JP3843451B2 - Manufacturing method of organic EL panel - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, a laminate comprising at least one organic layer having a light emitting layer sandwiched between a first electrode and a second electrode, each having a light-transmitting property, is disposed on a light-transmitting support substrate, and the support is provided. The present invention relates to a method for producing an organic EL panel that houses the laminate by disposing a sealing member on a substrate.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As an organic EL panel, a transparent electrode (first electrode) serving as an anode made of ITO (indium tin oxide), a hole injection layer, a hole on a glass substrate (translucent support substrate) made of a glass material. An organic EL element which is a laminate by sequentially laminating an organic layer composed of a transport layer, a light emitting layer and an electron transport layer and a non-translucent back electrode (second electrode) such as aluminum (Al) serving as a cathode. It is known that a sealing member made of a glass material which is formed and covers this laminate is disposed on a glass substrate.
[0003]
Such an organic EL panel stores a laminate in a storage space (airtight space) obtained by bonding a glass substrate and a sealing member, and, for example, a solid adsorbent in an inert liquid made of fluorine-based oil. A structure is used in which a cream-like hygroscopic member obtained by mixing at a predetermined ratio is applied to the surface facing the laminated body of the sealing member to absorb moisture in the airtight space. This is proposed by the present applicant in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-359344.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, such an organic EL panel has a mixing step for obtaining a cream-like moisture absorbing member by mixing an inert liquid and an adsorbent, and this mixing step is performed in the moisture absorbing member during mixing. After air bubbles are mixed in and the moisture absorbing member mixed with the bubbles is applied to the opposite surface of the sealing member, when the glass substrate and the sealing substrate are joined in the decompression chamber in the joining process, the air is mixed in the moisture absorbing member. The foaming bubbles are foamed, and the hygroscopic member scattered at the time of foaming collides with the laminated body on the laminated body arranged at a slight distance from the opposing surface of the sealing member, thereby damaging the laminated body. As a result, the quality of the organic EL panel is deteriorated.
[0005]
This invention is made | formed in view of this point, The main objective is to provide the manufacturing method of the organic electroluminescent panel which can improve the quality of an organic electroluminescent panel.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a laminated body in which an organic layer having at least a light emitting layer is sandwiched between a light transmitting first electrode and a second electrode is disposed on a light transmitting supporting substrate. A method of manufacturing an organic EL panel in which the laminate is hermetically covered with a sealing member, the mixing step of obtaining a moisture absorbing member by mixing an adsorbent composed of a solid in an inert liquid, and the mixing A defoaming step of defoaming bubbles in the hygroscopic member produced by the steps, and a hygroscopic member application step of applying the hygroscopic member obtained by the defoaming step to the surface of the sealing member facing the laminate; the moisture absorbing member wherein after the coating process the supporting substrate or the adhesive is applied to at least one of the sealing member seen including a bonding step, a for bonding the sealing member and the supporting substrate, wherein the defoaming step the bubble The moisture absorbing member including Characterized in that it comprises a vibration applying step of applying vibration.
[0008]
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the moisture absorbing member application step includes a step of applying the moisture absorbing member to the sealing member using a dispenser having a needle.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0010]
1 and 2, an organic EL panel 1 includes a translucent support substrate (glass substrate) 2, a transparent electrode (first electrode) 3, an insulating layer 4, an organic layer 5, and a back electrode (first electrode). 2 electrodes) 6, a sealing member 7, and a hygroscopic member 8.
[0011]
The support substrate (glass substrate) 2 is a translucent flat plate member having a rectangular shape.
[0012]
The transparent electrode 3 is formed by forming a light-transmitting conductive material such as ITO on the support substrate 2 by means such as vapor deposition or sputtering, and includes a Japanese character display segment portion 3a and individual segments. The lead portion 3b is formed to be led out from the lead portion 3b, and the electrode portion 3c is provided at the end portion of the lead portion 3b. The electrode portion 3c group is intensively arranged on one side of the support substrate 2.
