JP5007602B2 - Electroluminescence device and electronic device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electroluminescence device and an electronic apparatus.

  As one aspect of an electroluminescence device (hereinafter also referred to as an EL device), a configuration called a top emission type is known (see Patent Document 1). FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a top emission type organic EL device. This organic EL device has a substrate 10 and a substrate 30 which are bonded to each other by an adhesive 28. On the substrate 10, the reflective film 12, the insulating layer 14, the pixel electrode 16, the hole transport layer 18, the organic light emitting layer 20, the electron transport layer 22, the cathode 24, and the thin film sealing layer 26 are laminated in this order. Above, red, green, and blue color elements 34R, 34G, and 34B are formed by being partitioned by a light shielding layer 32. A part of the light from the organic light emitting layer 20 is directly transmitted through the substrate 30 and emitted, and a part of the light is reflected by the reflective film 12 and transmitted through the substrate 30 to be emitted. The color element 34 plays a role of improving the color purity of the emitted light.

  Here, the cathode 24 is a half mirror, and the reflective film 12 and the cathode 24 constitute an optical resonator. With this optical resonator, light in a specific wavelength range can be extracted with high efficiency, and the width of the emission spectrum of the organic EL device can be narrowed.

JP 2006-302748 A

  Light emitted obliquely from the optical resonator (hereinafter referred to as wide-angle light) has a longer optical path length in the optical resonator than light emitted to the front (hereinafter referred to as front light), and thus the emission spectrum. Shifts to a shorter wavelength side than the front light. For example, when the emission spectrum in the front of a certain green light emitting element is the curve 58 in FIG. 13, the emission spectrum of the wide-angle light emitted from the light emitting element at an emission angle of 50 degrees is as shown by the curve 59 in FIG. Shift to short wavelength side. Here, since the color element 34G is designed to efficiently transmit light having the spectrum of the curve 58 (front light), the light having the spectrum of the curve 59 shifted to the short wavelength side (wide-angle light). Is higher than the front light by the proportion absorbed by the color element 34G. For this reason, when the viewing angle is increased from the front, the luminance decreases as indicated by a line segment 64 in FIG. As described above, the above-described configuration has a problem in that the luminance decreases greatly when observing from a wide angle.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in luminance when observing from a wide angle by one of the effects exhibited by the present invention.

  The electroluminescence device of the present invention is an electroluminescence device having pixels that emit colored light, and includes a first substrate and a light-emitting element that includes a light-emitting layer formed on the first substrate for each of the pixels. A light-transmitting second substrate bonded to the first substrate opposite to a surface of the first substrate on which the light-emitting element is formed; and formed on an opposing surface of the second substrate. And a color filter having a first color element arranged in at least a part of a region along the outer periphery of the pixel and a second color element arranged in the center of the pixel. The transmittance of the first color element is higher than the transmittance of the second color element in a wavelength region shorter than the wavelength giving the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum of the second color element. It is characterized by.

  According to such a configuration, the proportion of the color filter that transmits the first color element can be changed between the front light and the wide-angle light. More specifically, the wide-angle light has a higher ratio of transmitting the first color element disposed in the region along the outer periphery of the pixel as compared with the front light. Here, the transmittance of the first color element is higher than the transmittance of the second color element in a wavelength region shorter than the wavelength giving the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum of the second color element. For this reason, a large amount of wide-angle light having a wavelength component shifted to the short wavelength side can be extracted outside the electroluminescence device. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in luminance when observing from a wide angle. In the above configuration, “transmission spectrum” refers to a transmission spectrum in the visible light region. In addition, the matter that “the transmittance of the first color element is higher than the transmittance of the second color element” may not necessarily be satisfied for all wavelengths in the wavelength range. It is sufficient that the integrated value for the wavelength of the transmission spectrum of the first color element in the wavelength region is larger than the integrated value of the second color element.

  In the electroluminescence device, it is preferable that the pixel is rectangular or oval, and the first color element is at least arranged in a region along the long side of the outer periphery of the pixel. According to such a configuration, it is possible to increase the ratio of transmitting the first color element with respect to the wide-angle light that is emitted while being inclined in the extending direction of the short axis of the pixel. For this reason, it is possible to suppress a decrease in luminance when the observation direction is tilted in the direction in which the short axis of the pixel extends, and the viewing angle characteristics of the electroluminescence device can be improved. In the above configuration, “oval” refers to a track-like figure in which two opposing semicircles are connected by two long sides.

  In the electroluminescence device, it is preferable that a light emitting region of the light emitting element has a width in a minor axis direction of the pixel shorter than a minor axis of the pixel. According to such a configuration, among the wide-angle light emitted with an inclination in the extending direction of the short axis of the pixel, the ratio of transmitting the first color element can be increased even for the wide-angle light having a small emission angle. it can.

  In the electroluminescence device, the light emitting region of the light emitting element and the second color element have the same width in the minor axis direction of the pixel, and the extending position in the width direction is the first substrate. They may overlap when viewed from the normal direction. According to such a configuration, the ratio of transmitting the first color element with respect to all the wide-angle light other than the front light out of the wide-angle light emitted inclining in the extending direction of the short axis of the pixel is determined as the front light. Can be higher. Thereby, the effect which suppresses a brightness | luminance fall can be acquired about all the wide angle lights other than front light.

