JP2010177301A - Organic el light-emitting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve emission efficiency by utilizing the excitation energy of an emission molecule which does not emit light, in an organic EL light-emitting device. <P>SOLUTION: An organic EL light-emitting device 1 includes: a substrate 2; and an organic EL device 3 which is formed by laminating a cathode 5, an organic layer 6, and an anode 7, in order from the substrate 2 side, on the substrate 2. The anode 7 has light transparency, and the organic EL device 3 has a photonic crystal structure. The organic layer 6 is arranged in the direction approximately perpendicular to the substrate 2, and has: a first emission molecule 14 which does not emit light even if it is in excited state; and a second emission molecule 15 which emits light by receiving the excitation energy of the first illuminant molecule 14. Since, in the organic EL light-emitting device 1, the second emission molecule 15 emits light by receiving the excitation energy of the first emission molecule 14, emission efficiency is improved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an organic EL light emitting device including an organic electroluminescence element (hereinafter referred to as an organic EL element) as a light source.

  An organic EL element has been attracting attention in recent years because it can emit light with a high luminance at a low voltage of about several volts, and can emit light in an arbitrary color tone by selecting a light emitting material. The organic EL device includes an anode, an organic layer including a light emitting layer, and a cathode. The anode injects holes into the organic layer by applying a voltage, and the cathode injects electrons into the organic layer, and the holes injected into the organic layer. And electrons combine in the organic layer. In the organic EL element, excitons generated by the combination of holes and electrons transition to the ground state and emit light.

FIG. 8 shows a partial configuration of an organic EL light emitting device 21 including such an organic EL element. Here, only the organic layer 22 and the anode 23 of the organic EL element laminated on the organic layer 22 in the organic EL light emitting device 21 are illustrated. In the organic EL element, a cathode, an organic layer 22, and an anode 23 are sequentially laminated on a substrate (not shown). Here, light 24 and 25 in which the light generated in the organic layer 22 is incident on the anode 23 at different incident angles are shown. When the refractive index of the anode 23 is n ₁ and the refractive index of the organic layer 22 is n ₂ , the critical angle θ (not shown) between the organic layer 22 and the anode 23 is sin θ = (n ₁ / n ₂ ). It can be obtained from the following formula.

Here, when the incident angle θ ₁ of the light 24 incident from the organic layer 22 is smaller than the critical angle θ, the light 24 in the organic layer 22 is refracted and emitted to the anode 23 without being totally reflected. However, when the incident angle θ _{2 of} the light 25 incident from the organic layer 22 is equal to or larger than the critical angle θ, the light 25 in the organic layer 22 is totally reflected and is not extracted to the anode 23. The totally reflected light 25 is confined inside the organic layer 22 and lost as guided light. Further, due to the influence of light interference and extinction, the light extraction efficiency from the organic EL light emitting device 21 is very low, 20% or less of the total light amount generated in the organic layer 22.

  On the other hand, in recent years, various optical elements using photonic crystals are known (for example, see Patent Document 1). A photonic crystal is an optical material of an artificial dielectric lattice in which two or more kinds of substances having different refractive indexes (dielectric constants) are periodically arranged with a length of about the wavelength of light. This photonic crystal may have any one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional periodic structure, and light can be freely controlled. An electromagnetic wave having a wavelength comparable to the grating interval is completely reflected by diffraction (Bragg reflection). In the photonic crystal, when the refractive index difference between the lattices is widened, the wavelength region (frequency region) in which the light is reflected and cannot propagate in the crystal is expanded, and a wavelength region (photonic band gap) in which light cannot propagate is formed.

  Therefore, an organic EL light emitting device in which the organic EL element has a photonic crystal structure that can prevent the generation of guided light by not emitting light in a certain direction is conceivable. 9 and 10 show the configuration of such an organic EL light emitting device 31. FIG. The organic EL light emitting device 31 includes a substrate 32 and a plurality of organic EL elements 33 periodically arranged on the substrate 32 so as to have a one-dimensional periodic structure photonic crystal structure. The organic EL element 33 is formed by laminating a cathode 34, an organic layer 35, and an anode 36 in this order on a substrate 32.

  The organic layer 35 of the organic EL element 33 is formed by laminating an electron transport layer 37, a light emitting layer 38, and a hole transport layer 39 in this order on the cathode 34. The light emitting layer 38 includes a light emitting molecule 40a whose light distribution direction is parallel to the surface of the substrate 32 and a light emitting molecule 40 that is the same light emitting material as the light emitting molecule 40a and has a different orientation direction.

