IP Library Granted Patent US 8,304,796
Granted Patent B2
US 8,304,796 · App. 12/679,379 · Granted Nov 6, 2012

Light-emitting apparatus

Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,304,796
App. No.
12/679,379
Granted
Nov 6, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a light-emitting apparatus in which light extraction efficiency of a light-emitting device is improved and viewing angle dependency of an emission color is reduced. The light-emitting apparatus includes a cavity structure and a periodic structure. When guided-wave light is diffracted by the periodic structure in a direction that forms an angle which is larger than 90° and smaller than 180° relative to a guided-wave direction of an optical waveguide in the cavity structure, a wavelength of the diffracted light becomes longer as the diffraction angle increases.

Claims (89)

1. A light-emitting apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of light-emitting devices formed on the substrate and each comprising a first electrode formed on the substrate, an emission layer formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the emission layer;

a cavity structure for resonating light emitted from the emission layer between a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface; and

a periodic structure for extracting guided-wave light generated between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface to outside,

wherein when the guided-wave light is diffracted by the periodic structure at an angle which is larger than 90° and smaller than 180° relative to a guided-wave direction, a wavelength of the diffracted light becomes longer as the angle increases,

wherein primitive reciprocal lattice vectors b1, b2 of the periodic structure satisfy:

n

ext

<

λ

2

π

m

1

b

1

+

m

2

b

2

<

n

+

n

ext

;

 and

wherein n is a refractive index of the emission layer, n ext is a refractive index of a light extraction side medium, λ is a peak wavelength of a spectrum of light extracted to outside through the periodic structure, and m 1 and m 2 are integers.

2. The light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the periodic structure is formed between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface, in the first reflective surface, or in the second reflective surface, and wherein a light-emitting region of the light-emitting device has a region with the periodic structure and a flat region formed therein.

3. The light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a light transmission member which covers a peripheral edge of the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is formed on the emission layer and the light transmission member, and

wherein the periodic structure is formed on a side of the light transmission member opposite to the substrate side and diffracts the guided-wave light that has passed through a waveguide formed between the first electrode and the periodic structure.

4. The light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an emission spectrum of the diffracted light has a maximum intensity in a direction in which with the angle is larger than 90°.

5. The light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a period a of the periodic structure satisfies:

m

1

2

+

m

2

2

n

+

n

ext

λ

<

a

<

m

1

2

+

m

2

2

n

ext

λ

where n is a refractive index of the emission layer, n ext is a refractive index of a light extraction side medium, λ is a peak wavelength of a spectrum of light extracted to outside through the periodic structure, and m 1 and m 2 are integers.

6. The light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the periodic structure has a four-fold symmetry.

7. The light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light-emitting devices comprise a light-emitting device for red light emission, a light-emitting device for green light emission, and a light-emitting device for blue light emission, and wherein the periodic structure of the light-emitting device for red light emission is longest in period, and the periodic structure of the light-emitting device for blue light emission is shortest in period.

8. The light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the periodic structure has a period of 125 nm or more and 780 nm or less.

9. The light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface is 70 nm or more and 715 nm or less.

10. The light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting device is an OLED device.

11. The light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first reflective surface is located on the first electrode side relative to the emission layer and the second reflective surface is located on the second electrode side relative to the emission layer.

12. A light-emitting apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of light-emitting devices formed on the substrate and each comprising a first electrode formed on the substrate, an emission layer formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the emission layer;

a cavity structure for resonating light emitted from the emission layer between a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface; and

a periodic structure for extracting guided-wave light generated between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface to outside,

wherein when the guided-wave light is diffracted by the periodic structure at an angle which is larger than 90° and smaller than 180° relative to a guided-wave direction, a wavelength of the diffracted light becomes longer as the angle increases, and

wherein the periodic structure has a period of 125 nm or more and 780 nm or less.

13. A light-emitting apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of light-emitting devices formed on the substrate and each comprising a first electrode formed on the substrate, an emission layer formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the emission layer;

a cavity structure for resonating light emitted from the emission layer between a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface; and

a periodic structure for extracting guided-wave light generated between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface to outside,

wherein when the guided-wave light is diffracted by the periodic structure at an angle which is larger than 90° and smaller than 180° relative to a guided-wave direction, a wavelength of the diffracted light becomes longer as the angle increases, and

wherein a distance between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface is 70 nm or more and 715 nm or less.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2010
From: FUKUDA, KOICHI
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 024432/0898 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2007-295974 · Nov 14, 2007 · national
JP 2008-278327 · Oct 29, 2008 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100219427A1 · Sep 2, 2010