US5210430A — Electric field light-emitting device

Claim 1

Independent Claim 46 words

An electric field effect light emitting device comprising first and second conductive members and a light emitting layer consisting of a diamond-like carbon film containing oxygen located between said first and second conductive members, wherein the concentration of oxygen is less than about 5 atomic %.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 46 words

An electric field effect light emitting device comprising first and second conductive members and a light emitting layer consisting of a diamond-like carbon film containing oxygen located between said first and second conductive members, wherein the concentration of oxygen is less than about 5 atomic %.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting layer further contains a small amount of an element other than oxygen.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 28 words

A device according to claim 2, wherein said element other than oxygen is present in said light emitting layer in an amount from 0.1 to 3 wt. %.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

A device according to claim 2, wherein said element other than oxygen is selected from the group consisting of B, Te, As, Au, Mg, P, Sb, Si, Ta, N, halides, sulfides and oxides thereof.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 53 words

A device according to claim 2, wherein said element other than oxygen is selected from the group consisting of Tl, Ba, Li, Cd, Cs, In, Ra, S, Sr, Ti, Zn, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Fe, Ga, K, Mn, Nb, Os, Pb, Rb, Rh, Sc, Th, V, W, Y, halides, sulfides and oxides thereof.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 39 words

A device according to claim 2, wherein said element other than oxygen is selected from the group consisting of Ag, Be, Bi, Cu, Ge, Hg, Pt, Re, Zr, Al, Ir, Ni, Ru, Sn, Tb, halides, sulfides and oxides thereof.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 17 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting layer is substantially transparent to visible light.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 17 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting layer has a resistivity ≧10 9 Ω·cm.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 20 words

A device according to claim 8, wherein said resistivity is in a range from 10 9 to 10 13 Ω·cm.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 13 words

A device according to claim 9, wherein said resistivity is ≧10 12 Ω·cm.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting layer has a Vickers hardness ≧2,000 kg/mm 2 .

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 82 words

An electric field effect light emitting device comprising a first and second conductive members and a light emitting layer consisting of a thin film of monocrystalline or polycrystalline diamond located between said first and second conductive members, further comprising at least one insulating layer between (i) said first conductive member and said light emitting layer or (ii) said second conductive member and said light emitting layer, wherein said light emitting layer contains a small amount of an element constituting light emitting centers.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 82 words

An electric field effect light emitting device comprising a first and second conductive members and a light emitting layer consisting of a thin film of monocrystalline or polycrystalline diamond located between said first and second conductive members, further comprising at least one insulating layer between (i) said first conductive member and said light emitting layer or (ii) said second conductive member and said light emitting layer, wherein said light emitting layer contains a small amount of an element constituting light emitting centers.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 17 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said light emitting layer is substantially transparent to visible light.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 16 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said second conductive layer is composed of a metal.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 21 words

A device according to claim 14, wherein said metal is selected from Al, Au, Ag, Pt, W, Cu, Ti and Ni.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 35 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said element constituting light emitting centers is selected from the group consisting of B, Te, As, Au, Mg, P, Sb, Si, Ta, N, halides, sulfides and oxides thereof.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 54 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said element constituting light emitting centers is selected from the group consisting of Tl, Ba, Li, Cd, Cs, In, Ra, S, Sr, Ti, Zn, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Fe, Ga, K, Mn, Nb, Os, Pb, Rb, Rh, Sc, Th, V, W, Y, halides, sulfides and oxides thereof.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 41 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said element constituting light emitting centers is selected from the group consisting of Ag, Be, Bi, Cu, Ge, Hg, Pt, Re, Zr, Al, Ir, Ni, Ru, Sn, Tb, O, halides, sulfides, and oxides thereof.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 18 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said insulating layer has a thickness from 500 to 5,000 Å.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

A device according to claim 19, wherein the diamond light emitting layer has a light emitting area ≧1 μm 2 .

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 18 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said conductive layers have a thickness from 500 to 1,500 Å.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 16 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said first conductive layer is a transparent conductive film.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 32 words

A device according to claim 22, wherein said transparent conductive film is composed of a material selected from ITO, SnO 2 , ZnO, SnO 2 -Sb and Cd 2 SnO 4 .

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 34 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said insulating layer is provided between said light emitting layer and said first conductive layer, and also between said light emitting layer and said second conductive layer.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 36 words

A device according to claim 24, wherein said insulating layers provided between said light emitting layer and said first conductive layer and between said light emitting layer and said second conductive layer have mutually different thicknesses.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 54 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said insulating layer is composed of a material selected from Y 2 O 3 , HfO 2 , Si 3 N 4 , Al 2 O 3 , Ta 2 O 5 , PbTiO 3 , BaTa 2 O 6 , SiO 2 and SrTiO 3 .

