Electronic device

Abstract

One aspect of the present invention provides a novel display device excelling in convenience and reliability. A display device for a component provided within an automobile is realized by combining a plurality of pixel regions (also called display regions). Specifically, a display whose display surface is curved is installed as a vehicle interior of an automobile and the like. A wiring layer is provided to a support body having a curved surface, and said wiring layer and some signal lines of the pixel regions are electrically connected. Moreover, by using an overlapping configuration such that the sizes of gaps between a plurality of pixel regions that are neighboring are reduced, the joint between one of the pixel regions and another of the pixel regions becomes inconspicuous, and preferably is made invisible.

Description

electronic equipment

[0001] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a display device, an electronic device, or a semiconductor device.

[0002] Note that one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above technical field. The technical field of one embodiment of the invention disclosed in this specification and the like relates to an object, a method, or a manufacturing method. Alternatively, one embodiment of the present invention relates to a process, a machine, manufacture, or a composition of matter. Therefore, more specifically, examples of the technical field of one embodiment of the present invention disclosed in this specification include a semiconductor device, a display device, a light-emitting device, a power storage device, a memory device, a driving method thereof, or a manufacturing method thereof.

[0003] In this specification, the term "semiconductor device" refers to any device that can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics, and electro-optical devices, semiconductor circuits, and electronic devices are all included in the category of semiconductor devices.

[0004] Development is underway to replace some of the instrument displays inside automobiles and other vehicles with liquid crystal displays. Development is also underway to use organic light-emitting displays for some of the instrument displays. Furthermore, efforts are being made to utilize in-vehicle displays to support drivers of automobiles and other vehicles in order to utilize more information (information about the vehicle's surroundings, traffic information, geographic information, etc.).

[0005] Alternatively, in the future, it is possible that a large number of cameras or sensors will be installed inside and outside automobiles, and many display screens will be required.

[0006] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a display unit is provided near the driver's seat of a vehicle, and a configuration in which a display panel having a curved surface is provided in a vehicle.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which a display panel having a curved portion is provided using a plurality of light-emitting panels.

[0008] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a dual-emission display device to be mounted on a vehicle.

[0009] JP 2003-229548 JP 2015-207556 JP 2005-67367

[0010] An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a novel light-emitting device with excellent convenience or reliability.An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a novel display device with excellent convenience or reliability.An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a novel input / output device with excellent convenience or reliability.An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a novel light-emitting device, a novel display device, a novel input / output device, or a novel semiconductor device.

[0011] Light-emitting devices (also called EL devices or EL elements) that utilize the electroluminescence (hereinafter referred to as EL) phenomenon used in organic light-emitting display devices have features such as being easily made thin and lightweight, being capable of responding quickly to input signals, and being able to be driven using a DC constant voltage power supply, and are therefore applied to display devices.

[0012] Note that the description of these problems does not preclude the existence of other problems. Note that one embodiment of the present invention does not necessarily solve all of these problems. Note that problems other than these will become apparent from the description of the specification, drawings, claims, etc., and it is possible to extract other problems from the description of the specification, drawings, claims, etc.

[0013] By combining multiple pixel regions (also called display regions), a display device for components installed inside a vehicle can be realized. Specifically, a display with a curved display surface can be installed as an interior of a vehicle such as an automobile.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, a wiring layer is provided on a support having a curved surface, and the wiring layer is electrically connected to a part of a signal line in a pixel region. In addition, by configuring the adjacent pixel regions so that the gap between them is small, the seams between the pixel regions are less noticeable, and preferably invisible.

[0015] Alternatively, a driving circuit may be provided, and a large display screen can be created by overlapping the display surface on the driving circuit.

[0016] One aspect of the present invention disclosed in this specification is an electronic device including a display device and a support, wherein the display device includes a first flexible substrate, a second flexible substrate, a first display device formed on the first flexible substrate, a second display device formed on the second flexible substrate, a first electrode electrically connected to the first display device, and a second electrode electrically connected to the second display device, the support has a curved surface and a wiring layer formed along the curved surface, the first display device is electrically connected to the wiring layer via the first electrode, and the second display device is electrically connected to the wiring layer via the second electrode, and the first display device and the second display device are each arranged along the curved surface.

[0017] In the above configuration, the first display device has a pixel region, and the pixel region has a first light-emitting device and a second light-emitting device arranged adjacent to the first light-emitting device, and the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device each have a lower electrode, a first functional layer on the lower electrode, a light-emitting layer on the first functional layer, a second functional layer on the light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode on the second functional layer. Alternatively, the side surfaces of the first functional layer and the light-emitting layer are aligned or approximately aligned in a cross-sectional view. Alternatively, the side surfaces of the second functional layer and the light-emitting layer are aligned or approximately aligned in a cross-sectional view.

[0018] Alternatively, the light-emitting device may be configured to emit white light, and the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device each have a lower electrode, a first functional layer on the lower electrode, a light-emitting layer on the first functional layer, a second functional layer on the light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode on the second functional layer.

[0019] Alternatively, to emit white light, the light-emitting devices may be configured as stacked layers, and the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device each have a lower electrode, a first functional layer on the lower electrode, a first light-emitting layer on the first functional layer, a common layer on the first light-emitting layer, a second light-emitting layer on the common layer, a second functional layer on the second light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode on the second functional layer.

[0020] Alternatively, the light-emitting device may be configured without a hole transport layer, in which case the first functional layer has either or both of a hole injection layer and a hole transport layer, and the second functional layer has either or both of an electron transport layer and an electron injection layer.

[0021] Alternatively, the light emitted from the first light emitting device and the light emitted from the second light emitting device may be the same color, without being limited to the white light emission.

[0022] Alternatively, the first light-emitting device has a first lower electrode, a first functional layer on the first lower electrode, a first light-emitting layer on the first functional layer, a second functional layer on the first light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode on the second functional layer, and the second light-emitting device has a second lower electrode, a third functional layer on the second lower electrode, a second light-emitting layer on the third functional layer, and a fourth functional layer on the second light-emitting layer.

[0023] Alternatively, the first light-emitting device has a first lower electrode, a first functional layer on the first lower electrode, a third light-emitting layer on the first functional layer, a first common layer on the third light-emitting layer, a fourth light-emitting layer on the first common layer, a second functional layer on the fourth light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode on the second functional layer, and the second light-emitting device has a second lower electrode, a third functional layer on the second lower electrode, a fifth light-emitting layer on the third functional layer, a second common layer on the fifth light-emitting layer, a sixth light-emitting layer on the second common layer, a fourth functional layer on the sixth light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode on the fourth functional layer.

[0024] Alternatively, the first functional layer and the third functional layer each have either or both of a hole injection layer and a hole transport layer, and the second functional layer and the fourth functional layer each have either or both of an electron transport layer and an electron injection layer.

[0025] Alternatively, the light emitted from the first light emitting device and the light emitted from the second light emitting device may be different.

[0026] Alternatively, in each of the above configurations, the distance between the side surface of the first light emitting device and the side surface of the second light emitting device may be 1 μm or less.

[0027] Alternatively, in each of the above structures, the distance between the side surface of the first light emitting device and the side surface of the second light emitting device may be 100 nm or less.

[0028] Furthermore, this configuration is not limited to a display device that displays full-color images, but may also be a lighting device that emits single color light or multiple types of emitted light colors.

[0029] Alternatively, in this specification etc., a device fabricated using a metal mask or an FMM (fine metal mask, high-resolution metal mask) may be referred to as a device with an MM (metal mask) structure, or in this specification etc., a device fabricated without using a metal mask or an FMM may be referred to as a device with an MML (metal maskless) structure.

[0030] In this specification and the like, a structure in which at least the light-emitting layers are made differently for each color light-emitting device (here, blue (B), green (G), and red (R)), or at least the light-emitting layers are painted differently, may be referred to as an SBS (Side By Side) structure. Alternatively, in this specification and the like, a light-emitting device capable of emitting white light may be referred to as a white light-emitting device. In addition, a white light-emitting device can be combined with a colored layer (for example, a color filter) to realize a full-color display device.

[0031] In this specification, an EL (electroluminescence) layer refers to a layer provided between a pair of electrodes of a light-emitting device. Therefore, a light-emitting layer containing an organic compound that is a light-emitting substance and sandwiched between electrodes is one embodiment of an EL layer.

[0032] Alternatively, light-emitting devices can be broadly divided into single structures and tandem structures. A single-structure device has one light-emitting unit between a pair of electrodes, and the light-emitting unit preferably includes one or more light-emitting layers. To obtain white light emission, two or more light-emitting layers may be selected so that the light emitted from each of the two or more light-emitting layers has a complementary color relationship. For example, by making the emission color of the first light-emitting layer and the emission color of the second light-emitting layer complementary, a configuration in which the entire light-emitting device emits white light can be obtained. The same applies to light-emitting devices having three or more light-emitting layers.

[0033] A light-emitting device with a tandem structure preferably has two or more light-emitting units between a pair of electrodes, and each light-emitting unit preferably includes one or more light-emitting layers. To obtain white light emission, light from the light-emitting layers of the multiple light-emitting units may be combined to obtain white light emission. The configuration for obtaining white light emission is the same as that of the single structure. In a light-emitting device with a tandem structure, it is preferable to provide an intermediate layer such as a charge generation layer between the multiple light-emitting units.

[0034] Alternatively, when comparing the above-described white light-emitting device (single structure or tandem structure) with a light-emitting device having an SBS structure, the light-emitting device having an SBS structure can reduce power consumption compared to the white light-emitting device. If it is desired to reduce power consumption, it is preferable to use a light-emitting device having an SBS structure. On the other hand, the manufacturing process of a white light-emitting device is simpler than that of a light-emitting device having an SBS structure, and therefore the manufacturing cost can be reduced or the manufacturing yield can be increased, making it preferable.

[0035] In this specification, the term "light-emitting device" refers to an image display device or a light source (including a lighting device). Alternatively, the term "light-emitting device" also includes a module in which a connector, such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC) or a tape carrier package (TCP), is attached to a display device, a module in which a printed wiring board is provided at the end of a TCP, or a module in which an IC (integrated circuit) is directly mounted on a substrate on which a light-emitting device is formed by a chip-on-glass (COG) method.

[0036] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a display surface of a display device can be increased in area by a manufacturing method disclosed, and a display device can be manufactured with high yield.

[0037] When an omnidirectional camera is used as an in-vehicle camera, the display device of one embodiment of the present invention can be used to display images captured by the omnidirectional camera at once in a manner that is easy for a user to understand.

[0038] Alternatively, by using the display device of one embodiment of the present invention, the degree of freedom in designing the display device can be increased, and the convenience or design of the display device can be improved.

[0039] Note that the description of these effects does not preclude the existence of other effects. Note that one embodiment of the present invention does not necessarily have all of these effects. Note that effects other than these will become apparent from the description in the specification, drawings, claims, etc., and it is possible to extract other effects from the description in the specification, drawings, claims, etc.

[0040] FIGS. 1A and 1B are cross-sectional schematic views illustrating one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional schematic views illustrating one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 3A to 3D are cross-sectional views illustrating a manufacturing process of one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 4A to 4C are cross-sectional views illustrating a manufacturing process of one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 5A to 5D are cross-sectional views illustrating a manufacturing process of one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 6A is a top view illustrating an example of a display region 100, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the display region 100. FIGS. 7A to 7E are top views illustrating an example of a pixel. FIGS. 8A to 8E are top views illustrating an example of a pixel. FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams illustrating a structural example of a display device. FIGS. 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating a structural example of a display device. FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11D are cross-sectional views illustrating an example of a display device. FIGS. 11C and 11E are diagrams illustrating example images. FIGS. 11F to 11H are top views illustrating an example of a pixel. FIG. 12A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structural example of a display device. FIGS. 12B to 12D are top views showing examples of pixels. FIG. 13A is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a display device. FIGS. 13B to 13I are top views showing an example of a pixel. FIGS. 14A to 14F are views showing a configuration example of a light-emitting device. FIGS. 15A and 15B are views showing configuration examples of a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device. FIGS. 16A and 16B are views showing a configuration example of a display device. FIGS. 17A to 17D are views showing a configuration example of a display device. FIGS. 18A to 18C are views showing a configuration example of a display device. FIGS. 19A to 19D are views showing a configuration example of a display device. FIGS. 20A to 20F are views showing a configuration example of a display device. FIGS. 21A to 21F are views showing a configuration example of a display device. FIG. 22 is a view showing a configuration example of a display device. FIG. 23A is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a display device. FIG. 23B is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a transistor. FIGS. 24A to 24D are views showing examples of pixels. 24E and 24F are diagrams showing examples of pixel circuit diagrams. FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration inside a vehicle. FIG. 26A is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a sample of Example 1, and FIG. 26B is an enlarged view thereof. FIG. 27A is a micrograph without a black matrix, and FIG. 27B is a micrograph with a black matrix.

[0041] In this specification, when it is stated that X and Y are connected, it is assumed that the following cases are disclosed in this specification: when X and Y are electrically connected, when X and Y are functionally connected, and when X and Y are directly connected. Therefore, it is not limited to a specific connection relationship, for example, a connection relationship shown in a figure or text, and it is assumed that connection relationships other than those shown in a figure or text are also disclosed in a figure or text. X and Y are assumed to be objects (e.g., a device, an element, a circuit, wiring, an electrode, a terminal, a conductive film, a layer, etc.).

[0042] As an example of a case where X and Y are electrically connected, one or more elements (e.g., a switch, a transistor, a capacitance element, an inductor, a resistance element, a diode, a display device, a light-emitting device, a load, etc.) that enable the electrical connection between X and Y can be connected between X and Y. The switch has a function of controlling on / off. In other words, the switch has a function of being in a conductive state (on state) or a non-conductive state (off state) and controlling whether or not a current flows.

[0043] As an example of a case where X and Y are functionally connected, one or more circuits that enable the functional connection between X and Y (for example, logic circuits (inverters, NAND circuits, NOR circuits, etc.), signal conversion circuits (digital-analog conversion circuits, analog-digital conversion circuits, gamma correction circuits, etc.), potential level conversion circuits (power supply circuits (boosting circuits, step-down circuits, etc.), level shifter circuits that change the potential level of a signal, etc.), voltage sources, current sources, switching circuits, amplifier circuits (circuits that can increase the signal amplitude or amount of current, operational amplifiers, differential amplifier circuits, source follower circuits, buffer circuits, etc.), signal generation circuits, memory circuits, control circuits, etc.) can be connected between X and Y. As an example, even if another circuit is sandwiched between X and Y, X and Y are considered to be functionally connected if a signal output from X is transmitted to Y.

