Organic light-emitting element, display device, photoelectric conversion device, electronic device, lighting device, and mobile object

Abstract

To provide an organic light emitting element with suppressed current leakage between anode and cathode.SOLUTION: An organic light emitting element has, from the substrate 10 side, a reflective layer 20, a first electrode 40, an organic layer 60 including a light emitting layer, and a second electrode 70, in that order. The reflective layer 20 has a first portion 20a having a first thickness and a second portion 20b having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. In plan view relative to the substrate 10, the first electrode 40 overlaps the second portion 20b, and at least a portion of an edge of the first electrode 40 overlaps the second portion 20b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an organic light-emitting element, a display device, a photoelectric conversion device, an electronic device, a lighting device, and a mobile object. [Background technology]

[0002] An organic EL element is a light-emitting element that has a pair of electrodes and an organic compound layer, including a light-emitting layer, disposed between them. Taking advantage of their excellent features, such as surface emission, light weight, and visibility, organic EL elements are increasingly being put to practical use as light-emitting devices such as thin displays, lighting fixtures, head-mounted displays, and light sources for print heads in electrophotographic printers.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a top-emission organic EL device having an optical resonator structure in which a reflective layer, a light-transmitting anode, a light-emitting layer, and a light-reflective and light-transmitting cathode are stacked in this order on a substrate. With this configuration, light from the light-emitting layer is resonated between the reflective layer and the cathode, amplifying light at the resonant wavelength and increasing the brightness of the emitted light.

[0004] In the organic EL device described in Patent Document 1, an antireflection layer with lower reflectivity than the reflective layer is formed on the reflective layer in the peripheral area of ​​the pixel, thereby preventing resonance in the peripheral area of ​​the pixel. By preventing resonance in the peripheral area of ​​the pixel, it is possible to prevent light of an unintended wavelength from resonating in the peripheral area of ​​the pixel, which would result in a decrease in the output brightness of light of the intended wavelength. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-244694 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the organic EL device described in Patent Document 1, an anti-reflection layer is formed on the reflective layer in the pixel periphery, which causes a difference in height on the upper surface of the base before the anode (lower electrode) is formed. That is, the upper surface of the base is lower in the pixel center and higher in the pixel periphery.

[0007] In Patent Document 1, in a configuration with such a difference in height between the upper surface and the cathode, the anode is formed so that its edge extends over the anti-reflection layer in the pixel periphery. As a result, a large difference in height exists even after the anode is formed. Organic layers, including an emissive layer, are disposed on top of this, continuously from the pixel center to the pixel periphery and even across adjacent pixels. However, if there is a large difference in height between the base, the difference in height may cause the organic layer to be significantly thinned or broken. As a result, there is a problem of insufficient insulation between the anode and cathode, which may result in current leakage between the anode and cathode.

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an organic light-emitting device in which current leakage between the anode and the cathode is suppressed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] An organic light-emitting element according to one aspect of the present invention has, from the substrate side, a reflective layer, a first electrode, an emitting layer, and a second electrode, in this order, wherein the reflective layer has a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness, and when viewed in a plane relative to the substrate, the first electrode overlaps with the second portion, and when viewed in a plane, at least a portion of the edge of the first electrode overlaps with the second portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an organic light-emitting device in which current leakage between the anode and the cathode is suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of a light emitting device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a plan view showing a part of a display area of ​​the light emitting device of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a light emitting element included in a light emitting device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 2A to 2C are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating steps in manufacturing the light emitting device of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 2A to 2C are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating steps in manufacturing the light emitting device of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 2A to 2C are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating steps in manufacturing the light emitting device of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 2A to 2C are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating steps in manufacturing the light emitting device of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a part of a display region of a light emitting device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a light emitting element included in a light emitting device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a part of a display region of a light emitting device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element included in a light-emitting device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a part of a display area of ​​a light emitting device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a part of a display region of a light emitting device according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a part of a display region of a light emitting device according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a part of a display region of a light emitting device according to a modified example of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a display device. [Figure 17] 1A is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a photoelectric conversion device, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an electronic device. [Figure 18]FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display device, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing an example of a foldable display device. [Figure 19] 1A is a schematic diagram showing an example of a lighting device, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing an example of an automobile having a vehicle lamp. [Figure 20] FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing an example of a wearable device, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing an example of a wearable device having an imaging device. [Figure 21] FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus, and FIGS. 1B and 1C are schematic diagrams showing examples of exposure light sources of the image forming apparatus. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, organic light-emitting devices according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to numerical values, shapes, materials, components, component arrangements, and connection configurations. Although the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numbers are used for identical or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0013] In this specification, terms indicating arrangement, such as "above" and "below," are used for convenience in describing the positional relationship between components with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, the positional relationship between components changes as appropriate depending on the direction in which each component is depicted. Therefore, the terms are not limited to those used in the specification and can be rephrased appropriately depending on the situation. Furthermore, the terms "above" and "below" do not necessarily require that the components be directly above or below each other and in direct contact with each other. For example, the expression "electrode B on insulating layer A" does not necessarily require that electrode B be formed directly on insulating layer A, and does not exclude the inclusion of other components between insulating layer A and electrode B.

[0014] [First embodiment] A light emitting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0015] (Overall configuration of the light emitting device) 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of a light emitting device 1 of the first embodiment. The light emitting device 1 has a display area 101 in which a plurality of pixels PX are arranged in a two-dimensional array on a substrate 10 (on the substrate), and a peripheral circuit 102. The peripheral circuit 102 is a circuit for displaying an image in the display area 101, and may include a signal line driving circuit 103 (signal output circuit) and a signal line driving circuit 104 (vertical scanning circuit) which are drivers for image display.

[0016] Each of the pixels PX has a plurality of subpixels SP. In this embodiment, each of the pixels PX has three types of subpixels SP: a first subpixel SPR that emits light of a first color, a second subpixel SPG that emits light of a second color, and a third subpixel SPB that emits light of a third color. Here, when the maximum peak wavelength of the first color light is λR, the maximum peak wavelength of the second color light is λG, and the maximum peak wavelength of the third color light is λB, the relationship λR>λG>λB holds, and the first color, second color, and third color are, for example, red, green, and blue, respectively.

[0017] Note that, although an example in which one pixel PX is composed of three subpixels SP will be described here, the number of subpixels SP that constitute one pixel PX does not necessarily have to be three. For example, each of the multiple pixels PX may have a fourth subpixel SPW that emits a fourth color in addition to the first subpixel SPR, the second subpixel SPG, and the third subpixel SPB. The fourth color may be, for example, white or yellow. Alternatively, one pixel PX may have two second subpixels SPG, so that one pixel PX is composed of four subpixels SP. Furthermore, although an example in which the subpixels SP are arranged in a delta array is shown in this embodiment, the arrangement is not limited to this and may be a stripe array, a square array, a Bayer array, or a Pentile array.

[0018] Each of the multiple subpixels SP has a light-emitting element (organic light-emitting element) arranged on the upper surface (first surface) of the substrate 10. In this embodiment, the first subpixel SPR has a light-emitting element that emits light of a first color, the second subpixel SPG has a light-emitting element that emits light of a second color, and the third subpixel SPB has a light-emitting element that emits light of a third color.

[0019] Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the display region 101 of the light-emitting device 1 of the first embodiment. In Fig. 2, some of the layers constituting the light-emitting element disposed in each subpixel SP are seen through, and only some of the other layers are shown. Specifically, of the layers constituting the light-emitting element, only the reflective metal layer 22, the barrier layer 23, the first electrode 40, and the substrate 10 are shown.

[0020] As will be described in detail later, an opening 51 is formed in the pixel separation film 50 disposed on the first electrode 40, and the organic layer 60 and the first electrode 40 are in contact with each other inside this opening 51. In this region, holes or electrons are injected from the first electrode 40 into the organic layer 60, and the holes and electrons recombine in the light-emitting layer included in the organic layer 60, thereby generating light. In this embodiment, the region of the first electrode 40 that is in contact with the organic layer 60 inside the opening 51 of the pixel separation film 50 becomes the light-emitting region 41 of each light-emitting element.

