JP2009048835A - Organic electroluminescent device and manufacturing method thereof, as well as electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an organic electroluminescent device and a manufacturing method thereof, capable of securing high definition and a wide visual field angle through improvement of extraction efficiency of emitted light, while preventing degradation due to moisture or the like, as well as electronic equipment. <P>SOLUTION: The device is provided with an element substrate 20A having a plurality of light-emitting elements 21 pinching a light-emitting layer 12 between an anode 10 and a cathode 11, a sealing substrate 31 arranged in opposition to the element substrate 20A and having a plurality of coloring layers 37 and black matrix layers 32. A gap between the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31 is regulated by the black matrix layers 32 intercalated between the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescence device, a manufacturing method thereof, and an electronic apparatus.

  In recent years, with the diversification of information equipment and the like, there is an increasing need for flat display devices that consume less power and are lighter. As one of such flat display devices, an organic electroluminescence device (hereinafter referred to as “organic EL device”) having an organic light emitting layer is known.

Many materials used for the light emitting layer, the hole injection layer, and the electron injection layer of an organic EL device are likely to react with moisture and oxygen in the air and easily deteriorate. When these layers deteriorate, a non-light emitting region called a “dark spot” is formed in the organic EL device, and the lifetime of the light emitting element is shortened. In such an organic EL device, a structure in which a light emitting element is sealed with a thin film having excellent moisture resistance has been proposed in order to prevent intrusion of moisture, oxygen, and the like (for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-230086

  In recent years, an element substrate having a white light-emitting layer common to each pixel and a counter substrate having a plurality of colored layers of different colors are bonded together by an adhesive layer including a gap material that regulates the distance between the substrates. Organic EL devices have been proposed. In this organic EL device, display colors are different depending on each colored layer. Therefore, it is sufficient to form only a white light emitting layer on the element substrate, and the labor for forming light emitting layers having different emission colors can be saved. Moreover, although the lifetime of each light emitting layer changes with emitted light colors, since it is a light emitting layer which light-emits only white, the lifetime of a light emitting layer becomes fixed and its lifetime can be extended.

  For example, in a conventional organic EL device 90 as shown in FIG. 9, the opposing substrates 91 and 92 are bonded together by a translucent adhesive layer 95 including a gap material 94 made of fine particles. In such a configuration, if the gap material 94 is agglomerated, there is a problem that the load at the time of bonding is concentrated on the gap material 94 and cracks or the like occur in the gas barrier layer 96. In order to avoid agglomeration of the gap material 94, a planarization layer 99 may be provided on the colored layer 97 and the light shielding layer 98. However, the planarization layer 99 exists between the substrates 91 and 92, so that the organic light emitting layer is provided. The distance from 120 to the colored layer 97 is increased.

  In the case of an organic EL device having a top emission structure, if the distance from the organic light emitting layer to the colored layer is increased, it is necessary to increase the area of the light shielding layer in order to prevent light leakage to adjacent pixels. As a result, there is a problem that the opening area of the colored layer is reduced, and the extraction efficiency of emitted light is reduced. Moreover, there is a possibility that the display angle is lowered and the viewing angle is narrowed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and is an organic electroluminescence capable of ensuring high definition and a wide viewing angle by improving the extraction efficiency of emitted light while preventing deterioration due to moisture and the like. An object is to provide an apparatus, a manufacturing method thereof, and an electronic apparatus.

  In order to solve the above problems, an organic electroluminescence device of the present invention includes an element substrate having a plurality of light-emitting elements having an organic light-emitting layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes, a plurality of colored layers disposed opposite to the element substrate. And a light-shielding layer that partitions the plurality of colored layers, and the space between the element substrate and the sealing substrate is regulated by the light-shielding layer.

  According to the organic electroluminescence device of the present invention, the gap (interval) between the element substrate and the sealing substrate is regulated by the light shielding layer interposed between the element substrate and the sealing substrate. There is no need to provide a flattening layer in order to avoid agglomeration of the particulate gap material as in the prior art. Therefore, since the organic light emitting layer and the colored layer can be made closer than before, light leakage to the adjacent pixel can be prevented without increasing the area of the light shielding layer in order to prevent light leakage to the adjacent pixel. Thereby, sufficient opening area of the colored layer can be secured, and the extraction efficiency of emitted light can be improved. Therefore, an organic electroluminescence device capable of ensuring high definition and a wide viewing angle can be obtained.

  In addition, a sealing layer that covers a plurality of light-emitting elements is formed on the element substrate, and the element substrate and the sealing substrate are bonded to each other in a state where at least a part of the light shielding layer is in contact with the sealing layer. It is preferable that they are bonded together.

  According to such a configuration, since the organic light emitting layer and the colored layer can be made closer than before, light leakage to the adjacent pixel can be prevented without increasing the area of the light shielding layer in order to prevent light leakage to the adjacent pixel. Can be prevented. In addition, since the contact area with the sealing layer is increased as compared with the case where the gap between the element substrate and the sealing substrate is regulated by using a conventional grain-shaped gap material, the pressure at the time of pressure bonding at the contact portion is relieved. Therefore, damage to the sealing layer can be avoided and deterioration of the light emitting element can be prevented.

Moreover, it is preferable that the light shielding layer is formed thicker than the plurality of colored layers.
According to such a configuration, by forming the light shielding layer thicker than the colored layer, the gap between the sealing substrate and the element substrate is controlled, and the colored layer is formed when the substrates are bonded to each other (at the time of pressure bonding). Contact with the sealing layer is prevented, and the colored layer can be prevented from being damaged. Moreover, since the load at the time of bonding can be disperse | distributed when a light shielding layer contacts a sealing layer, for example, it can prevent that a damage, such as a crack, arises in a sealing layer. become.

Moreover, it is preferable that the edge part of the light shielding layer is formed so that it may run over the edge part of each colored layer.
According to such a configuration, light leakage to adjacent pixels can be prevented. In addition, even when the substrates are slightly misaligned, light leakage to adjacent pixels can be prevented, and assembly is facilitated. In addition, since high dimensional accuracy is not required between the colored layer and the light shielding layer, manufacturing is facilitated and manufacturing time can be shortened.

Further, the sealing layer includes an electrode protective layer that covers the electrode of the light emitting element, an organic buffer layer that covers the electrode protective layer, and a gas barrier layer that covers the organic buffer layer, It is preferably made of a material having a lower elastic modulus than the organic buffer layer and the gas barrier layer.
According to such a configuration, the electrode protective layer covering the light emitting element, the organic buffer layer covering the electrode of the electrode protective layer, and the gas barrier layer covering the organic buffer layer are provided between the element substrate and the sealing substrate. Since the sealing layer in which at least three layers are stacked is formed, the element substrate over which the light emitting element is formed can be planarized and moisture can be prevented from entering the light emitting element.
Moreover, since the light shielding layer is made of a material having a lower elastic modulus than the organic buffer layer and the gas barrier layer, it becomes possible to absorb the load at the time of bonding, and the gas barrier layer and the organic buffer layer are damaged. Can be prevented.

The adhesive layer is preferably formed using an adhesive that does not include a gap material.
According to such a configuration, the gap material made of an inorganic material and an organic material is not included in the adhesive as in the conventional case, so the pressure at the time of bonding between the substrates is concentrated on the gap material in the adhesive. By doing so, the sealing layer is not damaged.