[0013]
The insulating layer 4 is made of, for example, a polyimide-based translucent insulating material, and is formed by means such as photolithography. The insulating layer 4 has a window portion 4a corresponding to the display segment portion 3a and a notch portion 4b corresponding to an electrode portion to be described later of the back electrode 6, and the transparent electrode 3 for clearly displaying the outline of the light emitting region. A window portion 4a is formed so as to slightly overlap with the peripheral edge portion of the display segment portion 3a, and is disposed so as to cover the lead portion 3b in order to ensure insulation between the transparent electrode 3 and the back electrode 6.
[0014]
The organic layer 5 may have at least a light emitting layer, but in the embodiment of the present invention, the hole injection layer, the hole transport layer, the light emitting layer, and the electron transport layer are formed by means such as vapor deposition or sputtering. It is formed by sequentially laminating. The organic layer 5 is disposed with a predetermined size so as to correspond to the location of the window 4a in the insulating layer 4.
[0015]
The back electrode 6 is made of a non-translucent conductive material such as aluminum (Al), aluminum lithium (Al: Li), magnesium silver (Mg: Ag), and is formed by means such as vapor deposition or sputtering. This is disposed on the organic layer 5. The back electrode 6 is electrically connected to a lead portion 6 a provided on one side of the support substrate 2 so as to be adjacent to each electrode portion 3 c in the transparent electrode 3. In addition, the electrode part 6b is provided in the terminal part of the lead part 6a, and the lead part 6a and the electrode part 6b are formed of the same material as the transparent electrode 3.
[0016]
As described above, the organic EL element 9 is obtained by sequentially laminating the transparent electrode 3, the insulating layer 4, the organic layer 5, and the back electrode 6 on the support substrate 2 to form a laminate.
[0017]
The sealing member 7 is formed by forming a recess 7a in a flat plate member made of, for example, a glass material. The sealing member 7 is sealed by disposing the support portion 7b formed so as to surround the recess 7a on the support substrate 2 through an adhesive 10 made of, for example, an ultraviolet curable epoxy resin. The member 7 and the support substrate 2 constitute an airtight space 11 in which the organic EL element 9 is accommodated. The sealing member 7 is configured to be slightly smaller than the support substrate 2 so that the electrode portion 3c of the transparent electrode 3 and the electrode portion 6b of the back electrode 6 are exposed to the outside.
[0018]
The hygroscopic member 8 is formed on the surface of the sealing member 7 facing the organic EL element 9, that is, on the bottom surface of the recess 7a of the sealing member 7, and is disposed in the airtight space 11 so that the thickness is substantially uniform. Is done. The moisture absorbing member 8 has an adsorbent (solid adsorbent) 8a of 10 μm or less that physically or chemically adsorbs moisture such as activated alumina, molecular sieves, calcium oxide, and barium oxide, and the adsorbent 8a flows. It is a cream-like member having a viscosity that does not occur.
[0019]
Then, when the sealing member 7 is bonded to the support substrate 2 via the adhesive 10, the hygroscopic member 8 is arranged so that the hygroscopic member 8 and the adsorbent 8 a contained in the hygroscopic member 8 are separated from the organic EL element 9. At the same time, at least the portion facing the light emitting area has a substantially uniform thickness of, for example, 0.5 mm or less. In addition, after the moisture absorption member 8 is apply | coated to the bottom face of the recessed part 7a, it does not flow to another location.
[0020]
The organic EL panel 1 is configured by the above-described units.
[0021]
Next, although the manufacturing method of an organic electroluminescent panel is demonstrated using FIGS. 3-5, since the formation process of the laminated body to the support substrate 2 is a general vapor deposition process, detailed description shall be abbreviate | omitted. .
[0022]
First, for example, a predetermined amount of adsorbent 8a is mixed in an inert liquid made of fluorine-based oil to obtain a creamy moisture absorbing member 8 having viscosity containing the adsorbent 8a (mixing step 12).
[0023]
Next, the hygroscopic member 8 obtained by the mixing step 12 is filled in a syringe (not shown) disposed in a coating apparatus to be described later for applying the hygroscopic member 8 (filling step 13).
[0024]
And in order to degas the bubble produced | generated (mixed) in the moisture absorption member 8 by the mixing process 12 and the filling process 13, while vacuum-evacuating the said syringe with which the moisture absorption member 8 was filled, with respect to the said syringe The bubbles are defoamed by applying vibration (defoaming step (vibration applying step) 14).
