JP2014002960A - Surface emitting panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surface emitting panel which can inhibit reduction in light intensity and which can emit good irradiation light even when the size of the surface emitting panel grows.SOLUTION: A surface emitting panel including a plurality of organic EL elements comprises: a transparent substrate including on a surface, a plurality of element formation regions in which the plurality of organic EL elements are to be formed, and including a groove along at least one edge of each of the plurality of element formation regions and outside the element formation region; a translucent first electrode formed at least in each element formation region; an organic layer formed on the first electrode; a second electrode formed on the organic layer; and a main distribution line which is formed inside the groove and electrically connected to the first electrodes, for supplying power to each of the plurality of organic EL elements.

Description

  The present invention relates to a surface emitting panel used for illumination.

  Incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lamps have been widely used as illumination devices. On the other hand, recent surface-emitting lighting devices are attracting attention as next-generation lighting because they can irradiate light with a soft impression and are excellent in energy saving performance, and organic electroluminescence (organic EL ( Electro Luminescence), OEL: Organic Electro Luminescence), inorganic electroluminescence, or a combination of a light emitting diode and a light guide plate has been developed. Among these, organic EL has been attracting attention because it can reduce the size and weight of the device and generate a small amount of heat.

  Organic EL refers to a phenomenon in which energy is applied to a light emitting material made of an organic substance by applying a voltage, and energy is released as light when the excited light emitting material returns to its original state. An organic EL element which is a light emitting element using organic EL technology includes an organic layer containing a light emitting material made of an organic substance and two electrodes (a cathode and an anode) facing each other so as to sandwich the organic layer. A structure in which layers are sequentially stacked is generally used.

  Since the organic EL can change the emission wavelength by changing the type of the light emitting material, white light can be obtained from the organic EL element by mixing, for example, three types of light emitting materials of red, green, and blue. it can. Further, for example, by forming two or more types of organic EL elements containing different light emitting materials alternately in a stripe shape, a variable color lighting panel that supplies current independently to each organic EL element can be obtained. .

  Such lighting panels can be used for general lighting applications, and can also be used in buildings, interiors of vehicles, exteriors, and the like. An example in which a light-emitting panel using an organic EL element is used as general illumination is described in Patent Document 1, for example.

  Further, in illumination using an organic EL element, the luminance per unit area is generally smaller than that of a conventional light bulb or fluorescent lamp, and it is required to increase the area of the light emitting portion in order to increase the amount of light. . For this reason, a method of arranging a plurality of surface emitting panels and increasing the area of the light emitting portion is used. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a surface light emitting panel in which a light emitting portion is enlarged.

JP 2011-18483 A JP 2010-177048 A

  In surface-emitting illumination using an organic EL element, a large light-emitting body can be formed by arranging a large number of surface-emitting panels as described above. However, manufacturing a large number of small surface emitting panels increases the production cost per unit area as compared to manufacturing a small number of large surface emitting panels. Furthermore, various wirings such as power lines and signal lines supplied to each surface light emitting panel are complicated, and the burden of the mounting work is large. Therefore, it is desired to use a large surface emitting panel for forming a large light emitter (panel group).

  However, the conventional technology has a problem that when the size of the surface light emitting panel is increased, a voltage drop of the electrode of the organic EL element is partially generated. In a normal organic EL surface-emitting panel, an anode, an organic layer, and a cathode, which are transparent electrodes, are sequentially laminated on a transparent substrate, and light generated in the organic layer passes through the transparent electrode and the substrate and is transmitted through the surface-emitting panel. Radiated to the outside. The power supply to the transparent electrode is made through the power supply terminal at the end of the panel, but the transparent electrode such as indium tin oxide (ITO) is a low resistance metal such as aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu). Since the resistance is higher than the voltage, a voltage drop occurs at a position away from the power supply terminal such as the center of the panel. In order to suppress such a voltage drop, there is a method of providing an auxiliary electrode made of a thin wire such as Al in contact with a transparent electrode. However, since the metal auxiliary electrode is opaque, it is compared from the viewpoint of avoiding a decrease in the amount of light. A thick auxiliary electrode could not be used, and the resistance of the auxiliary electrode could not be lowered sufficiently. Therefore, when the size of the surface light emitting panel becomes very large, a voltage drop still occurs at a position away from the power supply terminal, the light emission luminance is lowered, and the surface light emitting panel itself becomes dark. In view of such a problem, the size of the surface emitting panel that can obtain good characteristics is limited to about 10 cm square.

  In order to solve such a voltage drop problem and increase the size of a surface emitting panel, a low-resistance main wiring that divides the light-emitting area on the substrate into dimensions that do not cause a voltage drop and supplies power to the light-emitting area. It is conceivable to provide a gap between the light emitting regions.

  However, even in such a case, in order to sufficiently reduce the resistance value of the main wiring, it is necessary to sufficiently increase the cross-sectional area of the main wiring. When the width is increased, the non-light emitting portion between the light emitting regions is widened as in the case described above, leading to a reduction in the amount of light, and further, there is no overall sense of unity as surface emitting illumination. In addition, when the height of the main wiring is increased and the top of the main wiring protrudes greatly from the substrate surface, the area near the main wiring is reduced when the organic layer or the counter electrode is formed by a vacuum process. Due to the influence of the shadow of the main wiring, there arises a problem that the film cannot be satisfactorily formed. Furthermore, when using inkjet coating, there is a possibility that the nozzle collides with the main wiring.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a subject, The place made into the objective suppresses the fall of a light quantity, and irradiates favorable irradiation light, when the dimension of a surface emitting panel is enlarged. An object of the present invention is to provide a surface emitting panel that can be used.

  In order to achieve the above object, a surface light emitting panel of the present invention is a surface light emitting panel including a plurality of organic EL elements, a plurality of element forming regions in which the plurality of organic EL elements are formed, and the plurality of elements. A transparent substrate provided on the surface with a groove formed along at least one side of each of the formation regions and outside the element formation region, a first electrode formed at least in the element formation region and having translucency; An organic layer formed on the first electrode; a second electrode formed on the organic layer; and a plurality of organic EL elements formed in the groove and electrically connected to the first electrode. And a main wiring for supplying power to each of the elements.

  In the surface light emitting panel described above, the groove may be formed so as to partition each of the plurality of element formation regions.

  In any one of the surface light-emitting panels described above, the main wiring is preferably made of a conductive material having a lower resistivity than that of the conductive material forming the first electrode.

  Any one of the above-described surface emitting panels may further include at least one or more linear third electrodes that are directly connected to the first electrode and provided in the element formation region. .