In addition, the adhesive layer is a peripheral sealing layer formed in the peripheral portion of the sealing substrate and the element substrate, a filling layer formed corresponding to the pixel region and surrounded by the peripheral sealing layer, It is preferable that the filling layer is made of a material having a viscosity lower than that of the peripheral sealing layer.
According to such an apparatus, the filling property of the forming material of the filling layer can be improved. Further, the peripheral sealing layer made of a material having a higher viscosity than that of the filling layer can prevent the forming material of the filling layer from protruding.

Moreover, it is preferable that the sealing substrate is provided with a surface modification layer that improves wettability with the forming material of the filling layer on the surfaces of the plurality of colored layers and the light shielding layer.
According to such an apparatus, since the surface modification layer that improves the wettability with the filling layer forming material is coated on the surface of the colored layer and the light shielding layer, the surface modifying layer is formed as the filling layer forming material. The contact angle with the forming material of the filling layer can be kept small. Therefore, the filling property of the forming material of the filling layer is improved, and the filling time of the forming material of the filling layer can be shortened and the amount of use can be reduced. Further, the adhesion performance is improved by improving the filling property of the forming material of the filling layer.

The method for producing an organic electroluminescence device of the present invention includes a step of forming a plurality of colored layers and a light shielding layer on a sealing substrate, and a plurality of light emission layers in which an organic light emitting layer is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes on an element substrate. An element, a step of forming a sealing layer that covers the light-emitting element, and a step of bonding the element substrate and the sealing substrate through an adhesive layer. In the bonding step, the bonding is performed in a state where at least a part of the light shielding layer is in contact with the sealing layer.
According to the method for manufacturing an organic electroluminescence device of the present invention, the sealing layer and the light shielding layer are formed in contact with each other. For this reason, the light emitting element and the colored layer can be made closer to each other than before, so that it is not necessary to increase the area of the light shielding layer in order to prevent light leakage to adjacent pixels. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently secure the opening area of the colored layer and improve the extraction efficiency of emitted light. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a device that can prevent the influence of moisture on the light emitting element and can ensure high definition and a wide viewing angle.

In the step of forming the plurality of colored layers and the light shielding layer, it is preferable to form the light shielding layer after forming the plurality of colored layers.
According to such a method, the light shielding layer can be formed thicker than the colored layer by forming the light shielding layer after forming the colored layer. Thereby, the gap control between the sealing substrate and the element substrate can be performed by the light shielding layer. Therefore, it is not necessary to use another gap material, and cost increase can be prevented. Moreover, it can prevent that a colored layer contacts a sealing layer at the time of bonding, and it can prevent that a colored layer receives a damage.

In the step of bonding the element substrate and the sealing substrate through an adhesive layer, an ultraviolet curable resin is applied to the peripheral portion of the sealing substrate, and the peripheral portion of the sealing substrate and the element substrate is bonded. Forming a peripheral sealing layer; applying a thermosetting resin to the inside of the peripheral sealing layer corresponding to the pixel region; and forming a filling layer that bonds the pixel region between the sealing substrate and the element substrate; It is preferable to have.
According to such a method, since the peripheral sealing layer is formed from an ultraviolet curable resin, for example, by increasing the viscosity by ultraviolet irradiation before the element substrate and the sealing substrate are bonded together, The sealing layer can be surely prevented from tearing. Therefore, the interior (pixel region) surrounded by the peripheral seal layer between the element substrate and the sealing substrate can be satisfactorily filled without the thermosetting resin serving as the fill layer protruding from the peripheral seal layer.
From the above, the adhesion between the element substrate and the sealing substrate can be improved. Further, moisture can be prevented from entering the inside surrounded by the peripheral seal layer between the element substrate and the sealing substrate. In addition, the sealing substrate on the sealing layer can be fixed, and a buffering function can be provided against mechanical shock from the outside, so that the sealing layer can be protected.

In the step of bonding the element substrate and the sealing substrate through the adhesive layer, the element substrate and the sealing substrate are preferably bonded under reduced pressure while the peripheral seal layer is cured.
According to such a method, since the element substrate and the sealing substrate are bonded together under reduced pressure and cured in the air, the material of the filling layer spreads without gaps inside the peripheral sealing layer, so that bubbles and moisture Can be prevented.

An electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes the organic electroluminescence device described above.
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the electronic device provided with the display part excellent in reliability and also excellent in display quality can be provided.

The present invention will be described in detail below.
This embodiment shows a part of the present invention and does not limit the present invention, and can be arbitrarily changed within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. Moreover, in each figure shown below, in order to make each layer and each member the size which can be recognized on drawing, the scale is varied for each layer and each member.

(First embodiment of organic EL device)
First, a first embodiment of an organic electroluminescence device of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as “organic EL device”) will be described.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a wiring structure of the organic EL device of the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes the organic EL device.

  This organic EL device 1 is of an active matrix type using thin film transistors (hereinafter referred to as TFTs) as switching elements, and intersects a plurality of scanning lines 101 at right angles to each scanning line 101. The pixel region X is formed in the vicinity of each intersection of the scanning line 101 and the signal line 102 with a wiring configuration including a plurality of signal lines 102 extending in the direction and a plurality of power supply lines 103 extending in parallel to the signal lines 102. It is a thing.

  Of course, according to the technical idea of the present invention, an active matrix using TFT or the like is not indispensable. Even if the present invention is implemented using an element substrate for a simple matrix and the simple matrix is driven, the same effect can be obtained at low cost. can get.

  A data line driving circuit 100 including a shift register, a level shifter, a video line, and an analog switch is connected to the signal line 102. Further, a scanning line driving circuit 80 including a shift register and a level shifter is connected to the scanning line 101.

  Further, in each pixel region X, a switching TFT (switching element) 112 to which a scanning signal is supplied to the gate electrode via the scanning line 101 and a pixel shared from the signal line 102 via the switching TFT 112 are provided. A holding capacitor 113 for holding a signal, a driving TFT (switching element) 123 to which a pixel signal held by the holding capacitor 113 is supplied to a gate electrode, and the power supply line 103 through the driving TFT 123 are electrically connected An anode 10 (electrode) through which a drive current flows from the power line 103 when connected, and a light emitting layer 12 (organic light emitting layer) sandwiched between the anode 10 and the cathode 11 (electrode) are provided.

  According to the organic EL device 1, when the scanning line 101 is driven and the switching TFT 112 is turned on, the potential of the signal line 102 at that time is held in the holding capacitor 113, and according to the state of the holding capacitor 113. The on / off state of the driving TFT 123 is determined. Then, current flows from the power supply line 103 to the anode 10 through the channel of the driving TFT 123, and further current flows to the cathode 11 through the light emitting layer 12. The light emitting layer 12 emits light according to the amount of current flowing through it.

  Next, specific modes of the organic EL device 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of the organic EL device 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the organic EL device 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the main part (A part) of FIG. 3, and is an enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration of the peripheral part of the organic EL device 1.

First, the configuration of the organic EL device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a TFT element substrate (hereinafter referred to as “element substrate”) 20 </ b> A that causes the light emitting layer 12 to emit light by the above-described various wirings, TFTs, and various circuits formed on the substrate body 20.
The element substrate 20A of the organic EL device includes an actual display region 4 (inside the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) in the center portion and a dummy region 5 (between the one-dot chain line and the two-dot chain line) arranged around the actual display region 4. Area).

