JP2007200626A - Organic electroluminescent element - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily reduce emission unevenness of a light-emitting face caused by film thickness distribution of an organic EL layer in an organic EL element. <P>SOLUTION: A first organic EL element 12a, a second organic EL element 12b, a third organic EL element 12c, and a fourth organic EL element 12d are combined at and pasted to a first end edge 17 and a second end edge. The organic EL element integrated 12 includes transparent electrodes (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d), organic EL layers (15a, 15b, 15c, 15d), and counterelectrodes (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) laminated on base materials (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d). Here, an area of the organic EL layers with thinner films is arranged at a center part of the organic EL element 12 integrated, and that with thicker films is arranged at a peripheral part, so that emission unevenness on the light-emitting face of a plurality of integrated organic EL elements 12 is reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an organic EL element, and more particularly to an organic EL element that reduces light emission unevenness due to a film thickness distribution of an organic EL layer including an organic light emitting layer sandwiched between a transparent electrode and a counter electrode.

  In recent years, by utilizing the electroluminescence (EL) phenomenon of an organic thin film, an organic EL layer containing an organic light emitting layer is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes including a transparent electrode, and a voltage is applied between the electrodes to form an organic EL layer. With respect to organic EL elements that emit light by passing an electric current, studies for improving the performance thereof are energetically advanced. The organic EL element is a display device such as a flat panel display (FPD) or an organic LED (Light Emitting Diode), or a surface light source backlight or a illuminating lamp of a liquid crystal display device including a non-self light emitting element. It is a self-luminous element suitable for a lighting device. Hereinafter, a display device and an illumination device using the organic EL element are collectively referred to as an organic EL light emitting device.

  Hereinafter, an organic EL light emitting device to which a conventional organic EL element is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the structure of the conventional organic EL light emitting device, and FIG. 9 is a film thickness map showing an example of the film thickness distribution of the organic light emitting layer.

  As shown in FIG. 8, in the organic EL light emitting device 100, the first electrode extraction wiring 102 and the second electrode extraction wiring 103 are formed on a transparent glass substrate 101 by using a metal material such as Al (aluminum). . Then, the transparent electrode 104 is formed of, for example, a light transmitting material such as ITO (indium tin oxide). Further, an organic EL layer 105 having a thickness of about 100 nm to 300 nm is formed on the transparent electrode 104, and a counter electrode 106 made of, for example, Al metal is formed with the organic EL layer 105 interposed therebetween.

  Here, the organic EL layer 105 is, for example, a hole transport layer made of 4,4′-bis [N- (2-naphthyl) -N-phenyl-amino] biphenyl (also referred to as α-NPD), for example, tris ( It consists of an organic light emitting layer such as an 8-quinolinolato) aluminum complex (also referred to as Alq3) and an ultrathin (about 1 nm) electron injection layer. This electron injection layer is usually made of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alloy of these metals, a halogen compound of the above metals, or a mixed layer of these metals and organic substances, having a small work function (for example, 3 eV or less). It is formed.

  The transparent electrode 104 is connected to a power source through the first electrode lead-out wiring 102, and the counter electrode 106 is connected to another power source through the second electrode lead-out wiring 103. Further, the whole is hermetically sealed with a sealing can 108 made of glass or stainless steel and impermeable to moisture through the bonding with the adhesive 107.

  In the organic EL light emitting device 100, the transparent electrode 104, the organic EL layer 105, and the counter electrode 106 constitute an organic EL element. Then, EL light generated in the electron transporting light emitting layer which is an organic light emitting layer is emitted from the transparent glass substrate 101. Here, since the organic EL layer 105 is easily deteriorated by oxygen or moisture, the hermetic sealing by the sealing can 108 is necessary. Although not shown, a desiccant such as barium oxide powder is further sealed in the sealing can 108 so as to adsorb the oxygen gas or moisture.