  In the electroluminescence device, the color purity of the first color element may be lower than the color purity of the second color element. According to such a configuration, the transmittance of the first color element is such that the transmittance of the second color element is shorter than the wavelength giving the maximum transmittance of the transmission spectrum of the second color element. It becomes higher than the transmittance. For this reason, it is possible to transmit more wavelength components of the wide-angle light whose spectrum is shifted to the short wavelength side by the first color element, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in luminance when observing from a wide angle. .

  In the electroluminescence device, the first color element may have a wavelength that gives the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum thereof, which is smaller than the second color element. According to such a configuration, the transmittance of the first color element is set to be the transmission of the second color element in a wavelength region shorter than the wavelength giving the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum of the second color element. Can easily be higher than the rate.

  In the electroluminescence device, the first color element and the second color element are made of the same material, and the thickness of the first color element is smaller than the thickness of the second color element. It may be a configuration. The first color element may be transparent. According to such a configuration, the transmission spectrum of the first color element has a higher transmittance over the entire visible light region than the transmission spectrum of the second color element. Accordingly, the transmittance of the first color element is easily made higher than the transmittance of the second color element in the wavelength region shorter than the wavelength giving the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum of the second color element. can do.

  The electroluminescence device includes at least three types of pixels that emit red, green, and blue light, and the first color element is formed on at least the pixel that emits blue light. It may be a configuration. According to such a configuration, it is possible to improve the transmittance of wide-angle light with respect to blue light emission whose luminance is greatly reduced when shifted to the short wavelength side. Thereby, the brightness | luminance fall of wide angle light can be suppressed, maintaining the chromaticity balance at the time of observing from a wide angle.

  In the electroluminescence device, the light-emitting element includes a reflective film formed between the first substrate and the light-emitting layer, and a transflective film formed on the opposite side of the reflective film across the light-emitting layer. And an optical resonator structure that resonates light from the light emitting layer between the reflective film and the transflective film. The emission spectrum of wide-angle light from such an optical resonator is shifted to the short wavelength side with respect to the front light. In addition, the wide-angle light has a higher ratio of transmitting the first color element than the front light. Here, since the wavelength component shifted to the short wavelength side of the wide-angle light easily transmits the first color element, according to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress a decrease in luminance when observing from a wide angle.

  An electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes the above-described electroluminescence device in a display portion. According to such a configuration, it is possible to obtain an electronic device capable of high-quality display with little reduction in luminance when observed from a wide angle.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings shown below, the dimensions and ratios of the components are appropriately different from the actual ones in order to make the components large enough to be recognized on the drawings.

(First embodiment)
1A and 1B are diagrams showing an organic EL device 1 as an electroluminescence device, in which FIG. 1A is a plan view and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1B, the organic EL device 1 includes a substrate 10 as a first substrate and a substrate 30 as a second substrate, which are bonded to each other with a transparent adhesive 28 therebetween. have. Among these, the board | substrate 30 has translucency, for example, consists of glass. The substrate 10 and the substrate 30 are also fixed by a frame-shaped sealing agent 52 disposed on the outer edge portion of the substrate 10. The sealing agent 52 includes a spherical gap material 54. The gap material 54 supports the substrate 10 and the substrate 30 and plays a role of keeping the distance between the substrates constant.

  A thin film layer 50 including the pixel electrode 16 is formed on the surface of the substrate 10 facing the substrate 30 (facing surface). A color filter is formed on the surface of the substrate 30 facing the substrate 10 (opposing surface). The color filter includes a light shielding layer 32 and color elements 34r, 34R, 34g, 34G, 34b, and 34B (hereinafter, also collectively referred to as a color element 34) arranged in a region partitioned by the light shielding layer 32. Yes. The color element 34 is a substance that can change the transmitted light to a predetermined color (for example, red, green, blue, etc.) by absorbing light having a specific wavelength in incident light. The color elements 34r and 34R transmit red light, the color elements 34g and 34G transmit green light, and the color elements 34b and 34B transmit blue light. The color element 34 is formed, for example, by applying a photosensitive resin containing a pigment as a color element material and exposing and developing it. Here, a dye may be used instead of the pigment.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the light shielding layers 32 are arranged in a lattice shape, and a rectangular region framed by the lattice corresponds to the pixel 40. The pixel 40 includes three types of pixels 40R, 40G, and 40B that emit red, green, and blue light, respectively. The pixels 40 are arranged in a matrix. The pixels 40R, 40G, and 40B are repeatedly arranged in this order in the row direction, and the pixels 40 corresponding to the same color are arranged in a stripe shape in the column direction.

  The color element 34R described above is arranged in a rectangular area at the center of the pixel 40R. On the other hand, the color element 34r is arranged in a rectangular frame-shaped region along the outer periphery of the pixel 40R in the pixel 40R. In other words, the pixel 40R is exclusively arranged in a region where the color element 34R is not arranged. Similarly, the color element 34G is disposed in a rectangular area in the center of the pixel 40G, and the color element 34g is disposed in a rectangular frame-shaped area along the outer periphery of the pixel 40G in the pixel 40G. . Further, the color element 34B is arranged in a rectangular area in the center of the pixel 40B, and the color element 34b is arranged in a rectangular frame-like area along the outer periphery of the pixel 40B in the pixel 40B. The color elements 34r, 34g, and 34b correspond to the first color element in the present invention, and the color elements 34R, 34G, and 34B correspond to the second color element in the present invention.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing transmission spectra of the color element 34g and the color element 34G. In this figure, the curve denoted by reference numeral 61 indicates the transmission spectrum of the color element 34G, and the curve denoted by reference numeral 62 indicates the transmission spectrum of the color element 34g. Thus, the color elements 34g and the color elements 34G have different transmission spectra.