  One of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light is extracted from the pixel region X shown in FIG. 1, and the display region RGB shown in FIG. 2 is formed. In the actual display area 4, the display areas RGB are arranged in a matrix. In addition, each of the display areas RGB is arranged in the same color in the vertical direction of the paper, and constitutes a so-called stripe arrangement. The display area RGB is combined into one display unit pixel, and the display unit pixel mixes RGB light emission to perform full color display.

  Scanning line drive circuits 80 are disposed on both sides of the actual display area 4 in FIG. 2 and on the lower layer side of the dummy area 5. Further, an inspection circuit 90 is disposed above the actual display area 4 in FIG. 2 and below the dummy area 5. This inspection circuit 90 is a circuit for inspecting the operating state of the organic EL device 1, and includes, for example, inspection information output means (not shown) for outputting the inspection result to the outside, and the organic EL during production or at the time of shipment. The apparatus 1 is configured to be able to inspect the quality and defects.

(Cross-section structure)
Next, a cross-sectional structure of the organic EL device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
The organic EL device 1 in the present embodiment is a so-called “top emission structure” organic EL device. Since the top emission structure extracts light not from the element substrate side but from the sealing substrate side, there is an effect that a wide light emitting area can be secured without being affected by the size of various circuits arranged on the element substrate. Therefore, luminance can be secured while suppressing voltage and current, and the lifetime of the light-emitting element can be maintained long.
The organic EL device 1 includes a plurality of light emitting elements 21 having a light emitting layer 12 (organic light emitting layer) sandwiched between an anode 10 and a cathode 11 (a pair of electrodes), and an element substrate 20A having a pixel partition wall 13 separating the light emitting elements 21. And a sealing substrate 31 disposed opposite to the element substrate 20A.

(Element board)
As shown in FIG. 3, the organic EL device 1 has an inorganic insulating layer 14 made of silicon nitride or the like coated on an element substrate 20A on which the above-described various wirings (for example, TFT (not shown) or the like) are formed. Yes. Further, a contact hole (not shown) is formed in the inorganic insulating layer 14, and the above-described anode 10 is connected to the driving TFT 123. On the inorganic insulating layer 14, a planarizing layer 16 is formed in which a metal reflector 15 made of an aluminum alloy or the like is housed.
On the planarizing layer 16, a light emitting element 21 in which an anode 10 and a cathode 11 are formed with a light emitting layer 12 interposed therebetween is configured. An insulating pixel partition wall 13 is arranged so as to partition the light emitting element 21.

In this embodiment, a metal oxide conductive layer such as ITO (Indium Thin Oxide) having a high hole injection layer having a work function of 5 eV or more is used for the anode 10.
In the present embodiment, because of the top emission structure, the anode 10 does not necessarily need to use a light-transmitting material, and a metal electrode made of aluminum or the like may be used. When this configuration is adopted, the above-described metal reflector 15 need not be provided.

  As a material for forming the cathode 11, since this embodiment has a top emission structure, it needs to be a light-transmitting material. Therefore, a light-transmitting conductive material is used. As the translucent conductive material, ITO is suitable, but other than this, for example, indium oxide / zinc oxide-based amorphous conductive film (Indium Zinc Oxide: IZO) is used. Can be used. In the present embodiment, ITO is used.

For the cathode 11, a material having a large electron injection effect (a work function of 4 eV or less) is preferably used. For example, calcium, magnesium, sodium, lithium metal, or a metal compound thereof. Examples of the metal compound include metal fluorides such as calcium fluoride, metal oxides such as lithium oxide, and organometallic complexes such as acetylacetonato calcium. In addition, these materials alone have high electrical resistance and do not function as an electrode. Therefore, patterning a metal layer such as aluminum, gold, silver, or copper so as to avoid the light emitting portion, or translucency such as ITO or tin oxide. You may use in combination with the laminated body with the metal oxide conductive layer which has this.
In the present embodiment, a laminate of lithium fluoride, magnesium-silver alloy, and ITO is used by adjusting the film thickness to obtain translucency.

The light emitting layer 12 employs a white light emitting layer that emits white light. The white light emitting layer is formed on the entire surface of the element substrate 20A using a vacuum deposition process. As the white light-emitting material, a styrylamine-based light-emitting material, an anthracene-based dopant (blue), a styrylamine-based light-emitting material, a rubrene-based dopant (yellow), or the like is used.
A triarylamine (ATP) multimer hole injection layer, a TPD (triphenyldiamine) hole transport layer, and an aluminum quinolinol (Alq3) layer (electron transport layer) are formed on the lower layer or the upper layer of the light emitting layer 12. It is preferable to do.

An electrode protective layer 17 (sealing layer) is formed on the element substrate 20A to cover the light emitting element 21 and the pixel partition wall 13.
The electrode protective layer 17 is preferably composed of a silicon compound such as silicon oxynitride in consideration of translucency, adhesion, water resistance, and gas barrier properties. The film thickness of the electrode protective layer 17 is preferably 100 nm or more, and the upper limit of the film thickness is preferably set to 200 nm or less in order to prevent generation of cracks due to stress generated by covering the pixel partition walls 13.
In the present embodiment, the electrode protective layer 17 is formed as a single layer, but may be stacked as a plurality of layers. For example, the electrode protective layer 17 may be composed of a low elastic modulus lower layer and a high water resistance upper layer.

An organic buffer layer 18 (sealing layer) is formed on the electrode protective layer 17 to cover the electrode protective layer 17. The organic buffer layer 18 is disposed so as to fill the uneven portion of the electrode protection layer 17 formed in a concavo-convex shape due to the influence of the shape of the pixel partition wall 13, and the upper surface thereof is formed substantially flat.
The organic buffer layer 18 has a function of relieving stress generated by warping or volume expansion of the element substrate 20A and preventing the electrode protective layer 17 from peeling from the pixel partition wall 13 having an unstable shape. In addition, since the upper surface of the organic buffer layer 18 is substantially flattened, a gas barrier layer 19 (to be described later) made of a hard film formed on the organic buffer layer 18 is also flattened. Therefore, there is no portion where stress is concentrated, thereby preventing generation of cracks in the gas barrier layer 19.

  Since the organic buffer layer 18 is formed by a screen printing method under a reduced pressure atmosphere as a raw material main component before curing, all of the organic buffer layer 18 having excellent fluidity and having no solvent or volatile component is a raw material of a polymer skeleton. It is necessary to be an organic compound material, and an epoxy monomer / oligomer having an epoxy group and a molecular weight of 3000 or less is preferably used (monomer definition: molecular weight 1000 or less, oligomer definition: molecular weight 1000 to 3000). For example, bisphenol A type epoxy oligomer, bisphenol F type epoxy oligomer, phenol novolac type epoxy oligomer, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether, alkyl glycidyl ether, 3,4-epoxycyclohexenylmethyl-3 ′, 4′-epoxycyclohexene carboxylate, There are ε-caprolactone-modified 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 ′, 4′-epoxycyclohexanecarbochelate, and these are used alone or in combination.

Further, as the curing agent that reacts with the epoxy monomer / oligomer, one that forms a cured film having excellent electrical insulation and adhesion, high hardness, toughness, and excellent heat resistance, excellent translucency, and curing. An addition polymerization type with little variation in the size is preferred. For example, 3-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, methyl-3,6-endomethylene-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, 1,2,4,5-benzene Acid anhydride curing agents such as tetracarboxylic dianhydride and 3,3 ′, 4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride are preferred. Furthermore, low-temperature curing is facilitated by adding trace amounts of amine compounds such as alcohols and aminophenols that have a high molecular weight and are difficult to volatilize such as 1,6-hexanediol as reaction accelerators that promote the reaction (ring opening) of acid anhydrides. Become. These curings are performed by heating in the range of 60 to 100 ° C., and the cured film becomes a polymer having an ester bond.
In addition, a cation-releasing type polymerization initiator often used for shortening the curing time may be used. However, a slow reaction may be used so that curing shrinkage does not rapidly advance, and the viscosity is reduced by heating after coating. What forms a hardened | cured material finally using thermosetting so that planarization may be advanced is preferable.

