JP2001076886A - Organic el device with transparent touch switch and its manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To offer simpler construction than conventional, permitting inexpensive manufacture, and restrict the lowering of brightness due to interference light. SOLUTION: After a cathode 3 formed with a metal electrode is formed on an insulating substrate 2 and then an organic insulating layer 4 is formed on the cathode 3 so as to partition a luminescent portion 7. Followingly, an organic layer 5 is formed on the insulating layer 4 and a transparent anode 6 is formed on the organic layer 5. On the other hand, a switching electrode 12 is formed on a transparent base material 11 to electrically form a matrix with the anode 6 and a elastic spacer 14 is formed between the base material 11 and the switching electrode 12. The substrate 2 is sealed to the base material 11 to form a transparent touch switch 13 with the anode 6 and the switching electrode 12. An organic EL device 1 is thus manufactured.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electroluminescent (hereinafter abbreviated as "EL") device made of an organic compound material which emits light by injection and recombination of electrons and holes. The present invention relates to an organic EL device with a switch and a method of manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An organic EL device has a structure in which a thin film containing a fluorescent organic compound is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes at least one of which is a transparent electrode. An element in which exciton (exciton) is generated by coupling, and display is performed using light emission (fluorescence / phosphorescence) when the exciton is deactivated.

[0003] By the way, as an organic EL device in which a touch-type switch is provided for this kind of organic EL element, FIG.
The structure shown in FIG.
No. 91342).

The organic EL device 31 includes a first transparent substrate 32, a cathode 33 formed on the first transparent substrate 32, and a luminous body 34 formed on the cathode 33 and made of an organic material. A transparent anode 35 formed on the luminous body 34, a second transparent substrate 36 disposed facing the first transparent substrate 32, and a first transparent substrate 36 sealing at least the luminous body 34. An organic EL display 31a including a transparent substrate 32 and a first sealing material 37 for fixing the second transparent substrate 36 is used as a display unit, and a first transparent electrode 38 formed on the second transparent substrate 36 is used. A third transparent substrate 40 having a second transparent electrode 39 formed on the surface thereof and a second transparent substrate 36,
A touch switch 31 comprising a second sealing material 41 for fixing the gaps while providing a gap between the touch switch 31 and the transparent substrate 40.
b as an input unit.

[0005]

However, the above-described conventional organic EL device 31 has an organic EL device which forms a display section.
Since the L display 31a and the touch switch 31b serving as an input unit are separately configured with the second transparent substrate 36 as a boundary, there is a disadvantage that the number of components increases and the structure becomes complicated.

In addition, three transparent substrates 32,
Since the base materials 36 and 40 are superimposed, not only the thickness of the entire device is increased, but also the superposition of the base materials generates interference light, and the display on the organic EL display 31a located below the touch switch 31b. There is a problem that the brightness of the image is reduced.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an organic structure with a transparent touch switch that can be manufactured at a low cost with a simple structure as compared with the related art, and that can reduce a decrease in luminance due to interference light. An object is to provide an EL device and a manufacturing method thereof.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 comprises a substrate having an insulating property, a first electrode formed on the substrate, and a first electrode formed on the first electrode. An organic layer including at least the light-emitting layer formed, a second electrode having transparency formed on the organic layer, and a substrate having transparency sealed at a predetermined gap with the substrate, A third electrode formed on the base material so as to electrically form a matrix with the second electrode, and the base material such that the substrate and the base material are sandwiched by a predetermined gap. And a spacer having elasticity formed thereon, wherein the second electrode and the third electrode constitute a transparent touch switch.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the organic EL device with the transparent touch switch according to the first aspect, a coat film for moisture proof is formed on a surface of the base body.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the organic EL device with the transparent touch switch according to the first aspect, a portion of the organic layer sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode forms a light emitting portion, and An organic insulating layer is formed at an interface between the first electrode and the organic layer so as to define a light emitting region of the portion.

[0011] The invention according to claim 4 is a step of forming a first electrode on an insulating substrate, a step of forming an organic layer on the first electrode, and a step of forming a transparent layer on the organic layer. Forming a second electrode having, and forming a third electrode on a transparent substrate so as to electrically form a matrix with the second electrode, and elastic on the substrate Forming a spacer having, a transparent touch switch is configured by the second electrode and the third electrode, the substrate and the substrate so that the substrate and the substrate are sandwiched by a predetermined gap by the spacer. Sealing the space between the base material and the base material.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the method of manufacturing an organic EL device with a transparent touch switch according to the fourth aspect, after forming the first electrode, the first electrode is sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode. The method includes a step of forming an organic insulating layer at an interface between the first electrode and the organic layer so as to partition a light emitting region of a light emitting portion in an organic layer portion.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of an organic EL device with a transparent touch switch according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (a) to 2 (h) show manufacturing steps of the organic EL device of FIG. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are operation diagrams of a touch switch in the organic EL device of FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an electrode structure of a touch switch portion of FIG.
5 is a functional diagram of the touch switch of FIG. In FIG. 3, the insulating layer is omitted.