  Specifically, the transmission spectrum 62 of the color element 34g has a lower color purity than the transmission spectrum 61 of the color element 34G. Here, the color purity means the ratio of the stimulus of the monochromatic light when the monochromatic light and the specific white light are additively mixed to be equal to the color of the sample and the stimulus of the specific white light. Therefore, it can be said that the closer the transmission spectrum is to monochromatic light, the higher the color purity, and simply, the smaller the half width of the transmission spectrum, the higher the color purity. As is clear from FIG. 4, the half width of the transmission spectrum 62 of the color element 34g is wider than the half width of the transmission spectrum 61 of the color element 34G, and the color purity is low.

  In addition, the transmission spectrum 62 of the color element 34g has a smaller wavelength (hereinafter also referred to as a main transmission wavelength) that gives the maximum transmittance compared to the transmission spectrum 61 of the color element 34G (to the short wavelength side). Is shifting).

  From the above, it can be said that the color element 34g is one in which the main transmission wavelength of the color element 34G is shifted to the short wavelength side and the color purity is lowered. As a result, the transmittance of the color element 34g (see the transmission spectrum 62) in the wavelength region shorter than the wavelength (about 540 nm in FIG. 4) giving the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum 61 of the color element 34G is the color. It is higher than the transmittance of the element 34G (see the transmission spectrum 61). The relationship between the color element 34r and the color element 34R and the relationship between the color element 34b and the color element 34B are configured to be the same as the relationship between the color element 34g and the color element 34G.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the formation region of the pixel electrode 16 will be described. The pixel electrode 16 is formed for each pixel 40, and the formation region is represented by a broken line in FIG. Specifically, the formation region of the pixel electrode 16 is a rectangle that includes the entire formation region of the color elements 34 </ b> R, 34 </ b> G, and 34 </ b> B and is sized to be included in the pixel 40. The pixel electrode 16 is a component included in the thin film layer 50 formed on the substrate 10. Below, the component of the thin film layer 50 is explained in full detail.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the cross-sectional view of FIG. In this figure, the layers from the reflective film 12 to the thin film sealing layer 26 correspond to the thin film layer 50.

  On the substrate 10, a reflective film 12, an insulating layer 14, a pixel electrode 16 as an anode, a hole transport layer 18, an organic light emitting layer 20, an electron transport layer 22, a cathode 24, and a thin film sealing layer 26 are laminated in this order. These elements constitute an element substrate. Further, as described above, the color filter including the light shielding layer 32 and the color elements 34 is formed on the substrate 30, and a sealing substrate is configured by these elements. The element substrate and the sealing substrate are bonded together with an adhesive 28. In the above, the organic light emitting layer 20 corresponds to the light emitting layer in the present invention. The organic EL device 1 is a so-called top emission type light emitting device configured to extract light emitted from the organic light emitting layer 20 from the substrate 30 side, and an observer observes the display from the substrate 30 side. Among the above elements, elements formed from the reflective film 12 to the cathode 24 and formed for each pixel 40 correspond to the light emitting element 70.

  Among the above, the substrate 10 is a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) element, various wirings (data line, scanning line, etc. for driving the TFT element), insulation using a known technique on a glass substrate or a quartz substrate. This is a so-called TFT element substrate on which a film or the like is formed. The reflective film 12 can be made of aluminum or silver. The pixel electrode 16 is a transparent electrode made of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) disposed on the reflective film 12 with an insulating layer 14 made of SiN or the like for preventing a short circuit with the reflective film 12 interposed therebetween. One pixel electrode 16 is arranged for each pixel 40, and each pixel electrode 16 is connected to a data line (not shown) via a TFT element included in the substrate 10. The cathode 24 is formed by thinly forming an alloy of magnesium and silver into a half mirror shape, and has both light reflectivity and light transmissivity.

  Between the pixel electrode 16 and the cathode 24, a hole transport layer 18, an organic light emitting layer 20, and an electron transport layer 22 are laminated in this order. The organic light emitting layer 20 is a layer of an organic light emitting material that exhibits an electroluminescence phenomenon. By applying a voltage between the pixel electrode 16 and the cathode 24, holes are injected from the hole transport layer 18 into the organic light emitting layer 20 and electrons are injected from the electron transport layer 22. When these are recombined, light emission occurs. A part of the light from the organic light emitting layer 20 is directly transmitted through the cathode 24, and a part of the light is reflected by the reflective film 12 and then transmitted through the cathode 24. In any case, the light from the organic light emitting layer 20 passes through the cathode 24 and then passes through the thin film sealing layer 26, the adhesive 28, the color element 34, and the substrate 30 in this order.