  Furthermore, additives such as a silane coupling agent that improves the adhesion to the electrode protective layer 17 and the gas barrier layer 19, a water capturing agent such as an isocyanate compound, and fine particles that prevent shrinkage during curing may be mixed. In addition, since the printing is performed under a reduced pressure atmosphere, the water content is adjusted to 10 ppm or less in order to make it difficult for bubbles to occur when applied.

  The viscosity of each raw material is preferably 1000 mPa · s (room temperature: 25 ° C.) or more. This is because it does not penetrate into the light emitting layer 12 immediately after the application and does not generate a non-light emitting region called a dark spot. Moreover, as a viscosity of the buffer layer forming material which mixed these raw materials, 500-20000 mPa * s, especially 2000-10000 mPa * s (room temperature) are preferable.

Moreover, as an optimal film thickness of the organic buffer layer 18, 2-5 micrometers is preferable. When the organic buffer layer 18 is thicker, foreign matter is mixed in to prevent defects in the gas barrier layer 19. However, if the combined thickness of the organic buffer layer 18 exceeds 5 μm, the coloring layer 37 and the light emitting layer 12 described later As the distance increases and more light escapes to the side, the light extraction efficiency decreases.
Moreover, as a characteristic after hardening, it is preferable that the elastic modulus of the organic buffer layer 18 is 1 to 10 GPa. If it is 10 GPa or more, the stress at the time of planarizing the pixel partition wall 13 cannot be absorbed, and if it is 1 GPa or less, wear resistance, heat resistance and the like are insufficient.

A gas barrier layer 19 (sealing layer) is formed on the organic buffer layer 18 in a wide range so as to cover the organic buffer layer 18 and cover the terminal portion of the electrode protective layer 17.
The gas barrier layer 19 is for preventing oxygen and moisture from entering, and thereby, deterioration of the light emitting element 21 due to oxygen and moisture can be suppressed. The gas barrier layer 19 is preferably formed of a silicon compound containing nitrogen, that is, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or the like in consideration of translucency, gas barrier properties, and water resistance.

The elastic modulus of the gas barrier layer 19 is preferably 100 GPa or more, specifically about 200 to 250 GPa. The film thickness of the gas barrier layer 19 is preferably about 200 to 600 nm.
This is because if it is less than 200 nm, the coverage with respect to foreign matter is insufficient and a through-hole is partially formed, and the gas barrier property may be impaired. If it exceeds 600 nm, a crack due to stress occurs. Because there is a fear.

Further, the gas barrier layer 19 may have a laminated structure, or may have a configuration in which the composition is not uniform, and particularly, the oxygen concentration changes continuously or discontinuously.
In addition, as for the film thickness at the time of setting it as a laminated structure, 200-400 nm is preferable as a 1st gas barrier layer, and if it is less than 200 nm, the surface and side surface coating | cover of the organic buffer layer 18 will run short. As a 2nd gas barrier layer which improves the coating | covering property, such as a foreign material, 200-800 nm is preferable.
When the total thickness exceeds 1000 nm, the occurrence frequency of cracks is increased, and this is not preferable from the economical viewpoint.

  Further, in the present embodiment, since the organic EL device 1 has a top emission structure, the gas barrier layer 19 needs to have light transmittance. Therefore, by appropriately adjusting the material and the film thickness, the present embodiment Then, the light transmittance in the visible light region is set to 80% or more, for example.

(Sealing substrate)
Further, a sealing substrate 31 is disposed opposite to the element substrate 20A on which the gas barrier layer 19 is formed.
Since the sealing substrate 31 has a display surface for extracting emitted light, the sealing substrate 31 is made of a light-transmitting material such as glass or translucent plastic (polyethylene terephthalate, acrylic resin, polycarbonate, polyolefin, or the like). .

  On the lower surface of the sealing substrate 31, a red colored layer 37 </ b> R, a green colored layer 37 </ b> G, and a blue colored layer 37 </ b> B are arranged in a matrix as the colored layer 37 constituting the color filter. The film thickness of the colored layer 37 is adjusted for each color at about 0.1 to 1.5 μm. Moreover, the width | variety has preferable 10-15 micrometers (refer FIG. 4).

  Each of the colored layers 37 is disposed so as to face the white light emitting layer 12 formed on the anode 10. Thereby, the emitted light of the light emitting layer 12 is transmitted through each of the colored layers 37 and emitted to the observer side as each color light of red light, green light and blue light.

  A black matrix layer 32 (light-shielding layer) is formed around the colored layer 37. The black matrix layer 32 is provided in the pixel region and partitions each colored layer 37. The black matrix layer 32 is formed with a film thickness that is thicker than the colored layers 37, and has an end portion slightly overlying a peripheral edge (end portion) of each colored layer 37. The surface 32a of the black matrix layer 32 is a flat surface, and the whole or part of the surface 32a is in contact with the gas barrier layer 19 on the element substrate 20A, and functions to control the gap between the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31. To do. Here, when the black matrix layer 32 is harder than the gas barrier layer 19 and the organic buffer layer 18, the gas barrier layer 19 may be damaged when the sealing substrate 31 and the element substrate 20A are bonded together. Therefore, the black matrix layer 32 of the present embodiment is made of a material having a lower elastic modulus than the organic buffer layer 18 and the gas barrier layer 19.

  The film thickness of the black matrix layer 32 is preferably about 1 to 2 μm, for example, but may be larger than that. That is, since the elastic modulus after curing differs depending on the material, in order to regulate the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31 at a predetermined interval (distance), the film thickness is appropriately adjusted according to the material used. And It is preferable that the contact area between the black matrix layer 32 and the gas barrier layer 19 is large, and the load during pressure bonding can be dispersed by bringing the black matrix layer 32 and the gas barrier layer 19 into surface contact with each other.

  The black matrix layer 32 of the present embodiment is formed after the colored layer 37 is formed, and is formed so that its end portion slightly rides on the peripheral portion of the colored layer 37 in normal manufacturing. Alternatively, the black matrix layer 32 may be intentionally formed so that the end of the black matrix layer 32 runs on the end of the colored layer 37. The region where the black matrix layer 32 covers the colored layer 37 is a minimum region that can prevent light leakage to the adjacent pixels due to a shift in the alignment position between the light emitting layer 12 and the colored layer 37. Therefore, there is no fear that the opening area of the colored layer 37 is significantly narrower than that in the conventional case, and the extraction efficiency of emitted light is sufficiently ensured.

  As described above, it is preferable that the end of the black matrix layer 32 is on the peripheral edge of the colored layer 37 in terms of improving the light leakage prevention effect, but this is not necessarily required. That is, the gap between the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31 may be controlled by the black matrix layer 32 as well as preventing light leakage to adjacent pixels.

As described above, in the organic EL device 1, the light emitted from the light emitting layer 12 is used and color display is performed by the colored layers 37 of a plurality of colors.
In addition to the colored layer 37, the sealing substrate 31 may be provided with a functional layer such as an ultraviolet blocking / absorbing layer, an antireflection film, or a heat dissipation layer.