[0044] It should be noted that when it is explicitly stated that X and Y are electrically connected, this includes the case where X and Y are electrically connected (i.e., the case where X and Y are connected with another element or another circuit sandwiched between them) and the case where X and Y are directly connected (i.e., the case where X and Y are connected without another element or another circuit sandwiched between them).

[0045] In this specification, a transistor has three terminals called a gate, a source, and a drain. The gate is a control terminal that controls the conduction state of the transistor. The two terminals that function as a source or a drain are input / output terminals of the transistor. One of the two input / output terminals serves as a source and the other as a drain depending on the conductivity type (n-channel or p-channel) of the transistor and the level of the potential applied to the three terminals of the transistor. Therefore, in this specification, the terms "source" and "drain" may be interchangeable. In addition, in this specification, when describing the connection relationship of a transistor, the terms "one of the source or drain" (or first electrode or first terminal) and "the other of the source or drain" (or second electrode or second terminal) are used. Note that, depending on the structure of a transistor, a backgate may be included in addition to the three terminals described above. In this case, in this specification, one of the gate or backgate of the transistor may be referred to as a first gate, and the other of the gate or backgate of the transistor may be referred to as a second gate. Furthermore, for the same transistor, the terms "gate" and "backgate" may be interchangeable. Furthermore, when a transistor has three or more gates, the gates may be referred to as a first gate, a second gate, a third gate, and so on in this specification.

[0046] In this specification and the like, unless otherwise specified, the off-state current refers to the drain current when a transistor is in an off state (also referred to as a non-conducting state or a cut-off state). Unless otherwise specified, the off-state current refers to the drain current when a transistor is in an off state (also referred to as a non-conducting state or a cut-off state) when a voltage V between the gate and the source of an n-channel transistor is applied. ｇｓ is the threshold voltage V ｔｈ (For p-channel transistors, V ｔｈThis refers to a state of being (higher than)

[0047] In this specification and the like, a metal oxide refers to an oxide of a metal in a broad sense. Metal oxides are classified into oxide insulators, oxide conductors (including transparent oxide conductors), oxide semiconductors (also referred to as oxide semiconductors or simply as OSs), and the like. For example, when a metal oxide is used in an active layer of a transistor, the metal oxide may be referred to as an oxide semiconductor. In other words, an OS transistor can be rephrased as a transistor including a metal oxide or an oxide semiconductor.

[0048] Furthermore, in this specification, the ordinal numbers "first," "second," and "third" are used to avoid confusion between components. Therefore, they do not limit the number of components. Furthermore, they do not limit the order of the components. For example, a component referred to as "first" in one embodiment of this specification may be a component referred to as "second" in another embodiment or in the claims. Furthermore, for example, a component referred to as "first" in one embodiment of this specification may be omitted in another embodiment or in the claims.

[0049] Furthermore, in this specification, terms indicating position, such as "above" and "below," may be 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 described in the specification, and can be rephrased appropriately depending on the situation. For example, the expression "insulator located on the upper surface of a conductor" can be rephrased as "insulator located on the lower surface of a conductor" by rotating the orientation of the drawing 180 degrees.

[0050] Furthermore, the terms "above" and "below" do not limit the positional relationship of components to being directly above or below and in direct contact with each other. For example, the expression "electrode B on insulating layer A" does not require that electrode B be formed on insulating layer A in direct contact with it, and does not exclude the inclusion of other components between insulating layer A and electrode B.

[0051] Furthermore, in this specification and the like, terms such as "film" and "layer" can be interchanged depending on the situation. For example, the term "conductive layer" may be interchanged with the term "conductive film." Or, for example, the term "insulating film" may be interchanged with the term "insulating layer." Or, in some cases or depending on the situation, terms such as "film" and "layer" may not be used and may be interchanged with other terms. For example, the terms "conductive layer" or "conductive film" may be interchanged with the term "conductor." Or, for example, the terms "insulating layer" and "insulating film" may be interchanged with the term "insulator."

[0052] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following description, and it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the embodiments and details. Furthermore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the description of the embodiments shown below.

[0053] Embodiment Mode 1 In this embodiment mode, an example of a display device that uses a plurality of flexible substrates, has pixel regions formed over the flexible substrates, and has a curved display surface will be described below.

[0054] FIG. 1A shows a part of a schematic cross-sectional view of a display device provided on a support 10 having a curved surface.

[0055] 2A is an enlarged view of an area 15 enclosed by a dotted line in the display device shown in FIG. 1A. Since FIG. 2A is one example of a configuration in which FIG. 1A is enlarged, the same components will be described below using the same reference numerals.

[0056] The support 10 can also be called a housing or a support member, and is a member having at least a partially curved surface. When the display device is installed inside a vehicle, the support 10 is made of plastic, metal, glass, rubber, or the like. Although the support 10 is shown here as being plate-shaped, it is not particularly limited and may be any member having at least a partially curved surface.

[0057] The support 10 has a wiring layer 12, and the wiring included in the wiring layer 12 is electrically connected to the electrodes of the second display device 16b. The wiring layer 12 may have wiring, an insulating film covering the wiring, and an opening in the insulating film, with an electrode connected to the wiring through the opening. The wiring included in the wiring layer 12 functions as an auxiliary wiring, a connection wiring, a power supply line, a signal line, a fixed potential line, or the like.

[0058] The wiring of the wiring layer 12 may be formed on the support 10 having a curved surface using a known technique. For example, the wiring layer may be provided on the support 10 using a method of selectively forming a silver paste, a transposition method, or a transfer method.

[0059] In FIG. 1A , three display panels, a first display device 16 a, a second display device 16 b, and a third display device 16 c, are arranged side by side. A single display surface can also be formed by arranging the pixel regions of each display device. While the display device in FIG. 1A shows an example in which three pixel regions form a single display surface, this is not particularly limited, and a display device can be fabricated in which m (m is a natural number of 2 or greater) rows and n (n is a natural number of 1 or greater) pixel regions form a single display surface. Furthermore, one of the multiple arrows in FIG. 1A indicates the light emission direction 14 a of the second display device 16 b.

[0060] 1A, the wiring of the wiring layer 12 can also function as a common wiring, and a certain wiring of the wiring layer 12 can be configured to be electrically connected to an electrode of the first display device 16a and also to an electrode of the second display device 16b. If the wiring of the wiring layer 12 is a power supply line, power is supplied from the wiring of the wiring layer 12, and therefore the wiring layer 12 can also be called a part of the first display device 16a.

[0061] In this way, one display device is configured by combining (assembling) the first display device 16a, the second display device 16b, and the third display device 16c on the wiring layer 12. Therefore, the wiring layer 12 can also be called a part of the display device.

[0062] Furthermore, the first display device 16a, the second display device 16b, and the third display device 16c can be covered with a cover material 13 to firmly fix the first display device 16a, the second display device 16b, and the third display device 16c. The cover material 13 may be bonded using a resin 19 or the like as shown in Fig. 2A, and by adjusting the refractive index of the resin 19, vertical or horizontal stripes that may appear near the boundaries between the first display device 16a, the second display device 16b, and the third display device 16c can be made less noticeable. It is preferable to use a light-transmitting film as the cover material 13. The cover material 13 may be made of a film-like plastic substrate such as polyimide (PI), aramid, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethersulfone (PES), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), nylon, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polysulfone (PSF), polyetherimide (PEI), polyarylate (PAR), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), or silicone resin.

[0063] The cover material 13 may be an optical film (a polarizing film, a circularly polarizing film, or a light-scattering film) or a laminated film.

[0064] 2A shows a configuration in which an end of the second display device 16b overlaps an end of the third display device 16c, an electrode 18b is provided in that portion, and the electrode 18b is electrically connected to the wiring of the wiring layer 12. By overlapping the periphery of the electrode 18b of the second display device 16b with the pixel region of the third display device 16c, vertical or horizontal stripes that may appear near the boundary between the third display device 16c and the second display device 16b can be made less noticeable.

[0065] In addition, by overlapping the periphery of the electrode 18a of the second display device 16b with the pixel region of the first display device 16a, vertical or horizontal stripes that may occur near the boundary between the first display device 16a and the second display device 16b can be made less noticeable.

[0066] Furthermore, by using a light-shielding layer such as a black matrix, it is possible to make less noticeable vertical or horizontal stripes that may appear near the boundary between the first display device 16a and the second display device 16b.

[0067] The wiring layer 12 may also have a multi-layer structure, an example of which is shown in FIG. 2B.

[0068] 2B , a wiring layer 12a is provided on a support 10 having a curved surface, an interlayer insulating film 20 is provided on the wiring layer 12a, and a wiring layer 12b is provided on the interlayer insulating film 20. The wiring layers 12a and 12b may be arranged so as to intersect with each other. Also, the wiring layer 12a may be electrically connected to an electrode 18b of a third display device 16c through an opening provided in the interlayer insulating film 20.

[0069] By forming the wiring layer 12 on the support 10 having a curved surface, it is possible to route the wiring for the first display device 16a, the second display device 16b, and the third display device 16c, thereby reducing the wiring density and reducing the parasitic capacitance, etc.

[0070] Also, one of the multiple arrows in FIG. 1A indicates the light emission direction 14a of the second display device 16b, which uses a top-emission display panel (also called a top-emission panel), a bottom-emission display panel (also called a bottom-emission panel), or a dual-emission display panel (also called a dual-emission panel).

[0071] Moreover, Fig. 1B shows a modified example of the configuration of Fig. 1A. In Fig. 1A, the display surface is configured as a convex portion, but in Fig. 1B, the display surface is configured as a concave portion.

[0072] In the display device of FIG. 1B, a fourth display device 17a, a fifth display device 17b, a sixth display device 17c, and a seventh display device 17d are arranged and fixed to a light-transmitting support 11. Here, the fourth display device 17a is referred to as the fourth display device 17a to avoid confusion with FIG. 1A, but it actually corresponds to the first display device 16a. Furthermore, the fourth display device 17a, the fifth display device 17b, the sixth display device 17c, and the seventh display device 17d use top-emission display panels, bottom-emission display panels, or dual-emission display panels. In the display device shown in FIG. 1B, the cover material 13 does not need to be light-transmitting and can be installed on the roof of a vehicle, for example. Furthermore, if the cover material 13 is a glass roof of a vehicle, a dual-emission display panel can be used to illuminate not only the inside but also the outside of the vehicle. The light-transmitting support 11 has a curved surface. The light-emitting direction 14b of the fourth display device 17a is different from that of FIG. 1A.

[0073] In the display device of FIG. 1B , an example is shown in which four pixel regions are used as one display surface, but this is not particularly limited, and a display device can be fabricated in which pixel regions of m rows (m is a natural number of 2 or more) and n columns (n ​​is a natural number of 1 or more) are used as one display surface.

[0074] 1A , 1B , 2A , and 2B illustrate the use of a support having a uniform radius of curvature. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. The entire display surface need not be curved, and the display surface may be partially flat or have a mixture of convex and concave shapes in accordance with the internal components of a vehicle (such as a dashboard, ceiling, pillars, window glass, steering wheel, seat, or inner door portion). For example, the display device of one embodiment of the present invention can be installed on the interior wall of a vehicle, specifically, the dashboard, ceiling, or wall. The display device of one embodiment of the present invention can have a display surface with a large display area, and thus can display a relatively large map. Therefore, the display device can be used not only for vehicles but also as a navigation device for vehicles (such as an aircraft or a submarine).

[0075] Furthermore, by providing a touch sensor on the display surface, the driver can operate the device by touching it with his or her fingers. Therefore, a display device having a touch sensor can also be considered a vehicle operation device.

[0076] Flexible substrates are more susceptible to scratches than glass substrates. In mobile information terminals where input operations are performed by touching or approaching a finger, it is preferable to provide a surface protection film to prevent stains such as sebum or scratches caused by fingernails, especially when the terminal is equipped with a touch panel.

[0077] Even for display devices installed inside vehicles, input operations are performed by touching or approaching with a finger, so it is preferable to provide a protective film with excellent scratch resistance on the outermost surface of the display device. The protective film is a silicon oxide film with good optical properties (high visible light transmittance or high infrared light transmittance). By providing the protective film, scratches and dirt on the film can be prevented.

[0078] Furthermore, when the protective film is formed by a coating method, it can be formed before or after the display device is fixed to the support having a curved surface. The protective film may be made of diamond-like carbon (DLC), alumina (AlOx), polyester material, polycarbonate material, or the like. It is preferable to use a material that has high hardness as well as high transmittance to visible light as the protective film.

[0079] As described above, the structure of one embodiment of the present invention can provide a display device with high display quality. Alternatively, the structure of one embodiment of the present invention can increase the degree of freedom in designing the display device, thereby improving the design of the display device.

[0080] An example of a method for manufacturing a display device is shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows an example in which a driver circuit portion 20a is provided in a part of a first display device 16a. The other parts are the same as those in Fig. 1, and therefore will be described using the same reference numerals.

[0081] First, a plurality of pixels and a driver circuit unit arranged in a matrix are fabricated on a flexible substrate. A flexible substrate having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix is ​​also called a flexible display. A method of forming a transistor or a light-emitting device directly on a flexible substrate may be used, or a method of forming a transistor or a light-emitting device on a glass substrate or the like, and then peeling the transistor or the light-emitting device from the glass substrate and attaching it to a flexible substrate using an adhesive layer may be used. There are various types of peeling or transfer methods, but they are not particularly limited, and known techniques may be used as appropriate.

[0082] When a glass substrate is used, a glass substrate such as a third generation (550 mm × 650 mm), a third.5th generation (600 mm × 720 mm or 620 mm × 750 mm), a fourth generation (680 mm × 880 mm or 730 mm × 920 mm), a fifth generation (1100 mm × 1300 mm), a sixth generation (1500 mm × 1850 mm), a seventh generation (1870 mm × 2200 mm), an eighth generation (2200 mm × 2400 mm), a ninth generation (2400 mm × 2800 mm, 2450 mm × 3050 mm), or a tenth generation (2950 mm × 3400 mm), or a larger glass substrate, can be used. When a glass substrate is used, a higher heat treatment temperature can be applied than when a transistor or the like is formed directly on a flexible substrate, and therefore, the glass substrate is suitable for a case where the manufacturing process temperature of a transistor is high.