  Here, the reflective film 12 and the cathode 24 constitute a so-called optical resonator. For this reason, the light emitted from the organic light emitting layer 20 reciprocates between the reflective film 12 and the cathode 24, and only the light having the resonance wavelength is extracted from the substrate 30 side. Accordingly, light having a spectrum with a high peak intensity and a narrow width can be extracted, and the color reproducibility of light emitted by the organic EL device 1 can be improved.

  The resonance wavelength can be adjusted by changing the length of the optical resonator. In the organic EL device 1, the length of the optical resonator is adjusted by changing the thickness of the pixel electrode 16. More specifically, in the pixels 40R, 40G, and 40B, the pixel electrode 16 is made thinner in this order, so that the length of the optical resonator and the resonance wavelength become longer in this order. Specifically, the thickness of the pixel electrode 16 in the pixels 40R, 40G, and 40B is 90 nm, 50 nm, and 20 nm, respectively. Accordingly, the resonance wavelength is set to a wavelength corresponding to red in the pixel 40R, green in the pixel 40G, and blue in the pixel 40B. As a result, red, green, or blue light is selectively emitted from the cathode 24 in accordance with the resonance wavelength.

  The thin film sealing layer 26 formed so as to cover the cathode 24 is a translucent member made of SiON or the like, protects the light emitting element 70, and forms a step of the cathode 24 formed for forming an optical resonator. To fill and smooth.

  As described above, the color element 34 formed on the substrate 30 is a member that colors transmitted light by absorbing a specific wavelength component of incident light. By arranging the color element 34, the color purity of the light extracted from the organic EL device 1 can be improved, the change in color due to the viewing angle can be suppressed, and the reflection of external light can be blocked to some extent. The color element 34 faces the thin film sealing layer 26 with an adhesive 28 made of an epoxy resin.

  The light shielding layer 32 that partitions the color element 34 constitutes a part of the color filter as described above. The light shielding layer 32 is a resin that hardly transmits light, and plays a role of preventing display color mixing between the pixels 40. The light shielding layer 32 is formed by a photolithography method or the like, similarly to the color element 34.

  Next, viewing angle characteristics of the organic EL device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the pixel 40G corresponding to green in the cross section along the line AA in FIG. In this figure, among the elements formed on the substrate 10, the components other than the pixel electrode 16, the organic light emitting layer 20, and the cathode 24 are omitted.

  In this figure, the width of the pixel 40G (that is, the width in the minor axis direction) is 80 μm. Of these, the width L1 of the portion occupied by the color element 34G is 32 μm, and the width L2 occupied by the color element 34g is 24 μm on each of the left and right sides. The distance D from the surface of the color element 34 to the light emitting surface of the light emitting element 70 is 34 μm. On the other hand, the width W of the pixel electrode 16 is 40 μm. Here, since the width of the light emitting region of the light emitting element 70 is defined by the width of the pixel electrode 16, the width of the light emitting region of the light emitting element 70 is also 40 μm. As can be seen from the above, the width of the light emitting region of the light emitting element 70 in the extending direction of the short axis of the pixel 40G is smaller than the width of the pixel 40 in the short axis direction.

  According to such a configuration, 80% of the front light emitted from the light emitting element 70 (one-dot chain line in FIG. 3) is transmitted through the color element 34G, and 20% is transmitted through the color element 34g. Here, the emission spectrum of the light emitted from the light emitting element 70 of the pixel 40G to the front is shown by a curve 58 in FIG. The light after passing through the color elements 34g and 34G has a spectrum obtained by the product of the curve 58 and the transmission spectrum of the color elements 34G and 34g that pass through. Specifically, light having a spectrum obtained by adding a weight of 8: 2 to the product of the emission spectrum shown by the curve 58 and the transmission spectrum 61 of FIG. Is taken out.

  On the other hand, in FIG. 3, when the light emission direction from the light emitting element 70 deviates from the front and the emission angle becomes larger than a predetermined value, the emitted light does not pass through a part of the color element 34G and passes through the color element 34g. Ingredients increase. Here, the predetermined value of the emission angle is a minimum angle at which the emitted light does not enter the color element 34g on one side in FIG. When the emission angle further increases and reaches 50 degrees, in such a wide-angle light (two-dot chain line in FIG. 3), only 30% of the components that pass through the color element 34G remain, and the remaining 70% has the color element 34g. It becomes transparent.

  An emission spectrum of light emitted from the light emitting element 70 of the pixel 40G at a wide angle of 50 degrees is shown by a curve 59 in FIG. The light after passing through the color elements 34G and 34g has a weight of 3: 7 for the product of the emission spectrum shown by the curve 59 and the transmission spectrum 61 of FIG. And have the added spectrum. Here, as is clear from FIG. 13, the emission spectrum of wide-angle light (curve 59) is shifted to the short wavelength side from the emission spectrum of front light (curve 58). However, since most of the light passes through the color element 34g having the transmission spectrum 62 having a large transmittance on the short wavelength side, the component shifted to the short wavelength side as described above is exposed to the outside of the organic EL device 1. Many are taken out. Thereby, the brightness | luminance fall at the time of observing from a wide angle can be suppressed, and the viewing angle characteristic of an organic electroluminescent apparatus can be improved.