  In the case of having the third electrode described above, the third electrode may be formed on the first electrode and on the opposite side of the transparent substrate, or between the first electrode and the transparent substrate. It may be formed between.

  In any of the above-described surface emitting panels, the main wiring may be covered with a first insulating film.

  In the case of having the third electrode described above, the third electrode may be covered with a second insulating film.

  In any of the surface light-emitting panels described above, a non-translucent material may be deposited between the bottom surface of the groove and the main wiring.

  In the surface light emitting panel according to the present invention, the main wiring is formed in the groove formed in the transparent substrate. By using such a structure, the width of the main wiring can be further reduced. As a result, the area of the non-light emitting area of the surface light emitting panel is reduced, a sufficient amount of light can be secured, and the non light emitting area can be made inconspicuous compared to the light emitting area. When used for surface-emitting illumination, the overall sense of unity of the surface-emitting illumination can be improved.

  From the above, even when the surface light emitting panel according to the present invention is enlarged, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the amount of light accompanying the increase in the non-light emitting region described above and to provide good irradiation light. .

FIG. 3 is a schematic bottom view showing an example of a surface light emitting panel according to Example 1. It is sectional drawing of the surface emitting panel which follows the II-II line | wire in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the surface emitting panel which follows the III-III line | wire in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the surface emitting panel which follows the IV-IV line | wire in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the surface emitting panel which concerns on the modification shown by the cross section similar to FIG. It is sectional drawing of the transparent substrate which concerns on the modification shown with the cross section similar to FIG. 6 is a schematic bottom view showing an example of a surface light emitting panel according to Example 2. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the surface emitting panel which follows the XV-XV line | wire in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the surface emitting panel which follows the XVI-XVI line | wire in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the surface emitting panel which follows the XVII-XVII line in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG. It is sectional drawing in each manufacturing process corresponding to sectional drawing in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on examples and modifications with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited to the content demonstrated below, In the range which does not change the summary, it can change arbitrarily and can implement. In addition, the drawings used for explaining each embodiment and modification schematically show the surface light emitting panel according to the present invention, and partial emphasis, enlargement, reduction, omission, etc. are made for better understanding. In some cases, it does not accurately represent the scale or shape of each component. Furthermore, the various numerical values used in each embodiment and modification are only examples, and can be variously changed as necessary.

(Configuration of surface emitting panel)
FIG. 1 is a schematic bottom view showing an example of a surface emitting panel 1 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, an anode, an organic layer, and a cathode, which will be described later, are not shown in order to facilitate understanding of the structures of main wirings and auxiliary electrodes, which will be described later, in the surface light emitting panel 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the surface emitting panel 1 taken along line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the surface-emitting panel 1 taken along the line III-III in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the surface light emitting panel 1 taken along line IV-IV in FIG.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 1 to 4, the surface emitting panel 1 covers the transparent substrate 2, the main wiring 3 provided in the transparent substrate 2, the auxiliary electrode 4 connected to the main wiring 3, and the auxiliary electrode 4. The anode 5 is provided on the anode 5, the organic layer 6 is provided on the anode 5, and the cathode 7 is provided on the organic layer 6. That is, in the present invention, the first electrode corresponds to the anode 5, the second electrode corresponds to the cathode 7, and the third electrode corresponds to the auxiliary electrode 4. The same applies to Example 2 described later. In this embodiment, two organic EL elements 8 each including the anode 5, the organic layer 6, and the cathode 7 are formed. Note that the number of the organic EL elements 8 is not limited to two, and can be appropriately changed according to the use application of the surface light emitting panel 1 or the like.

  In this embodiment, the transparent substrate 2 is a glass substrate having translucency, and its planar shape is a rectangle. The transparent substrate 2 may be a substrate having a property of transmitting visible light, and may be made of various materials such as a resin such as ceramics, polyester, polymethacrylate, polycarbonate, and polyether sulfone.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a groove 11 is formed on the first surface 2 a side of the transparent substrate 2, and a main wiring 3 is formed inside the groove 11. More specifically, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the first surface 2a of the transparent substrate 2 is formed with three grooves 11a extending in the short side direction, and one end of the three grooves 11a. One groove 11b extending in the long side direction is formed so as to connect the two. One of the three grooves 11 a reaches the outer edge of the transparent substrate 2. In the following, when any of the groove 11a and the groove 11b is not specified, it is also simply referred to as the groove 11. Moreover, in the transparent substrate 2 in a present Example, the surface located on the opposite side to the 1st surface 2a of the transparent substrate 2 is defined as the 2nd surface 2b.

  The depth of the groove 11 is preferably 0.1 mm or more in order to sufficiently reduce the resistance value of the main wiring 3 formed in the groove 11. More preferably, it is 0.2 mm or more. Moreover, since the thickness of the transparent substrate 2 of the part in which the groove | channel 11 is formed will become small if the groove | channel 11 is too deep, and it will become difficult to ensure mechanical durability, the part in which the groove | channel 11 is formed The thickness of the transparent substrate 2 is preferably 0.1 mm or more. More preferably, it is 0.2 mm or more. In addition, when the transparent substrate 2 is formed from a resin, the thickness of the substrate in the portion where the groove 11 is formed is 0.01 mm or more because it has durability even if it is thinner than glass or the like. It is preferable that More preferably, it is 0.02 mm or more.

  Similar to the depth of the groove 11, the width of the groove 11 is preferably 0.1 mm or more in order to sufficiently reduce the resistance value of the main wiring 3 formed in the groove 11. More preferably, it is 0.3 mm or more. On the other hand, if the width of the groove 11 is too wide, the width of the main wiring 3 formed in the groove 11 becomes large, and the non-light emitting portion on the light emitting surface of the transparent substrate 2 (that is, the second surface 2b which is the light emitting surface). Therefore, the width of the groove 11 is preferably 3 mm or less. More preferably, it is 2.0 mm or less.

  By forming such grooves 11 a and grooves 11 b on the first surface 2 a of the transparent substrate 2, three directions on the first surface 2 a are surrounded by the grooves 11 on the first surface 2 a of the transparent substrate 2. Two element formation regions 2c are thus formed. In other words, the grooves 11 are formed along the three sides of the element formation region 2c and outside the element formation region 2c.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 2 to 4, the cross-sectional shape of the groove 11 in this embodiment is a square such as a square or a rectangle. However, if the connection with the auxiliary electrode 4 and a relatively low resistance value can be secured, It is not limited to such a shape. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the groove 11 may be a semicircle.