[0083] Examples of materials used for flexible substrates include polyester resins such as PET and PEN, polyacrylonitrile resins, acrylic resins, polyimide resins, polymethyl methacrylate resins, polycarbonate resins, polyethersulfone resins, polyamide resins (nylon, aramid, etc.), polysiloxane resins, cycloolefin resins, polystyrene resins, polyamideimide resins, polyurethane resins, polyvinyl chloride resins, polyvinylidene chloride resins, polypropylene resins, polytetrafluoroethylene resins, and ABS resins. Materials with low linear expansion coefficients are particularly preferred, and examples of suitable materials include polyamideimide resins, polyimide resins, polyamide resins, and polyethylene terephthalate resins. Substrates with resin-impregnated fibers and substrates with a lower linear expansion coefficient obtained by mixing inorganic fillers into the resin can also be used.

[0084] Alternatively, a metal film can be used as a flexible substrate. The metal film can be made of stainless steel, aluminum, etc. However, since the metal film has a light-shielding property, it is used in consideration of the light-emitting direction of the light-emitting device to be used.

[0085] The flexible substrate may be constructed by laminating a layer using the above-mentioned material with at least one of a hard coat layer (e.g., a silicon nitride layer) that protects the surface of the device from scratches, a layer made of a material that can disperse pressure (e.g., an aramid resin layer), etc.

[0086] The adhesive layer may be made of various curable adhesives such as a photocurable adhesive (e.g., an ultraviolet curable adhesive), a reactive curable adhesive, a thermosetting adhesive, an anaerobic adhesive, etc. Alternatively, an adhesive tape or an adhesive sheet may be used.

[0087] Then, using known techniques, the pixel region of the first display device 16a and the drive circuit unit 20a are formed on the flexible substrate. An opening is then made in the flexible substrate to form the electrode 18a. As shown in Fig. 3A, when the flexible substrate is fixed to the curved support 10, the wiring layer 12 on the support 10 and the electrode 18a are electrically connected. Note that the electrode 18a is sometimes called a through electrode because it is electrically connected to the wiring of the drive circuit unit 20a through the opening provided in the flexible substrate.

[0088] 3B, the second display device 16b is fixed so that its edge overlaps the drive circuit unit 20a. Since the drive circuit unit 20a is not a pixel area and cannot display anything, overlapping the pixel area of ​​the second display device 16b on top of it makes it possible to make vertical or horizontal stripes that may appear near the boundary between the first display device 16a and the second display device 16b less noticeable.

[0089] 3C, the third display device 16c is fixed so that its edge overlaps the drive circuit 20b. Since the drive circuit 20b is not a pixel area and cannot display anything, overlapping the pixel area of ​​the third display device 16c on top of it makes it possible to make vertical or horizontal stripes that may appear near the boundary between the second display device 16b and the third display device 16c less noticeable.

[0090] 3D, the cover material 13 is then covered and fixed using resin 19. By covering with the cover material 13, the step at the end of the second display device 16b overlapping with the drive circuit unit 20a can be reduced. Furthermore, the refractive indexes of the cover material 13 and resin 19 are appropriately selected to make vertical or horizontal stripes less noticeable. A highly translucent resin is preferably used as the material for the resin 19, and examples of organic resin films that can be used include epoxy resin, aramid resin, acrylic resin, polyimide resin, polyamide resin, and polyamideimide resin.

[0091] 3D indicates the light emission direction 14a of the second display device 16b, and the cover material 13 and the resin 19 are translucent. By adjusting the refractive index of the resin 19 or the cover material 13, vertical or horizontal stripes that may appear near the boundaries of pixel regions provided on substrates with different flexibility can be made less noticeable.

[0092] The difference in refractive index between the cover material 13 and the resin 19 is preferably 20% or less, more preferably 10% or less, and even more preferably 5% or less. The refractive index refers to the value for visible light, specifically light with a wavelength of 400 nm or more and 750 nm or less, and refers to the average refractive index for light having a wavelength in the above range. The average refractive index is the sum of the measured refractive index values ​​for each light having a wavelength in the above range divided by the number of measurement points. The refractive index of air is set to 1.

[0093] By using the above process, it is possible to arrange multiple display devices (also called multiple light-emitting panels or multiple display panels) so that they overlap partially as needed, and the seamlessly arranged areas can be made into a single display area.

[0094] This embodiment mode can be implemented by appropriately combining at least a part thereof with other embodiment modes described in this specification.

[0095] In this embodiment, an example of obtaining a display device by a manufacturing method different from that shown in FIG. 3 in Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. Note that the obtained display device is the same as that shown in FIG. 3 except for the manufacturing procedure, and therefore, in FIG. 4, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 3 are used for the same parts as those in FIG. 3.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 4A, first, the first display device 16a, the second display device 16b, and the third display device 16c are fixed.

[0097] Next, as shown in Figures 4B and 4C, the first display device 16a, the second display device 16b, and the third display device 16c are sandwiched between the support 10 and the cover material 13 and fixed on both sides. While Figure 4B shows the display devices being fixed almost simultaneously, this is not particularly limited; the display devices may be fixed first with the resin 19 of the cover material 13, and then the wiring layer 12 of the support 10 and the first display device 16a, the second display device 16b, and the third display device 16c may be fixed. By sandwiching the display devices between the support 10 and the cover material 13, it is possible to fix the display devices using only adhesive tape such as Kapton tape, without using resin. Alternatively, the positions of the first display device 16a, the second display device 16b, and the third display device 16c can be fixed by fastening the support 10 and the cover material 13 together with tape or the like, bringing them into close contact, and applying pressure from above and below.

[0098] Alternatively, the wiring layer 12 of the support 10 and the first display device 16 a , second display device 16 b , and third display device 16 c may be fixed first, and then fixed with the resin 19 of the cover material 13 .

[0099] This embodiment mode can be freely combined with Embodiment Mode 1.

[0100] In this embodiment, an example of obtaining a display device by a manufacturing method different from that shown in FIG. 3 in Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. Note that the obtained display device is the same as that shown in FIG. 3 except for the manufacturing procedure, and therefore, in FIG. 5, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 3 are used for the same parts as those in FIG. 3.

[0101] 5A, first, the end of the first display device 16a is bent and fixed to the wiring layer 12 of the support 10 using resin 19. When fixed, the electrode 18d and the wiring layer 12 are electrically connected. The electrode 18d can be formed in the same process as the wiring of the pixel region or the drive circuit, without providing an opening in the flexible substrate.

[0102] Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the second display device 16b is fixed so that the gap between the first display device 16a and the bent portion is small.

[0103] Next, as shown in FIG. 5C, the third display device 16c is fixed so that the gap between the bent portion of the second display device 16b and the third display device 16c is small.

[0104] Next, as shown in Fig. 5D, the display device can be manufactured by covering it with a cover material 13. The manufacturing method shown in Fig. 5A, Fig. 5B, Fig. 5C, and Fig. 5D can also be called a tile method.

[0105] If adjacent display devices are fixed to each other before being covered with the cover material 13 and there are no steps on the surface, a protective film with excellent scratch resistance can be provided on the outermost surface of the display device without providing the cover material 13. The protective film is formed by a coating method after the display device is fixed to a support having a curved surface. The protective film is made of a silicon oxide film with good optical properties (high visible light transmittance or high infrared light transmittance). By providing the protective film, scratches and dirt on the film can be prevented.

[0106] This embodiment mode can be freely combined with Embodiment Mode 1.

[0107] Fourth Embodiment In this embodiment, a detailed configuration of the display area of ​​any one of the first to third embodiments will be described below.

[0108] 6A shows a top view of the display region 100. The display region 100 has a pixel portion in which a plurality of pixels 110 are arranged in a matrix, and a connection portion 140 outside the pixel portion. The regions between the pixels and the connection portion 140 are not light-emitting regions, but are included in the display region 100.

[0109] A stripe arrangement is applied to the pixel 110 shown in Fig. 6A. The pixel 110 shown in Fig. 6A is composed of three subpixels, 110a, 110b, and 110c. The subpixels 110a, 110b, and 110c each have a light-emitting device that emits light of a different color. Examples of the subpixels 110a, 110b, and 110c include three subpixels of red (R), green (G), and blue (B), and three subpixels of yellow (Y), cyan (C), and magenta (M).

[0110] 6A shows an example in which subpixels of different colors are arranged side by side in the X direction, and subpixels of the same color are arranged side by side in the Y direction. Note that subpixels of different colors may also be arranged side by side in the Y direction, and subpixels of the same color may also be arranged side by side in the X direction.

[0111] 6A shows an example in which the connection portion 140 is located below the pixel portion when viewed from above, but this is not particularly limited. The connection portion 140 may be provided in at least one location on the upper, right, left, or lower side of the pixel portion when viewed from above. The connection portion 140 may be singular or plural.

[0112] FIG. 6B shows a cross-sectional view taken along the dashed line X1-X2 in FIG. 6A.

[0113] 6B , in the display region 100, light-emitting devices 130a, 130b, and 130c are provided on a layer 101 including transistors, and insulating layers 131 and 132 are provided to cover these light-emitting devices. A substrate 120 is attached to the insulating layer 132 by a resin layer 122. In addition, an insulating layer 125 and an insulating layer 127 on the insulating layer 125 are provided in the region between adjacent light-emitting devices.

[0114] The display region of one embodiment of the present invention may be any of a top emission type that emits light in the direction opposite to the substrate on which the light-emitting device is formed, a bottom emission type that emits light toward the substrate on which the light-emitting device is formed, and a dual emission type that emits light from both sides.

[0115] The transistor-containing layer 101 may have, for example, a stacked structure in which a plurality of transistors are provided on a substrate and an insulating layer is provided to cover these transistors. The transistor-containing layer 101 may have a recess between adjacent light-emitting devices. For example, a recess may be provided in an insulating layer located on the top surface of the transistor-containing layer 101. A configuration example of the transistor-containing layer 101 will be described later.

[0116] The light emitting devices 130a, 130b, and 130c each emit light of a different color, and preferably emit light of three colors, for example, red (R), green (G), and blue (B).

[0117] As the light-emitting devices 130a, 130b, and 130c, it is preferable to use an EL device such as an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) or a QLED (quantum-dot light-emitting diode). Examples of light-emitting materials that the EL devices have include fluorescent materials, phosphorescent materials, inorganic compounds (such as quantum dot materials), and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials). Note that, as the TADF material, a material that is in thermal equilibrium between a singlet excited state and a triplet excited state may be used. Such TADF materials have a short emission lifetime (excitation lifetime), which can suppress a decrease in efficiency in the high-brightness region of the light-emitting device. Furthermore, an LED such as a micro LED can also be used as the light emitting device.

[0118] A light-emitting device has an EL layer between a pair of electrodes, one of which may be referred to as a pixel electrode and the other as a common electrode in this specification and the like.

[0119] One of a pair of electrodes included in the light-emitting device functions as an anode and the other functions as a cathode. In the following, an example will be described in which the pixel electrode functions as the anode and the common electrode functions as the cathode.

[0120] The light-emitting device 130a includes a pixel electrode 111a on the layer 101 including a transistor, an island-shaped first material layer 113a on the pixel electrode 111a, a fifth material layer 114 on the island-shaped first material layer 113a, and a common electrode 115 on the fifth material layer 114. In the light-emitting device 130a, the first material layer 113a and the fifth material layer 114 can be collectively referred to as an EL layer.

[0121] The structure of the light emitting device of this embodiment is not particularly limited, and may be a single structure or a tandem structure. An example of the structure of the light emitting device will be described later in the seventh embodiment.

[0122] The light-emitting device 130b includes a pixel electrode 111b on the layer 101 including a transistor, an island-shaped second material layer 113b on the pixel electrode 111b, a fifth material layer 114 on the island-shaped second material layer 113b, and a common electrode 115 on the fifth material layer 114. In the light-emitting device 130b, the second material layer 113b and the fifth material layer 114 can be collectively referred to as an EL layer.

[0123] The light-emitting device 130c includes a pixel electrode 111c on the layer 101 including a transistor, an island-shaped third material layer 113c on the pixel electrode 111c, a fifth material layer 114 on the island-shaped third material layer 113c, and a common electrode 115 on the fifth material layer 114. In the light-emitting device 130c, the third material layer 113c and the fifth material layer 114 can be collectively referred to as an EL layer.

[0124] The light emitting devices of each color share the same film as a common electrode. The common electrode shared by the light emitting devices of each color is electrically connected to a conductive layer provided in the connection portion 140. As a result, the same potential is supplied to the common electrode of the light emitting devices of each color.

[0125] Of the pixel electrode and the common electrode, the electrode from which light is extracted is preferably made of a conductive film that transmits visible light, and the electrode from which light is not extracted is preferably made of a conductive film that reflects visible light.

[0126] The pair of electrodes (pixel electrode and common electrode) of the light-emitting device can be formed from a material such as a metal, an alloy, an electrically conductive compound, or a mixture thereof. Specific examples include indium tin oxide (In-Sn oxide, also referred to as ITO), In-Si-Sn oxide (also referred to as ITSO), indium zinc oxide (In-Zn oxide), In-W-Zn oxide, an alloy containing aluminum (aluminum alloy) such as an alloy of aluminum, nickel, and lanthanum (Al-Ni-La), an alloy of silver and magnesium, and an alloy of silver, palladium, and copper (Ag-Pd-Cu, also referred to as APC). Other examples of the metals that can be used include aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), gallium (Ga), zinc (Zn), indium (In), tin (Sn), molybdenum (Mo), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), palladium (Pd), gold (Au), platinum (Pt), silver (Ag), yttrium (Y), and neodymium (Nd), as well as alloys containing appropriate combinations of these metals. Other examples of the metals that can be used include elements belonging to Group 1 or Group 2 of the periodic table (e.g., lithium (Li), cesium (Cs), calcium (Ca), and strontium (Sr)), rare earth metals such as europium (Eu), and ytterbium (Yb), as well as alloys containing appropriate combinations of these metals, graphene, and the like.

[0127] The light-emitting device preferably has a micro-optical resonator (microcavity) structure. Therefore, one of a pair of electrodes of the light-emitting device preferably has an electrode that is transparent and reflective to visible light (semi-transmissive / semi-reflective electrode), and the other preferably has an electrode that is reflective to visible light (reflective electrode). By having the light-emitting device have a microcavity structure, the light emitted from the light-emitting layer can be resonated between both electrodes, thereby intensifying the light emitted from the light-emitting device.

