JP2012104300A - Organic electroluminescent panel and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the high definition of display without bringing about a reduction in brightness.SOLUTION: There is included a vapor deposition process, in which a plurality of luminescent layers 30 composed of an organic material are formed on a circuit board 10 having a plurality of pixel electrodes 24 by means of vapor deposition using a vapor deposition mask 38 having a plurality of through holes 40. The plurality of pixel electrodes 24 are arranged so as to constitute plural rows. The plurality of through holes 40 are arranged so as to constitute plural rows, and are shaped to be long in a direction along the rows, with two or more of the through holes 40 lined up in each row. The number of pixel electrodes 24 lined up in each row is at least twice or more than the number of through holes 40 lined up in each row. In the vapor deposition process, two or more of pixel electrodes 24 lined up in any row are disposed inside the respective through holes 40, and the plurality of luminescent layers 30 are formed on the plurality of pixel electrodes 24.

Description

  The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescence panel and a method for manufacturing the same.

  In the method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence panel, a circuit board is placed on a vapor deposition mask, an organic material is evaporated by an evaporation source placed below the vapor deposition mask, and an organic film is formed on the circuit board (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP 2002-69619 A JP 2003-332057 A

  A vapor deposition mask for forming an organic film having a stripe arrangement has a long slit and a long and narrow rib, so that the rigidity is weak. Therefore, high definition is difficult. On the other hand, if an organic film is formed for each pixel, the slit of the vapor deposition mask can be reduced to increase its rigidity. However, since the organic film is reduced, the luminance is reduced.

  An object of the present invention is to achieve high definition without reducing luminance.

  (1) In the method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence panel according to the present invention, a plurality of light emitting layers made of an organic material are formed on a circuit board having a plurality of pixel electrodes by vapor deposition using a vapor deposition mask having a plurality of through holes. The plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged to form a plurality of rows, and the plurality of through holes are arranged to form a plurality of rows and are elongated in a direction along the rows. Two or more through holes are arranged in each row, and the number of the pixel electrodes arranged in each row is at least twice the number of the through holes arranged in each row, and in the vapor deposition step, Two or more of the pixel electrodes arranged in any one of the columns are arranged inside each of the through holes, and the plurality of light emitting layers are formed on the plurality of pixel electrodes. According to the present invention, since one through hole of the vapor deposition mask corresponds to two or more pixel electrodes, it is possible to form a large organic film and suppress a decrease in luminance. Moreover, since a rib is formed between two or more through holes in each row, it is possible to suppress a decrease in rigidity.

  (2) In the method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence panel described in (1), the plurality of pixel electrodes may be arranged so that intervals in the direction along the column are equal.

  (3) In the method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence panel according to (1), when the pixel electrodes arranged in each column are divided into a plurality of groups for each of two or more pixel electrodes, The pixel electrodes are arranged so that intervals in the direction along the column are equal, and each column belongs to the different group but the interval between a pair of adjacent pixel electrodes belongs to one common group. The pixel electrodes of each group may be arranged inside the respective through holes in the vapor deposition step that is larger than the interval between the pixel electrodes.

  (4) In the method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence panel according to any one of (1) to (3), the positions of the through holes arranged in the adjacent rows are along the rows. It is good also as the characteristic which has shifted | deviated mutually in the direction.

  (5) An organic electroluminescence panel according to the present invention includes a circuit board having a plurality of pixel electrodes, and a plurality of light emitting layers made of an organic material formed so as to be placed on the plurality of pixel electrodes. The pixel electrodes are arranged so as to form a plurality of columns, and the plurality of light emitting layers are arranged so as to form a plurality of columns and have a shape extending in the direction along the columns, Two or more of the light emitting layers are arranged at intervals, and the number of the pixel electrodes arranged in each column is at least twice as many as the number of the light emitting layers arranged in each column, and 2 arranged in any one of the columns. One light emitting layer is integrally and continuously formed on two or more pixel electrodes. According to the present invention, since one light emitting layer corresponds to two or more pixel electrodes, a large light emitting layer made of an organic material can be formed, and a reduction in luminance can be suppressed.