[0025]
The hygroscopic member 8 is generated by the above steps. When the moisture absorbing member 8 is configured in a cream shape using the fluorinated oil, the adsorbent 8a does not flow when the fluorinated oil and the adsorbent 8a have a mixing ratio of 80:20 wt%. The adsorbing member 8 is obtained.
[0026]
Next, an application step 15 for applying the cream-like moisture absorbing member 8 obtained in the defoaming step 14 to the surface of the sealing member 7 facing the organic EL element 9 (the bottom surface of the recess 7a) will be described with reference to FIGS. Will be described in detail. FIG. 4 shows a coating apparatus for coating the moisture absorbing member 8 on the surface of the sealing member 7 facing the organic EL element 9.
[0027]
The coating device 20 includes a dispenser 21 for discharging a predetermined amount of the hygroscopic member 8 obtained by the defoaming step 14, and the dispenser 21 includes a needle 22 having a discharge port to be described later for discharging the hygroscopic member 8. It has. The dispenser 21 is configured to be movable in the horizontal (X), vertical (Y), and height (Z) directions by XYZ moving means including an actuator, a servo motor, and the like. In addition, the coating device 20 is arrange | positioned in the moisture absorption member application | coating chamber which is evacuated and becomes nitrogen atmosphere.
[0028]
FIG. 5 shows a state in which the moisture absorbing member 8 obtained by the defoaming step 14 is applied to the bottom surface of the recess 7 a of the sealing member 7 using the coating device 20. The needle 22 provided in the dispenser 21 of the coating device 20 has a flat surface 22a corresponding to the bottom surface (planar surface) of the recess 7a of the sealing member 7, and the moisture absorbing member 8 is provided at substantially the center of the flat surface 22a. A discharge port 22b for discharging is provided. The dispenser 21 first lowers the dispenser 21 to the bottom surface of the recess 7a by the XYZ moving means so that the distance between the flat surface 22a of the needle 22 and the bottom surface of the recess 7a becomes 0.5 mm. 22 is placed close to the bottom surface. Next, the moisture absorbing member 8 obtained by the defoaming step 14 is discharged from the discharge port 22b and poured into the gap S between the flat surface 22a and the bottom surface, and the needle is moved to the bottom surface by the XYZ moving means. In contrast, the moisture absorbing member 8 is applied to the bottom surface by moving in parallel in the X direction to the end point (moisture absorbing member application step 15).
[0029]
The moisture absorbing member 8 obtained by the defoaming step 14 is applied to the bottom surface of the recess 7a and the adhesive 10 is applied to the support portion 7b in a room in a nitrogen atmosphere that has been decompressed after the moisture absorbing member application step 15. The sealing member 7 and the supporting substrate 2 are overlapped so that the concave portion 7a corresponds to the organic EL element 9 while maintaining a parallel state by an overlapping device (not shown), and the sealing member is disposed in the decompression chamber. In a state where a predetermined pressure is applied from the 7 side or the support substrate 2 side, the sealing member 7 and the support substrate 2 are bonded by irradiating ultraviolet rays (bonding step 16). Thereby, the organic EL element 9 is obtained in the airtight space 11 constituted by the sealing member 7 and the support substrate 2.
[0030]
In this embodiment, an organic EL element 9 in which an organic layer 5 having at least a light emitting layer is sandwiched between a transparent electrode 3 and a back electrode 6 is disposed on a translucent support substrate 2. Is a method for manufacturing an organic EL panel in which a sealing member 7 is airtightly covered, and a mixing step 12 for obtaining a moisture absorbing member 8 by mixing a solid adsorbent 8a in the inert liquid, and a mixing step 12 Defoaming step 14 for defoaming the bubbles in the hygroscopic member 8 generated by the above, and a hygroscopic member applying step for applying the hygroscopic member 8 obtained by the defoaming step 14 to the surface of the sealing member 7 facing the organic EL element 9. 15 and a bonding step 16 in which the adhesive 10 is applied to at least one of the support substrate 2 and the sealing member 7 and the support substrate 2 and the sealing member 7 are bonded to each other after the moisture absorbing member application step 15.