[0128] The semi-transmitting / semi-reflective electrode can have a laminated structure of a reflective electrode and an electrode that is transparent to visible light (also called a transparent electrode).

[0129] The light transmittance of the transparent electrode is 40% or more. For example, it is preferable to use an electrode having a visible light (light with a wavelength of 400 nm or more and less than 750 nm) transmittance of 40% or more for a light emitting device. The visible light reflectance of the semi-transmissive / semi-reflective electrode is 10% or more and 95% or less, preferably 30% or more and 80% or less. The visible light reflectance of the reflective electrode is 40% or more and 100% or less, preferably 70% or more and 100% or less. Furthermore, the resistivity of these electrodes is 1×10 −２ Preferably, it is Ωcm or less.

[0130] The first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c are each provided in an island shape. Each of the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c has a light-emitting layer. It is preferable that the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c each have a light-emitting layer that emits light of a different color.

[0131] The light-emitting layer is a layer containing a light-emitting substance. The light-emitting layer can contain one or more light-emitting substances. As the light-emitting substance, a substance that emits light of a color such as blue, purple, blue-purple, green, yellow-green, yellow, orange, or red is appropriately used. Furthermore, a substance that emits near-infrared light can also be used as the light-emitting substance.

[0132] Examples of the light-emitting material include fluorescent materials, phosphorescent materials, TADF materials, and quantum dot materials.

[0133] Examples of fluorescent materials include pyrene derivatives, anthracene derivatives, triphenylene derivatives, fluorene derivatives, carbazole derivatives, dibenzothiophene derivatives, dibenzofuran derivatives, dibenzoquinoxaline derivatives, quinoxaline derivatives, pyridine derivatives, pyrimidine derivatives, phenanthrene derivatives, and naphthalene derivatives.

[0134] Examples of phosphorescent materials include organometallic complexes (particularly iridium complexes) having a 4H-triazole skeleton, a 1H-triazole skeleton, an imidazole skeleton, a pyrimidine skeleton, a pyrazine skeleton, or a pyridine skeleton; organometallic complexes (particularly iridium complexes) having a phenylpyridine derivative having an electron-withdrawing group as a ligand; platinum complexes; and rare earth metal complexes.

[0135] The light-emitting layer may contain one or more organic compounds (host materials, assist materials, etc.) in addition to a light-emitting substance (guest material). As the one or more organic compounds, one or both of a hole-transporting material and an electron-transporting material can be used. Furthermore, as the one or more organic compounds, a bipolar material or a TADF material can be used.

[0136] The light-emitting layer preferably includes, for example, a phosphorescent material and a hole-transporting material and an electron-transporting material, which are a combination that easily forms an exciplex. This configuration allows for efficient emission using Exciplex-Triple Energy Transfer (ExTET), which is energy transfer from the exciplex to the light-emitting material (phosphorescent material). By selecting a combination that forms an exciplex that emits light that overlaps with the wavelength of the lowest-energy absorption band of the light-emitting material, the energy transfer becomes smooth, allowing for efficient emission. This configuration simultaneously achieves high efficiency, low-voltage operation, and a long life for the light-emitting device.

[0137] The first material layer 113 a, the second material layer 113 b, and the third material layer 113 c may further include a layer containing a substance with high hole-injection properties, a substance with high hole-transport properties, a hole-blocking material, a substance with high electron-transport properties, a substance with high electron-injection properties, an electron-blocking material, a bipolar substance (a substance with high electron-transport properties and high hole-transport properties), or the like, as a layer other than the light-emitting layer.

[0138] The light-emitting device can use either a low-molecular-weight compound or a high-molecular-weight compound, and may contain an inorganic compound. The layers constituting the light-emitting device can be formed by a method such as vapor deposition (including vacuum vapor deposition), a transfer method, a printing method, an inkjet method, or a coating method.

[0139] For example, the first material layer 113 a, the second material layer 113 b, and the third material layer 113 c may each include one or more of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a hole blocking layer, an electron blocking layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer. The hole injection layer, the hole transport layer, the hole blocking layer, the electron blocking layer, the electron transport layer, and the electron injection layer may be referred to as functional layers.

[0140] The EL layer may include one or more layers commonly used for the respective colors, such as a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a hole blocking layer, an electron blocking layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer. For example, a carrier injection layer (hole injection layer or electron injection layer) may be formed as the fifth material layer 114. Note that all layers of the EL layer may be formed separately for each color. In other words, the EL layer does not necessarily have to include a layer commonly used for each color.

[0141] Each of the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c preferably includes a light-emitting layer and a carrier transport layer (a hole transport layer or an electron transport layer) on the light-emitting layer. This prevents the light-emitting layer from being exposed to the outermost surface during the manufacturing process of the display region 100, thereby reducing damage to the light-emitting layer. This improves the reliability of the light-emitting device.

[0142] The hole injection layer is a functional layer that injects holes from the anode into the hole transport layer and contains a material with high hole injection properties, such as an aromatic amine compound and a composite material containing a hole transport material and an acceptor material (electron acceptor material).

[0143] The hole transport layer is a functional layer that transports holes injected from the anode by the hole injection layer to the light emitting layer. The hole transport layer is a layer containing a hole transport material. Examples of the hole transport material include 10 −６ cm ２A substance having a hole mobility of 1 / Vs or more is preferred. Note that other substances can also be used as long as they have a higher hole transporting property than electron transporting property. As the hole transporting material, a material having a high hole transporting property, such as a π-electron-rich heteroaromatic compound (e.g., a carbazole derivative, a thiophene derivative, a furan derivative, etc.) or an aromatic amine (a compound having an aromatic amine skeleton), is preferred.

[0144] The electron transport layer is a functional layer that transports electrons injected from the cathode by the electron injection layer to the light emitting layer. The electron transport layer is a layer containing an electron transporting material. The electron transporting material is a material having a molecular weight of 1×10 −６ cm ２ A substance having an electron mobility of 1 / Vs or more is preferred. Note that other substances can also be used as long as they have a higher electron transporting property than holes. Examples of electron-transporting materials that can be used include metal complexes having a quinoline skeleton, metal complexes having a benzoquinoline skeleton, metal complexes having an oxazole skeleton, and metal complexes having a thiazole skeleton, as well as oxadiazole derivatives, triazole derivatives, imidazole derivatives, oxazole derivatives, thiazole derivatives, phenanthroline derivatives, quinoline derivatives having a quinoline ligand, benzoquinoline derivatives, quinoxaline derivatives, dibenzoquinoxaline derivatives, pyridine derivatives, bipyridine derivatives, pyrimidine derivatives, and other π-electron-deficient heteroaromatic compounds including nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic compounds.

[0145] The electron injection layer is a functional layer that injects electrons from the cathode to the electron transport layer and contains a material with high electron injection properties. Examples of the material with high electron injection properties include alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and compounds thereof. Examples of the material with high electron injection properties include a composite material containing an electron transport material and a donor material (electron donor material).

[0146] The electron injection layer may be formed of, for example, lithium, cesium, ytterbium, lithium fluoride (LiF), cesium fluoride (CsF), calcium fluoride (CaF ｘ, where X is an arbitrary number), 8-(quinolinolato)lithium (abbreviation: Liq), 2-(2-pyridyl)phenolatolithium (abbreviation: LiPP), 2-(2-pyridyl)-3-pyridinolatolithium (abbreviation: LiPPy), 4-phenyl-2-(2-pyridyl)phenolatolithium (abbreviation: LiPPP), lithium oxide (LiO ｘ ), alkali metals such as cesium carbonate, alkaline earth metals, or compounds thereof can be used. The electron injection layer may have a stacked structure of two or more layers. For example, the stacked structure may have a structure in which lithium fluoride is used in the first layer and ytterbium is provided in the second layer.

[0147] Alternatively, an electron transporting material may be used for the electron injection layer. For example, a compound having an unshared electron pair and an electron-deficient heteroaromatic ring may be used as the electron transporting material. Specifically, a compound having at least one of a pyridine ring, a diazine ring (pyrimidine ring, pyrazine ring, pyridazine ring), and a triazine ring may be used.

[0148] The organic compound having an unshared electron pair preferably has a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of -3.6 eV to -2.3 eV. Generally, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level and the LUMO level of an organic compound can be estimated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), photoelectron spectroscopy, optical absorption spectroscopy, inverse photoelectron spectroscopy, or the like.

[0149] For example, 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (abbreviation: BPhen), 2,9-di(naphthalen-2-yl)-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (abbreviation: NBPhen), diquinoxalino[2,3-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (abbreviation: HATNA), 2,4,6-tris[3'-(pyridin-3-yl)biphenyl-3-yl]-1,3,5-triazine (abbreviation: TmPPPyTz), etc. can be used as the organic compound having an unshared electron pair. Note that NBPhen has a higher glass transition temperature (Tg) and is superior in heat resistance compared to BPhen.

[0150] In addition, when a light-emitting device having a tandem structure is fabricated, an intermediate layer is provided between two light-emitting units, and the intermediate layer has the function of injecting electrons into one of the two light-emitting units and injecting holes into the other when a voltage is applied between a pair of electrodes.

[0151] For example, a material applicable to an electron injection layer, such as lithium, can be suitably used for the intermediate layer. For example, a material applicable to a hole injection layer can be suitably used for the intermediate layer. For example, a layer containing a hole transport material and an acceptor material (electron acceptor material) can be used for the intermediate layer. For example, a layer containing an electron transport material and a donor material can be used for the intermediate layer. By forming an intermediate layer having such a layer, an increase in driving voltage can be suppressed when light-emitting units are stacked.

[0152] The side surfaces of the pixel electrodes 111a, 111b, and 111c, the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c are covered with the insulating layer 125 and the insulating layer 127. This prevents the fifth material layer 114 (or the common electrode 115) from coming into contact with any of the side surfaces of the pixel electrodes 111a, 111b, and 111c, the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c, and can prevent short circuits in the light-emitting device.

[0153] The insulating layer 125 preferably covers at least the side surfaces of the pixel electrodes 111a, 111b, and 111c. Furthermore, the insulating layer 125 preferably covers the side surfaces of the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c. The insulating layer 125 can be configured to be in contact with the side surfaces of the pixel electrodes 111a, 111b, and 111c, the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c.

[0154] The insulating layer 127 is provided on the insulating layer 125 so as to fill recesses formed in the insulating layer 125. The insulating layer 127 can be configured to overlap with the side surfaces of the pixel electrodes 111a, 111b, and 111c, the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c, with the insulating layer 125 interposed therebetween.

[0155] Note that either the insulating layer 125 or the insulating layer 127 does not necessarily have to be provided. For example, when the insulating layer 125 is not provided, the insulating layer 127 can be in contact with the side surfaces of the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c. The insulating layer 127 can be provided on the protective layer 121 so as to fill the spaces between the EL layers of the light-emitting devices.

[0156] The fifth material layer 114 and the common electrode 115 are provided over the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, the third material layer 113c, the insulating layer 125, and the insulating layer 127. Before the insulating layer 125 and the insulating layer 127 are provided, a step occurs between a region where the pixel electrode and the EL layer are provided and a region where the pixel electrode and the EL layer are not provided (a region between light-emitting devices). The display region of one embodiment of the present invention can planarize the step by including the insulating layer 125 and the insulating layer 127, thereby improving the coverage of the fifth material layer 114 and the common electrode 115. Therefore, poor connection due to disconnection can be suppressed. Alternatively, an increase in electrical resistance caused by a local thinning of the common electrode 115 due to the step can be suppressed.

[0157] In order to improve the flatness of the formation surfaces of the fifth material layer 114 and the common electrode 115, it is preferable that the heights of the top surfaces of the insulating layer 125 and the insulating layer 127 are equal to or approximately equal to the heights of the top surfaces of at least one of the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c. The top surface of the insulating layer 127 preferably has a flat shape, and may have a convex portion or a concave portion.

[0158] The insulating layer 125 has a region in contact with the side surfaces of the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c, and functions as a protective insulating layer for the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c. By providing the insulating layer 125, impurities (oxygen, moisture, etc.) can be prevented from entering the inside from the side surfaces of the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c, thereby providing a highly reliable display region.

[0159] If the width (thickness) of the insulating layer 125 in a region in contact with the side surfaces of the first material layer 113 a, the second material layer 113 b, and the third material layer 113 c is large in a cross-sectional view, the spacing between the first material layer 113 a, the second material layer 113 b, and the third material layer 113 c may become large, resulting in a low aperture ratio. Furthermore, if the width (thickness) of the insulating layer 125 is small, the effect of suppressing impurities from penetrating into the interior from the side surfaces of the first material layer 113 a, the second material layer 113 b, and the third material layer 113 c may become small. The width (thickness) of the insulating layer 125 in the region in contact with the side surfaces of the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c is preferably 3 nm to 200 nm, more preferably 3 nm to 150 nm, further preferably 5 nm to 150 nm, further preferably 5 nm to 100 nm, further preferably 10 nm to 100 nm, and further preferably 10 nm to 50 nm. By setting the width (thickness) of the insulating layer 125 in the above range, a display region having a high aperture ratio and high reliability can be obtained.

[0160] The insulating layer 125 can be an insulating layer containing an inorganic material. For example, an inorganic insulating film such as an insulating oxide film, a nitride insulating film, an oxynitride insulating film, or a nitride oxide insulating film can be used for the insulating layer 125. The insulating layer 125 may have a single-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure. Examples of oxide insulating films include a silicon oxide film, an aluminum oxide film, a magnesium oxide film, an indium gallium zinc oxide film, a gallium oxide film, a germanium oxide film, an yttrium oxide film, a zirconium oxide film, a lanthanum oxide film, a neodymium oxide film, a hafnium oxide film, and a tantalum oxide film. Examples of nitride insulating films include a silicon nitride film and an aluminum nitride film. Examples of oxynitride insulating films include a silicon oxynitride film and an aluminum oxynitride film. Examples of nitride oxide insulating films include a silicon nitride oxide film and an aluminum nitride oxide film. In particular, aluminum oxide is preferable because it has a high etching selectivity with respect to the EL layer and has a function of protecting the EL layer in the formation of the insulating layer 127 described later. In particular, by using an inorganic insulating film such as an aluminum oxide film, a hafnium oxide film, or a silicon oxide film formed by the ALD method as the insulating layer 125, it is possible to form an insulating layer 125 with few pinholes and excellent function of protecting the EL layer.