  (6) In the organic electroluminescence panel described in (5), the plurality of pixel electrodes may be arranged so that intervals in a direction along the column are equal.

  (7) In the organic electroluminescence panel described in (5), when the pixel electrodes arranged in each column are divided into a plurality of groups for each of two or more pixel electrodes, the pixel electrodes in each group are The pixel electrodes are arranged so that the intervals in the direction along the columns are equal, and belong to the different groups in each column, but the interval between a pair of adjacent pixel electrodes belongs to one common group. The pixel electrodes of each group may be located under each of the light emitting layers.

  (8) In the organic electroluminescence panel described in any one of (5) to (7), when the light emitting layers arranged in a plurality of columns are divided into a plurality of groups for every two or more adjacent columns In addition, the positions of the light emitting layers adjacent to each other in the adjacent groups may be shifted from each other in the direction along each column.

It is a figure explaining the organic electroluminescent panel which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows a part of vapor deposition mask used with the manufacturing method of the organic electroluminescent panel which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the manufacturing method of the organic electroluminescent panel which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the light emitting layer formed by vapor deposition. It is a figure explaining the organic electroluminescent panel which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an organic electroluminescence panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The organic electroluminescence panel has a circuit board 10. The circuit board 10 has a substrate 12 made of glass or the like. A semiconductor thin film 14 is formed on the substrate 12, a gate electrode 16 is formed thereon via an insulating film, and source / drain wirings 18 are formed so as to be electrically connected to the semiconductor thin film 14, whereby the thin film transistor 20. Is configured. An interlayer insulating film 22 is formed so as to cover the thin film transistor 20.

  The circuit board 10 has a plurality of pixel electrodes 24. The pixel electrode 24 is driven by the thin film transistor 20. A bank layer 26 made of, for example, an organic material is formed so as to open a part of the pixel electrode 24. A hole injection layer 28 is formed so as to be placed on the pixel electrode 24 through the opening of the bank layer 26, and a light emitting layer 30 is formed thereon. A plurality of light emitting layers 30 are formed so as to be placed on the plurality of pixel electrodes 24. The light emitting layer 30 is made of a known organic material that emits light when a voltage is applied. A common electrode 32 (for example, a cathode electrode) is formed on the light emitting layer 30, and a sealing plate 36 (for example, a glass plate) is provided thereon via a filling layer 34.

  Next, the manufacturing method of an organic electroluminescent panel is demonstrated. FIG. 2 is a view showing a part of a vapor deposition mask used in the method for manufacturing an organic electroluminescence panel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The vapor deposition mask 38 has a plurality of through holes 40. The plurality of through holes 40 are arranged in a plurality of rows. In FIG. 2, a plurality of through holes 40 are arranged in a row in the horizontal direction, and the rows of through holes 40 arranged in a row are arranged to form a plurality of rows in the vertical direction. That is, two or more through holes 40 are arranged in each row. Moreover, the through-hole 40 has a shape which becomes long in the direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 2) along the row. Although the shape of FIG. 2 is a rectangle, the shape of the both ends of a length direction is not specifically limited, It may be round or polygonal. All the through holes 40 are parallel in the length direction. The positions of the through holes 40 arranged in different rows adjacent to each other (upper and lower two rows in FIG. 2) are shifted from each other in the direction along each row. That is, the through holes 40 are alternately arranged in a staggered pattern or a zigzag pattern.