  FIG. 5 is a graph showing the viewing angle dependence of the brightness of wide-angle light when the brightness of front light is 1. In the figure, a line segment 63 indicates data for the organic EL device 1, and a line segment 64 indicates data for the organic EL device having the conventional configuration shown in FIG. As can be seen from this graph, in the organic EL device 1 according to the present embodiment in which the arrangement of the color elements 34g and 34G and the arrangement of the pixel electrode 16 are devised, the luminance decrease when the viewing angle is increased is conventionally increased. It is kept small compared with.

  In the above, the pixel 40G corresponding to green has been described as an example, but also in the pixels 40R and 40B corresponding to red and blue, the hue shift of wide-angle light can be suppressed by the same action.

(Second Embodiment)
Subsequently, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the arrangement of components on the substrate 10 is changed, and the other points are the same as those in the first embodiment. In the following drawings, the same elements as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the organic EL device 1A according to the second embodiment, and corresponds to FIG. 1B in the first embodiment. The organic EL device 1A has a bank 55 made of resin or the like disposed in a region on the substrate 10 where the pixel electrode 16 is not formed. In other words, the pixel electrode 16 is formed in a recess formed by the substrate 10 and the bank 55. Of the thin film layer 50, the hole transport layer 18, the organic light emitting layer 20, and the electron transport layer 22 are also formed in the recess. Therefore, the light emitting element 70 is formed in a region surrounded by the bank 55, and this region becomes the light emitting region of the light emitting element 70.

  A gap material 56 is disposed between the bank 55 and the light shielding layer 32. The gap material 56 is made of a resin having a diameter smaller than that of the gap material 54 and, like the gap material 54, supports the substrate 10 and the substrate 30 and plays a role of keeping the distance between these substrates constant. Due to such an effect of the gap material 56, the distance D in FIG. 3 is substantially constant over all the pixels 40. At this time, in all the pixels 40, the ratio of the component that transmits the color element 34g and the component that transmits the color element 34G of the wide-angle light emitted at a certain angle becomes substantially equal. The same applies to the color element 34r and the color element 34R, and the color element 34b and the color element 34B. For this reason, it is possible to make it difficult to cause unevenness in viewing angle characteristics depending on places.

(Third embodiment)
Subsequently, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the configuration of the color filter formed on the substrate 30 is changed, and the other points are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an organic EL device 1B according to the third embodiment, and corresponds to FIG. 1B in the first embodiment. In the organic EL device 1B, the color filter includes a light shielding layer 32, color elements 34R, 34G, and 34B, and a translucent overcoat 36, and the color elements 34r, 34g, and the like in the first embodiment. 34b is not included. The overcoat 36 is laminated on the color elements 34R, 34G, and 34B, and serves to protect the surfaces of the color elements 34R, 34G, and 34B and to flatten the unevenness thereof.

  Among these, for example, the color element 34G has irregularities that are convex in the pixel 40G. More specifically, the thickness of the color element 34G in the rectangular area at the center of the pixel 40G, that is, the area where the color element 34G is formed in the first embodiment is M. In addition, the thickness of a region other than the rectangle, which is a rectangular frame-shaped region along the outer periphery of the pixel 40G, that is, a region where the color element 34g is formed in the first embodiment is m. There is a relationship of m <M between m and M. Here, in this embodiment, the portion having the thickness m of the color element 34G corresponds to the first color element in the present invention, and the portion having the thickness M corresponds to the second color element in the present invention. To do. That is, the first color element and the second color element in the present embodiment are made of the same material, and the thickness of the first color element is smaller than the thickness of the second color element. The above is a description of the pixel 40G and the color element 34G, but the pixels 40R and 40B and the color elements 34R and 34B have the same configuration.

  When the color element 34 is thinned, the transmittance is improved over the entire visible light region. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the transmission spectrum of the portion having the thickness m of the color elements 34R, 34G, and 34B has a transmittance over the entire visible light region with respect to the transmission spectrum of the portion having the thickness M. Get higher. In addition, due to the same action as in the first embodiment, the wide-angle light emitted from the light emitting element 70 is transmitted through a portion having the thickness m more than the front light. For this reason, the component shifted to the short wavelength side of the wide-angle light is easily taken out to the outside of the organic EL device 1B by being transmitted through many portions having the thickness m of the color elements 34R, 34G, and 34B. Thereby, the brightness | luminance fall at the time of observing from a wide angle can be suppressed, and the viewing angle characteristic of the organic EL apparatus 1B can be improved.

(Fourth embodiment)
Subsequently, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the color filter formed on the substrate 30 does not have the light shielding layer 32, and the other points are the same as the first embodiment.

  8A and 8B are views showing an organic EL device 1C according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 8A is a plan view, and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. In the organic EL device 1C, the light shielding layer 32 is not formed on the substrate 30, and the color elements 34 are formed so as to be adjacent to each other. The color element 34G is disposed in a rectangular area in the center of the pixel 40G, and the color element 34g is disposed in a rectangular frame-shaped area along the outer periphery of the pixel 40G in the pixel 40G. In other words, the color element 34g is arranged in an area of the pixel 40G where the color element 34G is not arranged. The above configuration is the same for the color elements 34r, 34R, 34b, and 34B.