[0161] In this specification and elsewhere, an oxynitride refers to a material whose composition contains more oxygen than nitrogen, and a nitride oxide refers to a material whose composition contains more nitrogen than oxygen. For example, silicon oxynitride refers to a material whose composition contains more oxygen than nitrogen, and silicon nitride oxide refers to a material whose composition contains more nitrogen than oxygen.

[0162] The insulating layer 125 can be formed by a sputtering method, a CVD method, a PLD method, an ALD method, or the like. The insulating layer 125 is preferably formed by an ALD method because it has good coverage.

[0163] The insulating layer 127 provided on the insulating layer 125 has the function of planarizing recesses formed in the insulating layer 125 between adjacent light-emitting devices. In other words, the insulating layer 127 improves the flatness of the surface on which the common electrode 115 is formed. An insulating layer containing an organic material can be suitably used as the insulating layer 127. For example, acrylic resin, polyimide resin, epoxy resin, imide resin, polyamide resin, polyimideamide resin, silicone resin, siloxane resin, benzocyclobutene-based resin, phenolic resin, and precursors of these resins can be used as the insulating layer 127. Alternatively, organic materials such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl butyral, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol, polyglycerin, pullulan, water-soluble cellulose, or alcohol-soluble polyamide resin can be used as the insulating layer 127. Alternatively, a photosensitive resin can be used as the insulating layer 127. A photoresist can be used as the photosensitive resin. The photosensitive resin can be a positive-type material or a negative-type material.

[0164] The difference in height between the top surface of the insulating layer 127 and the top surface of any of the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c is, for example, preferably 0.5 times or less, more preferably 0.3 times or less, the thickness of the insulating layer 127. For example, the insulating layer 127 may be provided so that the top surface of any of the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, and the third material layer 113c is higher than the top surface of the insulating layer 127. For example, the insulating layer 127 may be provided so that the top surface of the insulating layer 127 is higher than the top surface of a light-emitting layer included in the first material layer 113a, the second material layer 113b, or the third material layer 113c.

[0165] The light emitting devices 130a, 130b, and 130c preferably have insulating layers 131 and 132. By providing the insulating layers 131 and 132, the reliability of the light emitting devices can be improved.

[0166] The insulating layers 131 and 132 have inorganic films, which can prevent oxidation of the common electrode 115 and prevent impurities (moisture, oxygen, etc.) from entering the light-emitting devices 130a, 130b, and 130c, thereby suppressing deterioration of the light-emitting devices and improving the reliability of the display area.

[0167] The insulating layers 131 and 132 can be made of inorganic insulating films such as an oxide insulating film, a nitride insulating film, an oxynitride insulating film, and a nitride oxide insulating film. Examples of oxide insulating films include a silicon oxide film, an aluminum oxide film, a gallium oxide film, a germanium oxide film, an yttrium oxide film, a zirconium oxide film, a lanthanum oxide film, a neodymium oxide film, a hafnium oxide film, and a tantalum oxide film. Examples of nitride insulating films include a silicon nitride film and an aluminum nitride film. Examples of oxynitride insulating films include a silicon oxynitride film and an aluminum oxynitride film. Examples of nitride oxide insulating films include a silicon nitride oxide film and an aluminum nitride oxide film.

[0168] Each of the insulating layers 131 and 132 preferably includes an insulating nitride film or an insulating nitride oxide film, and more preferably includes an insulating nitride film.

[0169] Alternatively, an inorganic film containing In—Sn oxide (also referred to as ITO), In—Zn oxide, Ga—Zn oxide, Al—Zn oxide, indium gallium zinc oxide (In—Ga—Zn oxide, also referred to as IGZO), or the like can be used for the insulating layers 131 and 132. The inorganic film preferably has high resistance, specifically, preferably has higher resistance than the common electrode 115. The inorganic film may further contain nitrogen.

[0170] When light emitted from the light emitting device is extracted through the insulating layers 131 and 132, it is preferable that the insulating layers 131 and 132 have high transparency to visible light. For example, ITO, IGZO, and aluminum oxide are preferable because they are inorganic materials that have high transparency to visible light.

[0171] For example, a stacked structure of an aluminum oxide film and a silicon nitride film on the aluminum oxide film, or a stacked structure of an aluminum oxide film and an IGZO film on the aluminum oxide film can be used as the insulating layers 131 and 132. By using such a stacked structure, impurities (water, oxygen, etc.) can be prevented from entering the EL layer side.

[0172] Furthermore, the insulating layers 131 and 132 may include an organic film. For example, the insulating layer 132 may include both an organic film and an inorganic film.

[0173] The insulating layer 131 and the insulating layer 132 may be formed by different film formation methods. Specifically, the insulating layer 131 may be formed by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method, and the insulating layer 132 may be formed by a sputtering method.

[0174] The upper end portions of the pixel electrodes 111a, 111b, and 111c are not covered with an insulating layer, which allows the distance between adjacent light-emitting devices to be extremely narrow, thereby enabling a high-definition or high-resolution display area.

[0175] The display region 100 of this embodiment can reduce the distance between light-emitting devices. Specifically, the distance between light-emitting devices, the distance between EL layers, or the distance between pixel electrodes can be less than 10 μm, 5 μm or less, 3 μm or less, 2 μm or less, 1 μm or less, 500 nm or less, 200 nm or less, 100 nm or less, 90 nm or less, 70 nm or less, 50 nm or less, 30 nm or less, 20 nm or less, 15 nm or less, or 10 nm or less. In other words, the distance between the side surface of the first material layer 113 a and the side surface of the second material layer 113 b or the distance between the side surface of the second material layer 113 b and the side surface of the third material layer 113 c has a region of 1 μm or less, preferably a region of 0.5 μm (500 nm) or less, and more preferably a region of 100 nm or less.

[0176] A light-shielding layer may be provided on the surface of the substrate 120 facing the resin layer 122. Various optical members may be disposed on the outside of the substrate 120. Examples of optical members include a polarizing plate, a retardation plate, a light diffusion layer (such as a diffusion film), an anti-reflection layer, and a light-collecting film. The outside of the substrate 120 may also be provided with an anti-static film that suppresses the adhesion of dust, a water-repellent film that makes it difficult for dirt to adhere, a hard coat film that suppresses the occurrence of scratches during use, an impact absorbing layer, etc.

[0177] The substrate 120 may be made of polyester resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyacrylonitrile resin, acrylic resin, polyimide resin, polymethyl methacrylate resin, polycarbonate (PC) resin, polyethersulfone (PES) resin, polyamide resin (nylon, aramid, etc.), polysiloxane resin, cycloolefin resin, polystyrene resin, polyamideimide resin, polyurethane resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyvinylidene chloride resin, polypropylene resin, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resin, ABS resin, cellulose nanofiber, etc. The substrate 120 may be made of glass having a thickness sufficient to provide flexibility.

[0178] When a circularly polarizing plate is superimposed on a display area, it is preferable to use a substrate with high optical isotropy as a substrate included in the display device. A substrate with high optical isotropy has small birefringence (or a small amount of birefringence).

[0179] The absolute value of the retardation (phase difference) of a substrate having high optical isotropy is preferably 30 nm or less, more preferably 20 nm or less, and even more preferably 10 nm or less.

[0180] Examples of films with high optical isotropy include triacetyl cellulose (TAC, also known as cellulose triacetate) films, cycloolefin polymer (COP) films, cycloolefin copolymer (COC) films, and acrylic resin films.

[0181] Furthermore, when a film is used as a substrate, the film may absorb water, causing deformation such as wrinkles in the display panel. Therefore, it is preferable to use a film with low water absorption for the substrate. For example, it is preferable to use a film with a water absorption rate of 1% or less, more preferably 0.1% or less, and even more preferably 0.01% or less.

[0182] The resin layer 122 can be made of various curable adhesives, such as a photo-curable adhesive (e.g., an ultraviolet curable adhesive), a reactive curable adhesive, a thermosetting adhesive, or an anaerobic adhesive. Examples of such adhesives include epoxy resin, acrylic resin, silicone resin, phenolic resin, polyimide resin, imide resin, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) resin, PVB (polyvinyl butyral) resin, and EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) resin. Materials with low moisture permeability, such as epoxy resin, are particularly preferred. Two-component resins may also be used. Adhesive sheets or the like may also be used.

[0183] Materials that can be used for the gate, source, and drain of a transistor as well as conductive layers such as various wirings and electrodes that constitute a display panel include metals such as aluminum, titanium, chromium, nickel, copper, yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, silver, tantalum, and tungsten, as well as alloys containing these metals as main components, etc. Films containing these materials can be used as a single layer or a stacked layer structure.

[0184] Examples of light-transmitting conductive materials include conductive oxides such as indium oxide, indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, zinc oxide, and zinc oxide containing gallium, or graphene. Alternatively, metal materials such as gold, silver, platinum, magnesium, nickel, tungsten, chromium, molybdenum, iron, cobalt, copper, palladium, and titanium, or alloy materials containing such metal materials, can be used. Alternatively, nitrides of such metal materials (e.g., titanium nitride) can be used. When using metal materials or alloy materials (or their nitrides), it is preferable to thin them sufficiently to ensure light-transmitting properties. A stacked film of the above materials can also be used as the conductive layer. For example, a stacked film of an alloy of silver and magnesium and indium tin oxide is preferable because it can increase conductivity. These materials can also be used for conductive layers such as various wirings and electrodes constituting a display panel, and for conductive layers (conductive layers functioning as pixel electrodes or common electrodes) in a light-emitting device.

[0185] Examples of insulating materials that can be used for each insulating layer include resins such as acrylic resin and epoxy resin, and inorganic insulating materials such as silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, silicon nitride, and aluminum oxide.

[0186] [Pixel Layout] Next, pixel layouts different from that shown in Fig. 6A will be described. There are no particular limitations on the arrangement of sub-pixels, and various methods can be applied. Examples of sub-pixel arrangements include a stripe arrangement, an S-stripe arrangement, a matrix arrangement, a delta arrangement, a Bayer arrangement, and a pentile arrangement.

[0187] Examples of the top surface shape of the sub-pixel include a triangle, a quadrangle (including a rectangle and a square), a polygon such as a pentagon, a polygon with rounded corners, an ellipse, a circle, etc. Here, the top surface shape of the sub-pixel corresponds to the top surface shape of the light-emitting region of the light-emitting device.

[0188] An S-stripe arrangement is applied to the pixel 110 shown in Fig. 7A. The pixel 110 shown in Fig. 7A is composed of three subpixels: subpixels 110a, 110b, and 110c. For example, as shown in Fig. 8A, the subpixel 110a may be a blue subpixel B, the subpixel 110b may be a red subpixel R, and the subpixel 110c may be a green subpixel G.

[0189] The pixel 110 shown in FIG. 7B includes a subpixel 110a having a generally trapezoidal top surface shape with rounded corners, a subpixel 110b having a generally triangular top surface shape with rounded corners, and a subpixel 110c having a generally rectangular or hexagonal top surface shape with rounded corners. The subpixel 110a has a larger light-emitting area than the subpixel 110b. In this manner, the shape and size of each subpixel can be determined independently. For example, the more reliable the light-emitting device, the smaller the size of the subpixel can be. For example, as shown in FIG. 8B, the subpixel 110a may be a green subpixel G, the subpixel 110b may be a red subpixel R, and the subpixel 110c may be a blue subpixel B.

[0190] The pixels 124a and 124b shown in Fig. 7C are arranged in a Pentile arrangement. Fig. 7C shows an example in which a pixel 124a having subpixels 110a and 110b and a pixel 124b having subpixels 110b and 110c are arranged alternately. For example, as shown in Fig. 8C, the subpixel 110a may be a red subpixel R, the subpixel 110b may be a green subpixel G, and the subpixel 110c may be a blue subpixel B.

[0191] The pixels 124a and 124b shown in Figures 7D and 7E are arranged in a delta configuration. The pixel 124a has two subpixels (subpixels 110a and 110b) in the top row (first row) and one subpixel (subpixel 110c) in the bottom row (second row). The pixel 124b has one subpixel (subpixel 110c) in the top row (first row) and two subpixels (subpixels 110a and 110b) in the bottom row (second row). For example, as shown in Figure 8D, the subpixel 110a may be a red subpixel R, the subpixel 110b may be a green subpixel G, and the subpixel 110c may be a blue subpixel B.

[0192] FIG. 7D shows an example in which each subpixel has a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners when viewed from above, and FIG. 7E shows an example in which each subpixel has a circular shape when viewed from above.

[0193] In photolithography, the finer the pattern to be processed, the more significant the effect of light diffraction becomes. This reduces the fidelity of the photomask pattern when it is transferred by exposure, making it difficult to process the resist mask into the desired shape. Therefore, even if the photomask pattern is rectangular, a pattern with rounded corners is likely to be formed. As a result, the top surface shape of the subpixel may become a polygon with rounded corners, an ellipse, a circle, or the like.

[0194] Furthermore, in a method for forming a display region according to one embodiment of the present invention, the EL layer is processed into an island shape using a resist mask. The resist film formed on the EL layer needs to be cured at a temperature lower than the heat resistance temperature of the EL layer. Therefore, depending on the heat resistance temperature of the material for the EL layer and the curing temperature of the resist material, the resist film may not be cured sufficiently. A resist film that is not cured sufficiently may have a shape that deviates from the desired shape during processing. As a result, the top surface shape of the EL layer may become a polygon with rounded corners, an ellipse, a circle, or the like. For example, when a resist mask with a square top surface shape is formed, a resist mask with a circular top surface shape may be formed, resulting in a circular top surface shape of the EL layer.

[0195] In order to form the top surface of the EL layer into a desired shape, a technique for correcting a mask pattern in advance (OPC (Optical Proximity Correction) technique) may be used so that the design pattern and the transfer pattern coincide with each other. Specifically, the OPC technique adds a correction pattern to the corners of figures on the mask pattern.

[0196] In addition, even in the pixel 110 to which the stripe arrangement shown in FIG. 6A is applied, for example, as shown in FIG. 8E, the subpixel 110a can be a red subpixel R, the subpixel 110b can be a green subpixel G, and the subpixel 110c can be a blue subpixel B.

[0197] In one embodiment of the present invention, an organic EL device is used as a light-emitting device.

[0198] In a display region 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, light-emitting devices are arranged in a matrix in a pixel portion, and an image can be displayed in the pixel portion.

[0199] Furthermore, the refresh rate of the display region 100 of one embodiment of the present invention can be varied. For example, the refresh rate can be adjusted (for example, adjusted within a range of 0.1 Hz to 240 Hz) depending on the content displayed in the display region 100, thereby reducing power consumption.