In the organic EL device of this embodiment, an EL display section is formed by laminating a thin film containing a fluorescent organic compound between a pair of electrodes to form an EL display section, and one electrode of the EL display section is transparent. Compared to the conventional one, the switch switch electrode of the transparent touch switch is also used as one switch electrode of the touch switch, and the other switch electrode of the transparent touch switch is formed on the inner surface of the sealing base material and the substrate and the base material are laminated and bonded. The production of an inexpensive organic EL device with a simple structure is realized.

Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the organic EL device according to the present embodiment will be described along a procedure of a manufacturing process with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the organic EL device 1 is based on an insulating substrate 2 such as glass. Note that the substrate 2 may be optically transparent or opaque. First, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a cathode 3 (including a cathode wiring) serving as a first electrode is formed on a substrate 2 by PVD such as resistance heating evaporation, molecular beam evaporation, or sputtering.
(Physical Vapor Deposition) method,
It is formed in a predetermined pattern shape using a photolithography method. As shown in FIG. 1, the cathode 3 in this example is composed of a plurality of stripe-shaped patterns formed in parallel on the left and right sides of the substrate 2, one end of which is pulled out to the end of the substrate 2 and not shown. Connected to drive circuit.

As a material of the cathode 3, a material having a lower resistivity (a material having a small work function) than a material of the anode 6 as a second electrode described later is used. Specifically, Al, L
i, a simple metal such as Na, Mg, Ca and the like, and a compound thereof;
Alternatively, various alloys such as Mg-Ag, Al-Li, and Mg-In can be used.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2C, an insulating layer 4 made of an organic material is formed on the cathode 3. Insulating layer 4
Is a cathode 3 and an organic layer 5 described later so as to cover portions other than the light emitting portion.
Formed at the interface. The insulating layer 4 is made of, for example, a negative photosensitive polyimide or a thin-film insulating material Si
It can be formed of N, SiO ₂ or the like.

In this embodiment, the insulating layer 4 is formed using negative photosensitive polyimide. More specifically, the cathode 3
A negative photosensitive polyimide film is formed on the substrate so as to have a predetermined coating thickness by a spin coating method or a roll coating method,
An exposure process is performed using an exposure mask manufactured so as to cover a portion other than the light emitting portion on the cathode 3. After completion of the development, a baking treatment is performed at a temperature of 350 ° C. in a nitrogen atmosphere, for example, to perform a predetermined imidization treatment. As a result, the insulating layer 4 in which the cathode 3 is exposed is formed in a pattern (light emitting region) shape of the light emitting unit 7, and the pattern accuracy of the light emitting unit 7 is improved, and reproducibility can be secured.

Next, after the substrate 2 on which the insulating layer 4 is formed as described above is subjected to a normal substrate cleaning treatment, an organic layer 5 is formed on the insulating layer 4.

When an organic layer of a low molecular weight type is used to form the organic layer 5, first, as shown in FIG. 2D, Alq as a light emitting layer and an electron transporting layer is formed by a resistance heating evaporation method. ₃ (Tris (8-quinolinolato) aluminum (III)) An organic film 5a is formed on the insulating layer 4 to a thickness of, for example, 50 nm. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 2E, the α-NPD (N, N′-bis- (1-naphthyl) -N, N′-diphenylbenzidine) organic film 5b as a hole transport layer is made of Alq _3. A film having a thickness of, for example, 20 nm is formed on the organic film 5a. Further, as shown in FIG. 2F, CuPc (copper phthalocyanine) as a hole injection layer
The organic film 5c is formed on the α-NPD organic film 5b by, for example,
Film is formed at 0 nm.

When a polymer type organic layer is used, a method such as a spin coating method, an applicator coating method, a gravure offset printing method or the like can be employed instead of the vapor deposition method. Further, the organic layer 5 is not limited to the three-layer structure described above, and may be any layer structure that functions as a display element.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2G, an anode (Column electrode group in FIG. 4) 6 serving as a second electrode is formed from above the organic layer 5 by a PVD method such as a mask evaporation method. As shown in FIG. 1, the anode 6 in the present example is composed of a plurality of stripe-shaped patterns formed in parallel with the substrate 2 so as to be perpendicular to the cathode 3, and one end is formed at the end of the substrate 2. And is connected to a drive circuit (not shown).