  As described above, the main wiring 3 is formed inside the groove 11. That is, the main wiring 3 is formed so as to surround the element formation region 2 c and is electrically connected to the anode 5 of the organic EL element 8 so that electric power can be supplied to the organic EL element 8. . The electrical connection will be described later. As shown in FIG. 1, one end of the main wiring 3 reaches the outer edge of the transparent substrate 2, and a portion exposed from the side surface of the transparent substrate 2 functions as the external connection terminal 12. With such a configuration of the main wiring 3, it becomes possible to easily supply driving power to the organic EL element 8 from the outside of the surface light emitting panel 1.

  The material of the main wiring 3 is composed of a low resistance metal having a relatively small resistance value such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), copper (Cu), or aluminum (Al). It is preferable. In order to improve corrosion resistance and mechanical strength, titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), indium (In), boron (B), carbon (C), or phosphorus ( Additives such as P) may be added. Furthermore, poly (ethylenedioxy-thiophene) -polystyrene sulfonic acid (PDOT: PSS) may be used as the material of the main wiring 3.

  For the purpose of preventing voltage drop at the anode 5, the main wiring 3 is preferably made of a conductive material having a lower resistivity than the conductive material constituting the anode 5. 2 to 4, the main wiring 3 is provided so as to completely fill the groove 11. However, the main wiring 3 may not completely fill the groove 11 or may slightly protrude from the groove 11. .

  As can be seen from FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, a stripe-shaped auxiliary electrode 4 is formed on a part of the transparent substrate 2 and the main wiring 3. More specifically, the auxiliary electrode 4 is provided in the element formation region 2c so as to connect the main wirings 3 which are parallel to the groove 11b and located in the groove 11a. The auxiliary electrode 4 is directly connected to the main wiring 3 at both ends thereof. In the present embodiment, twelve auxiliary electrodes 4 are formed in the element formation region 2c, but the number thereof is not limited and depends on the dimensions of the element formation region 2c, the characteristics of the surface emitting panel 1, and the like. Can be changed as appropriate.

  The material of the auxiliary electrode 4 is preferably made of a low resistance metal having a relatively small resistance value such as Au, Ag, Pt, Cu, or Al. Moreover, in order to improve corrosion resistance and mechanical strength, additives such as Ti, Si, In, B, C, or P may be added to the above-described low resistance metal. Furthermore, PDOT: PSS may be used as the material of the auxiliary electrode 4.

  The width of the auxiliary electrode 4 is smaller than the width of the main wiring 3 (that is, the width of the groove 11). Here, the width of the auxiliary electrode 4 is preferably 0.8 mm or less, for example. This is because the auxiliary electrode 4 is made of a material having no translucency, such as a low-resistance metal, so that light emitted from the organic EL element 8 formed in the element formation region 2c is blocked. This is to prevent the non-light emitting portion of the surface light emitting panel 1 itself from increasing. In order to make the resistance value of the auxiliary electrode 4 smaller, the width of the auxiliary electrode 4 is preferably 0.05 mm or more, for example. This is because the auxiliary electrode 4 is provided to suppress the voltage drop of the anode 5 as described later.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 2 to 4, the anode 5 is formed on the first surface 2 a of the transparent substrate 2 so as to cover the auxiliary electrode 4. The anode 5 is not directly connected to the main wiring 3 but is electrically connected to the main wiring 3 via the auxiliary electrode 4. That is, the anode 5 is formed only in the element formation region 2c. With such a configuration, the power supplied from the external connection terminal 12 is supplied to the anode 5 via the main wiring 3 and the auxiliary electrode 4.

  In this embodiment, the anode 5 is made of indium tin oxide (ITO). By forming the anode 5 from ITO, the anode 5 has a function of injecting holes into the organic layer 6 functioning as a light emitting layer, and has translucency for light emission of each color in the organic layer 6. ing. That is, the anode 5 functions as a transparent electrode.

  The anode 5 is not limited to being made of ITO, and has a function of injecting holes into the organic layer 6 and has translucency for light emission of each color in the organic layer 6. If it is, for example, it may be composed of a metal oxide such as indium zinc oxide, a conductive polymer such as poly (3-methylthiophene), polypyrrole, or the like.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, an organic layer 6 is laminated on the anode 5. The organic layer 6 is made of, for example, a low molecular layered EL material in which a plurality of layers are stacked. More specifically, the organic layer 6 has a structure in which a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer are stacked in this order from the anode 5 side.

  The hole injection layer and the hole transport layer are preferably formed of a hole transporting material, and include an aromatic amine derivative, a phthalocyanine derivative, a porphyrin derivative, an oligothiophene derivative, a polythiophene derivative, a benzylphenyl derivative, and a fluorene group. Examples include tertiary amine linked compounds, hydrazone derivatives, silazane derivatives, silanamine derivatives, phosphamine derivatives, quinacridone derivatives, polyaniline derivatives, polypyrrole derivatives, polyphenylene vinylene derivatives, polythienylene vinylene derivatives, polyquinoline derivatives, polyquinoxaline derivatives, carbon, etc. It is done. The electron transport layer is preferably formed of an electron transport material, for example, a metal complex such as an aluminum complex of 8-hydroxyquinoline, a metal complex of 10-hydroxybenzo [h] quinoline, an oxadiazole derivative. , Distyryl biphenyl derivatives, silole derivatives, 3-hydroxyflavone metal complexes, 5-hydroxyflavone metal complexes, benzoxazole metal complexes, benzothiazole metal complexes, trisbenzimidazolylbenzene, quinoxaline compounds, phenanthroline derivatives, 2-t-butyl- 9,10-N, N′-dicyanoanthraquinone diimine, n-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide, n-type zinc sulfide, n-type zinc selenide and the like can be mentioned. The electron injection layer is preferably made of a metal having a low work function. Examples include alkali metals such as sodium and cesium, and alkaline earth metals such as barium and calcium.

Moreover, in order to irradiate white light from the surface light emission panel 1 in a present Example, the light emitting layer has the laminated structure of 3 layers further. Specifically, it is composed of a red light emitting layer that emits red light, a green light emitting layer that emits green light, and a blue light emitting layer that emits blue light. The red light-emitting layer includes, for example, DCM (4- (dicyanomethylene) -2-methyl-6- (p-dimethylaminostyryl) -4H-pyran) -based compound, benzopyran derivative, rhodamine derivative, benzothioxanthene derivative, azabenzothioxanthene derivative A light emitting material such as the above may be used. For the green light emitting layer, a light emitting material such as an aluminum complex such as a quinacridone derivative, a coumarin derivative, or Al (C ₉ H ₆ NO) ₃ may be used. For the blue light-emitting layer, a light-emitting material such as naphthalene, perylene, pyrene, anthracene, coumarin, p-bis (2-phenylethenyl) benzene, and derivatives thereof may be used. The light emitting material mentioned above may use only any one type in each light emitting layer, and may use two or more types together by arbitrary combinations and ratios.