[0200] Embodiment 5 In this embodiment, a configuration example of a stacked panel, which is one mode of a display panel that can be easily enlarged, and its application example will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0201] One embodiment of the present invention is a display panel that can be enlarged by arranging multiple display panels so that they partially overlap. Furthermore, of the two overlapped display panels, at least the display panel located on the display surface side (upper side) has a portion that is adjacent to the display unit and transmits visible light. The pixels of the lower display panel overlap with the portion of the upper display panel that transmits visible light. This allows images displayed on the two display panels to be displayed continuously and seamlessly when viewed from the display surface side (in a plan view).

[0202] For example, one embodiment of the present invention is a stacked panel including a first display panel and a second display panel. The first display panel has a first region, and the first region includes a first pixel and a second pixel. The second display panel has a second region, a third region, and a fourth region. The second region includes a third pixel, and the third region has a function of transmitting visible light and the fourth region has a function of blocking visible light. The second pixel of the first display panel and the third region of the second display panel overlap each other. The aperture ratio of the second pixel is preferably larger than that of the first pixel.

[0203] The display device including the light-emitting device and the light-receiving device (also called a light-receiving element) exemplified above can be used for one or both of the first display panel and the second display panel. In other words, it can be said that at least one of the first pixel, the second pixel, and the third pixel has a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device.

[0204] More specifically, for example, the following configuration can be adopted.

[0205] Configuration Example 1 Display Panel FIG. 9A is a schematic top view of a display panel 500 included in a display device of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0206] The display panel 500 includes a display area 501, an area 510 that transmits visible light and an area 520 that has a portion that blocks visible light, both of which are adjacent to the display area 501.

[0207] Here, even when the display panel 500 is a standalone unit, it is possible to display an image in the display area 501. Furthermore, even when the display panel 500 is a standalone unit, it is possible to capture an image using the display area 501.

[0208] The region 510 may be provided with, for example, a pair of substrates constituting the display panel 500 and a sealant for sealing a light-emitting device sandwiched between the pair of substrates. In this case, a material that is transparent to visible light is used for the member provided in the region 510.

[0209] The region 520 is provided with wirings electrically connected to pixels included in the display region 501. In addition to such wirings, a driver circuit (scanning line driver circuit, signal line driver circuit, etc.) for driving the pixels or a circuit such as a protection circuit may be provided. The region 520 also includes a region provided with terminals (also referred to as connection terminals) electrically connected to external terminals or wiring layers, or wirings electrically connected to the terminals.

[0210] For detailed descriptions of examples of cross-sectional configurations of the display panel, other embodiments can be cited.

[0211] Stacked Panel A stacked panel 550 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of the above-described display panels 500. Figure 9B shows a schematic top view of a stacked panel 550 including three display panels.

[0212] Hereinafter, when describing display panels, components included in display panels, or components related to display panels, alphabets will be added after their reference numerals. Unless otherwise specified, the reference numeral "a" will be added to the display panel and its components arranged at the bottom (opposite the display surface) of multiple display panels, some of which are overlapped with each other, and the reference numerals for one or more display panels and their components arranged above it will be added with alphabets in alphabetical order. Unless otherwise specified, even when describing a configuration including multiple display panels, the reference numerals will be omitted when describing matters common to each display panel or component.

[0213] The stacked panel 550 shown in FIG. 9B includes a display panel 500a, a display panel 500b, and a display panel 500c.

[0214] The display panel 500b is disposed so that a portion thereof overlaps the upper side (display surface side) of the display panel 500a. Specifically, the display region 501a of the display panel 500a and the region 510b of the display panel 500b that transmits visible light overlap, and the display region 501a of the display panel 500a and the region 520b of the display panel 500b that blocks visible light do not overlap.

[0215] The display panel 500c is disposed such that a portion thereof overlaps the upper side (display surface side) of the display panel 500b. Specifically, the display region 501b of the display panel 500b overlaps with the region 510c of the display panel 500c that transmits visible light, and the display region 501b of the display panel 500b does not overlap with the region 520c of the display panel 500c that blocks visible light.

[0216] Since region 510b that transmits visible light is superimposed on display region 501a, the entire display region 501a can be viewed from the display surface side. Similarly, since region 510c is superimposed on display region 501b, the entire display region 501b can be viewed from the display surface side. Therefore, the region in which display region 501a, display region 501b, and display region 501c are seamlessly arranged can be used as display region 551 of laminated panel 550.

[0217] The stacked panel 550 can expand the display area 551 by the number of display panels 500. In this case, by using display panels with an imaging function (i.e., display panels having pixels each having a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device) for all the display panels 500, the entire display area 551 can be used as an imaging area.

[0218] However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a display panel having an imaging function and a display panel not having an imaging function (e.g., not having a light receiving element) may be combined. For example, a display panel having an imaging function may be applied only to a necessary portion, and a display panel not having an imaging function may be applied to other portions.

[0219] [Configuration Example 2] Although FIG. 9B shows a configuration in which a plurality of display panels 500 are stacked in one direction, a plurality of display panels 500 may be stacked in two directions, that is, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

[0220] Fig. 10A shows an example of a display panel 500 having a different shape of the region 510 from that of Fig. 9A. In the display panel 500 shown in Fig. 10A, regions 510 that transmit visible light are arranged along two sides of a display region 501.

[0221] Fig. 10B is a schematic perspective view of a stacked panel 550 in which two display panels 500 shown in Fig. 10A are arranged vertically and two horizontally. Fig. 10C is a schematic perspective view of the stacked panel 550 as viewed from the opposite side to the display surface side.

[0222] 10B and 10C , a region along the short side of display region 501a of display panel 500a overlaps with a portion of region 510b of display panel 500b. A region along the long side of display region 501a of display panel 500a overlaps with a portion of region 510c of display panel 500c. Region 510d of display panel 500d overlaps with a region along the long side of display region 501b of display panel 500b and a region along the short side of display region 501c of display panel 500c.

[0223] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10B, a region in which display region 501a, display region 501b, display region 501c, and display region 501d are arranged seamlessly can be used as display region 551 of stacked panel 550.

[0224] Here, it is preferable that a pair of substrates used in the display panel 500 be made of a flexible material, thereby making the display panel 500 flexible. In this way, as shown in, for example, the display panel 500a in Figures 10B and 10C, a portion of the display panel 500a can be curved and arranged so as to overlap the lower side of the display region 501b of the adjacent display panel 500b.

[0225] Furthermore, by providing flexibility to each display panel 500, the display panel 500b can be gently curved so that the height of the upper surface of the display area 501b of the display panel 500b matches the height of the upper surface of the display area 501a of the display panel 500a. This makes it possible to align the heights of the display areas except for the vicinity of the area where the display panels 500a and 500b overlap, thereby improving the display quality of the image displayed in the display area 551 of the stacked panel 550.

[0226] Although the above description has been given taking the relationship between the display panel 500a and the display panel 500b as an example, the same applies to the relationship between two adjacent display panels.

[0227] Furthermore, it is preferable that the thickness of the display panel 500 is thin in order to reduce the step between two adjacent display panels 500. For example, it is preferable that the thickness of the display panel 500 is 1 mm or less, preferably 300 μm or less, and more preferably 100 μm or less.

[0228] A substrate may also be provided to protect the display region 551 of the stacked panel 550. In this case, the substrate may be provided for each display panel, or one substrate may be provided across multiple display panels.

[0229] Although a configuration in which four rectangular display panels 500 are stacked is shown here, an extremely large stacked panel can be created by increasing the number of display panels 500. Furthermore, by changing the arrangement of the multiple display panels 500, the contour shape of the display area of ​​the stacked panel can be made into various shapes, such as a non-rectangular shape, a circle, an ellipse, or a polygon. Furthermore, by arranging the display panels 500 three-dimensionally, a stacked panel having a display area with a three-dimensional shape, such as a cylindrical shape, a spherical shape, or a hemispherical shape, can be realized.

[0230] This embodiment mode can be implemented by appropriately combining at least a part thereof with other embodiment modes described in this specification.

[0231] Embodiment 6 In this embodiment, an electronic device including a light-emitting and receiving device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0232] A light-emitting and receiving portion of a light-emitting and receiving device of one embodiment of the present invention includes a light-receiving device (also referred to as a light-receiving element or a light-receiving device) and a light-emitting device (also referred to as a light-emitting element). The light-emitting and receiving portion has a function of displaying an image using the light-emitting device. Furthermore, the light-emitting and receiving portion has one or both of an imaging function and a detection function using the light-receiving device. Therefore, the light-emitting and receiving device of one embodiment of the present invention can also be expressed as a display device, and the light-emitting and receiving portion can also be expressed as a display portion.

[0233] Alternatively, the electronic device of one embodiment of the present invention may include a light-emitting and receiving device and a light-emitting device.

[0234] First, a light receiving and emitting device having a light receiving device and a light emitting device will be described.

[0235] A light-emitting and receiving device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a light-receiving device and a light-emitting device in a light-receiving and light-emitting portion. In the light-emitting and receiving device according to one embodiment of the present invention, light-emitting devices are arranged in a matrix in the light-emitting and receiving portion, and an image can be displayed by the light-receiving and light-emitting portion. The light-receiving and light-emitting portion also includes light-receiving devices arranged in a matrix, and the light-receiving and light-emitting portion has one or both of an imaging function and a detection function. The light-emitting and receiving portion can be used as an image sensor, a touch sensor, or the like. That is, by detecting light in the light-emitting and receiving portion, an image can be captured and a touch operation of an object (such as a finger or a pen) can be detected. Furthermore, the light-emitting and receiving device according to one embodiment of the present invention can use the light-emitting device as a light source for a sensor. Therefore, a light-receiving portion and a light source do not need to be provided separately from the light-emitting and receiving device, and the number of components in an electronic device can be reduced.

[0236] In other words, since the electronic device of one embodiment of the present invention includes both a light-emitting device and a sensor device, there is no need to separately provide a fingerprint authentication device or a capacitive touch panel device for scrolling, etc. Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention can provide an electronic device with reduced manufacturing costs.

[0237] In a light-emitting and receiving device of one embodiment of the present invention, when light emitted by a light-emitting device included in a light-emitting and receiving unit is reflected (or scattered) by an object, the light-receiving device can detect the reflected light (or scattered light). This makes it possible to capture images, detect touch operations, and the like even in dark places.

[0238] The light-emitting device included in the light-receiving and light-emitting device of one embodiment of the present invention functions as a display element (also referred to as a display device).

[0239] As the light-emitting device, it is preferable to use an EL device (also referred to as an EL element or EL device) such as an OLED or a QLED. Examples of light-emitting materials that the EL device has include fluorescent materials (fluorescent materials), phosphorescent materials (phosphorescent materials), inorganic compounds (quantum dot materials, etc.), and materials that exhibit thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF materials). Furthermore, LEDs such as microLEDs can also be used as the light-emitting device.

[0240] A light-receiving and light-emitting device according to one embodiment of the present invention has a function of detecting light using a light-receiving device.

[0241] When the light receiving device is used as an image sensor, the light receiving and emitting device can capture an image, for example, the light receiving and emitting device can be used as a scanner.

[0242] An electronic device to which the light-emitting and receiving device of one embodiment of the present invention is applied can acquire data related to biometric information such as a fingerprint or palm print by using a function as an image sensor. That is, a biometric authentication sensor can be built into the light-emitting and receiving device. The built-in biometric authentication sensor in the light-emitting and receiving device can reduce the number of components in the electronic device compared to a case in which a biometric authentication sensor is provided separately from the light-emitting and receiving device, thereby enabling the electronic device to be made smaller and lighter.

[0243] Furthermore, when the light receiving device is used as a touch sensor, the light receiving and emitting device can detect a touch operation of an object using the light receiving device.

[0244] The light receiving device may be, for example, a pn-type or pin-type photodiode. The light receiving device functions as a photoelectric conversion device (also called a photoelectric conversion element or photoelectric conversion device) that detects light incident on the light receiving device and generates electric charges. The amount of electric charges generated by the light receiving device is determined based on the amount of light incident on the light receiving device.

[0245] In particular, it is preferable to use an organic photodiode having a layer containing an organic compound as the light receiving device. Organic photodiodes can be easily made thin, lightweight, and large in area, and have a high degree of freedom in shape and design, making them applicable to a variety of devices.

[0246] In one embodiment of the present invention, an organic EL device is used as a light-emitting device, and an organic photodiode is used as a light-receiving device. The organic EL device and the organic photodiode can be formed on the same substrate. Therefore, the organic photodiode can be built into a display device using the organic EL device.

[0247] If all layers constituting an organic EL device and an organic photodiode were to be fabricated separately, the number of film-forming steps would be enormous. However, since organic photodiodes have many layers that can be configured in common with organic EL devices, the layers that can be configured in common can be formed in one go, thereby suppressing the increase in the number of film-forming steps.

[0248] For example, one of the pair of electrodes (common electrode) can be a layer common to the light-receiving device and the light-emitting device. Furthermore, for example, at least one of the hole injection layer, the hole transport layer, the electron transport layer, and the electron injection layer can be a layer common to the light-receiving device and the light-emitting device. By having a common layer in the light-receiving device and the light-emitting device in this way, the number of film formations and the number of masks can be reduced, thereby reducing the manufacturing process and manufacturing costs of the light-receiving and light-emitting device. Furthermore, a light-receiving and light-emitting device having a light-receiving device can be manufactured using existing manufacturing equipment and manufacturing methods for display devices.

[0249] Next, an electronic device having a light emitting / receiving device and a light emitting device will be described. Note that the description of the same functions, actions, effects, etc. as those described above may be omitted.

[0250] In an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention, a subpixel that exhibits one of the colors has a light-emitting and receiving device instead of a light-emitting device, and subpixels that exhibit the other colors have a light-emitting device. The light-emitting and receiving device has both a function of emitting light (light-emitting function) and a function of receiving light (light-receiving function). For example, if a pixel has three subpixels, i.e., a red subpixel, a green subpixel, and a blue subpixel, at least one subpixel has a light-emitting and receiving device, and the other subpixels have a light-emitting device. Therefore, the light-emitting and receiving portion of the electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention has a function of displaying an image using both the light-emitting and receiving device and the light-emitting device.