[0021] In this embodiment, a first electrode 40 is provided independently for each of the plurality of sub-pixels SP. When the light-emitting element is driven to emit light, a predetermined potential is applied to the first electrode 40. In this embodiment, the first electrode 40 is electrically connected to the underlying wiring in a contact region 42. A pixel drive circuit is connected to the underlying wiring, and the pixel drive circuit is driven by the peripheral circuit 102 to control the light emission of the light-emitting element.

[0022] (Light-emitting element structure) Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element included in the light-emitting device 1 of the first embodiment. Figure 3(a) is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element arranged in the first subpixel SPR, Figure 3(b) is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element arranged in the second subpixel SPG, and Figure 3(c) is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element arranged in the third subpixel SPB. Figure 3(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II' in Figure 2, Figure 3(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II' in Figure 2, and Figure 3(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III' in Figure 2.

[0023] Each light-emitting element has, from the upper surface side (substrate side) of the substrate 10, a reflective layer (first layer) 20, an insulating layer 30, a first electrode 40, a pixel separation film 50, an organic layer 60, a second electrode 70, a sealing layer 80, a color filter layer 92, a resin layer 93, and a microlens 94.

[0024] The substrate 10 is formed from a material capable of supporting each layer formed thereon, and suitable materials include a glass substrate, a plastic substrate such as polyimide, and a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon substrate. In addition to a base material made of glass, plastic, or semiconductor, the substrate 10 may also include switching elements (not shown) such as transistors, wiring, and interlayer insulating films. The transistors may be MOS transistors or TFTs formed inside the semiconductor substrate. In this embodiment, the substrate 10 has a multilayer wiring layer in which multiple wiring layers and multiple interlayer insulating layers are alternately stacked on a silicon substrate on which MOS transistors are formed.

[0025] The reflective layer 20 is a layer that reflects light emitted from the organic layer 60 and causes the light to exit in a direction from the organic layer 60 toward the second electrode 70. In this embodiment, the reflective layer 20 has a structure in which a barrier layer 21, a reflective metal layer 22, and a barrier layer 23 are stacked from the substrate 10 side.

[0026] Barrier layer 21 and barrier layer 23 are layers that prevent metal atoms contained in reflective metal layer 22 from diffusing into underlying substrate 10 or upper layers, and are also called barrier metal layers. Metals such as Ti (titanium), W (tungsten), Mo (molybdenum), and Au (gold) or alloys thereof can be used as materials for barrier layer 21. When a substrate containing Si (silicon) is used as substrate 10 and a layer containing Al (aluminum) is used as reflective metal layer 22, TiN is preferably used for barrier layer 21.

[0027] The reflective metal layer 22 is a layer made of a metal material that has a high reflectance to light emitted from the organic layer 60. The reflective metal layer 22 preferably has a reflectance of 80% or more to light of the wavelength with the greatest intensity among the light emitted from the organic layer 60. Examples of metal materials that can be used to make the reflective metal layer 22 include metals such as Al (aluminum) and Ag (silver), and alloys of these metals with added Si (silicon), Cu (copper), Ni (nickel), Nd (neodymium), etc.

[0028] The barrier layer 23 is a layer disposed on the reflective metal layer 22. When the wavelength with the greatest intensity among the light emitted from the organic layer 60 is defined as the first wavelength, the barrier layer 23 has a lower reflectivity for light of the first wavelength than the reflective metal layer 22. Therefore, it is preferable not to provide the barrier layer 23 below the light-emitting region 41 of each light-emitting element. This improves the light extraction efficiency of the light-emitting element. On the other hand, it is preferable to provide the barrier layer 23 in areas other than below the light-emitting region 41. Because the reflectivity of the barrier layer 23 is lower than that of the reflective metal layer 22, it also functions as an anti-reflection layer. It is preferable to provide the barrier layer 23 as an anti-reflection layer in an area of ​​the reflective layer 20 where light from the organic layer 60 cannot be extracted from the light-emitting element even if it is reflected. This prevents light from being reflected by the reflective layer 20 and emitted to the outside by unintended light-emitting elements, such as adjacent light-emitting elements. As a result, the quality of light emitted by the light-emitting element and the light-emitting device can be improved.

[0029] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the opening 51 of the pixel separation film 50 is circular, and therefore the light-emitting region 41 is also circular. The barrier layer 23 is arranged to surround this light-emitting region 41 in a planar view. That is, the first portion 20a surrounds the second portion 20b in a planar view. This allows a low-reflectivity region to be provided around the entire periphery of the light-emitting region 41, thereby effectively suppressing stray light and preventing unintended emission of light from the light-emitting element. Note that the planar view here refers to a view seen from a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate 10.

[0030] 3, the reflective layer 20 has a first portion 20a provided with the barrier layer 23 and a second portion 20b not provided with the barrier layer 23. If the thickness of the first portion 20a is a first thickness T1 and the thickness of the second portion 20b is a second thickness T2, then T1 > T2 holds. That is, the reflective layer 20 has the first portion 20a having the first thickness T1 and the second portion 20b having the second thickness T2 that is smaller than the first thickness T1. Note that the "thickness" here refers to the length in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate 10. In this embodiment, the first portion 20a is a portion where the distance from the substrate 10 to the upper surface of the reflective layer 20 is a first distance, and the second portion 20b is a portion where the distance from the substrate 10 to the upper surface of the reflective layer 20 is a second distance that is smaller than the first distance.

[0031] In this embodiment, as will be described later, a barrier layer 23 is formed on the reflective metal layer 22, and then the barrier layer 23 is partially removed by etching to expose the reflective metal layer 22. At this time, the reflective metal layer 22 below the barrier layer 23 that is removed by etching is over-etched. Therefore, the thickness of the reflective metal layer 22 itself differs between the portion where the barrier layer 23 is provided and the portion where the barrier layer 23 is not provided. More specifically, the portion of the reflective metal layer 22 located below the barrier layer 23 is thicker than the portion where the barrier layer 23 is not provided. Note that the thickness of a portion of the reflective metal layer 22 located below the barrier layer 23, more specifically, the vicinity of the portion where the barrier layer 23 is not provided, may be reduced by side etching, as shown in FIG. 3 .

[0032] As described above, the first portion 20a is provided with the barrier layer 23, while the second portion 20b is not. Therefore, the upper surface of the first portion 20a is formed with the barrier layer 23, and the upper surface of the second portion 20b is formed with the reflective metal layer 22. Here, if the reflective metal layer 22 is defined as a first layer made of a first material and the barrier layer 23 is defined as a second layer made of a second material different from the first material, then it can be said that the upper surface of the first portion 20a is formed with the second layer, and the upper surface of the second portion 20b is formed with the first layer. The reflective metal layer 22 may have a thin oxide coating on its upper surface. Here, the first material may contain aluminum, and the second material may be any of a nitride, oxide, and oxynitride. The second material may be any of titanium nitride, titanium oxide, and titanium oxynitride, and is preferably titanium nitride. As described above, the thickness of the reflective metal layer 22 in the first portion 20a is different from the thickness of the reflective metal layer 22 in the second portion 20b due to over-etching when removing the barrier layer 23. Specifically, the thickness of the first layer in the first portion 20a is greater than the thickness of the first layer in the second portion 20b.

[0033] The insulating layer 30 is disposed on the reflective layer 20 and is a light-transmitting insulating layer. The light-transmitting property here means that the transmittance of the light having the wavelength with the greatest intensity among the light emitted from the organic layer 60 is 90% or more.

[0034] In this embodiment, the insulating layer 30 includes at least one layer selected from the group consisting of an underlying insulating film 31, a first optical adjustment layer 32, a second optical adjustment layer 33, and a third optical adjustment layer 34. The layer configuration of the insulating layer 30 disposed on the region of the reflective layer 20 where the barrier layer 23 is absent (effective reflection region) varies depending on the color of light emitted from each light-emitting element. More specifically, the insulating layer 30R disposed on the effective reflection region of the light-emitting element disposed in the first subpixel SPR includes, in this order from the reflective layer 20 side, the first optical adjustment layer 32, the second optical adjustment layer 33, and the third optical adjustment layer 34. The insulating layer 30G disposed on the effective reflection region of the light-emitting element disposed in the second subpixel SPG includes, in this order from the reflective layer 20 side, the second optical adjustment layer 33 and the third optical adjustment layer 34. The insulating layer 30B disposed above the effective reflection region of the light-emitting element disposed in the third subpixel SPB includes the third optical adjustment layer 34 in this order. As a result, the thickness of the insulating layer 30 disposed above the effective reflection region varies depending on the color of light emitted from the light-emitting element. That is, when the thickness of the insulating layer 30R is T30R, the thickness of the insulating layer 30G is T30G, and the thickness of the insulating layer 30B is T30B, ​​the relationship T30R > T30G > T30B holds.