  Even with such a configuration, the ratio of the wide-angle light transmitted through the color elements 34r, 34g, and 34b is larger than that of the front light. For this reason, as in the first embodiment, the components shifted to the short wavelength side of the wide-angle light are transmitted through the color elements 34r, 34g, and 34b so that they are easily extracted outside the organic EL device 1C. Thereby, the brightness | luminance fall at the time of observing from a wide angle can be suppressed, and the viewing angle characteristic of 1 C of organic EL apparatuses can be improved.

(Fifth embodiment)
Subsequently, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the arrangement region of the color elements 34 and the pixel electrodes 16 and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment.

  FIG. 9 is a plan view of an organic EL device 1D according to the fifth embodiment. In the organic EL device 1D, the color element 34g is disposed in a region along the long side of the outer periphery of the rectangular pixel 40G. The color element 34G extends to a region along the short side of the outer periphery of the pixel 40G in addition to the central portion of the pixel 40G. In other words, the pixel 40G includes one band-shaped color element 34G and two color elements 34g having the same length as the long side of the pixel 40G, and the color element 34G is sandwiched between the color elements 34g. Is arranged. The above configuration is the same for the color elements 34r, 34R, 34b, and 34B.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to increase the ratio of transmitting the color elements 34r, 34g, and 34b with respect to the wide-angle light that is emitted while being inclined in the extending direction of the short axis of the pixel 40. For this reason, the brightness | luminance fall at the time of inclining an observation direction to the extension direction of the short axis of the pixel 40 can be suppressed effectively, and it becomes possible to improve the viewing angle characteristic of organic EL apparatus 1D.

(Sixth embodiment)
Subsequently, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the arrangement region of the color elements 34, and is otherwise the same as the first embodiment.

  FIG. 10 is a plan view of an organic EL device 1E according to the sixth embodiment. In the organic EL device 1E, the color elements 34B and 34b are arranged in the pixel 40B that emits blue light in the same manner as the organic EL device 1 according to the first embodiment. On the other hand, in the pixel 40R that emits red light and the pixel 40G that emits green light, only the color element 34R or the color element 34G is arranged on the entire surface, and the color elements 34r and 34g are not arranged. According to such a configuration, it is possible to increase the rate at which wide-angle light is transmitted through the color element 34b only in the pixel 40B. That is, it is possible to selectively improve the transmittance of wide-angle light for blue light emission whose luminance is greatly reduced when shifted to the short wavelength side. Thereby, the brightness | luminance fall in a wide angle can be suppressed, maintaining the chromaticity balance at the time of observing the organic EL apparatus 1E from a wide angle.

(Electronics)
The above-described organic EL device 1 (including the organic EL devices 1A to 1E) can be used by being mounted on a mobile phone 100 as an “electronic device” as shown in FIG. 11, for example. The mobile phone 100 has a display unit 110 and operation buttons 120. The display unit 110 uses the organic EL device 1 incorporated therein to display a variety of information including the contents input by the operation button 120 and incoming call information with high-quality display with little reduction in luminance at a wide angle. Can do.

  The organic EL device 1 to which the present invention is applied can be used for various electronic devices such as a mobile computer, a digital camera, a digital video camera, an in-vehicle device, and an audio device in addition to the mobile phone 100 described above.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, various deformation | transformation can be added with respect to the said embodiment in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention. As modifications, for example, the following can be considered.

(Modification 1)
In carrying out the present invention, the distance D from the surface of the color element 34 to the light emitting surface of the light emitting element 70 in FIG. 3 can be arbitrarily changed. In order to change the distance D, the diameter of the gap material 54 shown in FIG. 1B or the diameter of the gap material 56 shown in FIG. 6 may be changed. When the distance D is reduced, the rate of change of the rate of transmission through the color elements 34r, 34g, 34b when the emission angle is changed is reduced. In other words, even for wide-angle light having a large emission angle, it is possible to provide an effect of suppressing a decrease in luminance according to the emission angle. On the other hand, when the distance D is increased, the rate of change of the ratio of transmitting through the color elements 34r, 34g, 34b when the emission angle is changed increases. In this case, it is possible to suppress a decrease in luminance of wide-angle light for a relatively narrow range of emission angles.

(Modification 2)
In the above embodiment, the color elements 34r, 34g, and 34b may be transparent. Even with such a configuration, as the emission angle increases, the transmittance of wide-angle light can be increased, so that a decrease in luminance when observing from a wide angle can be suppressed.

(Modification 3)
As shown in FIG. 4, the transmission spectrum 62 of the color element 34g of the above embodiment is obtained by shifting the main transmission wavelength of the transmission spectrum 61 of the color element 34G to the short wavelength side and reducing the color purity. It is not intended to limit this. Instead of such a configuration, for example, the color element 34g and the color element 34G may have the same hue, and only the color purity may be changed. In this case, the main transmission wavelengths of the color elements 34g and 34G are substantially the same. Further, the transmission spectrum of the color element 34g may have a half width substantially the same as the transmission spectrum of the color element 34G, and the main transmission wavelength may be shifted to a shorter wavelength side than the color element 34G. Also with these configurations, the transmittance of the color element 34g can be made higher than the transmittance of the color element 34G in the wavelength region shorter than the wavelength that gives the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum of the color element 34G. The configuration as described above can also be applied to the color element 34r and the color element 34R, or the color element 34b and the color element 34B. Also with the configuration of this modification, the transmittance of wide-angle light can be increased, so that a decrease in luminance when observing from a wide angle can be suppressed.