  Further, the organic EL layer 105 inevitably has a variation in film thickness on the transparent electrode 104. FIG. 9 is an example of the film thickness variation of the electron transporting light emitting layer which is an organic light emitting layer formed by a normal vacuum deposition method. For example, in a square pattern with a light emitting surface of 5 cm × 5 cm, assuming that the film thickness at the center is 100%, the film thickness decreases as 98%, 96%, and 94% toward the periphery. The film thickness at the corners of the pattern is about 92%. As described above, an organic material film such as an organic light emitting layer or a hole transport layer formed by a vacuum deposition method usually has a film thickness distribution of about +/− 5% in the light emitting surface, and an organic EL layer. 105 also has the same film thickness variation.

  Here, in the enhancement of the performance of the organic EL element, when the luminance of light emission is increased, the efficiency is increased, or the area of the light emitting surface is increased, the film thickness distribution of the organic EL layer, for example, of the organic light emitting layer is increased. The problem of light emission unevenness (brightness unevenness, color unevenness) due to the film thickness distribution becomes obvious. In addition, the organic EL layer is thinned to reduce the driving voltage in the organic EL element, and the luminance unevenness or color unevenness of the light emitting surface due to slight film thickness variation of the organic EL layer in the light emitting element. Comes to occur.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an organic EL element that can easily reduce light emission unevenness due to the film thickness distribution of an organic EL layer in an organic EL element. And

  In order to achieve the above object, the organic EL device of the present invention includes a plurality of organic EL elements having a structure having at least an organic EL layer including an organic light emitting layer, a transparent electrode sandwiching the organic EL layer, and a counter electrode thereof. The plurality of organic EL elements are arranged on the substrate so that the element is attached on one substrate and the luminance unevenness on the light emitting surface composed of the plurality of organic EL elements is reduced. Yes.

  In the above invention, the plurality of organic EL elements are arranged such that a region where the thickness of the organic EL layer having a film thickness distribution in the plurality of organic EL elements is thin is located at a central portion on the one substrate. The

  In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of organic EL elements include an organic EL layer including at least an organic light emitting layer, a transparent electrode sandwiching the organic EL layer, and a counter electrode thereof. It has been cut and divided. Here, the one organic EL element is formed such that the thickness obtained by adding the thickness of the transparent electrode to the thickness of the organic EL layer is uniform on the light emitting surface of the one organic EL element. More preferably.

  According to the above invention, even when the organic EL layer has a film thickness distribution and the film thickness varies greatly in the plane of light emission, it is possible to easily reduce luminance unevenness and color unevenness of the light emitting surface in the organic EL element. it can. And it becomes easy to make the organic EL layer thinner or increase the area of the light emitting surface in the organic EL element.

  Alternatively, the organic EL element of the present invention is an organic EL element having at least an organic EL layer including an organic light emitting layer, and a transparent electrode and a counter electrode sandwiching the organic EL layer, and the thickness of the organic EL layer Further, the thickness obtained by adding the thickness of the transparent electrode to the light emitting surface of the organic EL element is uniform.

  In the above invention, in the region where the film thickness of the organic EL layer having a film thickness distribution is increased, an auxiliary electrode having a sheet resistance smaller than that of the transparent electrode is electrically connected to the transparent electrode.

  According to the above invention, in the organic EL light emitting device, the value of the current flowing through the organic EL layer by the low-resistance auxiliary electrode is adjusted. Since the light emission luminance of the organic EL layer strongly depends on the current value, the luminance unevenness is reduced together with the color unevenness of the light emitting surface of the organic EL element by adjusting the resistance by the auxiliary electrode.

  According to the structure of this invention, the light emission nonuniformity of the light emission surface resulting from the film thickness distribution of the organic EL layer in an organic EL element is reduced easily.