  Thus, since red light, green light, and blue light are emitted from the light emitting layer in the present embodiment, pseudo white light that is a composite light of these is emitted from the organic EL element 8. Thus, the surface light emitting panel 1 according to the present embodiment can emit pseudo white light.

  The organic layer 6 may be composed of a polymer dispersed EL material in which a light emitting material for red light, a light emitting material for green light, and a light emitting material for blue light are uniformly dispersed.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a cathode 7 is laminated on the organic layer 6. In the present embodiment, the cathode 7 is made of aluminum since it does not need to have translucency. The cathode 7 is not limited to aluminum, and for example, a metal such as tin (Sn), magnesium (Mg), indium (In), calcium (Ca), Ag, or an alloy thereof may be used. Good. Specific examples of the alloy include an alloy electrode having a low work function such as an Mg—Ag alloy, an Mg—In alloy, and an Al—lithium (Li) alloy.

  Although not shown, the surface of the surface light emitting panel 1 on the cathode 7 side is usually provided with a sealing structure for preventing deterioration of the organic EL element 8 due to oxidation. The sealing structure may cover the entire surface of the organic EL element 8 with a resin or the like, or may be a cover made of plastic or the like that covers the organic EL element 8 as a whole. Further, a protective layer, a light diffusing portion, or the like may be further provided on the sealing structure. The same applies to the following embodiments.

(Method for manufacturing surface-emitting panel)
Next, a method for manufacturing the surface light emitting panel 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 11 are cross-sectional views in each manufacturing process corresponding to the cross-sectional view in FIG.

  First, a transparent substrate 2 made of glass is prepared (FIG. 5). Next, the groove 11 is formed on the first surface 2 a of the prepared transparent substrate 2. Specifically, the groove 11 is formed on the first surface 2a of the transparent substrate 2 by performing known wet etching or dry etching. Moreover, after heating the transparent substrate 2 and softening the 1st surface 2a, you may use the method of forming the groove | channel 11 by pressing the type | mold corresponding to the groove | channel 11. FIG. When the transparent substrate 2 is made of a resin material, the transparent substrate 2 and the groove 11 may be formed simultaneously by injection molding using a mold. By forming the groove 11, the first surface 2 a of the transparent substrate 2 is partitioned and an element formation region 2 c is formed (FIG. 6).

  After the groove 11 is formed, the main wiring 3 made of a low resistance metal is formed inside the groove 11 (FIG. 7). Specifically, the main wiring 3 is formed by using a well-known printing technique such as ink jet printing, screen printing, letterpress printing, or the like using ink containing low-resistance metal fine particles. Alternatively, a mask having an opening corresponding to the groove 11 may be used, and the main wiring 3 may be formed by deposition or sputtering in the groove 11 or only in the groove 11 using photolithography. The main wiring 3 may be formed so that the metal film remains.

  In the method for manufacturing the surface light emitting panel 1 according to the present embodiment, since the main wiring 3 is formed in the groove 11 formed in the first surface 2a of the transparent substrate 2, the main wiring 3 is formed. The first surface 2a of the transparent substrate 2 is flat. For this reason, in each manufacturing process of the anode 5, the organic layer 6, and the cathode 7 described later, the main wiring 3 does not interfere with the manufacturing process, and the organic EL element 8 is formed on the first surface 2a of the transparent substrate 2. Can be easily formed.

  After the main wiring 3 is formed, twelve auxiliary electrodes 4 made of a low-resistance metal are formed in the element formation region 2c defined by the grooves 11 on the first surface 2a of the transparent substrate 2 (FIG. 8). ). At this time, each of the 12 auxiliary electrodes 4 is formed so that both ends thereof are in contact with the main wiring 3. As a specific forming method, there is a method of forming the auxiliary electrode 4 by patterning a low-resistance metal film formed by a vacuum process such as vapor deposition or sputtering by photolithography. Also, using a mask having an opening corresponding to the position where the auxiliary electrode 4 is formed, and using a method of forming the auxiliary electrode 4 by forming a low-resistance metal film at the position of the opening by a vacuum process such as vapor deposition or sputtering. Also good. Further, by using a known printing technique such as ink jet printing, screen printing, letterpress printing, or the like for ink containing low-resistance metal fine particles, ink is printed at a desired position to form the auxiliary electrode 4. Also good.

  After the auxiliary electrode 4 is formed, the anode 5 of the organic EL element 8 is formed on the first surface 2a of the transparent substrate 2 and in the element forming region 2c (FIG. 9). At this time, the anode 5 is formed so as to cover the auxiliary electrode 4. As a specific method for forming the anode 5, a known film formation method such as sputtering or vacuum deposition is used, and ITO is formed in the element formation region 2c. In addition, after forming the anode 5, it is preferable to apply ultraviolet irradiation or ozone treatment to the anode 5 in order to remove impurities adhering to the anode 5 and adjust the ionization potential to improve the hole injection property.

  After forming the anode 5, an organic layer 6 is laminated so as to cover the upper surface of the anode 5 (FIG. 10). For the specific formation of the organic layer 6, known organic EL film forming techniques such as vapor deposition, sputtering, spin coating, and ink jet printing can be used. In addition, the formation method of the organic layer 6 can be suitably selected according to the dimension of the surface emitting panel 1 itself, and the kind of luminescent material which forms the organic layer 6. FIG.

  After forming the organic layer 6, the cathode 7 of the organic EL element 8 is laminated so as to cover the upper surface of the organic layer 6 (FIG. 11). As a specific method for forming the cathode 7, a known film forming method such as sputtering or vacuum deposition is used, and aluminum is formed on the upper surface of the organic layer 6. In addition, after the cathode 7 is formed, it is preferable to subject the cathode 7 to ultraviolet irradiation or ozone treatment in order to remove impurities adhering to the cathode 7 and adjust the ionization potential to improve the hole injection property.

  If the top of the main wiring 3 protrudes greatly from the substrate surface, there is a risk that the ink jet nozzle will collide with the main wiring 3 when the organic layer 6 is formed by ink jetting. Further, during sputtering, vacuum deposition, or the like, a phenomenon called so-called shadowing occurs in which the flying particles are blocked by the main wiring 3 and the film thickness in a nearby region becomes thin. In the present invention, by embedding the main wiring 3 in the groove 11, the main wiring 3 can be prevented from protruding from the surface of the transparent substrate 2. Thereby, the collision of the nozzle mentioned above, or the shadowing in the vacuum process formation of the organic layer 6 or the cathode 7 can also be reduced.