(Modification 4)
In the above-described embodiment, the pixel electrode 16 is formed in a rectangular shape that includes the entire formation region of the color elements 34R, 34G, and 34B and is included in the pixel 40 when viewed from the normal direction of the substrate 10. Yes, but this is not meant to be limiting. Instead of the above configuration, for example, the arrangement region of the pixel electrode 16 (that is, the light emitting region of the light emitting element 70) and the color element 34G have the same width in the minor axis direction of the pixel 40G and the extension in the width direction. Arrangement may be made such that the positions overlap when viewed from the normal direction of the substrate 10. In this case, all the front light from the light emitting element 70 of the pixel 40G is incident on the color element 34G, and a part of the wide-angle light other than the front light is always incident on the color element 34g at a ratio corresponding to the emission angle. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an effect of suppressing a decrease in luminance for all wide-angle light other than front light. The same applies to the color elements 34r, 34R, 34b, and 34B. Further, instead of the above configuration, the pixel electrode 16 may be formed over the entire pixel 40, and in this case as well, it is possible to suppress a decrease in luminance of wide-angle light.

(Modification 5)
In the above embodiment, for example, there are only two color elements arranged in the pixel 40G, ie, the color elements 34g and 34G. However, it is configured to include three or more color elements by adding other green color elements. It may be. The color element to be added is, for example, a color element having a transmission spectrum intermediate between the color element 34g and the color element 34G, and is arranged in an area between the color element 34g and the color element 34G. The same applies to the color elements 34r, 34R, 34b, and 34B. According to such a configuration, it is possible to obtain the effect of suppressing the decrease in luminance more finely according to the exit angle.

(Modification 6)
In the above embodiment, the cathode 24 is a half mirror and the optical resonator is positively formed. However, the optical resonator may not be formed. Even in a configuration in which no optical resonator is actively provided, in the top emission type organic EL device, the optical resonator is configured between any two layers sandwiching the organic light emitting layer 20, and therefore, the spectrum of wide-angle light is reduced. Shift to short wavelength side. At this time, the transmittance of the wide-angle light whose spectrum is shifted to the short wavelength side can be improved by the arrangement of the color elements 34 as shown in the above embodiment.

(Modification 7)
The color elements 34r, 34g, and 34b corresponding to the second color element of the present invention may not be arranged in the entire area along the outer periphery of the pixel 40 in the pixel 40, and are arranged in at least a part of this area. It only has to be done. In this way, the wide-angle light emitted from the light emitting element 70 is transmitted through the color elements 34r, 34g, and 34b more than the front light. For this reason, the transmittance | permeability of the component shifted to the short wavelength side among wide angle light improves, and it can suppress the luminance fall at the time of observing from a wide angle.

(Modification 8)
The first embodiment has a configuration having a lattice-shaped light shielding layer 32, and the fourth embodiment has a configuration without the light shielding layer 32. The arrangement of the light shielding layer 32 is not limited to this. For example, the light shielding layer 32 may be partially provided. As an example, the light shielding layer 32 may be provided only between the pixels 40 adjacent to each other with the long side interposed therebetween, and may not be provided between the pixels 40 adjacent to each other with the short side interposed therebetween. Even with such a configuration, it is possible to suppress a decrease in luminance of wide-angle light.

(Modification 9)
In the above-described embodiment, the pixels 40 are rectangular. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the pixels 40 may be oval. Here, an oval is a track-like figure that connects two opposing semicircles with two long sides. Even in such a configuration, by disposing the color elements 34r, 34g, and 34b in the region along the long side of the pixel 40, it is possible to suppress a decrease in luminance of wide-angle light.

(Modification 10)
In the above-described embodiment, the pixel 40 and the color element 34 are configured to correspond to three colors of red, green, and blue, but may be configured to correspond to four or more colors instead. For example, a configuration corresponding to four colors obtained by adding two colors selected from the hues of blue to yellow to two colors of red and blue can be adopted. The latter two colors can be, for example, green and cyan.

(Modification 11)
In the above-described embodiment, the hole transport layer 18 and the electron transport layer 22 included in the light emitting element 70 may be disposed as necessary, and may not be necessarily formed. The thin film sealing layer 26 can also be omitted when the adhesive 28 also has a similar function.

It is a figure which shows the organic electroluminescent apparatus as an electroluminescent apparatus, (a) is a top view, (b) is sectional drawing in the AA in (a). The figure which expanded sectional drawing of FIG.1 (b). Sectional drawing which expands and shows the pixel corresponding to green among the cross sections along the AA line in Fig.1 (a). The figure which shows the transmission spectrum of the color element 34g and the color element 34G. The graph which shows the viewing angle dependence of the brightness | luminance of wide-angle light when the brightness | luminance of front light is set to 1. Sectional drawing of the organic electroluminescent apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. The expanded sectional view of the organic EL device concerning a 3rd embodiment. It is a figure which shows the organic electroluminescent apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment, (a) is a top view, (b) is sectional drawing in the BB line in (a). The top view of the organic electroluminescent apparatus which concerns on 5th Embodiment. The top view of the organic electroluminescent apparatus which concerns on 6th Embodiment. The model perspective view of the mobile telephone as an electronic device. Sectional drawing which shows the example of a top emission type organic electroluminescent apparatus. The figure which shows the emission spectrum of front light and wide angle light. The figure which shows the chromaticity of front light and wide angle light.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E ... Organic EL device as an electroluminescence device, 10 ... First substrate, 12 ... Reflective film, 14 ... Insulating layer, 16 ... Pixel electrode, 18 ... Hole transport layer, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Organic light emitting layer, 22 ... Electron carrying layer, 24 ... Cathode, 26 ... Thin film sealing layer, 28 ... Adhesive, 30 ... 2nd board | substrate, 32 ... Light-shielding layer, 34r, 34g, 34b ... 1st color 34R, 34G, 34B ... second color element, 36 ... overcoat, 40,40R, 40G, 40B ... pixel, 50 ... thin film layer, 52 ... sealing agent, 54,56 ... gap material, 55 ... bank, 70: Light emitting element, 100: Mobile phone.