  The organic EL light-emitting device 31 emits light in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 32 (indicated by an arrow F) because the light-emitting molecules 40 emit light by voltage application, but the light-emitting molecules 40a do not emit light due to the photonic crystal structure. In addition, light is not emitted in the direction parallel to the surface of the substrate 32 (indicated by the arrow G). Therefore, the organic EL light-emitting device 31 has high light emission efficiency because the generation of guided light in the organic EL element 33 is prevented.

  The light emission of the light emitting molecule 40 and the non-light emission of the light emitting molecule 40a will be described in detail. FIGS. 11A and 11B show a light emitting state of the light emitting molecule 40 and a non-light emitting state of the light emitting molecule 40a, respectively. The light emitting molecule 40 emits light in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 32 (indicated by arrows F1 and F2) when returning to the ground state after being excited by the combination of holes and electrons. Further, light emitted toward the substrate 32 and in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 32 (indicated by an arrow F2) is reflected at the cathode 34 toward the anode 36. The light emitting molecules 40 emit light in any orientation direction unless the light distribution direction is parallel to the surface of the substrate 32.

  The luminescent molecule 40a cannot be returned to the ground state by the photonic crystal structure after being excited by the combination of holes and electrons, and in all directions including the direction parallel to the surface of the substrate 32 (indicated by the arrow G). Cannot emit light. Therefore, since the excitation energy of the light emitting molecules 40a that do not emit light is lost, the light emission efficiency of the organic EL light emitting device 31 is not yet sufficient, and further improvement of the light emission efficiency is desired.

JP 2002-91344 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an organic EL light emitting device capable of improving the light emission efficiency by utilizing excitation energy of a light emitting molecule that does not emit light. .

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 includes a substrate and an organic EL element formed by laminating a cathode, an organic layer, and an anode on the substrate in this order from the substrate side. Is an organic EL light emitting device in which the organic EL element has a photonic crystal structure, and the organic layer is arranged in a substantially vertical direction with respect to the substrate to be in an excited state. The first light-emitting molecule that does not emit light and the second light-emitting molecule that emits light upon receiving the excitation energy of the first light-emitting molecule.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the organic EL light emitting device according to the first aspect, the second light emitting molecule has an energy level required for transition from a ground state to an excited state. Is different.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the organic EL light-emitting device according to the first or second aspect, the organic layer combines the first luminescent molecule and the second luminescent molecule, and between them. It further has organic molecules that do not hinder the transfer of excitation energy.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the organic EL light emitting device according to the third aspect, the first light emitting molecule and the second light emitting molecule are combined to form a T-shaped structure or an L-shaped structure. It is what.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the organic EL light emitting device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, upon receiving excitation energy that does not move from the first light emitting molecule to the second light emitting molecule. It further has the 3rd light emitting molecule | numerator which light-emits.

  According to the invention of claim 1, since the second light emitting molecule receives the excitation energy of the first light emitting molecule and emits light, the light emission efficiency can be improved.

  According to the invention of claim 2, since the second light emitting molecule can easily receive the excitation energy of the first light emitting molecule, the light emission efficiency can be improved.

  According to the invention of claim 3 and claim 4, the organic molecule prevents the first light emitting molecule and the second light emitting molecule from being separated from each other, so that the second light emitting molecule is the first light emitting molecule. Since it becomes easy to receive excitation energy, luminous efficiency can be improved.

  According to the invention of claim 5, when the second light emitting molecule does not emit light and the excitation energy of the first light emitting molecule is not used at all, or even when the second light emitting molecule emits light, When there is residual excitation energy in the molecule, the third light emitting molecule receives the excitation energy of the first light emitting molecule and emits light, so that the light emission efficiency can be improved.

1 is a perspective view of an organic EL light emitting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Sectional view on the AA line of the organic EL light emitting device. The sectional side view of the organic EL element of the organic EL light emitting device. (A) is an enlarged view of the D section of FIG. 3, (b) is an enlarged view of the E section of FIG. (A) is a figure which shows the diagram in the excited state of the light emitting molecule | numerator of the organic EL light-emitting device, (b) is a figure which shows the diagram in the excited state of the 1st luminescent molecule and 2nd luminescent molecule of the organic EL light-emitting device. (A) is a side view showing a state in which the first light emitting molecule and the second light emitting molecule of the organic EL light emitting device are bonded through the organic molecule, and (b) is the first light emitting molecule and the second light emitting molecule. The side view which shows the state which these luminescent molecules couple | bonded with the T shape, (c) The side view which shows the state which the 1st luminescent molecule and the 2nd luminescent molecule couple | bonded with the L shape. The sectional side view of the organic EL element of the organic EL light-emitting device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. A side sectional view of a part of a conventional organic EL light emitting device. The sectional side view of other conventional organic electroluminescent light-emitting devices. The sectional side view of the organic EL element of the organic EL light emitting device. (A) is the enlarged view of the H section of FIG. 10, (b) is the enlarged view of the I section of FIG.

