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US6023073A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Organic/inorganic alloys used to improve organic electroluminescent devices

Assignee: Innolux Corp
•
Filing: 1996-09-12
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Granted: 2000-02-08
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Expires: 2016-09-12
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Abstract

Abstract The above objects have been accomplished by providing an OLED having an organic active (53) region with at least one emission layer (EL). The OLED further comprises at least one organic charge transport layer (52) (either a hole transport layer or an electron transport layer), an anode (51) and a cathode (54). This organic charge transport layer (52) is alloyed by introduction of an inorganic component. If said alloyed charge transport layer (52) is a hole transport layer (HTL), for example, the holes are conducted through it by means of the inorganic constituents with reduced voltage drop or heating.

Inventors

  • 👤 Samuel Clagett Strite

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 21:15
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B33/00; H05B33/12; H10; H10K; H10K50/00; H10K50/10; H10K50/14; H10K50/15; H10K50/155; H10K50/16; H10K50/165; H10K2102/00; H10K2102/301; H10K2102/302; H10K2102/3023; H10K2102/3026; H10K2102/3031; H10K2102/321; H10K50/80; H10K50/805; H10K50/81; H10K50/82; H10K50/828; H10K59/00; H10K59/10; H10K59/12; H10K59/80; H10K59/805; H10K59/8051; H10K59/8052; H10K59/80524; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/917