In addition, a peripheral seal layer 33 (adhesive layer) is provided in the peripheral portion between the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31.
The peripheral sealing layer 33 has a bank function that improves the positional accuracy of the bonding of the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31 and prevents the filling layer 34 (adhesive layer) that will be described later from sticking out. It is comprised with the epoxy material etc. which a viscosity improves. Preferably, an epoxy monomer / oligomer having an epoxy group and a molecular weight of 3000 or less is used (monomer definition: molecular weight 1000 or less, oligomer definition: molecular weight 1000 to 3000). For example, bisphenol A type epoxy oligomer, bisphenol F type epoxy oligomer, phenol novolac type epoxy oligomer, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether, alkyl glycidyl ether, 3,4-epoxycyclohexenylmethyl-3 ′, 4′-epoxycyclohexene carboxylate, There are ε-caprolactone-modified 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 ′, 4′-epoxycyclohexanecarbochelate, and these are used alone or in combination.

  In addition, as a curing agent that reacts with epoxy monomer / oligomer, photoreactive type that causes cationic polymerization reaction such as diazonium salt, diphenyliodonium salt, trifelsulfonium salt, sulfonate ester, iron arene complex, silanol / aluminum complex, etc. Initiators are preferred. The viscosity at the time of coating is preferably 20,000 to 200,000 mPa · s (room temperature), more preferably 40,000 to 100,000 mPa · s. When a material whose viscosity gradually increases after UV irradiation is used, it is possible to prevent the peripheral seal layer 33 from being broken even with a narrow seal width of 1 mm or less, and to prevent the filling layer 34 from sticking out after bonding. Further, in order to make it difficult for bubbles to be generated when the pressure is reduced during bonding, it is preferable that the water content is a material adjusted to 1000 ppm or less.

  The film thickness of the peripheral seal layer 33 is preferably 15 μm or less. It should be noted that gap materials (fillers) such as clay minerals, silica balls, and resin balls that are often contained in general adhesives are damaged when the above-described gas barrier layer 19 is bonded and bonded. An adhesive made of an ultraviolet curable resin that does not contain is used.

A filling layer 34 made of a thermosetting resin is formed inside the element substrate 20 </ b> A and the sealing substrate 31 and surrounded by the peripheral sealing layer 33.
The filling layer 34 is filled without gaps in the organic EL device 1 surrounded by the peripheral sealing layer 33 described above, and fixes the sealing substrate 31 disposed to face the element substrate 20A, and from the outside. It has a buffer function against mechanical impact and protects the light emitting layer 12 and the gas barrier layer 19.

  The filling layer 34 needs to be an organic compound material excellent in flatness and pattern coating suitability as a raw material main component before curing, and preferably an epoxy monomer / oligomer having an epoxy group and having a molecular weight of 3000 or less (monomer). Definition: molecular weight 1000 or less, definition of oligomer: molecular weight 1000-3000). For example, bisphenol A type epoxy oligomer, bisphenol F type epoxy oligomer, phenol novolac type epoxy oligomer, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether, alkyl glycidyl ether, 3,4-epoxycyclohexenylmethyl-3 ′, 4′-epoxycyclohexene carboxylate, There are ε-caprolactone-modified 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 ′, 4′-epoxycyclohexanecarbochelate, and these may be used alone or in combination.

Moreover, as the curing agent that reacts with the epoxy monomer / oligomer, an addition polymerization that is excellent in electrical insulation, and forms a cured film that is tough and excellent in heat resistance, is excellent in translucency, and has little variation in curing. Good type. For example, 3-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, methyl-3,6-endomethylene-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, 1,2,4,5-benzene An acid anhydride curing agent such as tetracarboxylic dianhydride, 3,3 ′, 4,4′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride, or a polymer thereof, dicyandiamide and the like are preferable. These curings are performed at a heating temperature in the range of 60 to 100 ° C., and the cured film becomes a polymer having an ester bond that is excellent in adhesion to silicon oxynitride. Furthermore, curing at a low temperature and in a short time is possible by adding a relatively high molecular weight material such as an aromatic amine, alcohol, aminophenol or the like as a curing accelerator that promotes ring opening of acid anhydride. Also included are reaction initiators such as mercaptans, tertiary amine catalysts, and silane coupling agents.

  Moreover, the viscosity at the time of application | coating has preferable 500 mPa * s (room temperature) or less, and its about 30-300 mPa * s is more preferable. The reason is that the material filling property into the space after the bonding is taken into consideration, and a material in which the curing starts after the viscosity once decreases immediately after heating is preferable. Further, in order to make it difficult for bubbles to be generated when the pressure is reduced at the time of bonding, it is preferable that the water content is a material adjusted to 100 ppm or less.

  The film thickness of the filling layer 34 is preferably 1 to 5 μm. Further, similarly to the peripheral seal layer 33 described above, a thermosetting liquid resin that does not contain gap materials (fillers) such as clay minerals, silica balls, and resin balls that are contained in a large amount of general adhesives. The gas barrier layer 19 is prevented from being damaged by using an adhesive made of

  In order to prevent light leakage to adjacent pixels, the distance between the colored layer 37 and the light emitting element 21 (gap between substrates) is shorter than the width of the black matrix layer 32 adjacent to the colored layer 37. By setting the distance between the colored layer 37 and the light emitting element 21 in this way, the light emitted in the adjacent pixel direction can be blocked by the black matrix layer 32 adjacent to the colored layer 37.

(Cross sectional structure of the periphery)
Next, a cross-sectional structure of the peripheral portion of the organic EL device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the periphery of the organic EL device 1 includes an electrode protective layer 17, an organic buffer layer 18, a gas barrier layer 19, and a peripheral seal layer 33 between the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31 described above. It becomes the structure laminated | stacked one by one.

  The thickness of the organic buffer layer 18 decreases from the central portion to the peripheral end portion 35. Thereby, damages such as cracks and peeling due to stress concentration of the gas barrier layer 19 covering the organic buffer layer 18 can be prevented.

  The gas barrier layer 19 is formed wider than the organic buffer layer 18 so as to completely cover the organic buffer layer 18, and the peripheral seal layer 33 is disposed on the gas barrier layer 19. Further, the rising portion 36 of the peripheral end portion 35 of the organic buffer layer 18 is formed within the width d of the peripheral seal layer 33. Thus, since the gas barrier layer 19 covering the peripheral edge portion 35 of the organic buffer layer 18 is protected by the peripheral seal layer 33, damage such as cracks and peeling due to stress concentration of the gas barrier layer 19 can be prevented. Along with this, moisture can be prevented from passing through the gas barrier layer 19 and reaching the light emitting element 21, and generation of dark spots can be prevented.

  In addition, although the gas barrier layer 19 in this embodiment is formed wider than the outer periphery of the peripheral seal layer 33, it does not necessarily need to be formed wider than the peripheral seal layer 33. That is, the peripheral edge 38 of the gas barrier layer 19 only needs to be formed wider than the peripheral edge 35 of the organic buffer layer 18, and the width d of the peripheral seal layer 33 is the same as the peripheral edge 35 of the organic buffer layer 18. It may be formed inside. Further, the width of the electrode protection layer 17 is wider than that of the organic buffer layer 18 and is usually formed using the same mask material as that of the gas barrier layer 19.