  By passing through the process mentioned above, the organic EL element 8 which consists of the anode 5, the organic layer 6, and the cathode 7 is formed in the element formation area 2c. Then, two organic EL elements 8 are formed on the first surface 2a of the transparent substrate 2, and the manufacture of the surface light emitting panel 1 is completed.

(Effect of this embodiment)
In the surface light emitting panel 1 according to the present embodiment, the main wiring 3 is formed in the groove 11 formed in the first surface 2 a of the transparent substrate 2. By using such a structure, the width of the main wiring 3 that is a non-light-emitting region can be further reduced by increasing the length of the groove 11 in the depth direction. That is, the area of the non-light emitting region (that is, the region where the main wiring 3 is formed) on the light emitting surface side (that is, the second surface 2b side of the transparent substrate 2) of the surface light emitting panel 1 is reduced, and a sufficient amount of light is obtained. Can be secured.

  Further, since the width of the main wiring 3 is reduced, the interval between the light emitting regions which are the element forming regions 2c can be reduced, and the non-light emitting regions can be made inconspicuous compared with the light emitting regions. That is, when the surface emitting panel 1 is used for surface emitting illumination, the overall sense of unity of the surface emitting illumination can be improved.

  From the above, even when the surface light emitting panel 1 according to the present embodiment is enlarged, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the amount of light accompanying the increase in the non-light emitting region described above and to provide good irradiation light. become.

  In the surface light emitting panel 1 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of auxiliary electrodes 4 are formed on the surface of the light-transmitting anode 5. Since the resistance value of the auxiliary electrode 4 is smaller than that of the anode 5, a voltage drop generated in the anode 5 having a relatively high resistance value is suppressed by the presence of the auxiliary electrode 4. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the reduction in the amount of light in the surface light emitting panel 1 is suppressed by reducing the width of the auxiliary electrode 4.

  Further, as described above, since the main wiring 3 is embedded in the groove 11 in the present invention, the main wiring 3 can be prevented from protruding from the surface of the transparent substrate 2, so that the nozzle collides with the main wiring 3 in the case of inkjet. Alternatively, shadowing in the vacuum process can be reduced.

(Modified example of filling groove)
In the embodiment described above, since the main wiring 3 itself is not transparent, when the transparent substrate 2 is viewed from the second surface 2b side of the transparent substrate 2, the metallic luster of the main wiring 3 can be seen, and the surface emitting panel. Lighting using 1 may impair the beauty. A surface-emitting panel that solves such a problem will be described as a modification of this embodiment with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a surface emitting panel according to a modification shown in the same cross section as FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same structural member as the surface emitting panel 1 which concerns on the Example mentioned above, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 12, in the surface emitting panel 1 ′ according to the modification, the coloring material 21 is provided at the bottom of the groove 3, and the main wiring 3 is laminated on the coloring material 21. The coloring material 21 is a general dye or pigment, and the color thereof is not particularly limited, and is appropriately determined according to the color and color temperature of light emitted from the element formation region 2c (that is, the light emitting region). It may be changed. Further, as a method for forming the coloring material 21, a method of applying an ink containing coloring material particles having a desired color to the bottom of the groove 11 using a known printing technique such as ink jet printing, screen printing, or relief printing. It may be.

  It is also possible to use an opaque dielectric for the coloring material 21. In such a case, a mask having an opening corresponding to the groove 11 is used, and the dielectric is formed in the groove 11 by vapor deposition or sputtering. As a result, the coloring material 21 is formed.

  In this modification, by providing the coloring material 21 at the bottom of the groove 11, the main wiring 3 is not seen even when the transparent substrate 2 is viewed from the second surface 2 b side of the transparent substrate 2. Then, the color of the coloring material 21 is appropriately selected so that the color of the coloring material 21 is not conspicuous compared with the color of the light emitting region which is the element formation region 2b, thereby transparent from the second surface 2b side of the transparent substrate 2 Even when the substrate 2 is viewed, the influence of the coloring material 21 is reduced, and the illumination using the surface light emitting panel 1 does not impair the aesthetic appearance.

  On the other hand, the color of the coloring material 21 may be appropriately selected so that the presence of the coloring material 21 has design. For example, the color of the coloring material 21 can be appropriately selected so as to be a frame of the light emitting region that is the element forming region 2b. Even in such a case, when the transparent substrate 2 is viewed from the second surface 2b side of the transparent substrate 2, illumination using the surface light emitting panel 1 does not impair the beauty.

(Modified example of transparent substrate)
In the embodiment described above, the transparent substrate 2 is made of a single glass, and the grooves 11 are formed directly on the glass plate which is the transparent substrate 2. However, a laminate in which a plurality of materials are laminated is used as a transparent substrate, and an upper layer is formed. A transparent substrate in which grooves are formed may be formed by patterning the material located in the substrate. Such a transparent substrate will be described as a modification with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a transparent substrate according to a modification shown in the same cross section as FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the transparent substrate 31 according to the present modification includes a glass layer 32 made of glass and a resin layer 33 laminated on the glass layer 32. The resin layer 33 is patterned, and an opening is formed in a part thereof. In the present modification, the same groove 11 as that in the above-described embodiment is formed in the transparent substrate 31 by the opening and the surface of the glass layer 32.

  The transparent substrate 31 is not limited to the laminated body of the glass layer 32 and the resin layer 33 as described above, and any known material can be used as long as it can transmit light emitted from the organic EL element 8. Various materials can be used. At this time, the material of the upper layer having the opening is not only a known printing technique such as screen printing, but also a method of curing the resin after pressing the mold of the concavo-convex pattern onto a soft resin, or a thin film formed by spin coating or the like. It may be formed by patterning by lithography.

  In such a modified example, a material that has translucency but is difficult to be processed can be used as a member of a transparent substrate, and when the width of selection of a member of the transparent substrate is widened, At the same time, the cost can be reduced.

  In the above-described embodiment, the groove 11 includes the three grooves 11a juxtaposed and the groove 11b that temporarily connects the grooves 11a. However, the shape of the groove 11 is not limited to such a shape. Instead, it suffices if it is formed along at least one side of each element formation region 2c and outside the element formation region 2c. For example, of the three grooves 11a, two grooves 11a located on the outer edge side of the transparent substrate 2 may be removed. Even in such a case, only the groove 11a located at the central portion of the first surface 2a of the transparent substrate 2 is partitioned into two element forming regions 2c, and the groove 11a located at the central portion is defined as the element forming region. It is along one side of 2c. Since the main wiring 3 is a non-light emitting region, it is preferable to reduce its width and forming region as much as possible. Therefore, it is preferable to reduce the number of the grooves 11a.