(First embodiment)
An organic EL light emitting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show the configuration of the organic EL light emitting device 1 of the present embodiment. The organic EL light emitting device 1 includes a substrate 2, an organic EL element 3 formed on the substrate 2, and a plurality of vertical holes 4 provided in the organic EL element 3. The organic EL element 3 is formed by laminating a cathode 5, an organic layer 6, and an anode 7 in this order from the substrate 2 side.

  The substrate 2 is made of, for example, a transparent glass plate made of soda lime glass or non-alkali glass, or a plastic film or plastic plate made of polyester, polyolefin, polyamide, epoxy resin, or fluorine resin.

  The vertical hole 4 is a hole provided in the organic EL element 3 to a depth that reaches at least the substrate 2 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 2. The organic EL element 3 has a photonic crystal structure that is a two-dimensional periodic structure by periodically arranging vertical holes 4 in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate 2. The vertical hole 4 is formed by, for example, patterning the surface of the organic EL element 3 by electron beam exposure or the like, and forming a metal mask on the organic EL element 3 and then etching or forming a surface in advance. It is formed by providing the organic EL element 3 on the substrate 2 on which irregularities are formed.

  The organic EL light emitting device 1 emits light in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 2 (indicated by an arrow B). The organic EL light emitting device 1 does not emit light in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate 2 (indicated by an arrow C) due to the photonic crystal structure of the organic EL element 3. Therefore, the organic EL light-emitting device 1 has high light emission efficiency because generation of guided light in the organic EL element 3 is prevented.

The cathode 5 is an electrode for injecting electrons into the organic layer 6, and it is preferable to use an electrode material made of a metal, an alloy, an electrically conductive compound, or a mixture thereof having a low work function. Alkali metal halides, alkali metal oxides, alkaline earth metals, and alloys of these with other metals, such as sodium, sodium-potassium alloys, lithium, magnesium, magnesium-silver mixtures, magnesium- Indium mixtures, aluminum-lithium alloys, Al / LiF mixtures and the like are used as materials. As the material of the cathode 5, aluminum, an Al / Al ₂ O ₃ mixture, or the like is also used. Furthermore, the material of the cathode 5 may be an alkali metal oxide, an alkali metal halide, or a material in which one or more conductive materials such as metals are stacked on a base of a metal oxide. For this, an alkali metal / Al laminate, an alkali metal halide / alkaline earth metal / Al laminate, an alkali metal oxide / Al laminate, or the like is used. The cathode 5, the organic layer 6, and the anode 7 are laminated by, for example, a vacuum deposition method, a sputtering method, coating, or the like.

The anode 7 has translucency and is an electrode for injecting holes into the organic layer 6. The material of the anode 7 is preferably an electrode material made of a metal, an alloy, an electrically conductive compound, or a mixture thereof having a large work function, and particularly preferably has a work function of 4 eV or more. Specific material of the anode 7, for example, metal such as gold, CuI, ITO (indium - tin _oxide), SnO 2, ZnO, IZO (indium - zinc oxide) and, PEDOT, polyaniline conductive polymer , Conductive polymers doped with an arbitrary acceptor, conductive light-transmitting materials of carbon nanotubes, and the like.

  FIG. 3 shows a configuration of the organic EL element 3 of the present embodiment. The organic layer 6 of the organic EL element 3 is formed by laminating an electron transport layer 8, a light emitting layer 9, and a hole transport layer 10 in this order on the cathode 5. The light emitting layer 9 includes a host material 11, a light emitting molecule 13 that is a light emitting material added to the host material 11, a first light emitting molecule 14, and a second light emitting molecule 15. Further, the organic layer 6 may include an electron injection layer for facilitating injection of electrons as necessary.

The electron transport layer 8 improves the electron injecting property to the light emitting layer 9 or prevents holes from moving to the electron transport layer 8. The material of the electron transport layer 8 may be a compound having an electron transport property. For example, a metal complex known as an electron transport material such as Alq ₃ , a phenanthroline derivative, a pyridine derivative, a tetrazine derivative, an oxadiazole derivative, etc. And a compound having a heterocycle.