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 18 words

A device according to claim 12, comprising a protective layer on at least one of said conductive layers.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 17 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said light emitting layer is selectively formed with regular patterns.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 22 words

A device according to claim 28, wherein the (100) plane of the diamond light emitting layer is oriented parallel to a substrate.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 17 words

A device according to claim 28, wherein said light emitting layer is formed as a two-dimensional matrix.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 30 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said light emitting layer is selectively formed with regular patterns, and either of said first and second conductive members is formed as stripes.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 17 words

A device according to claim 31, wherein said light emitting layer is formed as a two-dimensional matrix.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 25 words

A device according to claim 12, wherein said insulating layer provided between said conductive member and said light emitting layer is composed of plural layers.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 58 words

An electric field effect light emitting device comprising with a first conductive member, a thin diamond film light emitting layer, and a second conductive member, wherein said diamond film has a substantially flat surface having a surface coarseness not exceeding 500 Å in average, and said light emitting layer is located between said first and second conductive members.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 58 words

An electric field effect light emitting device comprising with a first conductive member, a thin diamond film light emitting layer, and a second conductive member, wherein said diamond film has a substantially flat surface having a surface coarseness not exceeding 500 Å in average, and said light emitting layer is located between said first and second conductive members.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 19 words

A device according to claim 34, wherein said light emitting layer has a thickness from 0.5 to 5 μm.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 19 words

A device according to claim 35, wherein said light emitting layer has a thickness from 0.7 to 3 μm.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 19 words

A device according to claim 36, wherein said light emitting layer has a thickness from 1 to 2 μm.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 18 words

A device according to claim 34, wherein said light emitting layer further contains atoms constituting light emitting centers.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 22 words

A device according to claim 38, wherein said atoms constituting light emitting centers are uniformly distributed in a direction across said layer.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 41 words

A device according to claim 39, wherein said atoms constituting light emitting centers are selected from a group consisting of Ag, Be, Bi, Cu, Ge, Hg, Pt, Re, Zr, Al, Ir, Ni, Ru, Sn, Tb, O, halides, sulfides and oxides thereof.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 22 words

A device according to claim 38, wherein said atoms constituting light emitting centers are unevenly distributed in a direction across said layer.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 23 words

A device according to claim 41, wherein said atoms constituting light emitting centers are more densely distributed at the side of conductive member.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 36 words

A device according to claim 38, wherein said atoms constituting light emitting centers are selected from a group consisting of B, Te, As, Au, Ag, Mg, P, Sb, Si, Ta, N, halides, sulfides and oxides thereof.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 54 words

A device according to claim 38, wherein said atoms constituting light emitting centers are selected from a group consisting of Tl, Ba, Li, Cd, Cs, In, Ra, S, Sr, Ti, Zn, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Fe, Ga, K, Mn, Nb, Os, Pb, Rb, Rh, Sc, Th, V, W, Y, halides, sulfides and oxides thereof.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 16 words

A device according to claim 34, wherein said first conductive member is a transparent conductive film.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 32 words

A device according to claim 45, wherein said transparent conductive film is composed of a material selected from ITO, SnO 2 , ZnO, SnO 2 -Sb and Cd 2 SnO 4 .

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 16 words

A device according to claim 34, wherein said second conductive member is composed of a metal.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 21 words

A device according to claim 47, wherein said metal is selected from Al, Au, Ag, Pt, W, Cu, Ti and Ni.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 25 words

A device according to claim 34, further comprising an insulating layer at least between said light emitting layer and said first or second conductive member.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 46 words

A device according to claim 49, wherein said insulating layer is composed of a material selected from HfO 2 , Si 3 N 4 , Al 2 O 3 , Ta 2 O 5 , PbTiO 3 , BaTa 2 O 6 and SrTiO 3 .

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 39 words

A device according to claim 38, wherein the ratio (IE/IC) of number of said atoms constituting light emitting centers to the carbon atoms in said light emitting layer is within a range from 5×10 -1 to 1×10 -5 .

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 36 words

A device according to claim 34, wherein the ratio (IE/IC) of number of crystal defects of said light emitting layer to the carbon atoms thereof is within a range from 5×10 -2 to 1×10 -5 .

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-05-10	1996-11-09	1997-05-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-05-10	2000-11-09	2001-05-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-05-10	2004-11-09	2005-05-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electric field light-emitting device

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