Several preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this drawing, the same or similar parts are denoted by common reference numerals.
(Embodiment 1)
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, an organic EL light emitting device including the organic EL element of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the organic EL light emitting device excluding the sealing can. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the organic EL light emitting device.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the organic EL light emitting device 10, for example, four integrated organic EL elements 12 are attached on a transparent glass substrate 11. The integrated organic EL element 12 includes a first organic EL element 12a, a second organic EL element 12b, a third organic EL element 12c, and a fourth organic EL element 12d. In the first organic EL element 12a, for example, a transparent electrode 14a made of a light transmissive material, an organic EL layer 15a, and a counter electrode 16a are laminated in this order on a base material 13a made of a light transmissive material. It is. Similarly, the second organic EL element 12b is formed by laminating a transparent electrode 14b, an organic EL layer 15b, and a counter electrode 16b on a base material 13b made of a translucent material. The third organic EL element 12c is formed by laminating a transparent electrode 14c, an organic EL layer 15c, and a counter electrode 16c on a base material 13c made of a translucent material. Further, the fourth organic EL element 12d is formed by laminating a transparent electrode 14d, an organic EL layer 15d, and a counter electrode 16d on a base material 13d made of a translucent material.

  The first organic EL element 12a, the second organic EL element 12b, the third organic EL element 12c, and the fourth organic EL element 12d are connected to the first edge 17 as shown in FIG. They are bonded to each other at the second edge 18 and attached to the transparent glass substrate 11 as described above. Thus, the integrated organic EL element 12 includes the base material 13 on which the base materials 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d are integrated, the transparent electrode 14 on which the transparent electrodes 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d are integrated, and the organic EL device. The organic EL element 15 is composed of the organic EL layer 15 in which the layers 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d are integrated, and the counter electrode 16 in which the counter electrodes 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d are integrated.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the organic EL light-emitting device 10 including the integrated organic EL elements 12 that expands the area, the base material 13 to be stacked is attached to a transparent glass substrate 11, and the base material 13 is further formed. The integrated transparent electrode 14 is formed thereon, and the organic EL layer 15 including the organic light emitting layer is stacked on the integrated transparent electrode 14. A counter electrode 16 is provided on the organic EL layer 15 so as to be opposed to the transparent electrode 14.

  Then, the first electrode lead-out wiring 19 and the second electrode lead-out wiring 20 are arranged, and the sealing member 21 made of an insulating material is bonded to the transparent glass substrate 11 by, for example, a UV curable resin 22, and the whole is hermetically sealed. is doing. Here, the transparent electrode 14 is electrically connected to the first electrode lead-out wiring 19 by, for example, a connection member 23. Similarly, the counter electrode 16 is electrically connected to the second electrode lead-out wiring 20 by the connecting member 23.

  In such an organic EL light emitting device 10, the base material 13 is made of, for example, quartz glass having a thickness of 0.5 mm or less. The transparent electrode 14 is made of a translucent material such as ITO or ZnO (zinc oxide) having a thickness of about 150 nm. The organic EL layer 15 includes, for example, an α-NPD hole transport layer, an Alq3 electron transport light emitting layer, and an electron injection layer, as described in the prior art. The total thickness of the stacked layers is 100 nm or less, and this organic EL light emitting device can be driven at a low voltage of 5 V or less.

  In addition, the organic EL layer 15 may be a single layer including only an organic light emitting layer. The organic EL layer 15 has a multilayer structure in which one or more of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a hole blocking layer, an electron injection layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron blocking layer are stacked with an organic light emitting layer. May be. Furthermore, a structure called multi-photon emission (MPE; Multi-Photo-Emission) in which a plurality of organic EL layers are stacked via an intermediate conductive layer may be employed. In this case, it is easy to increase the luminance of the organic EL element. The organic EL layer 15 in the integrated organic EL element 12 has a square pattern (rectangular pattern), but may be formed in another shape pattern such as a circular pattern.