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 78 words
A light emitting device comprising: an organic, electroluminescent active region; and at least one organic charge transport layer for transporting charges from an electrode to said active region, wherein said organic charge transport layer includes an inorganic component introduced to form an organic/inorganic alloy material for improved charge transport, and the concentration of said inorganic component introduced to form the organic/inorganic alloy material is graded such that the concentration decreases or increases with distance from said active region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 78 words
A light emitting device comprising: an organic, electroluminescent active region; and at least one organic charge transport layer for transporting charges from an electrode to said active region, wherein said organic charge transport layer includes an inorganic component introduced to form an organic/inorganic alloy material for improved charge transport, and the concentration of said inorganic component introduced to form the organic/inorganic alloy material is graded such that the concentration decreases or increases with distance from said active region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein said organic charge transport layer having said inorganic component serves as electron transport layer transporting electrons from said electrode, serving as cathode, to said active region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 34 words
The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein said organic charge transport layer having said inorganic component serves as hole transport layer transporting holes from said electrode, serving as anode, to said active region.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 72 words
The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein said at least one organic charge transport layer includes: a first organic charge transport layer having said inorganic component serving as electron transport layer transporting electrons from said electrode, serving as cathode, to said active region; and a second organic charge transport layer having said inorganic component serving as hole transport layer transporting holes from said electrode, serving as anode, to said active region.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 42 words
The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein said inorganic component is either a metal or an elemental semiconductor or a compound semiconductor, said elemental semiconductor or compound semiconductor may be intentionally doped in order to alter or enhance their electrical characteristics.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 42 words
The light emitting device of claim 5, wherein said inorganic component introduced to form an organic/inorganic alloy material is chosen such that a charge transport layer is obtained which has a reduced resistivity in comparison with a purely organic charge transport layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 40 words
The light emitting device of claim 5, wherein said inorganic component introduced to form an organic/inorganic alloy material is chosen such that the inorganic component provides the primary channel for charge injection from the electrode into the organic/inorganic alloy material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 61 words
The light emitting device of claim 5, wherein said inorganic component introduced to form an organic/inorganic alloy material is chosen such that the inorganic component provides, due to its dispersed nature in the organic host matrix of said organic charge transport layer, for improved charge transfer from the inorganic of said organic/inorganic alloy material into the organic of said active region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 114 words
The light emitting device of claim 1 or 5, wherein said active region comprises either: a stack of at least two electroluminescent organic emission layers; or an organic compound doped with one or more impurities, organic or inorganic, chosen to dominate and enhance the electroluminescence; or a stack of at least two electroluminescent organic emission layers, some of which may be doped to dominate or enhance the electroluminescence of that particular electroluminescent organic emission layer, or a stack of at least two organic layers, in which the role of one or more of said organic layers is to electrically confine one or more carrier types to improve the emission of an adjacent organic layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 85 words
The light emitting device of claim 1 or 5, wherein the electrode is either a metal contact in direct conjunction with the organic/inorganic alloy material, said inorganic component being a metal, or a semiconductor contact in direct conjunction with the organic/inorganic alloy material, said inorganic component being a metal, or a semiconductor contact in direct conjunction with the organic/inorganic alloy material, said inorganic component being a semiconductor, or a metal contact in direct conjunction with the organic/inorganic alloy material, said inorganic component being a semiconductor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 48 words
The light emitting device pursuant to any one of claims 1-8, wherein there is a single organic matrix throughout the device, discrete layers of the device being distinguished only by the inorganic components in the transport layers, and the organic or inorganic electroluminescent dopants in the active region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 59 words
The light emitting device pursuant to any one of claims 1-8, wherein a single organic matrix is provided throughout the device with the exception of the organic emission layer being part of said active region, the organic emission layer of said active region being chosen for its emission properties in concert with the organic matrix in the surrounding device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 46 words
The light emitting device pursuant to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the device is structured so as to emit light into the half space above the substrate through the electrode serving as top contact, the respective electrode including a transparent or semitransparent metal or semiconductor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 33 words
An organic light emitting array or display comprising at least two light emitting devices pursuant to any one of claims 1-8, said light emitting devices being deposited or flipped onto a common substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 26 words
The organic light emitting array or display of claim 14, wherein said common substrate is a crystalline Silicon substrate comprising devices and/or circuits and/or electrical connections.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 32 words
The organic light emitting array or display of claim 15, wherein said devices and/or circuits and/or electrical connections are designed for driving and controlling at least one of said light emitting devices.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 82 words
The organic light emitting array or display of claim 15, wherein said light emitting devices are deposited cathode first onto said Silicon substrate, and wherein a stable Silicon process metallization injects electrons efficiently into the organic/inorganic alloy electron transport layers of said light emitting devices, and/or a transparent or semitransparent top anode is formed on top of said light emitting devices, arranged such that light emitted by said light emitting devices is emitted into the half space above the Silicon substrate plane.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 82 words
The organic light emitting array or display of claim 15, wherein said light emitting devices are deposited anode first onto said silicon substrate, a stable silicon process metallization, with or without an additional patterned indium-tin-oxide (ITO), injects holes efficiently into said light emitting devices, and a transparent or semitransparent top cathode is formed on top of said light emitting devices, and arranged such that light emitted by said light emitting devices is emitted into the half space above the silicon substrate plane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 53 words
The organic light emitting array of claim 14, wherein said light emitting devices are deposited cathode first onto said common substrate, which is preferably a glass substrate, said light emitting devices being arranged such that light emitted by said light emitting devices is emitted into the half space below said common substrate plane.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 21 words
The organic light emitting array or display of claim 19, wherein the substrate and the entire array or display are flexible.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 93 words
A light emitting device comprising: an organic, electroluminescent active region; at least one organic charge transport layer for transporting charges from an electrode to said active region; and an organic buffer layer between the organic charge transport layer and said active region, said organic buffer layer having the purpose of reducing or suppressing quenching by the inorganic component in said organic charge transport layer of the emission layer of said active region, wherein said organic charge transport layer includes an inorganic component introduced to form an organic/inorganic alloy material for improved charge transport.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 93 words
A light emitting device comprising: an organic, electroluminescent active region; at least one organic charge transport layer for transporting charges from an electrode to said active region; and an organic buffer layer between the organic charge transport layer and said active region, said organic buffer layer having the purpose of reducing or suppressing quenching by the inorganic component in said organic charge transport layer of the emission layer of said active region, wherein said organic charge transport layer includes an inorganic component introduced to form an organic/inorganic alloy material for improved charge transport.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 22 words
The light emitting device of claim 21, further comprising another organic buffer layer between said active region and another charge transport layer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 69 words
A light emitting device comprising: an organic, electroluminescent active region; and at least one organic charge transport layer for transporting charges from an electrode to said active region, wherein said organic charge transport layer includes an inorganic component introduced to form an organic/inorganic alloy material for improved charge transport, and the inorganic component is selected from a group consisting of Ge, Si, InAs, InN, InP, GaAs, GaN, and GaP.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 69 words
A light emitting device comprising: an organic, electroluminescent active region; and at least one organic charge transport layer for transporting charges from an electrode to said active region, wherein said organic charge transport layer includes an inorganic component introduced to form an organic/inorganic alloy material for improved charge transport, and the inorganic component is selected from a group consisting of Ge, Si, InAs, InN, InP, GaAs, GaN, and GaP.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 16 words
The light emitting device of claim 23, wherein the inorganic component is either Ge or Si.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5093698A Cited
US5652067A Cited
US5559400A Cited
US5674597A Cited
US5756224A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-02-07 2003-08-09 2004-02-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-02-07 2007-08-09 2008-02-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-02-07 2011-08-09 2012-02-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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