(Other variations)
Further, even if the auxiliary electrode 4 is not provided, when the size of the surface emitting panel is small enough to sufficiently suppress the voltage drop across the surface emitting panels 1 and 1 ′, only the main wiring 3 is provided and the auxiliary electrode 4 is not provided. Good.

(Configuration of surface emitting panel)
In the embodiment described above, the auxiliary electrode 4 is formed between the transparent substrate 2 and the anode 5, but the formation position of the auxiliary electrode 4 is not limited to such a place. For example, the auxiliary electrode 4 may be formed on the anode 5 on the side opposite to the transparent substrate 2 as long as the voltage drop at the anode 5 can be suppressed. The surface light emitting panel 101 configured as described above will be described as a second embodiment with reference to FIGS. 14 to 17.

  FIG. 14 is a schematic bottom view showing an example of the surface light emitting panel according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 14, the anode, the organic layer, and the cathode, which will be described later, are not shown in order to facilitate understanding of the structures of the main wiring and the auxiliary electrode, which will be described later, in the surface emitting panel 101. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the surface emitting panel 101 taken along line XV-XV in FIG. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the surface-emitting panel 101 taken along line XVI-XVI in FIG. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the surface-emitting panel 101 taken along line XVII-XVII in FIG.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 14 to 17, the surface light emitting panel 101 includes a transparent substrate 102, a main wiring 103 provided in the transparent substrate 102, an anode (first electrode) 105 connected to the main wiring 103, and the anode 105. The auxiliary electrode 104 provided on the insulating film 141, the insulating film 141 provided so as to cover the auxiliary electrode 104, the organic layer 106 formed on the anode 105 so as to be surrounded by the insulating film 141, and the insulating film 141 and the organic film A cathode (second electrode) 107 is provided on the layer 106. In this embodiment, since the organic layer 106 is divided into twelve by the insulating film 141, twelve organic EL elements 108 including the anode 105, the organic layer 106, and the cathode 107 are formed. It will be. Note that the number of the organic EL elements 108 is not limited to twelve, and can be appropriately changed according to the use application of the surface light emitting panel 1 or the like.

  In Example 2, since the organic layer 106 does not exist on the auxiliary electrode 104, a region on the auxiliary electrode 104 does not become a light emitting region 151 described later.

  Also in the present embodiment, like the first embodiment, the transparent substrate 102 is a glass substrate having translucency, and its planar shape is a rectangle. The transparent substrate 102 only needs to have a property of transmitting visible light, and may be made of various materials such as a resin such as ceramics, polyester, polymethacrylate, polycarbonate, and polyether sulfone.

  As shown in FIGS. 14 to 17, a groove 111 is formed on the first surface 102 a side of the transparent substrate 102, and a main wiring 103 is formed inside the groove 111. More specifically, as can be seen from FIG. 14, the first surface 102a of the transparent substrate 102 is formed with three grooves 111a extending in the short side direction and one end of the three grooves 111a. One groove 111b extending in the long side direction is formed so as to connect the two. One of the three grooves 111 a reaches the outer edge of the transparent substrate 102. In the following, when any of the groove 111a and the groove 111b is not specified, it is also simply referred to as the groove 111. Further, in the transparent substrate 102 in the present embodiment, a surface located on the opposite side to the first surface 102a of the transparent substrate 102 is defined as a second surface 102b.

  By forming the groove 111a and the groove 111b on the first surface 102a of the transparent substrate 102, three directions on the first surface 102a are surrounded by the groove 111 on the first surface 102a of the transparent substrate 102. Two element formation regions 102c are formed. In other words, the grooves 111 are formed along the three sides of the element formation region 102c and outside the element formation region 102c.

  Since the depth, width, and shape of the groove 111 are the same as those of the groove 11 of the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, the main wiring 103 is formed inside the groove 111. That is, the main wiring 103 is formed so as to surround the element formation region 102 c and is electrically connected to the anode 5 of the organic EL element 108 so that electric power can be supplied to the organic EL element 108. . The electrical connection will be described later. Further, as shown in FIG. 14, one end of the main wiring 103 reaches the outer edge of the transparent substrate 102, and a portion exposed from the side surface of the transparent substrate 102 functions as the external connection terminal 112. Such a configuration of the main wiring 103 makes it possible to easily supply driving power to the organic EL element 108 from the outside of the surface light emitting panel 101.

  The material of the main wiring 103 is preferably composed of a low resistance metal having a relatively small resistance value, such as Au, Ag, Pt, Cu, or Al, like the main wiring 3 of the first embodiment. In order to improve corrosion resistance and mechanical strength, an additive such as Ti, Si, In, B, C, or P may be added to the above-described low resistance metal. Further, similarly to the main wiring 3 of the first embodiment, poly (ethylenedioxy-thiophene) -polystyrene sulfonic acid (PDOT: PSS) may be used as the material of the main wiring line 103.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 15 to 17, the anode 105 is formed on part of the transparent substrate 102 and the main wiring 103. In addition, the anode 105 has both ends and a central portion directly connected to the main wiring 103 and electrically connected to the main wiring 103. That is, the anode 105 is formed in the element formation region 102c. With such a configuration, the power supplied from the external connection terminal 112 is supplied to the anode 105 via the main wiring 103.

  Also in the present embodiment, like the first embodiment, the anode 105 is made of ITO functioning as a transparent electrode, and has a higher resistivity than the main wiring 103. Similar to the anode 5, the anode 105 is not limited to being made of ITO, and has a function of injecting holes into the organic layer 106 and transmits light of each color in the organic layer 106. As long as it is optical, it may be composed of a metal oxide such as indium zinc oxide, a conductive polymer such as poly (3-methylthiophene), polypyrrole, or the like.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 14 to 16, the stripe-shaped auxiliary electrode 104 is formed on the anode 105. More specifically, the auxiliary electrode 104 is juxtaposed in parallel with the groove 111b, and seven (14 in total) are provided in each of the two element formation regions 102c. The number of auxiliary electrodes 104 provided in the element formation region 102c is not limited to 14, but can be changed as appropriate according to the dimensions of the element formation region 102c, the characteristics of the surface light emitting panel 101, and the like.

  Since the material and dimensions of the auxiliary electrode 104 are the same as those of the auxiliary electrode 4 of the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 14 to 16, an insulating film 141 is formed so as to cover the auxiliary electrode 104. The insulating film 141 is also formed along the groove 111 and the main wiring 103 above the groove 111 and the main wiring 103. With such a configuration of the insulating film 141, six (12 in total) stripe-shaped recesses are formed in each of the two element formation regions 102c. Then, by forming the organic layer 106 in the concave portion, each of the two element formation regions 102 c is partitioned into six (total 12) stripe-shaped light emitting regions 151.