  The peripheral portion of the organic EL device 1 is a frame portion (non-light emitting portion) D. The frame portion D is a non-light-emitting portion of the organic EL device 1, and is, for example, the width from the pixel partition wall 13 provided at the endmost portion on the element substrate 20A to the end portion of the element substrate 20A. The frame portion D is formed with 2 mm, for example, and the width d of the peripheral seal layer is formed with 1 mm, for example.

  In addition, the width of the peripheral seal layer 33 on the sealing substrate 31 may be covered with the black matrix layer 32 so that light from the frame portion (non-light emitting portion) D does not leak.

  The gap between the sealing substrate 31 and the element substrate 20A can be controlled by the black matrix layer 32. Thereby, since it is not necessary to provide a gap material separately, an increase in cost can be prevented. In addition, since the filler layer 34 and the peripheral sealing layer 33 do not include the particulate gap material, the gas barrier layer 19 is not damaged by the gap material at the time of bonding.

    In addition, since the planarization layer that has conventionally been provided in order to avoid the aggregation of the gap material can be eliminated, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced, and the light emitting element 21 and the colored layer 37 can be brought closer than before. it can. This eliminates the need to increase the area of the black matrix layer 32 in order to prevent light leakage to adjacent pixels. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently secure the opening area of the colored layer 37 and improve the extraction efficiency of emitted light. Therefore, the organic EL device 1 that can ensure high definition and a wide viewing angle can be obtained. In addition, the entire apparatus can be reduced in size (thinned).

  In addition, the black matrix layer 32 is formed to be thicker than the colored layer 37 so that the black matrix layer 32 is in contact with the gas barrier layer 19. Therefore, the colored layer 37 can be prevented from coming into contact with the gas barrier layer 19 when the substrates are bonded together, and the colored layer 37 can be prevented from being damaged. Moreover, since the load at the time of bonding can be disperse | distributed when the black matrix layer 32 surface-contacts with respect to the gas barrier layer 19, for example, it prevents that damage, such as a crack, arises in the gas barrier layer 19. Is possible.

  Further, since the end portion of the black matrix layer 32 is formed so as to run on the peripheral end portion of the colored layer 37, even if the alignment position of the light emitting element 21 and the colored layer 37 is slightly shifted, the adjacent pixels Can prevent light leakage.

  Further, since the peripheral seal layer 33 is disposed on the gas barrier layer 19, the organic EL device 1 having a narrow frame portion D can be obtained as compared with the case where the peripheral seal layer 33 is disposed outside the gas barrier layer 19. At the same time, the organic EL device 1 having excellent heat resistance and moisture resistance can be formed.

  Further, a general adhesive material is mixed with inorganic material particles to increase the viscosity in order to prevent seal breakage, but the peripheral sealing layer 33 is made of a material that gradually increases in viscosity after ultraviolet irradiation. In addition, the viscosity can be increased before the element substrate 20A side and the sealing substrate 31 side are bonded to each other by ultraviolet irradiation. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the seal from being cut after being stuck under reduced pressure while maintaining a high drawing speed by a dispenser or the like.

  Further, by forming a filling layer 34 made of a thermosetting resin inside the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31 and surrounded by the peripheral sealing layer 33, each functional layer below the gas barrier layer 19 due to curing shrinkage. The adhesiveness between the element substrate 20A side and the sealing substrate 31 side can be improved while suppressing the influence on the substrate. Therefore, it is possible to prevent moisture from entering the inside surrounded by the peripheral seal layer 33 between the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31. In addition, the sealing substrate 31 is fixed and has a buffering function against mechanical shocks from the outside, so that the light emitting layer 12 and the gas barrier layer 19 can be protected.

  Moreover, since the gas barrier layer 19 consists of a silicon compound, translucency, gas barrier property, and water resistance can be ensured, and quality can be improved.

(Method for manufacturing organic EL device)
Next, a method for manufacturing the organic EL device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
Here, FIG. 5 is a process diagram on the element substrate 20A side of the organic EL device 1, and FIG. 6 is a process diagram on the sealing substrate 31 side.

First, as shown in FIG. 5A, the electrode protective layer 17 is formed on the element substrate 20A on which the cathode 11 is laminated.
Specifically, for example, a silicon compound containing nitrogen, that is, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or the like is formed by a high-density plasma film forming method such as an ECR sputtering method or an ion plating method.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the organic buffer layer 18 is formed on the electrode protective layer 17.
Specifically, the organic buffer layer 18 that has been screen-printed in a reduced-pressure atmosphere is cured by heating in the range of 60 to 100 ° C. As a problem at this point, the viscosity temporarily decreases until the reaction is started immediately after heating. At this time, the material for forming the organic buffer layer 18 passes through the electrode protective layer 17 and the cathode 11 and penetrates into the light emitting layer 12 such as Alp ₃ to generate dark spots.
Therefore, it is preferable to leave the film at a low temperature until the curing proceeds to some extent, and to raise the temperature to a certain degree when the viscosity is increased to a certain degree to complete curing.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5C, the gas barrier layer 19 is formed on the organic buffer layer 18.
Specifically, it is formed by a high density plasma film forming method such as an ECR sputtering method or an ion plating method. In addition, reliability is improved by improving the adhesion by oxygen plasma treatment before the formation.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6A, on the sealing substrate 31, as the colored layer 37, a red colored layer 37R, a green colored layer 37G, and a blue colored layer 37B are formed in a matrix.
Specifically, it is formed so as to face the white light emitting layer 12 formed on the element substrate 20A. The thickness of the colored layer 37 is preferably as thin as possible in consideration of light transmittance, and the red colored layer 37R, the green colored layer 37G, and the blue colored layer 37B are respectively formed with the above-described thicknesses of about 0.1 to 1.5 μm. .

Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the black matrix layer 32 is formed around the colored layer 37 so as to be thicker than the colored layer 37. The film thickness is preferably 1 to 2 μm, but may be more.
Specifically, a pattern is formed by a printing method such as a photolithography method or an ink jet method, and the film thickness is appropriately adjusted while adjusting the coating amount in accordance with the material to be used. In this way, the surface 32a of the black matrix layer 32 is formed so as to protrude outward in the thickness direction of the sealing substrate 31 from the colored layer 37a.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, a peripheral seal layer 33 is formed on the periphery of the sealing substrate 31 on which the colored layer 37 and the black matrix layer 32 are formed.
Specifically, the above-described ultraviolet curable resin material is applied around the sealing substrate 31 by the needle dispensing method.
Note that this printing method may be a screen printing method.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 6D, a filling layer 34 is formed inside the sealing substrate 31 surrounded by the peripheral sealing layer 33.
Specifically, the thermosetting resin material described above is applied by a jet dispensing method.
The thermosetting resin material is not necessarily applied to the entire surface of the sealing substrate 31 and may be applied to a plurality of locations on the sealing substrate 31.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6E, the sealing substrate 31 coated with the peripheral sealing layer 33 and the filling layer 34 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays.
Specifically, for example, the sealing substrate 31 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays having an illuminance of 30 mW / cm ² and a light amount of 500 mJ / cm ² for the purpose of starting the curing reaction of the peripheral seal layer 33. At this time, the curing reaction is started only by the peripheral sealing layer 33 which is an ultraviolet curable resin, and the viscosity gradually increases.