  The counter electrode 16 does not need to be formed of a translucent material, and is formed of, for example, an Al metal film having a thickness of about 150 nm. The sealing member 21 is made of, for example, moisture-impermeable glass, and hermetically seals the organic EL element 12 that is particularly susceptible to deterioration by oxygen or moisture. Or although not shown in figure, desiccants, such as barium oxide powder, are enclosed in the sealing member 21, and oxygen gas, a water | moisture content, etc. are adsorb | sucked.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the organic EL light emitting device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4. FIG. 3 is a plan view for each manufacturing process showing a method for manufacturing the organic EL light emitting device. FIG. 4 is a plan view of each manufacturing process subsequent to FIG. Here, in order to clarify the pattern formed in the drawing, hatching is given.

  In the above manufacturing method, for example, after a quartz glass substrate 13 having a plate thickness of about 0.5 mm is washed, a translucent metal material such as ITO is formed on the entire surface by, for example, a sputtering method. And the ITO film | membrane formed into a film by the well-known photolithography and wet etching is processed into the pattern which gave the predetermined oblique line. In this way, the transparent electrode 14 is formed on the base material 13 as shown in FIG.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the organic EL layer 15 having a pattern to be shaded is formed on the transparent electrode 14 by a vacuum deposition method using a metal mask for organic film formation. Here, in the formation of the organic EL layer 15, for example, a hole transport layer having a thickness of about 60 nm and an electron transporting light emitting layer having a thickness of about 40 nm are successively formed. Then, an electron injection layer having a thickness of about 0.5 nm is formed on the electron transporting light emitting layer to form the organic EL layer 15. Here, the hole transport layer, the electron transporting light emitting layer, and the electron injection layer of the organic EL layer 15 are, for example, a resistance heating boat containing α-NPD, a resistance heating boat containing Alq3, a metal Li in the same vacuum deposition apparatus. Or it forms into a film by heating evaporation sources, such as LiF, in order, respectively. In the film formation of the organic EL layer 15, the film thickness distribution is thick at the central portion and thin at the peripheral portion as described in FIG.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3C, a counter electrode 16 made of an Al metal film having a hatched pattern is formed on the organic EL layer 15 by a sputtering method using a metal mask for forming a metal film. To do. Here, the Al metal film is formed in an Ar (argon) atmosphere using an Al sputtering target in a sputtering apparatus connected to the vacuum deposition apparatus.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4A, the base material 13 in the state of FIG. 3C is cut into a cross shape by, for example, a scriber and divided. In this manner, four first organic EL elements 12a, second organic EL elements 12b, third organic EL elements 12c, and fourth organic EL elements 12d are formed. In this cutting, it is extremely important not to cause damage at the junction of the laminated transparent electrode 13, organic EL layer 15, and counter electrode 16.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the first organic EL element 12a, the second organic EL element 12b, the third organic EL element 12c, and the fourth organic EL element which are cut, separated and divided as described above. 12d is rearranged and arranged on the transparent glass substrate 11. Then, these organic EL elements are bonded at the first edge 17 and the second edge 18 and attached to the surface of the transparent glass substrate 11 with a transparent adhesive. In this way, the integrated organic EL element 12 described with reference to FIG. 1 is formed on the transparent glass substrate 11.

  After this, the connection member 23 shown in FIG. 2 is disposed on each of the transparent electrode pads 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d and the counter electrode pads 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d shown in FIG. Here, the connecting member 23 is formed of, for example, a low melting point solder ball bump or an elastic conductor such as a spring. Further, a UV curable resin 22 is applied to the edge of the transparent glass substrate 11 as shown in FIG.

  Then, the surfaces of the sealing member 21, the first electrode extraction wiring 19, and the second electrode extraction wiring 20 shown in FIG. 2 are bonded to the transparent glass substrate 11 through the UV curable resin 22. Further, the first electrode lead-out wiring 19 and the transparent electrode pads 24a, 24b, 24c, and 24d are connected via the connection member 23. Similarly, the second electrode lead-out wiring 20 and the counter electrode pads 25a, 25b, 25c, and 25d are connected. Here, the UV curable resin 22 is UV cured so that the UV light does not irradiate the organic EL layer 15.