[0035] In this embodiment, the optical distance between the light-emitting position of the light-emitting layer of the organic layer 60 and the reflective surface of the reflective layer 20 is optimized for each light-emitting element by adjusting the thickness by changing the layer configuration of the insulating layer 30 disposed above the effective reflection region. More specifically, the optical distance is set to satisfy the constructive optical interference condition for the light emitted from each subpixel SP. This makes it possible to enhance the light extracted from the light-emitting device through optical interference. If the optical condition is set to enhance the light extracted in the front direction, light is emitted in the front direction with higher efficiency. It is also known that the half-width of the emission spectrum of light enhanced by optical interference is smaller than that of the emission spectrum before interference. This improves color purity.

[0036] Each layer constituting the insulating layer 30 can be formed by, for example, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), etc. Each layer constituting the insulating layer 30 may be made of, for example, silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon oxynitride (SiON), etc.

[0037] The first electrode 40 is an anode (positive electrode) and is electrically isolated for each light-emitting element. In other words, the first electrode 40 is electrically isolated for each subpixel. The first electrode 40 is also called a lower electrode, pixel electrode, individual electrode, etc. The first electrode 40 is made of a light-transmitting conductive material. It transmits light emitted from the organic layer 60 to the reflective layer 20 and transmits light reflected by the reflective layer 20 to emit it from the second electrode 70 side. The first electrode 40 can be made of a material such as an oxide conductor, ITO, IZO, ZnO, AZO, or IGZO. The first electrode 40 may also have a laminated structure as long as it has appropriate light-transmittance. The term "light-transmitting" here refers to a transmittance of 90% or more for the light with the strongest wavelength among the light emitted from the organic layer 60.

[0038] The pixel separation film 50 is an insulating film disposed on the first electrode 40 so as to cover the edge of the first electrode 40 and define the light-emitting region of each subpixel SP. The first electrode 40 and the organic layer 60 are in contact with each other inside an opening 51 formed in the pixel separation film 50. The pixel separation film 50 is also called a partition wall, a bank, a PDL, etc. The material and forming method of the pixel separation film 50 are the same as those of the insulating layer 30. The insulating layer 30 can also be referred to as a first insulating layer, and the pixel separation film 50 can be referred to as a second insulating layer.

[0039] The organic layer 60 is disposed between the first electrode 40 and the second electrode 70. The organic layer 60 is disposed continuously on the first electrode 40 and the pixel separation film 50 and shared by a plurality of light-emitting elements. It can be said that one organic layer 60 is shared by a plurality of light-emitting elements. The organic layer 60 may be disposed in common across a plurality of sub-pixels SP constituting a single pixel PX. The organic layer 60 may be separated between adjacent pixels PX or may be disposed in common across a plurality of pixels PX. The organic layer 60 may be formed integrally across the entire display region 101 that displays an image of the light-emitting device 1. When the organic layer 60 is composed of a plurality of layers, at least some of the layers may be disposed in continuous across a plurality of light-emitting elements. When the size of the sub-pixels SP is small, it is particularly effective to dispose the organic layer 60 in common across a plurality of sub-pixels SP.

[0040] The first electrode 40 of the first subpixel SPR is referred to as the first lower electrode 40R, the first electrode 40 of the second subpixel SPG is referred to as the second lower electrode 40G, and the first electrode 40 of the third subpixel SPB is referred to as the third lower electrode 40B. In this case, at least a portion of the organic layer 60 may satisfy the following conditions: It may be continuously disposed in at least two of the following areas: from above the first lower electrode 40R to above the second lower electrode 40G, from above the second lower electrode 40G to above the third lower electrode 40B, and from above the third lower electrode 40B to above the first lower electrode 40R. Alternatively, it may be continuously disposed in all of the following areas: from above the first lower electrode 40R to above the second lower electrode 40G, from above the second lower electrode 40G to above the third lower electrode 40B, and from above the third lower electrode 40B to above the first lower electrode 40R.

[0041] Note that "disposed continuously" means that they are disposed without interruption along the way. Also, "disposed continuously from above first lower electrode 40R to above second lower electrode 40G" means that they are disposed without interruption from above first lower electrode 40R to above second lower electrode 40G.

[0042] The organic layer 60 includes an emissive layer that emits light upon recombination of holes supplied from the first electrode 40 and electrons supplied from the second lower electrode 40. The organic layer 60 may include a hole transport layer, an emissive layer, and an electron transport layer. Appropriate materials for the organic layer 60 can be selected from the viewpoints of luminous efficiency, operating life, and optical interference. The hole transport layer may function as an electron blocking layer or a hole injection layer, or may have a laminate structure including a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, and an electron blocking layer. The emissive layer may have a laminate structure of emissive layers that emit different colors, or may be a mixed layer containing a mixture of emissive dopants that emit different colors. The emissive layer may include a first emissive material that emits light of a first color, a second emissive material that emits light of a second color, and a third emissive material that emits light of a third color, and may be configured to obtain white light by mixing the emissive colors. The first color, the second color, and the third color may be, for example, red, green, and blue, respectively. The light-emitting layer may contain light-emitting materials of complementary colors, such as a blue light-emitting material and a yellow light-emitting material. The electron transport layer may function as a hole-blocking layer or an electron-injecting layer, and may have a laminated structure of an electron-injecting layer, an electron transport layer, and a hole-blocking layer.

[0043] The organic layer 60 may have a plurality of light-emitting layers and an intermediate layer disposed between a plurality of functional layers, and the light-emitting device 1 may have a tandem structure in which the intermediate layer is a charge-generating layer. The tandem structure may have a charge-transporting layer, such as a hole-transporting layer or an electron-transporting layer, between the charge-generating layer and the light-emitting layer.

[0044] The charge generation layer is a layer that contains an electron-donating material and an electron-accepting material and generates charges. The electron-donating material and the electron-accepting material are materials that donate electrons and accept electrons, respectively. This generates positive and negative charges in the charge generation layer, allowing positive or negative charges to be supplied to layers above and below the charge generation layer. The electron-donating material may be, for example, an alkali metal such as Li (lithium) or Cs (cesium). The electron-donating material may also be, for example, LiF (lithium fluoride), a lithium complex, cesium carbonate, or a cesium complex. In this case, the electron-donating property may be exhibited by being contained together with a reducing material such as Al (aluminum), Mg (magnesium), or Ca (calcium). The electron-accepting material may be an inorganic material such as molybdenum oxide, or an organic material such as dipyrazino[2,3-f:2',3'-h]quinoxaline-2,3,6,7,10,11-hexacarbonitrile (HAT-CN). The electron-accepting material and the electron-donating material may be mixed or stacked.

[0045] The second electrode 70 is a cathode (negative electrode) and is disposed on the organic layer 60. The second electrode 70 is made of a light-transmitting conductive material and transmits at least a portion of light reaching the lower surface of the second electrode 70. The second electrode 70 is continuously formed across multiple light-emitting elements and is shared by the multiple light-emitting elements. Like the organic layer 60, the second electrode 70 may be integrally formed across the entire display region 101 that displays an image of the light-emitting device 1. The second electrode 70 may function as a semi-transmissive reflective layer that transmits a portion of light and reflects the other portion (i.e., semi-transmissive and reflective). The second electrode 70 may be formed from a metal such as magnesium or silver, an alloy mainly composed of magnesium or silver, or an alloy material containing an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal. Alternatively, the second electrode 70 may be made of an oxide conductor such as ITO, IZO, ZnO, AZO, or IGZO. The second electrode 70 may have a laminated structure as long as it has an appropriate transmittance. The term "transparent" used here means that the transmittance of light having the wavelength with the greatest intensity among the light emitted from the organic layer 60 is 90% or more.