Next, the element substrate 20A side where the gas barrier layer 19 is formed as shown in FIG. 5C and the sealing substrate 31 where the curing reaction of the peripheral seal layer 33 has started as shown in FIG. Match. At this time, the peripheral sealing layer 33 is disposed and bonded so as to completely cover the rising portion 36 of the peripheral end portion 35 of the organic buffer layer 18 formed on the element substrate 20A.
Specifically, this bonding step is performed in a vacuum atmosphere with a degree of vacuum of, for example, 1 Pa, held at a pressure of 600 N for 200 seconds, and the reaction of the peripheral seal layer 33 is advanced and pressure bonded.

Next, the organic EL device 1 bonded by pressure bonding is heated in an air atmosphere.
Specifically, in the state where the element substrate 20A side and the sealing substrate 31 side are bonded together, by heating at about 60 to 100 ° C. in the atmosphere, the peripheral sealing layer 33 in which the above-described curing reaction has started, and filling Layer 34 is heat cured. The filling layer 34 also has a role of protecting the gas barrier layer 19, and if the liquid material is left in a place where the liquid material becomes high temperature, the liquid material may convect and damage the gas barrier layer 19 in the apparatus. Therefore, the packed bed 34 must be solidified.

  Even if a vacuum space exists between the element substrate 20 </ b> A and the sealing substrate 31, the space is filled with the filling layer 34 by performing heat curing in the atmosphere. From the above, the desired organic EL device 1 in the present embodiment described above can be obtained.

  Therefore, according to the manufacturing method described above, the black matrix layer 32 has a function of controlling the gap between the element substrate 20 </ b> A and the sealing substrate 31 by forming the black matrix layer 32 to be thicker than the colored layer 37. Can be granted.

  In addition, by using the filling layer 34 that does not include a gap material as an adhesive, the gas barrier layer 19 is not damaged by the gap material during pressure bonding. Furthermore, since the gap material is not necessary, the planarization layer or the like provided in consideration of the spread of the particulate gap material can be eliminated, and thus the distance between the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31 (that is, , The distance between the light emitting layer 12 and the colored layer 37) can be reduced, and the entire device can be made thinner.

  As a result, in order to enlarge the viewing angle, even when the pixel pitch is made higher and the area of the colored layer 37 (pixel area) is enlarged, light emission to adjacent pixels does not occur. Thereby, since a light emission area can be earned, high luminance light emission can be obtained with low power consumption.

  Further, the black matrix layer 32 is formed using a material having a lower elastic modulus than the organic buffer layer 18 and the gas barrier layer 19, and the substrates 32 are bonded together in a state where the surface 32 a is in surface contact with the gas barrier layer 19. The load on the bonded portion at the time of bonding is dispersed or absorbed, and damage to the gas barrier layer 19 is reduced.

  Furthermore, the colored layer 37 can be protected by making the black matrix layer 32 thicker than the colored layer 37. That is, when the colored layer 37 comes into contact with the gas barrier layer 19 during pressure bonding, the colored layer 37 may be damaged. However, since only the black matrix layer 32 comes into contact with the gas barrier layer 19, the colored layer 37 is damaged. Can be prevented.

  In addition, by forming the black matrix layer 32 after forming the colored layer 37, the end of the black matrix layer 32 is formed on the peripheral end of the colored layer 37. Even if the alignment position between the color layer 21 and the colored layer 37 is slightly deviated, light leakage to adjacent pixels can be prevented, and assembly is facilitated. Moreover, since high dimensional accuracy is not required between the colored layer 37 and the black matrix layer 32, the manufacturing is facilitated and the manufacturing time can be shortened.

  Before the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31 are bonded, the peripheral sealing layer 33 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to start a curing reaction, and after the viscosity of the peripheral sealing layer 33 is increased, the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31 are attached. to paste together. Therefore, since the viscosity is low at the time of application, drawing operation can be performed at a high speed, and the viscosity increases at the time of bonding, so that the bonding position accuracy can be improved and the filling layer 34 can be prevented from protruding.

  Even when the width of the peripheral seal layer 33 on the sealing substrate 31 side is shielded by the black matrix layer 32 as a light leakage prevention of the frame portion D, the peripheral seal is irradiated by irradiating ultraviolet rays before bonding. Curing of the layer 33 can proceed.

In addition, since the peripheral sealing layer 33 and the filling layer 34 are heated and cured after the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31 are bonded to each other, adhesion, heat resistance, and moisture resistance can be improved while maintaining positional accuracy. Furthermore, since the element substrate 20A and the sealing substrate 31 are bonded together under reduced pressure and cured in the air, the filling layer 34 is surrounded by the peripheral seal layer 33 due to the pressure difference between the vacuum atmosphere and the air. Since it spreads without a gap, it is possible to prevent air bubbles and moisture from entering.
As described above, the gas barrier layer 19 is protected to prevent the light emitting element 21 from being deteriorated, and the highly reliable organic EL device 1 having high heat resistance can be obtained.

(Second Embodiment of Organic EL Device)
Next, the organic EL device 2 in the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. Here, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the organic EL device 2.

  The organic EL device 2 in the second embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment in that the surface modification layer 40 for improving the paintability is formed on the surfaces of the colored layer 37 and the black matrix layer 32 described above. is doing.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the surfaces of the colored layer 37 and the black matrix layer 32 are covered with the surface modification layer 40. The surface modification layer 40 is a layer for improving the filling property of the filling layer 34 by improving the wettability with the material liquid of the filling layer 34 on the surfaces of the colored layer 37 and the black matrix layer 32.

  As the material for forming the surface modification layer 40, polar resins such as acrylic resins containing carbonyl groups and carboxyl groups, styrylamines and ethyleneimines containing many amino groups, organic silanes such as tetraethoxysilane, tetraethoxytitanate, polysilazane, organic titanates, etc. And organic compounds having a high functional group.

  As a forming method, the above-described material is diluted with a raw material component or an organic solvent, and a pattern is applied to a pixel region by using a flexographic printing method, a gravure printing method, a slit coating method, a screen printing method, etc. Evaporate and cure. In this way, the surface modification layer 40 made of an organic compound film is formed.

 Since the surface modification layer 40 improves the wettability of the material liquid of the filling layer 34, the surface modification layer 40 is patterned so as not to be formed on the contact surface of the peripheral sealing agent of the sealing substrate 31. Thereby, when the material liquid of the filling layer 34 contacts, the peripheral seal layer 33 is not broken, and the bank function of the peripheral seal layer 33 is ensured.

  In addition, it is preferable that the peripheral edge portion of the surface modification layer 40 is positioned within the width of the peripheral seal layer 33 described later or inside the peripheral seal layer 33. With such a configuration, the end portion of the contact surface between the surface modification layer 40 and the sealing substrate 31 is protected, and moisture intrusion and damage can be prevented.

 The index of wettability (surface tension) of the surface modification layer 40 is 40 mN / m or more, more preferably 50 mN / m or more. As a reason, although the alicyclic epoxy monomer used for the material liquid of the filling layer 34 has a low viscosity of about 50 mPa · s (room temperature), the polarity is high in order to obtain reactivity at the time of curing. Therefore, the wettability (surface tension) is preferably 40 mN / m or more because the surface tension is high and it is difficult to spread.

 The film thickness of the surface modification layer 40 is thinner than the black matrix layer 32 and the colored layer 37, and is preferably about 1 to 10 nm, for example. This is because, when the film thickness of the surface modification layer 40 is large, a highly polar material absorbs the curing agent of the filling layer 34 and may cause curing inhibition. Moreover, since the highly polar surface modified layer 40 is easy to absorb water and the film strength may be insufficient due to moisture absorption, it is preferable that the film thickness is as thin as possible.