The insulating film 141 is generally made of an inorganic material such as silicon dioxide (SiO ₂ ), fluorine-added silicon oxide (SiOF), or silicon nitride (Si ₃ N ₄ ), or an organic material such as acrylic or epoxy. Insulating material is used.

  The insulating film 141 is provided so that the auxiliary electrode 104 and the organic layer 106 are not in direct contact. As a result, power is supplied to the organic layer 106 only through the anode 105.

  In this embodiment, the single insulating film 141 is formed above the groove 111 and the main wiring 103 while covering the auxiliary electrode 104. However, the insulating film covering the auxiliary electrode 104 and the groove 111 and the insulating film located above the main wiring 103 may be formed of different materials. That is, two insulating films (a first insulating film and a second insulating film) may be formed on the anode 105.

  As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the organic layer 106 is stacked on each of the stripe-shaped recesses on the anode 105 and surrounded by the insulating film 141. Similar to the organic layer 106 of Example 1, the organic layer 106 is composed of a low-molecular stacked EL material in which a plurality of layers are stacked. More specifically, the organic layer 6 has a structure in which a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer are stacked in this order from the anode 5 side. Since the material of these layers is the same as each layer of Example 1, the description thereof is omitted.

  In this embodiment, the organic layer 106 is formed in twelve stripe-shaped recesses defined by the insulating film 141, but the light emitting layer constituting the organic layer 106 formed in each stripe-shaped recess is formed. The material is different. Specifically, two organic layers 106 each having only a red light-emitting layer that emits red light and green light that emits green light in six stripe-shaped concave portions partitioned in one element formation region 102c. Two organic layers 106 having only a light emitting layer and two organic layers 106 having only a blue light emitting layer emitting blue light are provided. Note that the organic layer 106R includes only the red light emitting layer that emits red light, the organic layer 106R, the organic layer 106 that includes only the green light emitting layer that emits green light, the organic layer 106G, and only the blue light emitting layer that emits blue light. The organic layer 106 that is included is also referred to as an organic layer 106, and these reference numerals are also described in parentheses on the drawing.

  As described above, red light, green light, and blue light are emitted from the organic EL element 108 provided in one element formation region 102c due to the configuration of the organic layer 106. White light is emitted from one element formation region 102c. And the surface emitting panel 101 which concerns on a present Example becomes possible to irradiate pseudo white light.

  The organic layer 106 may have the same configuration as the organic layer 106 of Example 1 and the light emitting layer may have a three-layer structure, or a red light emitting material, a green light emitting material, and a blue light emitting material. The light emitting material may be composed of a polymer dispersed EL material in which the light emitting material is uniformly dispersed. Even in such a case, the surface light emitting panel 101 is irradiated with pseudo white light. Further, for example, a red light emitting material and a green light emitting material are mixed to provide a single light emitting layer, and a two-layer structure in which a light emitting layer made of a light emitting material for blue light emission is laminated on the white light. It is good also as a structure which produces | generates.

  As shown in FIGS. 15 to 17, the cathode 107 is stacked on the organic layer 106 and the insulating film 141. The cathode 107 is made of aluminum because it does not need to have translucency, like the cathode 7 of the first embodiment. Further, the cathode 107 may be made of a metal such as Sn, Mg, In, Ca, or Ag, or an alloy thereof, similarly to the cathode 7 of the first embodiment. Specific examples of the alloy include an alloy electrode having a low work function such as an Mg—Ag alloy, an Mg—In alloy, and an Al—lithium (Li) alloy.

  Also in the surface light emitting panel 101 according to the present embodiment, the main wiring 103 is formed in the groove 111 formed in the first surface 102a of the transparent substrate 102 as in the surface light emitting panel 1 of the first embodiment. By increasing the length of 111 in the depth direction, the width of the groove 111 and the main wiring 103 can be reduced. Here, the width of the main wiring 103 which is a non-light emitting region is reduced because the non-light emitting region (that is, the main wiring) on the light emitting surface side of the surface emitting panel 101 (that is, the second surface 102b side of the transparent substrate 102). The area of the area 103 is reduced, and the amount of light in the surface light emitting panel 101 can be increased.

  Further, since the width of the main wiring 103 is reduced, the interval between the light emitting regions which are the element formation regions 102c is reduced, that is, the non-light emitting region can be made inconspicuous as compared with the light emitting region. And when the surface emitting panel 101 is used for surface emitting illumination, the overall sense of unity of the surface emitting illumination can be improved.

  Further, also in the surface light emitting panel 101 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of auxiliary electrodes 104 having relatively small resistance values are formed on the surface of the light-transmitting anode 105, so that the voltage drop at the anode 105 is reduced. Is suppressed. Then, by reducing the width of the auxiliary electrode 104, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the amount of light in the surface light emitting panel 101.

  In the surface light emitting panel 101 of this embodiment, the anode 105 and the cathode 107 of the twelve organic EL elements 108 are shared, but each organic EL element 108 or an organic EL that emits light of the same color. The anode 105 and the cathode 107 may be provided independently for each element 108. As a result, it is possible to appropriately adjust characteristics such as the color and color temperature of white light emitted from the surface light emitting panel 101.

(Method for manufacturing surface-emitting panel)
Next, a method for manufacturing the surface light emitting panel 101 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 18 to 24 are sectional views in each manufacturing process corresponding to the sectional view in FIG.

  First, a transparent substrate 102 made of glass is prepared. Next, the groove 111 is formed on the first surface 102 a of the prepared transparent substrate 102. Specifically, the groove 111 is formed by performing known wet etching or dry etching on the first surface 102a of the transparent substrate 102 as in the first embodiment. Alternatively, a method may be used in which the groove 111 is formed by pressing a mold corresponding to the groove 111 after the transparent substrate 102 is heated to soften the first surface 102a. By forming the groove 111, the first surface 102a of the transparent substrate 102 is partitioned, and an element formation region 102c is formed (FIG. 18).

  After forming the groove 111, the main wiring 103 made of a low resistance metal is formed inside the groove 111 (FIG. 19). Specifically, as in the first embodiment, the main wiring 103 is formed using a well-known printing technique such as ink jet printing, screen printing, or relief printing using ink containing low-resistance metal fine particles. Alternatively, a mask having an opening corresponding to the groove 111 may be used, and the main wiring 103 may be formed by film formation in the groove 111 by vapor deposition or sputtering, or only in the groove 111 using photolithography. The main wiring 103 may be formed so that the metal film remains.