As the material of the anode 6, a material having a higher resistivity (a material having a large work function) than the material of the cathode 3 as the above-mentioned first electrode is used. Specifically, ITO
(Indium Tin Oxide), IDIXO (trade name: Idemitsu transparent conductive material Id) which is an amorphous transparent conductive film
emitsu Indium X-Metal Oxide, manufactured by Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.)
Are used.

Through the above steps, the function of the organic EL device 1 as a display unit is completed. That is, a portion of the organic layer 5 sandwiched between the cathode 3 and the anode 6 and partitioned by the insulating layer 4 constitutes the light emitting section 7 and has a dot matrix E shape.
An L display section 8 is formed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, a switch electrode (Row electrode group in FIG. 4) 12 as a third electrode is formed on a transparent base material 11 in a stripe pattern. When the outer peripheral portion between the substrate 2 and the base material 11 is sealed by a sealing process described later, the switch electrode 12 forms a matrix with the anode (Column electrode group) 6 as shown in FIGS. Is formed on the base material 11 so as to constitute the transparent touch switch 13.

As the main body of the substrate 11, a plastic film such as polyester or polyether sulfone or a glass plate is used. In this example, a polyester film 11a having a thickness of 100 μm is used as the main body of the base material 11, and an SiO ₂ —Al ₂ O ₃ film is formed as a coating film 11b on the entire surface of the polyester film 11a, and is subjected to a moisture proof treatment.

Then, the SiO ₂ —Al ₂ O ₃ coat film 1
1b, an ITO transparent conductive film is formed by sputtering. Thereafter, an etching resist is formed on the ITO transparent conductive film by a method such as a normal photolithography method or a screen printing method, and etching is performed with an etchant of ITO. As a result, the switch electrode 12 serving as a transparent electrode is formed on the substrate 11.
Is formed.

The thickness of the SiO ₂ —Al ₂ O ₃ coating film 11b is in the range of several tens nm to several μm. The ITO transparent conductive film forming the switch electrode 12 has a sheet resistance of several tens Ω / □ to several hundred Ω /
The film is formed so as to be in the range of □.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, a spacer 14 is formed at a predetermined position on the base material 11. The spacer 14
When the outer peripheral portion between the substrate 2 and the base material 11 is sealed by a sealing process described later, the substrate 2 and the base material 11 are sandwiched by a predetermined gap as shown in FIG. like,
The switch electrodes 12 are formed at a plurality of places (for example, between adjacent switch electrodes 12) at a predetermined pitch (for example, several 100 μm) on the surface side of the substrate 11 on which the switch electrodes 12 are formed.

The gap between the substrate 2 and the substrate 11 is such that the substrate 11 bends from the state shown in FIG. 3A to the state shown in FIG. A dimension sufficient to function as a switch through contact conduction (for example, 5
μm or less).

When the spacer 14 is formed on the display segment or has a large area with respect to the display segment area, the spacer 14 does not hinder the display observation when the light emitting section 7 of the EL display section 8 emits light. It is desirable to have transparency. Further, the spacer 14 is formed as shown in FIG.
The base material 11 bends from the state before the switch operation shown in FIG. 3 to the switch operation state shown in FIG. 3B, and has a predetermined elasticity so that the state shown in FIG. ing.

As a material of the spacer 14 acting as described above, a synthetic resin such as silicone resin, polyester or acrylic is used. Spacer 1
As a forming method of 4, a printing method such as a screen printing method, a gravure printing method, an offset printing method, or a photoresist method is employed.

The shape of the spacer 14 is not limited. In the case of a circular shape, the size of the spacer 14 is several tens μm to several hundred μm.
m (preferably 10 μm to 100 μm) and a height of 0.01 μm to several 100 μm (preferably 0.1 μm
To several tens of μm).

Next, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (h),
Substrate 1 on which switch electrode 12 and spacer 14 are formed
1, the switch electrode 12 and the EL display 8
The substrate 11 is aligned with the substrate 2 so that the transparent touch switch 13 is constituted by the anode 6 and the outer peripheral portion between the substrate 2 and the substrate 11 is formed by an epoxy-based adhesive or heat welding. Sealing is performed. Through the above steps, the organic EL device 1 of this example is completed.

The sealing treatment is preferably performed in a glove box replaced with a dry atmosphere of Ar, He, N ₂ gas or the like since the organic EL element dislikes moisture.