  The hole transport layer 10 improves the hole injection property to the light emitting layer 9 or prevents electrons from moving to the hole transport layer 10. The material of the hole transport layer 10 may be a compound having a hole transport property. For example, 4,4′-bis [N- (naphthyl) -N-phenyl-amino] biphenyl (α-NPD), N, N '-Bis (3-methylphenyl)-(1,1'-biphenyl) -4,4'-diamine (TPD), 2-TNATA, 4,4', 4 "-tris (N- (3-methylphenyl ) Triarylamine compounds such as N-phenylamino) triphenylamine (MTDATA), 4,4′-N, N′-dicarbazolebiphenyl (CBP), spiro-NPD, spiro-TPD, spiro-TAD, TNB , An amine compound containing a carbazole group, an amine compound containing a fluorene derivative, and the like.

  The host material 11 may be a material used as a host material for an organic EL element. For example, 4,4′-di (N-carbazolyl) biphenyl (CBP), 2,2 ′, 2 ″-(1, 3,5-benzenetriyl) -tris (1-phenyl-1H-benzimidazole) (TPBI) and the like.

  The first light emitting molecules 14 are made of the same light emitting material as the light emitting molecules 13 and differ only in the orientation direction. Examples of the luminescent molecule 13 and the first luminescent molecule 14 include perylene, DPT, Co-6, PMDFB, quinacridone, rubrene, BTX, ABTX, DCM, DCJT, and PtOEP. The first light emitting molecules 14 are arranged in a substantially vertical direction with respect to the substrate 2 and do not emit light even when excited. That is, the first light emitting molecule 14 whose light distribution direction is parallel to the surface of the substrate 2 does not emit light even when it is in an excited state because the organic EL element 3 has a photonic crystal structure. On the other hand, the luminescent molecules 13 emit light because the orientation direction is other than the direction parallel to the surface of the substrate 2.

  Since the second light emitting molecule 15 is a light emitting material different from the light emitting molecule 13 and the first light emitting molecule 14, the second light emitting molecule 15 is distinguished by being painted black. The second light emitting molecule 15 emits light upon receiving the excitation energy of the first light emitting molecule 14, and is selected from, for example, the above-mentioned light emitting materials used for the light emitting molecule 13 and the first light emitting molecule 14. Can be used.

  The second light emitting molecule 15 is preferably different from the first light emitting molecule 14 in the energy level required for transition from the ground state to the excited state. The organic EL light-emitting device 1 is configured such that the second light-emitting molecule 15 is easily excited or difficult to be excited compared to the first light-emitting molecule 14 due to the difference in energy level. Since it becomes easy to receive the excitation energy of the luminescent molecule 14, the luminous efficiency is improved.

  The light emission of the light emitting molecule 13 and the light emission of the first light emitting molecule 14 and the second light emitting molecule 15 will be described. FIGS. 4A and 4B show the light emission state of the light emitting molecule 13 and the light emission states of the first light emitting molecule 14 and the second light emitting molecule 15. FIGS. 5A and 5B show the light emission state. The light emission process of the molecule 13 and the light emission process of the first light-emitting molecule 14 and the second light-emitting molecule 15 are shown. When the light emitting molecule 13 returns from the ground state to the excited state and relaxes energy and then returns to the ground state, the light emitting molecule 13 emits light in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 32 (indicated by arrows B1 and B2).

  The second light emitting molecule 15 is changed from the excited state to the ground state after the first light emitting molecule 14 is changed from the ground state to the excited state and the excitation energy is transferred from the first light emitting molecule 14 to the second light emitting molecule 15. When returning, light is emitted in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 32 (indicated by arrows B1 and B2). In the organic EL light emitting device 1, the second light emitting molecule 15 receives the excitation energy of the first light emitting molecule 14 and emits light, so that the light emission efficiency is improved.

  The light emitted toward the substrate 2 and in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 2 (indicated by the arrow B2) is reflected at the cathode 5 toward the anode 7 side. Further, the light emitting molecule 13 and the second light emitting molecule 15 emit light in any orientation direction unless the orientation direction is parallel to the surface of the substrate 32.

(Second Embodiment)
An organic EL light emitting device 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The first embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the first light emitting molecule 14 and the second light emitting molecule 15 are bonded to each other.

  FIGS. 6A to 6C show a configuration of a dopant including the first luminescent molecule 14, the second luminescent molecule 15, and the organic molecule 16. As shown in FIG. 6A, the first luminescent molecule 14 and the second luminescent molecule 15 are bonded to each other by the organic molecules 16 so that their orientation directions are different. The organic EL light emitting device 1 is configured so that the organic molecules 16 do not leave the distance between the first light emitting molecules 14 and the second light emitting molecules 15 so that the second light emitting molecules 15 excite the first light emitting molecules 14. Since it becomes easy to receive energy, luminous efficiency improves.