[0251] By using a light-receiving / light-emitting device that also functions as a light-emitting device, a pixel can be given a light-receiving function without increasing the number of subpixels included in the pixel. This allows one or both of an imaging function and a detection function to be added to the light-receiving / light-emitting portion of the light-receiving / light-emitting device while maintaining the aperture ratio of the pixel (the aperture ratio of each subpixel) and the resolution of the light-receiving / light-emitting device. Therefore, the light-receiving / light-emitting device of one embodiment of the present invention can have a higher aperture ratio of the pixel and can easily achieve higher resolution than a case in which a subpixel having a light-receiving device is provided separately from a subpixel having a light-emitting device.

[0252] In an electronic device of one embodiment of the present invention, a light-emitting and receiving device and a light-emitting device are arranged in a matrix in a light-emitting and receiving portion, and an image can be displayed in the light-emitting and receiving portion. The light-emitting and receiving portion can be used as an image sensor, a touch sensor, or the like. The light-emitting and receiving device of one embodiment of the present invention can use the light-emitting device as a light source of a sensor. Therefore, imaging, detection of a touch operation, and the like can be performed even in a dark place.

[0253] A light-emitting and receiving device can be fabricated by combining an organic EL device and an organic photodiode. For example, a light-emitting and receiving device can be fabricated by adding an active layer of an organic photodiode to the layered structure of an organic EL device. Furthermore, a light-emitting and receiving device fabricated by combining an organic EL device and an organic photodiode can suppress an increase in the number of film-forming steps by simultaneously forming layers that can be configured in common with the organic EL device.

[0254] For example, one of the pair of electrodes (common electrode) may be a layer common to the light-emitting / receiving device and the light-emitting device. Also, for example, at least one of the hole injection layer, the hole transport layer, the electron transport layer, and the electron injection layer may be a layer common to the light-emitting / receiving device and the light-emitting device.

[0255] Note that the layers of the light-receiving and light-emitting device may have different functions depending on whether the device functions as a light-receiving device or a light-emitting device. In this specification, the components of the light-receiving and light-emitting device are referred to based on their functions when the device functions as a light-emitting device.

[0256] The electronic devices of this embodiment have a function of displaying images using a light-emitting device and a light-receiving and light-emitting device. That is, the light-emitting device and the light-receiving and light-emitting device function as display devices.

[0257] The electronic device of this embodiment has a function of detecting light using a light receiving and emitting device, which can detect light having a shorter wavelength than light emitted by the light receiving and emitting device itself.

[0258] When the light-emitting and receiving device is used as an image sensor, the electronic device of this embodiment can capture an image using the light-emitting and receiving device.When the light-emitting and receiving device is used as a touch sensor, the electronic device of this embodiment can detect a touch operation of an object using the light-emitting and receiving device.

[0259] The light-receiving and light-emitting device functions as a photoelectric conversion device. The light-receiving and light-emitting device can be fabricated by adding an active layer of a light-receiving device to the above-described light-emitting device. For example, the active layer of a pn-type or pin-type photodiode can be used for the light-receiving and light-emitting device.

[0260] In particular, it is preferable to use an organic photodiode active layer having a layer containing an organic compound for the light-receiving and light-emitting device. Organic photodiodes can be easily made thin, lightweight, and large in area, and have a high degree of freedom in shape and design, making them applicable to a variety of devices.

[0261] A display device, which is an example of an electronic device of one embodiment of the present invention, will be described in more detail below with reference to drawings.

[0262] 11A shows a schematic diagram of a display panel 200. The display panel 200 includes a substrate 201, a substrate 202, a light receiving device 212, a light emitting device 211R, a light emitting device 211G, a light emitting device 211B, a functional circuit layer 203, and the like.

[0263] The light emitting device 211R, the light emitting device 211G, the light emitting device 211B, and the light receiving device 212 are provided between the substrate 201 and the substrate 202. The light emitting device 211R, the light emitting device 211G, and the light emitting device 211B emit red (R), green (G), or blue (B) light, respectively. Note that hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the light emitting device 211R, the light emitting device 211G, and the light emitting device 211B, they may be referred to as the light emitting device 211.

[0264] The display panel 200 has a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix. Each pixel has one or more sub-pixels. Each sub-pixel has one light-emitting device. For example, a pixel may have three sub-pixels (e.g., three colors of R, G, and B, or three colors of yellow (Y), cyan (C), and magenta (M)), or four sub-pixels (e.g., four colors of R, G, B, and white (W), or four colors of R, G, B, and Y). Each pixel also has a light-receiving device 212. The light-receiving device 212 may be provided in all pixels or in some pixels. Furthermore, one pixel may have multiple light-receiving devices 212.

[0265] 11A shows a state in which finger 220 touches the surface of substrate 202. A portion of the light emitted by light-emitting device 211G is reflected at the contact point between substrate 202 and finger 220. A portion of the reflected light is then incident on light-receiving device 212, thereby making it possible to detect that finger 220 has touched substrate 202. In other words, display panel 200 can function as a touch panel.

[0266] The functional circuit layer 203 has circuits for driving the light-emitting device 211R, the light-emitting device 211G, and the light-emitting device 211B, and a circuit for driving the light-receiving device 212. The functional circuit layer 203 is provided with switches, transistors, capacitors, wiring, etc. Note that when the light-emitting device 211R, the light-emitting device 211G, the light-emitting device 211B, and the light-receiving device 212 are driven by a passive matrix method, a configuration without switches, transistors, etc. may be used.

[0267] The display panel 200 preferably has a function of detecting a fingerprint of a finger 220. Fig. 11B is a schematic enlarged view of a contact portion when the finger 220 is in contact with the substrate 202. Fig. 11B also shows light-emitting devices 211 and light-receiving devices 212 arranged alternately.

[0268] A fingerprint is formed by concave and convex portions of the finger 220. Therefore, the convex portions of the fingerprint are in contact with the substrate 202 as shown in FIG.

[0269] Light reflected from a surface, interface, etc. can be classified as specular reflection or diffuse reflection. Specular reflection is highly directional light, with the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection matching, while diffuse reflection is low-directional light, with low angular dependence of intensity. The diffuse reflection component is dominant in the light reflected from the surface of the finger 220. On the other hand, the specular reflection component is dominant in the light reflected from the interface between the substrate 202 and the atmosphere.

[0270] The intensity of light reflected by the contact or non-contact surface between the finger 220 and the substrate 202 and incident on the light receiving device 212 located directly below them is the sum of specularly reflected light and diffusely reflected light. As described above, at the concave portions of the finger 220, the substrate 202 and the finger 220 do not come into contact, so specularly reflected light (indicated by the solid arrows) is dominant, whereas at the convex portions, they come into contact, so diffusely reflected light (indicated by the dashed arrows) from the finger 220 is dominant. Therefore, the intensity of light received by the light receiving device 212 located directly below the concave portions is higher than that of the light receiving device 212 located directly below the convex portions. This makes it possible to capture an image of the fingerprint of the finger 220.

[0271] A clear fingerprint image can be obtained by arranging the light receiving devices 212 at an interval smaller than the distance between two convex portions of a fingerprint, preferably the distance between adjacent convex and concave portions. Since the distance between convex and concave portions of a human fingerprint is approximately 200 μm, the interval between the light receiving devices 212 is, for example, 400 μm or less, preferably 200 μm or less, more preferably 150 μm or less, even more preferably 100 μm or less, and even more preferably 50 μm or less, and is 1 μm or more, preferably 10 μm or more, and more preferably 20 μm or more.

[0272] An example of a fingerprint image captured by display panel 200 is shown in Fig. 11C. In Fig. 11C, the outline of finger 220 is indicated by a dashed line and the outline of contact portion 221 is indicated by a dashed line within imaging range 223. Within contact portion 221, a fingerprint 222 with high contrast can be captured due to differences in the amount of light incident on light receiving device 212.

[0273] The display panel 200 can also function as a touch panel or a pen tablet. Fig. 11D shows a state in which the tip of a stylus 225 is in contact with the substrate 202 and is slid in the direction of the dashed arrow.

[0274] As shown in Figure 11D, the diffused reflected light scattered by the tip of the stylus 225 and the contact surface of the substrate 202 is incident on the light receiving device 212 located at the part overlapping with the contact surface, thereby enabling the position of the tip of the stylus 225 to be detected with high accuracy.

[0275] 11E shows an example of a trajectory 226 of the stylus 225 detected by the display panel 200. The display panel 200 is capable of detecting the position of a detectable object such as the stylus 225 with high positional accuracy, and therefore is also capable of performing high-resolution drawing in drawing applications, etc. Furthermore, unlike when a capacitive touch sensor, an electromagnetic induction touch pen, or the like is used, the position of even a highly insulating detectable object can be detected, and therefore the material of the tip of the stylus 225 is not a factor, and various writing implements (e.g., a brush, a glass pen, a feather pen, etc.) can be used.

[0276] 11F to 11H show an example of a pixel that can be applied to the display panel 200. FIG.

[0277] 11F and 11G each include a red (R) light-emitting device 211R, a green (G) light-emitting device 211G, a blue (B) light-emitting device 211B, and a light-receiving device 212. The pixel includes pixel circuits for driving the light-emitting device 211R, the light-emitting device 211G, the light-emitting device 211B, and the light-receiving device 212, respectively.

[0278] Fig. 11F shows an example in which three light-emitting devices and one light-receiving device are arranged in a 2 x 2 matrix, while Fig. 11G shows an example in which three light-emitting devices are arranged in a row, with one horizontally long light-receiving device 212 arranged below them.

[0279] 11H is an example of a pixel having a white (W) light-emitting device 211W. Here, four light-emitting devices are arranged in a row, and a light-receiving device 212 is arranged below them.

[0280] The pixel configuration is not limited to the above, and various arrangement methods can be adopted.

[0281] [Configuration Example 1-2] Hereinafter, an example of a configuration including a light emitting device that emits visible light, a light emitting device that emits infrared light, and a light receiving device will be described.

[0282] 11A , the display panel 200A shown in FIG. 12A includes a light-emitting device 211IR. The light-emitting device 211IR is a light-emitting device that emits infrared light IR. In this case, it is preferable to use a light-receiving device that can receive at least the infrared light IR emitted by the light-emitting device 211IR as the light-receiving device 212. It is more preferable to use a light-receiving device that can receive both visible light and infrared light as the light-receiving device 212.

[0283] As shown in FIG. 12A, when a finger 220 touches the substrate 202, the infrared light IR emitted from the light-emitting device 211IR is reflected by the finger 220, and a portion of the reflected light is incident on the light-receiving device 212, thereby obtaining position information of the finger 220.

[0284] 12B to 12D show examples of pixels applicable to the display panel 200A.

[0285] 12B shows an example in which three light-emitting devices are arranged in a row, and a light-emitting device 211IR and a light-receiving device 212 are arranged side by side below the three light-emitting devices. In the display device of one embodiment of the present invention, the pixels have a light-receiving function, so that contact or proximity of an object can be detected while displaying an image. Furthermore, the display device of one embodiment of the present invention includes subpixels that emit infrared light. Therefore, the display device of one embodiment of the present invention can also display an image while emitting infrared light as a light source using the subpixels. In other words, the display device of one embodiment of the present invention has a high affinity with functions other than the display function (here, the light-receiving function). The light-receiving device 212 may be used as a touch sensor, a non-contact sensor, or the like.

[0286] FIG. 12C shows an example in which four light-emitting devices including the light-emitting device 211IR are arranged in a row, and a light-receiving device 212 is disposed below them.

[0287] FIG. 12D shows an example in which three light emitting devices and a light receiving device 212 are arranged on all four sides with a light emitting device 211IR at the center.

[0288] In the pixels shown in FIGS. 12B to 12D, the positions of the light-emitting devices and the light-emitting devices and the light-receiving devices can be interchanged.

[0289] [Configuration Example 1-3] Hereinafter, a configuration example including a light emitting device that emits visible light and a light receiving / emitting device that emits and receives visible light will be described.

[0290] The display panel 200B shown in Fig. 13A includes a light-emitting device 211B, a light-emitting device 211G, and a light-receiving / light-emitting device 213R. The light-receiving / light-emitting device 213R functions as a light-emitting device that emits red (R) light and as a photoelectric conversion device that receives visible light. Fig. 13A shows an example in which the light-receiving / light-emitting device 213R receives green (G) light emitted by the light-emitting device 211G. The light-receiving / light-emitting device 213R may also receive blue (B) light emitted by the light-emitting device 211B. The light-receiving / light-emitting device 213R may also receive both green and blue light.

[0291] For example, the light receiving and emitting device 213R may be configured to receive light with a shorter or longer wavelength (e.g., infrared light) than the light it emits. The light receiving and emitting device 213R may be configured to receive light with a wavelength similar to the light it emits, but in that case, the light it emits may also be received, which could reduce the light emission efficiency. Therefore, it is preferable that the light receiving and emitting device 213R be configured so that the peak of the emission spectrum of the light it emits and the peak of the absorption spectrum of the light it receives do not overlap as much as possible.

[0292] In addition, the light emitted by the light receiving and emitting device is not limited to red light. Furthermore, the light emitted by the light emitting device is not limited to a combination of green and blue light. For example, the light receiving and emitting device may be a device that emits green or blue light and receives light of a wavelength different from the light it emits.

[0293] In this way, the light receiving / emitting device 213R serves as both a light emitting device and a light receiving device, so that the number of devices arranged in one pixel can be reduced, which facilitates higher definition, a higher aperture ratio, and higher resolution.

[0294] 13B to 13I show an example of a pixel that can be applied to the display panel 200B.

[0295] Fig. 13B shows an example in which light emitting and receiving devices 213R, light emitting devices 211G, and light emitting devices 211B are arranged in a row. Fig. 13C shows an example in which light emitting devices 211G and 211B are arranged alternately in the vertical direction, and light emitting and receiving devices 213R are arranged next to them.

[0296] FIG. 13D shows an example in which three light-emitting devices (light-emitting device 211G, light-emitting device 211B, and light-emitting device 211X) and one light-receiving and light-emitting device 213R are arranged in a 2×2 matrix. Light-emitting device 211X is a light-emitting device that emits light other than R, G, and B. Examples of light other than R, G, and B include white (W), yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), infrared light (IR), and ultraviolet light (UV). When light-emitting device 211X emits infrared light, light-receiving and light-emitting device 213R preferably has a function to detect infrared light or a function to detect both visible light and infrared light. The wavelength of light detected by the light-receiving and light-emitting device can be determined depending on the application of the sensor.