[0046] The sealing layer 80 is continuously formed on the second electrode 70 across the plurality of light-emitting elements and is shared by the plurality of light-emitting elements. The sealing layer 80 may be transparent and contain an inorganic material that has low permeability to oxygen and moisture from the outside. The sealing layer 80 is also called a moisture-proof layer or a protective layer. The sealing layer 80 may contain, for example, silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride (e.g., SiON), aluminum oxide (e.g., Al2O3), silicon oxide (SiOx), and titanium oxide (e.g., TiO2). Silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride may be formed using, for example, a CVD method or a sputtering method. On the other hand, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, and titanium oxide may be formed using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. The combination of the constituent materials and manufacturing method of the sealing layer 80 is not limited to the above examples, but may be manufactured taking into consideration the layer thickness to be formed, the time required for formation, and the like. The sealing layer 80 may have a single layer structure or a multilayer structure, as long as it transmits light that has passed through the second electrode 70 and has sufficient moisture blocking properties.

[0047] The color filter layer 92 is formed on the sealing layer 80. As described above, the color filter layer 92 may include a first color filter 92R, a second color filter 92G, and a third color filter 92B. The first color filter 92R transmits light of a first color, the second color filter 92G transmits light of a second color, and the third color filter 92B transmits light of a third color. Two adjacent color filters included in the color filter layer 92, such as the first color filter 92R and the second color filter 92G, may be adjacent to each other without a gap. Alternatively, the ends of a color filter may be arranged so as to overlap the ends of a color filter of another color.

[0048] Planarization layer 91 is formed between sealing layer 80 and color filter layer 92, and planarization layer 93 is formed on color filter layer 92. Planarization layer 91 flattens unevenness on the upper surface of sealing layer 80, and planarization layer 93 flattens unevenness on the upper surface of color filter layer 92. Planarization layer 91 and planarization layer 93 are formed of, for example, resin.

[0049] Microlens 94 is disposed so as to overlap the center of the light-emitting region of the light-emitting element in plan view, and has the function of refracting light emitted from light-emitting layer 60 to efficiently extract the light in a desired direction. Note that although the light-emitting region of the light-emitting element is defined by opening 51 of pixel separation film 50, the center of the light-emitting region may be the center of gravity of opening 51 in plan view.

[0050] A conventionally known microlens 94 can be used as the microlens 94. The material of the microlens 94 may be resin. The microlens 94 can be formed, for example, by forming a film of a material for forming the microlens 94, and then exposing and developing the film using a mask having a continuous gradation change. Such a mask can be a gray mask or an area gradation mask. The lens shape may also be adjusted by etching back the microlens 94 formed by the exposure and development process. The shape of the microlens 94 may be any shape that can refract the emitted light, and may be spherical or aspherical, and may have an asymmetric cross-sectional shape.

[0051] The light exit surface side of the microlens 94, in other words, the side opposite to the color filter layer 92, is preferably filled with a material having a lower refractive index than the microlens 94, typically air. This increases the light-collecting effect of the microlens 94.

[0052] The light-emitting device according to this embodiment further includes an anode contact layer 24 electrically isolated from the reflective layer 20 disposed below the light-emitting region 41. The anode contact layer 24 has the same configuration as the reflective layer 20 disposed below the light-emitting region 41. The anode contact layer 24 is formed using the same process and then separated by forming a groove by etching. Therefore, the anode contact layer 24 and the reflective layer 20 are disposed in the same layer. In a plan view, the region where the anode contact layer 24 is disposed is referred to as the anode contact region. In this anode contact region, the insulating layer 30 has an opening 301, and the anode contact layer 24 and the first electrode 40 are electrically connected through this opening 301. The anode contact layer 24 is a conductive member and electrically connected to the wiring layer of the substrate 10 via a conductive plug (not shown) disposed below the anode contact layer 24. Therefore, the connection between the anode contact layer 24 and the first electrode 40 electrically connects the first electrode 40 to the wiring layer of the substrate 10. In this embodiment, the uppermost layer of the anode contact layer 24 is the barrier layer 23. When ITO is used as the first electrode 40 and aluminum is used as the reflective metal layer 22, direct contact between the first electrode 40 and the reflective metal layer 22 increases resistance. Therefore, by sandwiching a barrier layer 23 made of a material other than aluminum between the first electrode 40 and the reflective metal layer 22, the increase in resistance can be suppressed.

[0053] (Features of this embodiment) Next, the features of the light emitting element included in the light emitting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 3 , the light-emitting element of this embodiment has a configuration in which, in a plan view of the substrate 10, the first electrode 40 overlaps the second portion 20b of the reflective layer 20. Here, the second portion 20b is a portion of the reflective layer 20 from which at least the barrier layer 23 has been removed, as described above, and has a small thickness. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the light-emitting element of this embodiment has a configuration in which, in a plan view of the substrate 10, at least a portion of the edge of the first electrode 40 overlaps the second portion 20b of the reflective layer 20. Here, the edge of the first electrode 40 refers to the outer edge of the first electrode 40 in a plan view, and is the portion indicated by the solid line in FIG. 2 . In this embodiment, the first electrode 40 has a substantially circular portion having a shape similar to the opening 51 of the pixel separation film 50, and an extension portion extending from the substantially circular portion to the anode contact region. In this embodiment, the extending portion has a portion disposed on the first portion 20a of the reflective layer 20, but the remaining portion is disposed only on the second portion 20b.

[0055] In FIG. 3, the edge of the first electrode 40 (the right end of the first electrode 40 in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c)) is disposed on the second portion 20b, which is the thinner portion of the reflective layer 20. Here, as a comparative configuration for comparison, consider a case where the first electrode 40 is further extended so that the edge of the first electrode 40 is disposed on the first portion 20a, which is the thicker portion of the reflective layer 20. In this case, the first electrode 40 is disposed between the third optical adjustment layer 34 and the pixel separation film 50 on the first portion 20a shown on the right side of FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c).

[0056] The organic layer 60 is formed on an uneven surface formed by the layers up to the pixel separation film 50. In this embodiment and the comparative configuration, the reflective layer 20 has a first portion 20a having a first thickness T1 and a second portion 20b having a second thickness T2. Therefore, a height difference due to this difference in thickness exists on the upper surface immediately before the organic layer 60 is formed. If the height difference is large, the organic layer 60 is likely to become thin in the portion with the height difference, and the organic layer 60 may be divided. In this case, current leakage may occur between the first electrode 40 and the second electrode 70 in the portion where the organic layer 60 is thinned. If current leakage occurs, the light-emitting efficiency of the light-emitting element may be significantly reduced, possibly resulting in poor light emission and degrading the display quality of the light-emitting device.

[0057] Consider the height difference between the upper portion of the first portion 20a and the upper portion of the second portion 20b on the upper surface immediately before the organic layer 60 is formed in this embodiment and the comparative configuration. In the comparative configuration, the insulating layer 30, the first electrode 40, and the pixel separation film 50 are stacked on the first portion 20a from the substrate 10 side. On the other hand, in this embodiment, only the insulating layer 30 and the pixel separation film 50 are stacked on the first portion 20a on the right side of FIG. 3 from the substrate 10 side. That is, in this embodiment, the first electrode 40 is not disposed on the first portion 20a on the right side of FIG. 3 , and therefore the height of the upper surface immediately before the organic layer 60 is formed on the first portion 20a on the right side of FIG. 3 is lower by the thickness of the first electrode 40. Therefore, in this embodiment, the height difference between the upper portion of the first portion 20a and the upper portion of the second portion 20b is smaller than in the comparative configuration. As a result, the organic layer 60 is prevented from becoming thin due to differences in height on the formation surface, and current leakage occurring between the first electrode 40 and the second electrode 70 can be suppressed.

[0058] (Manufacturing method) Next, a method for manufacturing (forming) the light-emitting element and light-emitting device of this embodiment will be described in order of steps. Figures 4 to 7 are schematic cross-sectional views of each step in manufacturing the light-emitting device 1 of the first embodiment. Figures 4 to 7 show schematic cross-sectional views of the same step for each of the three types of light-emitting elements arranged in the subpixels SPR, SPG, and SPB, respectively. Note that the dimensions, materials, and forming conditions in the following description are merely examples, and other dimensions and methods can be selected as appropriate.