  In this manner, the whole is hermetically sealed as shown in FIG. 2 by the sealing member 21 made of, for example, moisture-impermeable glass. Here, although not shown, a desiccant such as barium oxide powder is attached to the inner surface of the sealing member 21 in advance so that oxygen gas or moisture is adsorbed.

  Next, the luminance unevenness of the light emitting surface in the organic EL light emitting device 10 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 5, the horizontal axis represents the diameter from the central portion to the corner portion on the organic EL layer 15 on which the square pattern described in FIG. 1 is integrated, and the vertical axis represents the relative luminance of the light emitting device. Here, the luminance of the outermost corner is set to 1. Further, an organic EL light emitting device using a conventional organic EL element as a comparison object has the conventional structure shown in FIG. 8, and the organic EL layer 105 is formed on the entire surface as shown in FIG. The organic EL layer 105 and the transparent electrode 104 and the counter electrode 106 are formed under the same conditions in the same vacuum vapor deposition apparatus and sputtering apparatus as in the above embodiment. Furthermore, the thickness of the transparent glass substrate 101 is set to be the same as the thickness of the transparent glass substrate 11 and the base material 13 of the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 5, in the case of the present embodiment, the relative luminance of the central portion is about 0.8 with respect to the corner portion where the luminance is highest, and the luminance of the light emitting surface on the integrated organic EL layer 15 is increased. Unevenness is greatly improved. On the other hand, in the case of the conventional technique described with reference to FIG. 5 as a comparison target, the relative luminance of the central portion with respect to the corner portion having the highest luminance is about 0.4. The effect of the integrated organic EL element of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is caused by cutting / dividing the organic EL element and rearranging it as described with reference to FIGS.

  In the first embodiment, in the film thickness distribution generated by the film formation of the organic EL layer 15, the region where the film thickness is thin is disposed in the central portion of the integrated organic EL element 12, and the region where the film thickness is thick is the above. The organic EL element 12 is disposed at a corner portion that is a peripheral portion of the organic EL element 12. In this way, the luminance unevenness of light emission on the light emitting surface in a plurality of integrated organic EL elements is greatly reduced. This effect becomes significant when the organic EL layer is thinned or the area of the light emitting surface is increased.

  The integrated organic EL elements described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 are manufactured by cutting / dividing the once manufactured organic EL elements and rearranging them so as to reduce light emission unevenness. However, the integrated organic EL elements shown in FIG. The EL element is not limited to such a manufacturing method. The first organic EL element 12a, the second organic EL element 12b, the third organic EL element 12c, and the fourth organic EL element 12d are manufactured through separate processes, and then these organic EL elements are formed on one substrate. It may be arranged on top and pasted and accumulated. Further, the number of organic EL elements to be integrated may be plural, not limited to four.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The present embodiment is characterized in that color unevenness of light emission on the light emitting surface caused by the film thickness distribution of the organic EL layer is effectively reduced. Here, specifically, the film thickness of the transparent electrode is adjusted in accordance with the film thickness distribution of the organic EL layer in the organic EL element. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an organic EL light-emitting device including the organic EL element, and FIG. 7 is a plan view of an organic EL light-emitting device that is a modification thereof.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the organic EL light emitting device 30, the first electrode extraction wiring 31 and the second electrode extraction wiring 32 are formed on the transparent glass substrate 11 by using, for example, an Al metal material. A transparent electrode 33 made of, for example, ITO is formed. Here, the film thickness is thin in the central region of the transparent electrode 33, and the film thickness is thick in the periphery. Further, an organic EL layer 34 is formed on the transparent electrode 33, and a counter electrode 35 made of, for example, Al metal is formed with the organic EL layer 34 interposed therebetween.