  In FIG. 2, the smallest outline of the through hole 40 is drawn in the plane of the vapor deposition mask 38. If the inner surface of the through hole 40 is perpendicular to the front and back surfaces of the vapor deposition mask 38, the size of the through hole 40 is constant, but the inner surface of the through hole 40 is inclined in the vapor deposition mask 38 of the present embodiment (see FIG. 3). That is, the through-hole 40 is configured such that the opening 42 on one surface (upper surface in FIG. 3) and the opening 44 on the other surface (lower surface in FIG. 3) communicate with each other. Is different. Further, the inner surface of the through hole 40 is inclined from the respective openings 42 and 44. That is, the inner surface of the through hole 40 is tapered from the openings 42 and 44 toward the center of the through hole 40. The taper angle on the smaller opening 42 side (the angle in the member formed by the surface and the inner surface) is larger than the taper angle on the larger opening 44 side (the angle in the member formed by the surface and the inner surface). ing. By using the structure in which the lower surface opening 44 is made larger than the upper surface opening 42 of the vapor deposition mask 38 in this way, the vapor deposition material is less likely to be shadowed at the edge of the vapor deposition mask 38 when obliquely incident. Can be formed uniformly.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing an organic electroluminescence panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment includes a vapor deposition process. Specifically, vapor deposition (physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition) using the vapor deposition mask 38 is performed on the circuit board 10.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the circuit board 10 is generally disposed on the vapor deposition mask 38. Further, the vapor deposition mask 38 directs the smaller opening 42 toward the circuit board 10. Then, a vapor deposition material (not shown) is heated, vaporized or sublimated, and attached to the surface of the circuit board 10 placed above to form a thin film (light emitting layer 30).

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the light emitting layer 30 formed by vapor deposition. The plurality of pixel electrodes 24 are arranged to form a plurality of columns. In FIG. 4, a row of pixel electrodes 24 are arranged in the horizontal direction. The number of pixel electrodes 24 arranged in each column (one row in the horizontal direction in FIG. 4) is at least twice the number of light emitting layers 30 arranged in each column (one row in the horizontal direction in FIG. 4). In other words, one light emitting layer 30 is integrally formed continuously on two or more pixel electrodes 24 arranged in any row (one row in the horizontal direction in FIG. 4). FIG. 4 shows the light emitting layer 30 formed by a single vapor deposition process. In this embodiment, the vapor deposition mask 38 is shifted and a plurality of vapor deposition processes are performed.

The plurality of pixel electrodes 24 are arranged so that intervals in the direction along the column (lateral direction in FIG. 4) are equal. The distance d ₁ between two or more pixel electrodes 24 under the same light emitting layer 30 is also equal to the distance d ₂ between adjacent pixel electrodes 24 under the adjacent light emitting layer 30 in each column. .

  According to this embodiment, since one light emitting layer 30 corresponds to two or more pixel electrodes 24, the light emitting layer 30 made of an organic material can be formed large, and a reduction in luminance can be suppressed. .

  The plurality of light emitting layers 30 are arranged in a plurality of rows. The light emitting layer 30 has a shape that becomes longer in the direction along the column. Two or more light emitting layers 30 are arranged at intervals in each row.

  In the present embodiment, in the vapor deposition process, two or more pixel electrodes 24 arranged in any row are arranged inside each through hole 40 to form a plurality of light emitting layers 30 on the plurality of pixel electrodes 24. To do. Accordingly, since one through hole 40 of the vapor deposition mask 38 corresponds to two or more pixel electrodes 24, an organic film can be formed large, and a reduction in luminance can be suppressed. Moreover, since a rib is formed between two or more through holes 40 in each row, it is possible to suppress a decrease in rigidity.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an organic electroluminescence panel according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, the pixel electrodes 124 arranged in each column (one column in the horizontal direction in FIG. 5) are divided into a plurality of groups for each of two or more pixel electrodes 124. Note that two or more pixel electrodes 124 positioned under the same light emitting layer 130 are made into one group.

The pixel electrodes 124 of each group are arranged so that the distance d _{21 in} the direction along the column is equal. However, distance d ₂₂ different pair of pixel electrodes although belonging to the group of adjacent 124 in each row is greater than the distance d ₂₁ of the pixel electrode 124 belonging to one common group. In this embodiment, the pixel electrodes 124 of each group are arranged inside each through hole of a vapor deposition mask (not shown) in the vapor deposition step.