[0059] (1) As shown in FIG. 4(a), a reflective layer 20 is formed on a substrate 10 and patterned. In this embodiment, the substrate 10 has a structure in which a multilayer wiring layer is formed on a silicon substrate on which MOS transistors are formed as described above, with multiple wiring layers and multiple interlayer insulating layers alternately stacked. The top layer of the multilayer wiring layer is an interlayer insulating layer, on which a barrier layer 21, a reflective metal layer 22, and a barrier layer 23 are formed in this order. Here, the barrier layer 21 and the barrier layer 23 are made of TiN, and the reflective metal layer 22 is made of an Al alloy. The reflective layer 20 is then patterned by photolithography. As shown in FIG. 4(a), the shape after patterning is the same for each of the three types of light-emitting elements arranged in the subpixels SPR, SPG, and SPB.

[0060] (2) As shown in FIG. 4(b), a silicon oxide (SiOx) layer is formed as an underlying insulating layer 31 by a CVD method to a thickness of 20 nm on the substrate 10 on which the reflective layer 20 has been formed.

[0061] (3) As shown in Fig. 4(c), the barrier layer 23 is removed by etching only for the first subpixel SPR of the three subpixels SPR, SPG, and SPB. As a result, the reflective layer 20 of the first subpixel SPR has a first portion 20a and a second portion 20b where the barrier layer 23 is not provided. At this time, the base insulating layer 31 formed on the reflective layer 20 in the first subpixel SPR is also partially removed, and an upper portion of the reflective metal layer 22 is also removed.

[0062] (4) As shown in FIG. 4(d), a silicon oxide (SiOx) layer is formed as a first optical adjustment layer 32 on the entire uppermost surface by a CVD method to a thickness of 65 nm.

[0063] (5) As shown in Fig. 5(a), the barrier layer 23 is removed by etching only for the second subpixel SPG of the three subpixels SPR, SPG, and SPB. As a result, the reflective layer 20 of the second subpixel SPG has a first portion 20a and a second portion 20b where the barrier layer 23 is not provided. At this time, the base insulating layer 31 and the first optical adjustment layer 32 formed on the reflective layer 20 in the second subpixel SPG are also removed, and the upper portion of the reflective metal layer 22 is also partially removed.

[0064] (6) As shown in FIG. 5(b), a silicon oxide (SiOx) layer is formed as a second optical adjustment layer 33 on the entire uppermost surface by a CVD method to a thickness of 55 nm.

[0065] (7) As shown in Fig. 5(c), the barrier layer 23 is removed by etching only for the third subpixel SPB of the three subpixels SPR, SPG, and SPB. As a result, the reflective layer 20 of the third subpixel SPB has a first portion 20a and a second portion 20b where the barrier layer 23 is not provided. At this time, the base insulating layer 31, the first optical adjustment layer 32, and the second optical adjustment layer 33 formed on the reflective layer 20 in the third subpixel SPB are also removed, and the upper portion of the reflective metal layer 22 is also partially removed.

[0066] (8) As shown in FIG. 5(d), a silicon oxide (SiOx) layer is formed as the third optical adjustment layer 34 by CVD to a thickness of 110 nm on the entire top surface. In this embodiment, the first subpixel SPR emits red light, the second subpixel SPG emits green light, and the third subpixel SPB emits blue light. Through the steps up to this point, the thicknesses of the first optical adjustment layer 32, the second optical adjustment layer 33, and the third optical adjustment layer 34 are adjusted so that the total thickness of the first optical adjustment layer 32, the second optical adjustment layer 33, and the third optical adjustment layer 34 satisfies the constructive interference condition for red light. Furthermore, the thicknesses of the second optical adjustment layer 33 and the third optical adjustment layer 34 are adjusted so that the total thickness of the second optical adjustment layer 33 and the third optical adjustment layer 34 satisfies the constructive interference condition for green light. Furthermore, the thickness of the third optical adjustment layer 34 is adjusted so that the total thickness of the third optical adjustment layer 34 satisfies the constructive interference condition for blue light.

[0067] (9) As shown in Figure 6(a), a via 301 is opened in the insulating layer 30 (underlying insulating layer 31, first optical adjustment layer 32, second optical adjustment layer 33, third optical adjustment layer 34) arranged on the anode contact layer 24.

[0068] (10) As shown in FIG. 6(b), an ITO film is formed as the first electrode 40 over the entire top surface, and then patterned by photolithography. At this time, the first electrode 40 is patterned so as to have the shape shown in FIG. 2 when viewed in plan with respect to the substrate 10. As a result, in each subpixel, the anode contact layer 24 and the first electrode 40 are electrically connected through the via 301. Also, in each subpixel, as shown in FIG. 6(c), a configuration is obtained in which at least a portion of the edge of the first electrode 40 overlaps with the second portion 20b of the reflective layer 20. This step can also be considered a step of forming the first electrode 40 so that at least a portion of the edge of the first electrode 40 overlaps with the second portion 20b of the reflective layer 20. Note that FIGS. 6(b) and 6(c) are cross-sectional views taken on the same plane in the same step. Figure 6(b) is a cross-sectional view including the left end (one end) of second portion 20b in the cross-sectional view, and Figure 6(c) is a cross-sectional view including the right end (the other end) of second portion 20b in the cross-sectional view.

[0069] (11) As shown in Figure 6(d), a silicon oxide (SiOx) layer is formed as a pixel separation film 50 over the entire top surface by CVD, and then patterned by photolithography to form an opening 51 in each subpixel. In this embodiment, the opening 51 has a circular shape concentric with the second portion 20b, but the shape of the opening 51 is not limited to this. The shape of the opening 51 and the position of the opening 51 in the subpixel may be changed depending on the position of each subpixel in the display region 101.

[0070] (12) As shown in FIG. 7(a), an organic layer 60 is formed by vacuum deposition over the entire top surface. In this embodiment, the organic layer 60 has a structure in which a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer are stacked in this order from the substrate 10 side. Therefore, in this process, each of these layers is formed in order. Note that here, the organic layer 60 is formed over the entire top surface (the entire display area 101), but this is not limitative. At least one of the layers constituting the organic layer 60 may be formed separately for each pixel PX or subpixel SP. When at least one of the layers constituting the organic layer 60 is formed separately for each pixel PX or subpixel SP, it is preferable to perform the film formation using a shadow mask having openings in the desired areas.

[0071] (13) As shown in FIG. 7(b), an MgAg layer is formed as a second electrode on the entire top surface by vacuum deposition.

[0072] (14) As shown in FIG. 7(c), a sealing layer 80 is formed over the entire top surface. In this embodiment, the sealing layer 80 has a structure in which a silicon nitride (SiNx) layer, an aluminum oxide (e.g., Al2O3) layer, and a silicon nitride (SiNx) layer are stacked in this order from the substrate 10 side. First, a silicon nitride (SiNx) layer is formed by CVD, and then an aluminum oxide layer is formed thereon by ALD. Then, a silicon nitride (SiNx) layer is formed thereon by CVD. FIG. 7(d) is a cross-sectional view of the same plane in the same step as FIG. 7(c), including the right end (other end) of the second portion 20b in the cross-sectional view. The relationship between FIG. 7(c) and FIG. 7(d) is the same as the relationship between FIG. 6(b) and FIG. 6(c).

[0073] (15) Forming the planarizing layer 91. This flattens the unevenness that existed on the top surface before the planarizing layer 91 was formed.

[0074] (16) Forming the color filter layer 92. The color filter layer 92 includes a first color filter 92R, a second color filter 92G, and a third color filter 92B, which are formed in this order.

[0075] (17) The planarization layer 93 is formed, thereby planarizing the irregularities on the upper surface of the color filter layer 92.

[0076] (18) Form a plurality of microlenses 94. The plurality of microlenses 94 are formed so as to correspond to the plurality of sub-pixels SP, respectively.

[0077] These steps result in the structure shown in FIG.

[0078] [Second embodiment] A light emitting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. In the following description, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0079] 8 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the display region 101 of the light-emitting device of the second embodiment. The overall planar configuration of the light-emitting device (such as the layout of the subpixels SP) is the same as that of the first embodiment. As in FIG. 2, FIG. 8 shows only some of the layers constituting the light-emitting element disposed in each subpixel SP in a see-through manner, while illustrating only some of the other layers. Specifically, of the layers constituting the light-emitting element, only the reflective metal layer 22, the barrier layer 23, the first electrode 40, and the substrate 10 are shown.