  Here, the organic EL layer 34 includes a hole transport layer made of, for example, α-NPD, an electron transporting light emitting layer such as an organic light emitting layer such as Alq3, and an electron injection layer. The organic EL layer 34 is formed by the vacuum vapor deposition method and the sputtering method described in the first embodiment, and as described with reference to FIG. By laminating the transparent electrode 33 and the organic EL layer 34 having the film thickness distributions opposite to each other, the film thickness distribution of these laminated films becomes uniform on the light emitting surface. By doing in this way, the color nonuniformity of the organic EL element accompanying light interference will reduce significantly.

  The transparent electrode 33 is connected to the power source through the first electrode lead-out wiring 31, and the counter electrode 35 is connected to another power source through the second electrode lead-out wiring 32. Further, the whole is hermetically sealed by a sealing member 21 made of non-moisture permeable glass or stainless steel through bonding by the UV curable resin 22. Although not shown, a desiccant such as barium oxide powder is further enclosed in the sealing member 21 so as to adsorb the oxygen gas or moisture.

  In the organic EL light emitting device 30, the organic EL layer 34 may be a single layer including only the organic light emitting layer. Alternatively, it may have a multilayer structure in which one or more of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a hole blocking layer, an electron injection layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron blocking layer and an organic light emitting layer are stacked. Furthermore, it may have an MPE structure in which a plurality of organic EL layers are stacked via an intermediate conductive layer.

  Next, in the organic EL light emitting device 40 which is a modified example shown in FIG. 7, the transparent electrode 33 as described in FIG. 6 is formed on the transparent glass substrate 11, for example. Here, as described above, the film thickness is thin in the region of the central portion of the transparent electrode 33, and the film thickness is thick in the peripheral portion thereof. An auxiliary electrode 36 having a predetermined pattern is disposed on the transparent electrode 33 by a metal material having a resistivity lower than that of the transparent electrode 33. Further, an interlayer insulating layer (not shown) that covers the auxiliary electrode 36 is provided, and an organic EL layer 34 is laminated on the transparent electrode 33. A counter electrode 35 is provided on the organic EL layer 34 so as to face the transparent electrode 33.

  In general, since the conductivity of a transparent electrode made of a translucent material is not sufficiently large, the difference in resistance value of the current path between the portion near and far from the power source in the organic EL light-emitting device becomes large, and the organic EL The difference in the current value of the layer also depends on the location on the light emitting surface. Since the light emission luminance of the organic EL layer strongly depends on the current value, the luminance unevenness of the light emission is likely to occur in the organic EL element. However, the provision of the low-resistance auxiliary electrode 36 as described above reduces luminance unevenness as well as light emission unevenness of the organic EL element.

  Further, the auxiliary electrode 36 is connected to one power source through the first electrode extraction terminal 36a. Similarly, the end of the counter electrode 35 is connected to another power source as a second electrode extraction terminal. The whole is hermetically sealed by a sealing member 21 indicated by a two-dot chain line.

  In the second embodiment, the film thickness distribution of the transparent electrode 33 is adjusted in accordance with the film thickness distribution of the organic EL layer 34. Then, the film thickness of these laminated films is made uniform on the light emitting surface. Alternatively, the auxiliary electrode 36 having a small sheet resistance is disposed and connected to the central portion of the transparent electrode 33 pattern. By doing so, even if a film thickness distribution is generated in the organic EL layer in the organic EL element, the color unevenness of light emission and the brightness unevenness that are the light emission unevenness on the light emitting surface are greatly reduced.

  In addition, the embodiment of the present invention may be a mode in which the first embodiment and the second embodiment are combined. In this case, one organic EL element described in FIG. 6 of the second embodiment is cut / divided into a plurality of organic EL elements as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. The elements are rearranged and pasted on the same substrate. Here, in the manufacturing process shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the film formation of the transparent electrode 13 in FIG. 3A is performed as described in FIG. 6 with the film thickness of the organic EL layer 15 laminated on the transparent electrode 13. The film thickness distribution is opposite to the distribution. Then, by laminating the transparent electrode 13 and the organic EL layer 15 having film thickness distributions opposite to each other, the film thickness distribution of these laminated films is made uniform on the light emitting surface.