  As a result, the material liquid of the filling layer 34 easily flows into the uneven portion on the surface of the boundary portion between the colored layer 37 and the black matrix layer 32, and the uneven portion can be filled without bubbles being mixed therein. Further, since the material liquid of the filling layer 34 quickly wets and spreads on the uneven portions, the drying process can be quickly started after application. As described above, since the wettability is good and the filling time is fast, it is possible to reduce the amount of the material liquid applied to the filling layer 34 and reduce the thickness of the filling layer 34.

  In the organic EL device 2 of the present embodiment, a predetermined portion of the surface modification layer 40 on the black matrix layer 32 is in contact with the gas barrier layer 19, and the element substrate 20 </ b> A and the sealing substrate are formed by the black matrix layer 32. 31 is configured to be regulated with respect to the gap.

(Electronics)
Next, an example of an electronic apparatus including the organic EL device according to the embodiment will be described.
FIG. 8A is a perspective view showing an example of a mobile phone. In FIG. 8A, reference numeral 50 denotes a mobile phone body, and reference numeral 51 denotes a display unit including an organic EL device.
FIG. 8B is a perspective view showing an example of a portable information processing apparatus such as a word processor or a personal computer. In FIG. 8B, reference numeral 60 denotes an information processing apparatus, reference numeral 61 denotes an input unit such as a keyboard, reference numeral 63 denotes an information processing body, and reference numeral 62 denotes a display unit including an organic EL device.
FIG. 8C is a perspective view showing an example of a wristwatch type electronic device. In FIG.8 (c), the code | symbol 70 shows the timepiece body and the code | symbol 71 shows the EL display part provided with the organic EL apparatus.
Since the electronic devices shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C are provided with the organic EL device described in the previous embodiment, the electronic devices have good display characteristics.

  In addition, as an electronic device, it is not restricted to the said electronic device, It can apply to a various electronic device. For example, a desktop computer, a liquid crystal projector, a multimedia personal computer (PC) and an engineering workstation (EWS), a pager, a word processor, a television, a viewfinder type or a monitor direct view type video tape recorder, an electronic notebook, an electronic The present invention can be applied to electronic devices such as a desktop computer, a car navigation device, a POS terminal, and a device having a touch panel.

  The preferred embodiments according to the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples, and the above embodiments may be combined. It is obvious for those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications can be conceived within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims. It is understood that it belongs to.

For example, in the above embodiment, the surface modification layer 40 is formed by a coating method, but is formed by passing it through a plasma atmosphere in which argon gas and oxygen gas are mixed under reduced pressure by a vapor deposition method. You may form the oxygen rich layer (organic compound layer) which contains many carbonyl groups, a carboxyl group, etc. in the monomolecular level. Alternatively, a thin film of zinc oxide (ZnO) or titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ), which is an oxide semiconductor, may be patterned in the pixel region (on the colored layer 37 and the black matrix layer 32) by vacuum deposition or sputtering. Good.
When the method as described above is used, it is preferable to increase the surface energy by performing post-treatment such as ultraviolet irradiation on the thin film.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the wiring structure of the organic electroluminescent apparatus of this embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows typically the structure of the organic electroluminescent apparatus in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows typically the structure of the organic electroluminescent apparatus in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view of the A section shown in Drawing 3 in a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is process drawing by the side of the element substrate of the organic EL device in a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is process drawing by the side of the sealing substrate of the organic electroluminescent apparatus in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows typically the structure of the organic electroluminescent apparatus in 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the electronic device in embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the conventional organic EL apparatus typically.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Organic EL apparatus 2 ... Organic EL apparatus 10 ... Anode (electrode) 11 ... Cathode (electrode) 12 ... Light emitting layer (organic light emitting layer) 13 ... Pixel partition wall 17 ... Electrode protective layer (sealing layer) 18 ... Organic buffer layer (Sealing layer) 19 ... Gas barrier layer (sealing layer) 20A ... Element substrate 21 ... Light emitting element 31 ... Sealing substrate 32 ... Black matrix layer (light shielding layer) 33 ... Peripheral sealing layer (adhesive layer) 34 ... Filling layer ( Adhesive layer) 35 ... Peripheral edge of organic buffer layer 38 ... Peripheral edge of gas barrier layer 40 ... Surface modification layer

Claims (13)

An element substrate having a plurality of light emitting elements sandwiching an organic light emitting layer between a pair of electrodes;
A sealing substrate that is disposed opposite to the element substrate and has a plurality of colored layers and a light shielding layer that partitions the plurality of colored layers, and
The organic electroluminescence device, wherein a distance between the element substrate and the sealing substrate is regulated by the light shielding layer. The element substrate is formed with a sealing layer that covers the plurality of light emitting elements,
2. The organic electro according to claim 1, wherein the element substrate and the sealing substrate are bonded to each other with an adhesive layer in a state where at least a part of the light shielding layer is in contact with the sealing layer. Luminescence device.   3. The organic electroluminescence device according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding layer is formed thicker than the plurality of colored layers.   4. The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein an end portion of the light shielding layer is formed so as to run over an end portion of each colored layer. 5. An electrode protective layer that covers the electrode of the light emitting element; and
An organic buffer layer covering the electrode protective layer;
A gas barrier layer covering the organic buffer layer,
5. The organic electroluminescence device according to claim 2, wherein the light shielding layer is made of a material having a lower elastic modulus than the organic buffer layer and the gas barrier layer.   The organic electroluminescence device according to claim 2, wherein the adhesive layer is formed using an adhesive that does not include a gap material. The adhesive layer includes a peripheral sealing layer formed in a peripheral portion between the sealing substrate and the element substrate, and a filling layer provided corresponding to a pixel region and surrounded by the peripheral sealing layer. And having
The organic electroluminescent device according to claim 2, wherein the filling layer is formed of a material having a viscosity lower than that of the peripheral sealing layer.   2. The sealing substrate is provided with a surface modification layer for improving wettability with a material for forming the filling layer on the surfaces of the plurality of colored layers and the light shielding layer. The organic electroluminescent apparatus as described in any one of thru | or 7. Forming a plurality of colored layers and a light shielding layer on the sealing substrate;
Forming a plurality of light emitting elements sandwiching an organic light emitting layer between a pair of electrodes and a sealing layer covering the light emitting elements on an element substrate;
Bonding the element substrate and the sealing substrate through an adhesive layer,
In the step of bonding the element substrate and the sealing substrate through an adhesive layer,
A method for manufacturing an organic electroluminescence device, wherein the sealing layer is bonded to at least a part of the light shielding layer in contact with the sealing layer. In the step of forming the plurality of colored layers and the light shielding layer,
The method for manufacturing an organic electroluminescence device according to claim 9, wherein the light shielding layer is formed after forming the plurality of colored layers. The step of bonding the element substrate and the sealing substrate through an adhesive layer,
Applying a UV curable resin to the peripheral portion of the sealing substrate to form a peripheral sealing layer that adheres the peripheral portions of the sealing substrate and the element substrate;
Applying a thermosetting resin to the inside of the peripheral sealing layer corresponding to the pixel region to form a filling layer for adhering the pixel region of the sealing substrate and the element substrate. The manufacturing method of the organic electroluminescent apparatus of Claim 10.   13. The method for manufacturing an organic electroluminescence device according to claim 11, wherein the element substrate and the sealing substrate are bonded together under reduced pressure during the curing of the peripheral sealing layer.   An electronic apparatus comprising the organic electroluminescence device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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