[0080] In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the first electrode 40 has a substantially circular portion similar in shape to the opening 51 of the pixel separation film 50, and an extension portion extending from the substantially circular portion to the anode contact region. In the first embodiment, the first portion 20a of the reflective layer 20 was disposed below the extension portion (i.e., between the extension portion and the substrate 10). On the other hand, in this embodiment, the barrier layer 23 below the extension portion has been removed, and the first portion 20a of the reflective layer 20 is not disposed below the extension portion. This results in a structure in which the entire edge of the first electrode 40 is not disposed above the first portion 20a.

[0081] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element included in a light-emitting device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9(a) is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element disposed in the first subpixel SPR, FIG. 9(b) is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element disposed in the second subpixel SPG, and FIG. 9(c) is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element disposed in the third subpixel SPB. FIG. 9(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV' in FIG. 8, FIG. 9(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V' in FIG. 8, and FIG. 9(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI' in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 9, the first portion 20a of the reflective layer 20, which existed under the extension portion in the first embodiment, has been removed. This reduces the step caused by the first portion 20a between the light-emitting region 41 and the contact region 42 in this embodiment. As a result, current leakage between the first electrode 40 and the second electrode 70 can be further suppressed.

[0082] The structure of this embodiment can be formed by removing the barrier layer 23 in the region including the region where the first electrode 40 is arranged in the step of removing the barrier layer 23 in the first embodiment.

[0083] [Third embodiment] A light emitting device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. In the following description, differences from the second embodiment will be mainly described.

[0084] Fig. 10 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the display region 101 of the light-emitting device of the third embodiment. The overall planar configuration of the light-emitting device (such as the layout of the subpixels SP) is the same as that of the second embodiment. As in Fig. 2, Fig. 10 shows only some of the layers constituting the light-emitting element disposed in each subpixel SP in a see-through manner, while illustrating only some of the other layers. Specifically, of the layers constituting the light-emitting element, only the reflective metal layer 22, the barrier layer 23, the first electrode 40, the substrate 10, and the groove portion 36 are shown.

[0085] In this embodiment, a groove 36 is formed in a surface that serves as a base when the organic layer 60 is formed, so as to surround the opening 51. In this embodiment, the groove 36 is formed in the upper surface of the pixel separation film 50. The groove 36 is disposed between the first electrode 40 and the first portion 20a in a plan view. The groove 36 can be formed, for example, by etching and removing the third optical adjustment layer 34 so as to surround the opening 51.

[0086] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element included in a light-emitting device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 11(a) is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element disposed in the first subpixel SPR, FIG. 11(b) is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element disposed in the second subpixel SPG, and FIG. 11(c) is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element disposed in the third subpixel SPB. FIG. 11(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII′ in FIG. 10, FIG. 11(b) is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting element disposed in the second subpixel SPG, and FIG. 11(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX′ in FIG. 10. As shown in FIG. 11, in this embodiment, grooves 36 are formed in the surface that serves as the base for forming the organic layer 60. This allows the thickness of the organic layer 60 formed on the grooves 36 to be reduced around the grooves 36. This increases the electrical resistance of the organic layer 60 in this area, thereby reducing the mobility of carriers such as electrons and holes. As a result, it is possible to prevent carriers from flowing through the organic layer 60 to the adjacent subpixel SP (also referred to as inter-pixel leakage). If inter-pixel leakage occurs, light will be emitted in the adjacent subpixel SP, which is undesirable as it can cause unintended light emission. Therefore, in this embodiment, the provision of the groove portion 36 can prevent inter-pixel leakage, thereby improving the color purity and quality of light emission and display.

[0087] Here, the grooves 36 are formed in the surface that will serve as the base for forming the organic layer 60 by partially removing the third optical adjustment layer 34, but this is not limiting. Even if the grooves 36 are not formed in the third optical adjustment layer 34, the same effect can be achieved by sufficiently increasing the horizontal distance (the distance in the direction parallel to the main surface of the substrate 10) between the edge of the first electrode 40 and the first portion 20a. For example, the distance D may be set to be greater than the sum of the thickness t1 of the first optical adjustment layer 32, the thickness t2 of the second optical adjustment layer 33, the thickness t3 of the third optical adjustment layer 34, and twice the thickness tp of the pixel separation film 50. That is, D>(t1+t2+t3+2tp).

[0088] Furthermore, it is preferable that the height of the upper surface of the portion of the pixel separation film 50 disposed in the groove 36 be lower than the height of the upper surface of the first electrode 40 disposed on the second portion 20b. This allows the step in the groove 36 to be made steeper, thereby enhancing the effect of reducing the film thickness of the organic layer 60. Furthermore, the step between the upper surface of the pixel separation film 50 disposed on the first electrode 40 and the upper surface of the first electrode 40 also has the effect of reducing the film thickness of the organic layer 60. Therefore, it is preferable that the thickness of the pixel separation film 50 be 0.5 to 2 times the thickness of the first electrode 40.

[0089] [Fourth embodiment] A light emitting device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 12. In the following description, differences from the first or second embodiment will be mainly described.

[0090] 12(a) is an enlarged plan view of a part of the display region 101 of the light emitting device of the fourth embodiment. The overall planar configuration of the light emitting device (layout of the subpixels SP, etc.) is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0091] In this embodiment, the shape of the second portion 20b of the reflective layer 20 and the shape of the opening 51 in a plan view are different from those in the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, as described above, the shape of the opening 51 in the pixel separation film 50 and the shape of the second portion 20b of the reflective layer 20 are circular in a plan view relative to the substrate 10. In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12( a), both shapes are hexagonal. Furthermore, the shape of the portion of the first electrode 40 disposed above the light-emitting region 41 is also hexagonal in a plan view. By making the shape of the second portion 20b of the reflective layer 20 hexagonal, the density of the subpixels SP in the display region 101 can be increased, particularly when the subpixels SP are arranged in a delta arrangement. Furthermore, by making the opening 51 hexagonal, the aperture ratio of each subpixel can be increased.

[0092] FIG. 12(b) is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the display region 101 of a light-emitting device according to another example of the fourth embodiment. The overall planar configuration of the light-emitting device (such as the layout of the subpixels SP) is the same as that of the second embodiment. The configuration shown in FIG. 12(b) is similar to that of the second embodiment in that the barrier layer 23 below the extension of the first electrode 40 is removed from the configuration shown in FIG. 12(a). In other words, in this example, the first portion 20a of the reflective layer 20 is not disposed below the extension of the first electrode 40. This further reduces current leakage between the first electrode 40 and the second electrode 70, similar to the second embodiment.

[0093] [Fifth embodiment] A light emitting device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 13. In the following description, differences from the fourth embodiment will be mainly described.

[0094] 13(a) and 13(b) are enlarged plan views of a portion of the display region 101 of the light-emitting device of the fifth embodiment. The overall planar configuration of the light-emitting device (layout of the sub-pixels SP, etc.) is the same as that of the fourth embodiment.

[0095] In this embodiment, the shape of the opening 51 in the pixel separation film 50 in a plan view is different from that in the fourth embodiment. As described above, in the fourth embodiment, the opening 51 in the pixel separation film 50 is hexagonal, which is similar to the shape of the second portion 20b of the reflective layer 20. On the other hand, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13(a), although the shape of the second portion 20b of the reflective layer 20 is hexagonal, the shape of the opening 51 in the pixel separation film 50 is circular.

[0096] [Sixth embodiment] A light emitting device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. In the following description, differences from the fifth embodiment will be mainly described.

[0097] 14(a) and (b) are enlarged plan views of a portion of the display region 101 of the light-emitting device of the sixth embodiment. The overall planar configuration of the light-emitting device (layout of the sub-pixels SP, etc.) is the same as that of the fifth embodiment.