  By doing so, in the formation of an organic EL element having a film thickness distribution of the organic EL layer, the color unevenness of light emission and the luminance unevenness of light emission on the light emitting surface are greatly reduced. And it becomes very easy to increase the area of the light emitting surface of the organic EL element.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described, embodiment mentioned above does not limit this invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes in specific embodiments without departing from the technical idea and technical scope of the present invention.

  In the embodiment described above, the transparent electrode 14 is used as an anode and the counter electrode 16 is used as a cathode. However, in contrast, an organic EL element having a structure where the transparent electrode 14 is used as a cathode and the counter electrode 16 is used as an anode. Even if it exists, this invention is applicable similarly. In this case, the multilayer structure of the organic EL layer 15 differs from that in the above embodiment. Further, the EL light from the organic EL layer 15 may be emitted from the sealing member 21.

  Further, although the auxiliary electrode 36 of the above embodiment is disposed on the upper side of the transparent electrode 14, the auxiliary electrode 36 may be disposed on the lower side of the transparent electrode 14. The auxiliary electrode 36 may be made of an aluminum copper alloy, Cu, or Au in addition to Al, or may be formed thick so as to reduce the sheet resistance of the auxiliary electrode.

  And as an organic electroluminescent light emitting device to which the organic electroluminescent element of this invention is applied, it can apply in the same way even if it is except what was roughly demonstrated by this embodiment.

1 is a schematic plan view showing an organic EL light emitting device to which an organic EL element according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is sectional drawing of the organic electroluminescent light-emitting device in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view according to manufacturing process which shows the manufacturing method of the said organic EL light-emitting device. It is a top view according to manufacturing process of the organic electroluminescent light emitting device following FIG. It is a graph which shows the light emission luminance distribution which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the organic electroluminescent light-emitting device in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows the organic electroluminescent light-emitting device in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is typical sectional drawing which shows an example of the structure of the organic electroluminescent light-emitting device using the conventional organic electroluminescent element. It is a film thickness map figure which shows an example of the film thickness distribution of an organic EL layer.

Explanation of symbols

10, 30, 40 Organic EL light emitting device 11 Transparent glass substrate 12 Integrated organic EL element 12a First organic EL element 12b Second organic EL element 12c Third organic EL element 12d Fourth organic EL element 13, 13a , 13b, 13c, 13d Base material 14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 33 Transparent electrode 15, 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 34 Organic EL layer 16, 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 35 Counter electrode 17 No. 1 edge 18 second edge 19, 31 first electrode extraction wiring 20, 32 second electrode extraction wiring 21 sealing member 22 UV curable resin 23 connection member 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d transparent electrode pad 25a , 25b, 25c, 25d Counter electrode pad 36 Auxiliary electrode 36a First electrode extraction terminal

Claims (3)

A plurality of organic EL elements having a structure having at least an organic EL layer including an organic light emitting layer, a transparent electrode sandwiching the organic EL layer, and a counter electrode thereof are attached to one substrate,
An organic EL element, wherein the plurality of organic EL elements are arranged on the substrate so as to reduce luminance unevenness on a light emitting surface constituted by the plurality of organic EL elements.   The plurality of organic EL elements are arranged such that a region where the thickness of the organic EL layer having a film thickness distribution in the plurality of organic EL elements is thin is located at a central portion on the one substrate. The organic EL device according to claim 1, wherein An organic EL element having at least an organic EL layer including an organic light emitting layer, and a transparent electrode and a counter electrode sandwiching the organic EL layer,
An organic EL element, wherein a thickness obtained by adding the thickness of the transparent electrode to the thickness of the organic EL layer is uniform on the light emitting surface of the organic EL element.

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