Claims (10)

A reflective film;
A first electrode provided on the reflective film;
A light emitting layer provided on the first electrode;
A second electrode having a transflective property provided on the light emitting layer;
A color filter provided on the second electrode ,
The color filter has a first portion having a first color element, and a second portion having a second color element,
An optical resonator structure for resonating light emitted from the light emitting layer between the reflective film and the second electrode;
The transmittance of the first color element is higher than the transmittance of the second color element in a wavelength region shorter than the wavelength giving the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum of the second color element,
The second part is formed in a region surrounded by the first part;
The electroluminescence device according to claim 1, wherein the color purity of the first color element is lower than the color purity of the second color element .   A reflective film;
  A first electrode provided on the reflective film;
  A light emitting layer provided on the first electrode;
  A second electrode having a transflective property provided on the light emitting layer;
  A color filter provided on the second electrode,
  The color filter has a first portion having a first color element, and a second portion having a second color element,
  An optical resonator structure for resonating light emitted from the light emitting layer between the reflective film and the second electrode;
  The transmittance of the first color element is higher than the transmittance of the second color element in a wavelength region shorter than the wavelength giving the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum of the second color element,
  The second part is formed in a region surrounded by the first part;
  The electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein the first color element has a wavelength that gives the maximum transmittance in its transmission spectrum, which is smaller than the second color element.   A reflective film;
  A first electrode provided on the reflective film;
  A light emitting layer provided on the first electrode;
  A second electrode having a transflective property provided on the light emitting layer;
  A color filter provided on the second electrode,
  The color filter has a first portion having a first color element, and a second portion having a second color element,
  An optical resonator structure for resonating light emitted from the light emitting layer between the reflective film and the second electrode;
  The transmittance of the first color element is higher than the transmittance of the second color element in a wavelength region shorter than the wavelength giving the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum of the second color element,
  The second part is formed in a region surrounded by the first part;
  The first part and the second part are formed of the same material,
  The thickness of the said color filter in a said 2nd part is larger than the thickness of the said color filter in a said 1st part, The electroluminescent apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.   A reflective film;
  A first electrode provided on the reflective film;
  A light emitting layer provided on the first electrode;
  A second electrode having a transflective property provided on the light emitting layer;
  A color filter provided on the second electrode,
  The color filter has a first portion having a first color element, and a second portion having a second color element,
  An optical resonator structure for resonating light emitted from the light emitting layer between the reflective film and the second electrode;
  The transmittance of the first color element is higher than the transmittance of the second color element in a wavelength region shorter than the wavelength giving the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum of the second color element,
  The second part is formed in a region surrounded by the first part;
  The electroluminescent device, wherein the color filter is formed of only one layer.   In an electroluminescence device provided with a plurality of light emitting elements on a substrate,
  The plurality of light emitting elements include a red light emitting element, a green light emitting element, and a blue light emitting element,
  Each of the light emitting elements is
  A reflective film;
  A first electrode provided on the reflective film;
  A light emitting layer provided on the first electrode;
  A second electrode having a transflective property provided on the light emitting layer;
  A color filter provided on the second electrode,
  An optical resonator structure for resonating light emitted from the light emitting layer between the reflective film and the second electrode;
  The color filter has a first part having a first color element and a second part having a second color element,
  The transmittance of the first color element is higher than the transmittance of the second color element in a wavelength region shorter than the wavelength giving the maximum transmittance in the transmission spectrum of the second color element,
  The second part is formed in a region surrounded by the first part;
  The electroluminescent device, wherein the color filter in the red light emitting element, the green light emitting element, and the blue light emitting element does not have a color conversion layer. An electroluminescent device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
A light-emitting element including the first electrode, the light-emitting layer, and the second electrode has a long side and a short side,
The first portion is disposed so as to overlap with a region along the long side of the light emitting element in plan view,
The first portion and the second portion are provided so as to be in contact with each other, and do not have a portion overlapping each other in plan view . The electroluminescence device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
The electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode overlaps the first portion and the second portion in a plan view . The electroluminescence device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
The electroluminescent device, wherein the color filter includes a light shielding layer. The electroluminescence device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 ,
A light emitting element including the first electrode, the light emitting layer, and the second electrode includes a red light emitting element, a green light emitting element, and a blue light emitting element ,
The electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein the first portion overlaps the blue light emitting element in a planar manner. An electronic apparatus, comprising the electroluminescent device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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