[0098] In each of the first to fifth embodiments, the reflective layer 20 is provided continuously across a plurality of subpixels SP, but in the present embodiment, the reflective layer 20 is provided independently for each subpixel SP. By electrically isolating the reflective layer 20 for each subpixel SP, it becomes possible to control the potential of the reflective layer 20 independently for each subpixel SP. By independently controlling the potential of the reflective layer 20 for each subpixel SP, it becomes possible to suppress crosstalk, and the quality of light emission of the light-emitting element and the light-emitting device can be further improved.

[0099] Fig. 15 is a modification of the configuration shown in Fig. 14(a). By adopting the configuration shown in Fig. 15, the sub-pixels SP can be arranged at an even higher density.

[0100] [Other embodiments] 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a display device 1000 according to this embodiment. The display device 1000 may include a touch panel 1003, a display panel 1005, a frame 1006, a circuit board 1007, and a battery 1008 between an upper cover 1001 and a lower cover 1009. The display panel 1005 may be any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-described embodiments.

[0101] A flexible printed circuit FPC 1002 and a flexible printed circuit FPC 1004 are connected to the touch panel 1003 and the display panel 1005, respectively. Transistors are printed on the circuit board 1007. The battery 1008 may not be provided if the display device is not a portable device, or may be provided in a different position even if the display device is a portable device.

[0102] The display device 1000 according to this embodiment may be used as a display unit of a photoelectric conversion device having an optical unit with a plurality of lenses and an image sensor that receives light that has passed through the optical unit. The photoelectric conversion device may have a display unit that displays information acquired by the image sensor. Alternatively, information may be acquired using information acquired by the image sensor, and the display unit may display information different from the acquired information. The display unit may be a display unit exposed to the outside of the photoelectric conversion device or a display unit disposed within a viewfinder. The photoelectric conversion device may be a digital camera or a digital video camera.

[0103] FIG. 17(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a photoelectric conversion device according to this embodiment. The photoelectric conversion device 1100 may include a viewfinder 1101, a rear display 1102, an operation unit 1103, and a housing 1104. The viewfinder 1101 may include any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-described embodiments. Alternatively, it may be the display device 1000 described in this embodiment. In this case, the display device may display not only an image to be captured, but also environmental information, imaging instructions, and the like. The environmental information may include the intensity of external light, the direction of external light, the moving speed of the subject, the possibility that the subject will be blocked by an obstruction, and the like.

[0104] The photoelectric conversion device 1100 has an optical section (not shown). The optical section has multiple lenses, which form an image on an image sensor housed in a housing 1104. The focus of the multiple lenses can be adjusted by adjusting their relative positions. This operation can also be performed automatically.

[0105] The display device according to the present embodiment may be used as a display unit of a mobile terminal. In this case, the display device may have both a display function and an operation function. Examples of the mobile terminal include a mobile phone such as a smartphone, a tablet, and a head-mounted display.

[0106] FIG. 17(b) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an electronic device according to this embodiment. The electronic device 1200 has a display unit 1201, an operation unit 1202, and a housing 1203. The display unit 1201 may have any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-described embodiments. The housing 1203 may have a circuit, a printed circuit board having the circuit, a battery, and a communication unit. The operation unit 1202 may be a button or a touch panel type reaction unit. The operation unit may be a biometric recognition unit that recognizes a fingerprint to perform operations such as unlocking. An electronic device having a communication unit can also be called a communication device.

[0107] 18(a) and 18(b) are schematic diagrams showing an example of a display device according to this embodiment. FIG. 18(a) shows a display device such as a television monitor or a PC monitor. The display device 1300 has a frame 1301 and a display unit 1302. The display unit 1302 may include any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-described embodiments.

[0108] It has a frame 1301 and a base 1303 that supports a display unit 1302. The base 1303 is not limited to the form shown in Fig. 18(a). The bottom side of the frame 1301 may also serve as the base.

[0109] The frame 1301 and the display unit 1302 may be curved. The radius of curvature may be 5000 mm or more and 6000 mm or less.

[0110] Fig. 18(b) is a schematic diagram showing another example of a display device according to the present embodiment. A display device 1310 in Fig. 18(b) is configured to be bendable, and is a so-called foldable display device. The display device 1310 has a first display unit 1311, a second display unit 1312, a housing 1313, and a bending point 1314. The first display unit 1311 and the second display unit 1312 may have any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-described embodiments.

[0111] The first display unit 1311 and the second display unit 1312 may be a single seamless display device. The first display unit 1311 and the second display unit 1312 can be separated at a bending point. The first display unit 1311 and the second display unit 1312 may each display different images, or the first and second display units may display a single image.

[0112] FIG. 19(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an illumination device according to this embodiment. The illumination device 1400 may include a housing 1401, a light source 1402, a circuit board 1403, an optical filter 1404, and a light diffusion unit 1405. The light source 1402 may include any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-described embodiments. The optical filter 1404 may be a filter that improves the color rendering of the light source 1402. The light diffusion unit 1405 can effectively diffuse light from the light source, such as for illumination, and deliver the light over a wide area. The optical filter 1404 and the light diffusion unit 1405 may be provided on the light emission side of the illumination device. If necessary, a cover may be provided on the outermost part.

[0113] The lighting device is, for example, a device that illuminates a room. The lighting device may emit white, daylight white, or any other color from blue to red. It may have a dimming circuit that dims these colors. The lighting device may have any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-mentioned embodiments and a power supply circuit connected thereto. The power supply circuit is a circuit that converts AC voltage to DC voltage. Furthermore, white has a color temperature of 4200K, and daylight white has a color temperature of 5000K. The lighting device may have a color filter.

[0114] The lighting device according to this embodiment may also include a heat dissipation unit, which dissipates heat from within the device to the outside, and may be made of a material such as a metal with a high specific heat capacity or liquid silicon.

[0115] 19(b) is a schematic diagram of an automobile, which is an example of a moving body according to this embodiment. The automobile has tail lamps, which are an example of lighting fixtures. The automobile 1500 has tail lamps 1501, and may be configured to turn on the tail lamps when braking or the like is performed.

[0116] The tail lamp 1501 may include any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-described embodiments. The tail lamp may include a protective member for protecting the light-emitting element. The protective member may be made of any material as long as it has a certain degree of strength and is transparent, but it is preferably made of polycarbonate or the like. Polycarbonate may be mixed with a furandicarboxylic acid derivative, an acrylonitrile derivative, or the like.

[0117] The automobile 1500 may have a body 1503 and a window 1502 attached thereto. The window may be a transparent display as long as it is not a window for checking the front and rear of the automobile. The transparent display may have any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-described embodiments. In this case, the constituent materials of the electrodes and the like of the light-emitting device are made of transparent materials.

[0118] The moving body according to the present embodiment may be a ship, an aircraft, a drone, or the like. The moving body may have a body and a lighting device provided on the body. The lighting device may emit light to indicate the position of the body. The lighting device may have any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-described embodiments.

[0119] An application example of the display device of each of the above-described embodiments will be described with reference to Fig. 20. The display device can be applied to a system that can be attached as a wearable device, such as smart glasses, an HMD, or a smart contact lens. An image capturing and displaying device used in such an application example includes an image capturing device capable of photoelectrically converting visible light and a displaying device capable of emitting visible light.

[0120] 20(a) illustrates glasses 1600 (smart glasses) according to one application example. An imaging device 1602 such as a CMOS sensor or SPAD is provided on the front side of a lens 1601 of the glasses 1600. A display device is provided on the back side of the lens 1601, and the display device may include any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-described embodiments.

[0121] The glasses 1600 further include a control device 1603. The control device 1603 functions as a power source that supplies power to the image capture device 1602 and the display device according to each embodiment. The control device 1603 also controls the operations of the image capture device 1602 and the display device. The lens 1601 is formed with an optical system for focusing light onto the image capture device 1602.

[0122] FIG. 20(b) illustrates glasses 1610 (smart glasses) according to one application example. The glasses 1610 include a control device 1612, which includes an imaging device corresponding to the imaging device 1602 and a display device. The display device may include any of the light-emitting devices according to the above-described embodiments. A lens 1611 is formed with an optical system for projecting light emitted from the display device in the control device 1612, and an image is projected onto the lens 1611. The control device 1612 functions as a power source for supplying power to the imaging device and the display device and controls the operation of the imaging device and the display device. The control device may include a gaze detection unit that detects the wearer's gaze. Infrared light may be used for gaze detection. The infrared light emitter emits infrared light toward the eyeball of a user gazing at a displayed image. An imaging unit with a light-receiving element detects the reflected light of the emitted infrared light from the eyeball, thereby obtaining an image of the eyeball. A reduction unit that reduces light from the infrared light emitter to the display unit in a planar view reduces degradation of image quality.