As described above, the organic EL device 1 of this embodiment
Comprises forming a first electrode (cathode) 3 on a substrate 2, forming a pattern of an insulating layer 4 on the pattern of the first electrode 3, and further forming an organic layer 5 on the pattern of the insulating layer 4. Thereafter, a second electrode (anode) 6 which is a transparent electrode is formed,
Transparent substrate 11 for sealing the organic EL device layer on substrate 2
A switching electrode 12 is formed on the second electrode 6 side such that a matrix is formed electrically with the second electrode 6, and the substrate 2 and the base material 11 are sandwiched between spacers 14 while maintaining a desired gap. In this state, the outer peripheral portions of the substrate 2 and the base material 11 are sealed.

Therefore, in the organic EL device 1 of the present embodiment, the second electrode (anode) 6 in the EL display section 8 is also used as one electrode of the transparent touch switch 13, and the switch of the transparent touch switch facing the second electrode is used. Since the electrodes for use are formed on the inner surface of the base material as the sealing member, the number of components (electrodes and base materials) can be reduced and the thickness of the entire device can be reduced as compared with the conventional structure shown in FIG. The effect of interference light generated by the superposition of the base materials can be suppressed, and a decrease in luminance can be reduced. As a result, an organic EL device with a transparent touch switch can be manufactured at a low cost with a simple structure.

In the above-described embodiment, the first electrode is used as the cathode 3 and the second electrode is used as the anode 6, and the anode 6 is also used as one electrode of the transparent touch switch 13. And the anode 6 may be reversed. In that case, the cathode 3 is formed of a transparent electrode, and the layer structure of the organic layer 5 is reversed. That is, the first electrode and the second electrode forming a pair of electrodes of the EL display unit 8 face the switch electrodes formed on the inner surface of the base material 11 and the electrodes constituting the transparent touch switch 13 are formed of transparent electrodes. It should just be done.

The EL display unit 8 in the above-described embodiment has a stripe shape in which a cathode (first electrode 3) and an anode (second electrode) 6 are orthogonal to each other.
Although a dot matrix type graphic pattern is displayed as a structure in which the organic layer 5 is sandwiched between 6,
The present invention is not limited to the dot matrix, but may be composed of a Japanese character, an alphanumeric character, a fixed display pattern, or the like.

[0041]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, compared with the conventional structure, the number of components (electrodes and base materials) can be reduced, and the thickness of the entire device can be reduced. , The influence of the interference light generated by the superimposition can be suppressed, and the decrease in luminance can be reduced. As a result, an organic EL device with a transparent touch switch can be manufactured at a low cost with a simple structure.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an organic EL with a transparent touch switch according to the present invention.
Exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a device

FIGS. 2A to 2H are cross-sectional views illustrating manufacturing steps of the organic EL device of FIG.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are operation diagrams of a touch switch in the organic EL device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an electrode structure of a touch switch portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a functional diagram of the touch switch of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional organic EL device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Organic EL device, 2 ... Substrate, 3 ... First electrode (anode), 4 ... Insulating layer, 5 ... Organic layer, 6 ... Second electrode (cathode), 7 ... Light emitting part, 8 ... EL display part, 11 ... Base material, 12
... third electrode (switch electrode), 13 ... transparent touch switch, 14 ... spacer.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H05B 33/14 H05B 33/14 A

Claims (5)

[Claims] A substrate having an insulating property; a first electrode formed on the substrate; an organic layer including at least a light emitting layer formed on the first electrode; The formed transparent second electrode, a transparent base material sealed at a predetermined gap from the substrate, and the base material so as to form a matrix electrically with the second electrode. A third electrode formed thereon, comprising a spacer having elasticity formed on the base material so that the substrate and the base material are sandwiched by a predetermined gap, the second electrode and An organic EL device with a transparent touch switch, wherein the third electrode forms a transparent touch switch. 2. The organic EL device with a transparent touch switch according to claim 1, wherein a coating film for moisture proof is formed on a surface of said base body. 3. A portion of the organic layer sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode forms a light emitting portion, and the first electrode and the organic layer are separated from each other so as to define a light emitting region of the light emitting portion. 2. An organic insulating layer is formed at an interface.
An organic EL device with a transparent touch switch according to the above. 4. A step of forming a first electrode on an insulating substrate; a step of forming an organic layer on the first electrode; and a second electrode having transparency on the organic layer. Forming a third electrode on a transparent base material so as to electrically form a matrix with the second electrode; and forming an elastic spacer on the base material. And a transparent touch switch is configured by the second electrode and the third electrode, the substrate and the base material such that the space between the substrate and the base material is sandwiched by a predetermined gap by the spacer A method of manufacturing an organic EL device with a transparent touch switch. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein after forming the first electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode are separated from each other so as to define a light emitting region of a light emitting unit in a portion of the organic layer sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode. 5. The organic EL with a transparent touch switch according to claim 4, further comprising a step of forming an organic insulating layer at an interface of the organic layer.
Device manufacturing method.