[0031]
Accordingly, the air bubbles are mixed into the hygroscopic member 8 by the mixing step 12 and the filling step 13 in the hygroscopic member 8, and the bubbles mixed in the hygroscopic member 8 are defoamed by the defoaming step 14 after the filling step 13. Is done. For this reason, since the said bubble is not mixed in the moisture absorption member 8 obtained by the defoaming process 14, the organic EL element by the foaming of the said bubble in the joining process 16 of the sealing member 7 and the support substrate 2 in a decompression chamber is carried out. The quality of the organic EL panel 1 can be improved without damaging the battery 9.
[0032]
Further, in the present embodiment, the defoaming step 14 includes the vibration applying step of applying vibration to the moisture absorbing member 8 including the bubbles, thereby applying vibration to the bubbles mixed in the viscous moisture absorbing member 8. Thus, the bubbles are efficiently degassed, so that it is possible not only to obtain the moisture absorbing member 8 that does not contain the bubbles in the defoaming step 14 without taking time, but also to absorb the moisture absorbing member 8 in the recess 7a. When applying to the bottom surface, uneven application of the moisture absorbing member 8 due to the bubbles can be suppressed.
[0033]
Moreover, in this embodiment, the moisture absorption member application | coating process 15 consists of the process of apply | coating the moisture absorption member 8 to the sealing member 7 using the dispenser 21 which has the needle 22, and improves the productivity in the application | coating process of the organic electroluminescent panel 1. FIG. It becomes possible.
[0034]
In addition, although this embodiment demonstrated the case where the defoaming process 14 included the said vibration provision process which defoams the said bubble by giving a vibration to the moisture absorption member 8 containing the said bubble, this invention of Claim 1 is described. The means for defoaming the bubbles mixed in the hygroscopic member 8 is arbitrary, and for example, the defoaming step 14 defoams the bubbles by giving rotation to the hygroscopic member 8. You may make it include a rotation provision process.
[0035]
Moreover, although this embodiment demonstrated the example which the sealing member 7 consists of glass materials, you may form the sealing member 7 with a metal material, for example. However, in this case, in order to prevent the lead portions 3b and 6a from being short-circuited by the metal sealing member, it is necessary to include ball-shaped or columnar spacers made of an insulating material (resin or glass material) in the adhesive. .
[0036]
In the present embodiment, the sealing member 7 has a structure in which the concave portion 7a and the support portion 7b are integrally formed. However, the sealing member 7 applied to the present invention is not limited to this, For example, the sealing member 7 may be configured by a flat plate member and a spacer serving as a support portion.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an organic EL panel manufacturing method capable of achieving the initial object and improving the quality of the organic EL panel.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an organic EL panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an organic EL panel according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a view showing a method for manufacturing the organic EL panel in the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a view showing a hygroscopic member coating apparatus according to the embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a view showing a method of applying a hygroscopic member in the same embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Organic EL panel 2 Support substrate 3 Transparent electrode (first electrode)
4 Insulating layer 5 Organic layer 6 Back electrode (second electrode)
7 Sealing member 7a Recessed portion 8 Moisture absorbing member 8a Adsorbent 9 Organic EL element 10 Adhesive 11 Airtight space 12 Mixing step 13 Filling step 14 Defoaming step 15 Hygroscopic member applying step 16 Joining step

Claims (2)

A laminate comprising at least one organic layer having a light-emitting layer sandwiched between a first electrode and a second electrode, each having a light-transmitting property, is disposed on a light-transmitting support substrate, and the laminate is sealed with a sealing member. A method for manufacturing an organic EL panel that is airtightly covered by:
A mixing step of obtaining a hygroscopic member by mixing a solid adsorbent in an inert liquid;
A defoaming step of defoaming bubbles in the hygroscopic member produced by the mixing step;
A hygroscopic member application step of applying the hygroscopic member obtained by the defoaming step to the surface of the sealing member facing the laminate;
The moisture absorbing member an adhesive is applied to at least one of said supporting substrate or said sealing member after the coating step seen including a bonding step, a for bonding the sealing member and the supporting substrate,
The method of manufacturing an organic EL panel, wherein the defoaming step includes a vibration applying step for applying vibration to the moisture absorbing member including the bubbles . 2. The method of manufacturing an organic EL panel according to claim 1, wherein the moisture absorbing member applying step includes a step of applying the moisture absorbing member to the sealing member using a dispenser having a needle .

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