  In the present embodiment, the light emitting layers 130 arranged in a plurality of columns are divided into a plurality of groups for every two or more adjacent columns. In the example of FIG. 5, the light emitting layers 130 arranged in three rows form one group. In this case, the positions of the light emitting layers 130 adjacent to each other in the adjacent groups are shifted from each other in the direction along each column. This content also corresponds to the first embodiment.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made. For example, the configuration described in the embodiment can be replaced with substantially the same configuration, a configuration that exhibits the same operational effects, or a configuration that can achieve the same purpose.

  10 circuit board, 12 substrate, 14 semiconductor thin film, 16 gate electrode, 18 source / drain wiring, 20 thin film transistor, 22 interlayer insulating film, 24 pixel electrode, 26 bank layer, 28 hole injection layer, 30 light emitting layer, 32 common electrode, 34 filling layer, 36 sealing plate, 38 vapor deposition mask, 40 through hole, 42 opening, 44 opening, 124 pixel electrode, 130 light emitting layer.

Claims (8)

A circuit board having a plurality of pixel electrodes includes a vapor deposition step of forming a plurality of light emitting layers made of an organic material by vapor deposition using a vapor deposition mask having a plurality of through holes,
The plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged to form a plurality of columns,
The plurality of through holes are arranged to form a plurality of rows, have a shape that is elongated in the direction along the rows, and two or more through holes are arranged in each row,
The number of the pixel electrodes arranged in each column is at least twice the number of the through holes arranged in each column,
In the vapor deposition step, two or more pixel electrodes arranged in any one of the columns are arranged inside each through hole, and the plurality of light emitting layers are formed on the plurality of pixel electrodes. A manufacturing method of an organic electroluminescence panel characterized by the above. In the manufacturing method of the organic electroluminescent panel described in Claim 1,
The method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence panel, wherein the plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged so that intervals in a direction along the column are equal. In the manufacturing method of the organic electroluminescent panel described in Claim 1,
When the pixel electrodes arranged in each column are divided into a plurality of groups for each of two or more pixel electrodes, the pixel electrodes in each group are arranged so that the intervals in the direction along the column are equal. ,
An interval between a pair of adjacent pixel electrodes belonging to different groups in each column is larger than the interval between the pixel electrodes belonging to one common group,
The method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence panel, wherein the pixel electrodes of each group are arranged inside each through hole in the vapor deposition step. In the manufacturing method of the organic electroluminescent panel as described in any one of Claim 1 to 3,
The method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence panel, wherein the positions of the through holes arranged in adjacent rows are different from each other in the direction along the row. A circuit board having a plurality of pixel electrodes;
A plurality of light-emitting layers made of an organic material formed to be placed on the plurality of pixel electrodes;
Including
The plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged to form a plurality of columns,
The plurality of light emitting layers are arranged to form a plurality of rows, have a shape that is elongated in a direction along the rows, and two or more light emitting layers are arranged at intervals in each row,
The number of the pixel electrodes arranged in each column is at least twice the number of the light emitting layers arranged in each column,
One organic light-emitting layer is integrally formed continuously on two or more pixel electrodes arranged in any one of the columns. The organic electroluminescence panel according to claim 5,
The organic electroluminescence panel, wherein the plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged so that intervals in a direction along the column are equal. The organic electroluminescence panel according to claim 5,
When the pixel electrodes arranged in each column are divided into a plurality of groups for each of two or more pixel electrodes, the pixel electrodes in each group are arranged so that the intervals in the direction along the column are equal. ,
An interval between a pair of adjacent pixel electrodes belonging to different groups in each column is larger than the interval between the pixel electrodes belonging to one common group,
2. The organic electroluminescence panel according to claim 1, wherein the pixel electrodes of each group are located under each of the light emitting layers. In the organic electroluminescence panel according to any one of claims 5 to 7,
When the light emitting layers arranged in a plurality of columns are divided into a plurality of groups for each of two or more adjacent columns, the positions of the light emitting layers adjacent to each other in the adjacent groups are in a direction along each of the columns. An organic electroluminescence panel characterized by being shifted from each other.

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