[0123] The gaze of the user relative to the displayed image is detected from an image of the eyeball obtained by capturing infrared light. Any known method can be used for gaze detection using an image of the eyeball. One example is a gaze detection method based on the Purkinje image formed by reflection of irradiated light on the cornea.

[0124] More specifically, gaze detection processing is performed based on the pupil-corneal reflex method, which calculates a gaze vector representing the direction (rotation angle) of the eyeball based on the pupil image and Purkinje image included in the captured image of the eyeball, thereby detecting the user's gaze.

[0125] A display device according to an embodiment of the present invention may have an imaging device having a light receiving element, and may control the image displayed on the display device based on information about the user's line of sight from the imaging device.

[0126] Specifically, the display device determines a first field of view area where the user gazes and a second field of view area other than the first field of view area based on the line-of-sight information. The first field of view area and the second field of view area may be determined by a control device of the display device, or may be determined by an external control device and received. In the display area of ​​the display device, the display resolution of the first field of view area may be controlled to be higher than the display resolution of the second field of view area. In other words, the resolution of the second field of view area may be lower than that of the first field of view area.

[0127] The display area includes a first display area and a second display area different from the first display area, and a high-priority area is determined from the first display area and the second display area based on line-of-sight information. The first display area and the second display area may be determined by a control device of the display device, or may be determined by an external control device and received. The resolution of the high-priority area may be controlled to be higher than the resolution of areas other than the high-priority area. In other words, the resolution of an area with a relatively low priority may be lowered.

[0128] Note that AI may be used to determine the first field of view area and areas with high priority. The AI ​​may be a model configured to estimate the angle of gaze and the distance to an object in the line of sight from an image of the eyeball, using as training data an image of the eyeball and the direction in which the eyeball in the image was actually looking. The AI ​​program may be included in the display device, the imaging device, or an external device. If included in an external device, it is transmitted to the display device via communication.

[0129] When display control is performed based on visual recognition detection, the smart glasses can be preferably applied to smart glasses that further include an imaging device for capturing images of the outside world. The smart glasses can display captured external information in real time.

[0130] FIG. 21(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1700 is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and includes a photoconductor 1701, an exposure light source 1702, a charging unit 1703, a developing unit 1704, a transfer unit 1705, transport rollers 1706, and a fixing unit 1707. Light 1708 is emitted from the exposure light source 1702, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor 1701. This exposure light source 1702 includes an organic light-emitting element according to this embodiment. The developing unit 1704 includes toner and the like. The charging unit 1703 charges the photoconductor 1701. The transfer unit 1705 transfers the developed image to a recording medium 1709. The transport rollers 1706 transport the recording medium 1709. The recording medium 1709 is, for example, paper. The fixing unit 1707 fixes the image formed on the recording medium 1709.

[0131] 21(b) and 21(c) are diagrams showing an exposure light source 1702 and are schematic diagrams illustrating a state in which multiple light-emitting units 1710 are arranged on a long substrate. The light-emitting units 1710 include organic light-emitting elements according to the above-described embodiments. Arrow 1711 indicates the column direction in which the organic light-emitting elements are arranged. This column direction is the same as the axis direction about which the photoconductor 1701 rotates. This direction can also be referred to as the long axis direction of the photoconductor 1701. FIG. 21(b) shows a configuration in which the light-emitting units 1710 are arranged along the long axis direction of the photoconductor 1701. FIG. 21(c) shows a different configuration from FIG. 21(b), in which the light-emitting units 1710 are arranged alternately in the column direction in the first and second columns. The first and second columns are arranged at different positions in the row direction. In the first column, multiple light-emitting units 1710 are arranged at intervals. The second column has light-emitting units 1710 at positions corresponding to the spacing between the light-emitting units 1710 in the first column. That is, the light-emitting units 1710 are also arranged at intervals in the row direction. The arrangement in Figure 21(c) can also be described as a grid-like arrangement, a houndstooth arrangement, or a checkerboard pattern. [Explanation of symbols]

[0132] 10 Substrate 20 reflective layer 20a Part 1 20b 2nd part 40 first electrode 60 organic layer (including light-emitting layer) 70 Second electrode

Claims

1. An organic light-emitting device having, from a substrate side, a reflective layer, a first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode in this order, the reflective layer has a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness less than the first thickness; the first portion includes a first end provided at an end of the reflective layer and a second end provided on the opposite side to the first end, only the second portion is provided between the first end and the second end, the first electrode overlaps with the second portion in a plan view of the substrate; In the plan view, at least a part of an edge of the first electrode overlaps with the second portion. An organic light-emitting device characterized by:

2. the reflective layer has, from the substrate side, a first layer made of a first material and a second layer made of a second material different from the first material; an upper surface of the first portion of the reflective layer is formed by the second layer; an upper surface of the second portion of the reflective layer is formed by the first layer; The reflectance of the second material is lower than the reflectance of the first material. The organic light-emitting device according to claim 1 .

3. an insulating layer between the reflective layer and the first electrode; the reflective layer has, from the substrate side, a first layer made of a first material and a second layer made of a second material different from the first material; the first portion is a portion in which the second layer is disposed between the first layer and the insulating layer, The second portion is a portion where the second layer is not disposed between the first layer and the insulating layer. The organic light-emitting device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the reflective layer has, from the substrate side, a first layer made of a first material and a second layer made of a second material different from the first material; The thickness of the first layer in the first portion is greater than the thickness of the first layer in the second portion.

4. The organic light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the organic light-emitting device is a light-emitting device.

5. The first portion surrounds the second portion in the plan view.

5. The organic light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the organic light-emitting device is a light-emitting device.

6. the first material includes aluminum; The second material is a nitride, an oxide, or an oxynitride.

5. The organic light-emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the organic light-emitting device is a light-emitting device.

7. A part of the first electrode overlaps with the first portion in the plan view.

7. The organic light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the organic light-emitting device is a polyimide film.

8. When a wavelength of the light emitted from the light emitting layer with the greatest intensity is defined as a first wavelength, the reflectance of the light of the first wavelength in the first portion is lower than the reflectance of the light of the first wavelength in the second portion. The organic light-emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. a conductive member disposed in the same layer as the reflective layer and electrically separated from the reflective layer; the first electrode has an extending portion that extends so as to overlap the conductive member in a plan view of the substrate, The extension portion and the conductive member are electrically connected to each other. The organic light-emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. a second insulating layer covering at least a portion of an end of the first electrode; a groove is provided on the top surface of the second insulating layer; The groove is disposed between the first electrode and the first portion in a plan view of the substrate. The organic light-emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. An organic light-emitting device having, from a substrate side, a reflective layer, a first electrode, a second insulating layer covering at least a part of an end portion of the first electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a second electrode in this order, the reflective layer has a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness less than the first thickness; the first electrode overlaps with the second portion in a plan view of the substrate; a groove is provided on the top surface of the second insulating layer; The groove is disposed between the first electrode and the first portion in a plan view of the substrate. An organic light-emitting device characterized by:

12. A color filter is provided on the second electrode. The organic light-emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The organic light-emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, A display device comprising a transistor connected to the organic light-emitting element.

14. an optical unit having a plurality of lenses, an image pickup element that receives light that has passed through the optical unit, and a display unit that displays an image picked up by the image pickup element; A photoelectric conversion device, wherein the display section includes the organic light-emitting element according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. 13. An electronic device comprising: a display unit having the organic light-emitting element according to claim 1; a housing in which the display unit is provided; and a communication unit provided in the housing and communicating with an external device.

16. 13. A lighting device comprising: a light source having the organic light-emitting element according to claim 1; and a light diffusion section or an optical filter that transmits light emitted by the light source.

17. A moving body comprising: a lighting fixture having the organic light-emitting element according to any one of claims 1 to 12; and a vehicle on which the lighting fixture is provided.

18. An exposure light source for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising the organic light-emitting element according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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