  The organic molecule 16 does not prevent the excitation energy from moving from the first light-emitting molecule 14 to the second light-emitting molecule 15, and is not required to have a long molecular length in a non-conjugated system. Examples of the organic molecule 16 include alkylenes such as methylene, ethylene, and propylene, ethers, esters, ketones, urethanes, amides, imides, and the like, and specifically, silsesquioxane.

  Moreover, as long as the 1st light emission molecule | numerator 14 and the 2nd light emission molecule | numerator 15 are couple | bonded by the organic molecule | numerator 16, as shown in FIG.6 (b), you may form a T-shaped structure, As shown in FIG. 6C, an L-shaped structure may be formed. Furthermore, three or more of the first luminescent molecules 14 and the second luminescent molecules 15 may be bonded by the organic molecules 16 to form a Y-shaped structure, a tetrapot structure, or the like. In the organic EL light-emitting device 1, the same effect as described above can be obtained regardless of whether the first light-emitting molecule 14 and the second light-emitting molecule 15 have a T-shaped structure or an L-shaped structure.

(Third embodiment)
An organic EL light emitting device 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The structure having the third light emitting molecule 17 in the light emitting layer 9 is different from that of the first embodiment.

  FIG. 7 shows a configuration of the organic EL light emitting device 1 of the present embodiment. The light emitting layer 9 of the organic layer 6 further includes a third light emitting molecule 17 that emits light by receiving excitation energy that does not move from the first light emitting molecule 14 to the second light emitting molecule 15. Since the third light emitting molecule 17 is a light emitting material different from the light emitting molecule 13, the first light emitting molecule 14, and the second light emitting molecule 15, they are distinguished by hatching. For example, the third light emitting molecule 17 can be selected from the above-described light emitting materials used for the light emitting molecule 13 and the first light emitting molecule 14.

  Note that the third light emitting molecule 17 may be used in combination with the second light emitting molecule 15 or may be used in combination with a combination of the first light emitting molecule 14 and the second light emitting molecule 15 with the organic molecule 16. Good. Further, the third light emitting molecule 17 may be used by being bonded with the first light emitting molecule 14 and the organic molecule 16. The combinations of these luminescent molecules are shown in Table 1 below.

  The third light-emitting molecule 17 is the first light-emitting molecule 15 when the second light-emitting molecule 15 does not emit light and the excitation energy of the first light-emitting molecule 14 is not used at all, or even when the second light-emitting molecule 15 emits light. When there is remaining excitation energy in the light emitting molecule 14, the light emitting molecule 14 receives the excitation energy of the first light emitting molecule 14 and emits light. Therefore, the light emission efficiency of the organic EL light emitting device 1 is improved.

  In addition, this invention is not restricted to the structure of said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible in the range which does not change the summary of invention. For example, in the drawings of the above embodiment, the organic EL light emitting device 1 having a photonic crystal structure in which the vertical holes 4 are arranged in a triangular lattice arrangement in a plan view is shown, but the vertical holes 4 are arranged in a square arrangement in a plan view. The organic EL light emitting device 1 having a photonic crystal structure may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Organic EL light-emitting device 2 Board | substrate 3 Organic EL element 5 Cathode 6 Organic layer 7 Anode 14 1st luminescent molecule 15 2nd luminescent molecule 16 Organic molecule 17 3rd luminescent molecule

Claims (5)

A substrate, and an organic EL element formed by laminating a cathode, an organic layer, and an anode on the substrate in this order from the substrate side. The anode has translucency, and the organic EL element An organic EL light emitting device having a nick crystal structure,
The organic layer is
A first light emitting molecule that is arranged in a substantially vertical direction with respect to the substrate and does not emit light even when in an excited state;
An organic EL light emitting device comprising: a second light emitting molecule that emits light upon receiving excitation energy of the first light emitting molecule.   2. The organic EL light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the second light emitting molecule has an energy level required for transition from a ground state to an excited state different from that of the first light emitting molecule.   The organic layer further includes an organic molecule that binds the first luminescent molecule and the second luminescent molecule and does not hinder the transfer of excitation energy between the first luminescent molecule and the second luminescent molecule. 2. The organic EL light emitting device according to 2.   4. The organic EL light emitting device according to claim 3, wherein the first light emitting molecule and the second light emitting molecule are combined so as to form a T-shaped structure or an L-shaped structure.   The organic layer further includes a third light emitting molecule that emits light by receiving excitation energy that does not move from the first light emitting molecule to the second light emitting molecule. The organic electroluminescent light-emitting device as described in any one.

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