  Also in the method of manufacturing the surface light emitting panel 101 according to the present embodiment, the main wiring 103 is formed in the groove 111 formed in the first surface 102a of the transparent substrate 102 as in the first embodiment. The first surface 102a of the transparent substrate 102 in a state where the 103 is formed is flat. For this reason, in the manufacturing process of the anode 105 described later, the main wiring 103 does not interfere with the manufacturing process, and the anode 105 can be easily formed on the first surface 102 a of the transparent substrate 102.

  After forming the main wiring 103, the anode 105 of the organic EL element 108 is formed in the element formation region 102c defined on the first surface 102a of the transparent substrate 102 and partitioned by the groove 111 (FIG. 20). At this time, the anode 105 is formed so as to be directly connected to the main wiring 103. As a specific method for forming the anode 105, ITO is formed in the element formation region 102 c using a known film formation method such as sputtering or vacuum evaporation as in the first embodiment. In addition, after the anode 105 is formed, it is preferable to perform ultraviolet irradiation or ozone treatment on the anode 105 in order to remove impurities attached to the anode 105 and adjust the ionization potential to improve the hole injection property.

  After the anode 105 is formed, 14 auxiliary electrodes 104 made of a low resistance metal are formed on the anode 105 (FIG. 21). Note that since FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of one element formation region 102c, only seven auxiliary electrodes 104 are shown. As a specific formation method, there is a method of forming the auxiliary electrode 104 by patterning a low resistance metal film formed by a vacuum process such as vapor deposition or sputtering by photolithography as in the first embodiment. Further, by using a mask having an opening corresponding to the formation position of the auxiliary electrode 104 and using a method of forming the auxiliary electrode 104 by forming a low-resistance metal film at the opening position by a vacuum process such as vapor deposition or sputtering. Also good. Further, by using a known printing technique such as ink jet printing, screen printing, letterpress printing, or the like for ink containing low-resistance metal fine particles, a method for forming the auxiliary electrode 104 by printing ink at a desired position. Also good.

  After the auxiliary electrode 104 is formed, an insulating film 141 is formed so as to cover the auxiliary electrode 104 and to extend along the groove 111 and the main wiring 103 above the groove 111 and the main wiring 103 (FIG. 22). At this time, in each of the two element formation regions 102c, six (a total of twelve) stripe-shaped recesses 161 are formed. As a specific method for forming the insulating film 141, an insulating material is deposited on the auxiliary electrode 104 and the anode 105 by a vacuum process such as vapor deposition or sputtering, or a known wet film forming method such as a spin coat method, a die coat method, or an ink jet method. Then, a method of forming the insulating film 141 having a desired shape by patterning the deposited insulating material by photolithography is used. Alternatively, the insulating film 141 having a desired shape can be directly formed by screen printing.

  After forming the insulating film 141, the organic layer 106 is stacked in the stripe-shaped recess 161 (FIG. 23). For the specific formation of the organic layer 106, as in Example 1, a known organic EL film forming technique such as vapor deposition, sputtering, spin coating, and ink jet printing can be used. As described above, by forming the organic layer 106 in the recess 161, each of the two element formation regions 102c is further divided into six (total 12) light emitting regions 151.

  After forming the organic layer 106, the cathode 107 of the organic EL element 108 is laminated so as to cover the organic layer 106 and the insulating film 141 (FIG. 24). As a specific method for forming the cathode 107, similarly to Example 1, a known film formation method such as sputtering or vacuum evaporation is used, and aluminum is formed so as to cover the organic layer 106 and the insulating film 141. In addition, after the cathode 107 is formed, it is preferable to perform ultraviolet irradiation or ozone treatment on the cathode 107 in order to remove impurities attached to the cathode 107 and adjust the ionization potential to improve the hole injection property.

  Through the above-described steps, the organic EL element 108 including the anode 105, the organic layer 106, and the cathode 107 is formed in the element formation region 102c. Then, twelve organic EL elements 108 are formed on the first surface 102a of the transparent substrate 102, and the manufacture of the surface light emitting panel 101 is completed.

  The surface light emitting panel 101 according to the present embodiment is different from the surface light emitting panel 1 according to the first embodiment in terms of the formation position of the auxiliary electrode 104 and the presence or absence of the insulating film 141, but the groove of the transparent substrate 102. 111 is the same in that the main wiring 103 is formed, and has the same effect as the surface light emitting panel 1 according to the first embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1 'surface emitting panel 2 Transparent substrate 2a 1st surface 2b 2nd surface 2c Element formation area 3 Main wiring 4 Auxiliary electrode (3rd electrode)
5 Anode (first electrode)
6 Organic layer 7 Cathode (second electrode)
8 Organic EL device 11, 11a, 11b Groove 12 External connection terminal 21 Coloring material 31 Transparent substrate 32 Glass layer 33 Resin layer 101 Surface light emitting panel 102 Transparent substrate 102a First surface 102b Second surface 102c Element formation region 103 Main wiring 104 Auxiliary Electrode (third electrode)
105 Anode (first electrode)
106 Organic layer 107 Cathode (second electrode)
108 Organic EL element 111, 111a, 111b Groove 112 External connection terminal 141 Insulating film 151 Light emitting region

Claims (9)

A surface-emitting panel comprising a plurality of organic EL elements,
A plurality of element formation regions in which the plurality of organic EL elements are formed, and a transparent substrate provided on the surface with grooves formed along at least one side of each of the plurality of element formation regions and outside the element formation region;
A first electrode formed at least in the element formation region and having translucency;
An organic layer formed on the first electrode;
A second electrode formed on the organic layer;
A surface-emitting panel, comprising: a main wiring that is formed inside the groove and is electrically connected to the first electrode and supplies power to each of the plurality of organic EL elements.   The surface emitting panel according to claim 1, wherein the groove is formed so as to partition each of the plurality of element formation regions.   The surface emitting panel according to claim 1, wherein the main wiring is made of a conductive material having a lower resistivity than that of the conductive material forming the first electrode.   4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one or more linear third electrodes that are directly connected to the first electrode and provided in the element formation region. The surface emitting panel according to item.   The surface emitting panel according to claim 4, wherein the third electrode is formed between the first electrode and the transparent substrate.   The surface-emitting panel according to claim 4, wherein the third electrode is formed on the first electrode on a side opposite to the transparent substrate.   The surface emitting panel according to claim 1, wherein the main wiring is covered with a first insulating film.   The surface emitting panel according to claim 4, wherein the third electrode is covered with a second insulating film.   The surface light-emitting panel according to claim 1, wherein a non-translucent material is deposited between a bottom surface of the groove and the main wiring.

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