, TAKESHI; MUKUNOKI, KAZUNORI; HATTORI, TOSHIAKI; KURITA, YUSUKE; YAMADA, NAOKO
To: MITSUBISHI RAYON CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034528/0155 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2012-169546 · Jul 31, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150177427A1 · Jun 25, 2015