[0297] FIG. 13E shows two pixels. The area surrounded by dotted lines and including three light-emitting devices corresponds to one pixel. Each pixel has a light-emitting device 211G, a light-emitting device 211B, and a light-receiving / light-emitting device 213R. In the left pixel shown in FIG. 13E, the light-emitting device 211G is arranged in the same row as the light-emitting / receiving device 213R, and the light-emitting device 211B is arranged in the same column as the light-emitting / receiving device 213R. In the right pixel shown in FIG. 13E, the light-emitting device 211G is arranged in the same row as the light-emitting / receiving device 213R, and the light-emitting device 211B is arranged in the same column as the light-emitting / receiving device 211G. In the pixel layout shown in FIG. 13E, the light-emitting / receiving device 213R, the light-emitting device 211G, and the light-emitting device 211B are arranged repeatedly in both odd and even rows, and in each column, light-emitting devices or light-emitting / receiving devices of different colors are arranged in the odd and even rows.

[0298] Fig. 13F shows four pixels to which a Pentile arrangement is applied, and two adjacent pixels have light-emitting devices or light-receiving / light-receiving devices that emit two different colors of light. Fig. 13F also shows the top view of the light-emitting devices or light-receiving / light-receiving devices.

[0299] The upper left pixel and the lower right pixel shown in Fig. 13F have a light receiving / emitting device 213R and a light emitting device 211G. The upper right pixel and the lower left pixel have a light emitting device 211G and a light emitting device 211B. That is, in the example shown in Fig. 13F, a light emitting device 211G is provided in each pixel.

[0300] The top surface shapes of the light-emitting device and the light-receiving / receiving device are not particularly limited and may be circular, elliptical, polygonal, polygonal with rounded corners, etc. Figure 13F etc. shows an example in which the top surface shapes of the light-emitting device and the light-receiving / receiving device are squares (diamonds) tilted at approximately 45 degrees. Note that the top surface shapes of the light-emitting devices and light-receiving / receiving devices for each color may be different from each other, or may be the same for some or all of the colors.

[0301] Furthermore, the area sizes of the light-emitting regions (or light-receiving regions) of the light-emitting devices and light-receiving / light-emitting devices of each color may be different from each other, or may be the same for some or all of the colors. For example, in Figure 13F, the area of ​​the light-emitting region of light-emitting device 211G provided in each pixel may be smaller than the light-emitting regions (or light-receiving / light-emitting regions) of the other devices.

[0302] Fig. 13G is a modified example of the pixel array shown in Fig. 13F. Specifically, the configuration of Fig. 13G can be obtained by rotating the configuration of Fig. 13F by 45 degrees. Fig. 13F has been described as having two light-emitting devices (or light-receiving and light-emitting devices) in one pixel, but as shown in Fig. 13G, one pixel can also be considered to be made up of four light-emitting devices (or light-receiving and light-emitting devices).

[0303] Fig. 13H is a modified example of the pixel array shown in Fig. 13F. The upper left pixel and lower right pixel shown in Fig. 13H have a light emitting / receiving device 213R and a light emitting device 211G. The upper right pixel and lower left pixel have a light emitting / receiving device 213R and a light emitting device 211B. That is, in the example shown in Fig. 13H, each pixel is provided with a light emitting / receiving device 213R. Because each pixel is provided with a light emitting / receiving device 213R, the configuration shown in Fig. 13H can capture images with higher resolution than the configuration shown in Fig. 13F. This can improve the accuracy of biometric authentication, for example.

[0304] FIG. 13I is a modified example of the pixel array shown in FIG. 13H, and is obtained by rotating the pixel array by 45 degrees.

[0305] In FIG. 13I, one pixel is described as being composed of four devices (two light-emitting devices and two light-receiving / light-emitting devices). In this way, one pixel can capture images with high resolution by including multiple light-receiving / light-emitting devices with light-receiving capabilities. This can improve the accuracy of biometric authentication. For example, the image resolution can be set to the root double of the display resolution.

[0306] A display device to which the configuration shown in Figure 13H or 13I is applied has p (p is an integer of 2 or more) first light-emitting devices, q (q is an integer of 2 or more) second light-emitting devices, and r (r is an integer greater than p and greater than q) light-receiving and light-emitting devices. p and r satisfy r = 2p. Furthermore, p, q, and r satisfy r = p + q. One of the first light-emitting devices and the second light-emitting devices emits green light, and the other emits blue light. The light-receiving and light-emitting device emits red light and has a light-receiving function.

[0307] For example, when detecting a touch operation using a light-emitting / receiving device, it is preferable that the light emitted from the light source is difficult for the user to see. Because blue light is less visible than green light, it is preferable that a light-emitting device that emits blue light be used as the light source. Therefore, it is preferable that the light-emitting / receiving device has a function of receiving blue light. However, this is not limited thereto, and the light-emitting device used as the light source can be appropriately selected depending on the sensitivity of the light-emitting / receiving device.

[0308] As described above, pixels with various arrangements can be applied to the display device of this embodiment mode.

[0309] This embodiment mode can be implemented by appropriately combining at least a part thereof with other embodiment modes described in this specification.

[0310] Embodiment 7 In this embodiment, a light-emitting device (also referred to as a light-emitting device) and a light-receiving device (also referred to as a light-receiving device) that can be used for the light-receiving and light-emitting device which is one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0311] [Light-emitting device] Light-emitting devices can be broadly divided into single structures and tandem structures. A single-structure device has one light-emitting unit between a pair of electrodes, and the light-emitting unit preferably includes one or more light-emitting layers. To obtain white light emission with a single structure, light-emitting layers can be selected so that the light emitted from each of the two or more light-emitting layers has a complementary color relationship. For example, by making the emission color of the first light-emitting layer and the emission color of the second light-emitting layer complementary, a configuration in which the light-emitting device as a whole emits white light can be obtained. The same applies to light-emitting devices having three or more light-emitting layers.

[0312] A light-emitting device with a tandem structure preferably has two or more light-emitting units between a pair of electrodes, and each light-emitting unit preferably includes one or more light-emitting layers. By using light-emitting layers that emit light of the same color in each light-emitting unit, the brightness per given current can be increased, and the light-emitting device can be made more reliable than a single-structure light-emitting device. To obtain white light emission with a tandem structure, light from the light-emitting layers of the multiple light-emitting units can be combined to obtain white light emission. The combination of light-emitting colors that can produce white light emission is the same as with the single-structure configuration. In a device with a tandem structure, it is preferable to provide an intermediate layer, such as a charge-generating layer, between the multiple light-emitting units.

[0313] Furthermore, when comparing the above-described white light-emitting device (single structure or tandem structure) with a light-emitting device having an SBS structure, the light-emitting device having an SBS structure can reduce power consumption compared to the white light-emitting device. If it is desired to keep power consumption low, it is preferable to use a light-emitting device having an SBS structure. On the other hand, the manufacturing process of a white light-emitting device is simpler than that of a light-emitting device having an SBS structure, and therefore the manufacturing cost can be reduced or the manufacturing yield can be increased, making it preferable.

[0314] 14A , the light-emitting device includes an EL layer 790 between a pair of electrodes (a lower electrode 791 and an upper electrode 792). The EL layer 790 can be configured with a plurality of layers, such as a layer 720, a light-emitting layer 711, and a layer 730. The layer 720 can include, for example, a layer containing a substance with high electron injection properties (electron injection layer) and a layer containing a substance with high electron transport properties (electron transport layer). The light-emitting layer 711 includes, for example, a light-emitting compound. The layer 730 can include, for example, a layer containing a substance with high hole injection properties (hole injection layer) and a layer containing a substance with high hole transport properties (hole transport layer).

[0315] A structure having the layer 720, the light-emitting layer 711, and the layer 730 provided between a pair of electrodes can function as a single light-emitting unit, and the structure of FIG. 14A is referred to as a single structure in this specification.

[0316] 14B shows a modified example of an EL layer 790 included in the light-emitting device shown in Fig. 14A. Specifically, the light-emitting device shown in Fig. 14B includes a layer 730-1 on a lower electrode 791, a layer 730-2 on the layer 730-1, a light-emitting layer 711 on the layer 730-2, a layer 720-1 on the light-emitting layer 711, a layer 720-2 on the layer 720-1, and an upper electrode 792 on the layer 720-2. For example, when the lower electrode 791 is an anode and the upper electrode 792 is a cathode, the layer 730-1 functions as a hole injection layer, the layer 730-2 functions as a hole transport layer, the layer 720-1 functions as an electron transport layer, and the layer 720-2 functions as an electron injection layer. Alternatively, when the lower electrode 791 is used as a cathode and the upper electrode 792 is used as an anode, the layer 730-1 functions as an electron injection layer, the layer 730-2 functions as an electron transport layer, the layer 720-1 functions as a hole transport layer, and the layer 720-2 functions as a hole injection layer. By using such a layer structure, it is possible to efficiently inject carriers into the light-emitting layer 711 and increase the efficiency of carrier recombination in the light-emitting layer 711.

[0317] 14C and 14D , a variation of the single structure is a configuration in which multiple light-emitting layers (light-emitting layers 711, 712, and 713) are provided between layer 720 and layer 730. The number of light-emitting layers in a single-structure light-emitting device may be two, or may be four or more. A single-structure light-emitting device may also have a buffer layer between the two light-emitting layers. The buffer layer can be formed using, for example, a material that can be used for a hole transport layer or an electron transport layer.

[0318] 14E and 14F, a configuration in which a plurality of light-emitting units (EL layer 790a, EL layer 790b) are connected in series via an intermediate layer (charge generating layer) 740 is referred to as a tandem structure in this specification. Note that, although the configuration shown in FIGS. 14E and 14F is referred to as a tandem structure in this specification and the like, this is not limiting, and for example, the tandem structure may also be referred to as a stack structure. Note that by using a tandem structure, a light-emitting device capable of emitting light with high brightness can be obtained.

[0319] In FIG. 14C, the light-emitting layer 711, the light-emitting layer 712, and the light-emitting layer 713 may be made of the same light-emitting material.

[0320] Furthermore, different light-emitting materials may be used for the light-emitting layer 711, the light-emitting layer 712, and the light-emitting layer 713. When the light emitted from the light-emitting layer 711, the light-emitting layer 712, and the light-emitting layer 713 has a complementary color relationship, white light can be obtained. Fig. 14D shows an example in which a colored layer 795 that functions as a color filter is provided. When white light passes through the color filter, light of a desired color can be obtained.

[0321] 14E, the same light-emitting material may be used for the light-emitting layer 711 and the light-emitting layer 712. Alternatively, light-emitting materials that emit different light may be used for the light-emitting layer 711 and the light-emitting layer 712. When the light emitted by the light-emitting layer 711 and the light emitted by the light-emitting layer 712 are complementary colors, white light emission is obtained. FIG. 14F shows an example in which a colored layer 795 is further provided.

[0322] 14C, 14D, 14E, and 14F, the layer 720 and the layer 730 may have a laminated structure consisting of two or more layers, as shown in FIG. 14B.

[0323] 14D, the same light-emitting material may be used for the light-emitting layers 711, 712, and 713. Similarly, in FIG. 14F, the same light-emitting material may be used for the light-emitting layers 711 and 712. In this case, by applying a color conversion layer instead of the colored layer 795, light of a desired color different from the light-emitting material can be obtained. For example, by using a blue light-emitting material for each light-emitting layer and transmitting blue light through the color conversion layer, light with a longer wavelength than blue (e.g., red, green, etc.) can be obtained. For the color conversion layer, a fluorescent material, a phosphorescent material, quantum dots, or the like can be used.

[0324] A structure that produces different luminescent colors (here, blue (B), green (G), and red (R)) for each light-emitting device is sometimes called an SBS (Side By Side) structure.

[0325] The light-emitting color of the light-emitting device can be red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, white, or the like, depending on the material constituting the EL layer 790. Furthermore, the color purity can be further improved by providing the light-emitting device with a microcavity structure.

[0326] A light-emitting device that emits white light preferably has a configuration in which two or more types of light-emitting materials are contained in the light-emitting layer. To obtain white light emission, light-emitting materials can be selected so that the light emitted from each of the two or more light-emitting materials has a complementary color relationship. For example, by making the light-emitting color of the first light-emitting layer and the light-emitting color of the second light-emitting layer complementary to each other, a light-emitting device that emits white light as a whole can be obtained. The same applies to a light-emitting device having three or more light-emitting layers.

[0327] The light-emitting layer preferably contains two or more light-emitting materials that emit light of R (red), G (green), B (blue), Y (yellow), O (orange), etc. Alternatively, it is preferable that the light-emitting layer contains two or more light-emitting materials, and the light emitted by each of the light-emitting materials contains spectral components of two or more colors of R, G, and B.

[0328] 15A shows a schematic cross-sectional view of light emitting device 750R, light emitting device 750G, light emitting device 750B, and light receiving device 760. Light emitting device 750R, light emitting device 750G, light emitting device 750B, and light receiving device 760 have an upper electrode 792 as a common layer.

[0329] The light-emitting device 750R has a pixel electrode 791R, a layer 751, a layer 752, a light-emitting layer 753R, a layer 754, a layer 755, and an upper electrode 792. The light-emitting device 750G has a pixel electrode 791G and a light-emitting layer 753G. The light-emitting device 750B has a pixel electrode 791B and a light-emitting layer 753B.

[0330] The layer 751 includes, for example, a layer containing a substance with high hole-injection properties (hole-injection layer), the layer 752 includes, for example, a layer containing a substance with high hole-transport properties (hole-transport layer), the layer 754 includes, for example, a layer containing a substance with high electron-transport properties (electron-transport layer), and the layer 755 includes, for example, a layer containing a substance with high electron-injection properties (electron-injection layer).

[0331] Alternatively, a structure in which the layer 751 has an electron-injecting layer, the layer 752 has an electron-transporting layer, the layer 754 has a hole-transporting layer, and the layer 755 has a hole-injecting layer may be used.

[0332] 15A, the layer 751 and the layer 752 are separately illustrated, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, when the layer 751 has a function of both a hole-injection layer and a hole-transport layer, or when the layer 751 has a function of both an electron-injection layer and an electron-transport layer, the layer 752 may be omitted.

[0333] The light-emitting layer 753R of the light-emitting device 750R contains a light-emitting material that emits red light, the light-emitting layer 753G of the light-emitting device 750G contains a light-emitting material that emits green light, and the light-emitting layer 753B of the light-emitting device 750B contains a light-emitting material that emits blue light. The light-emitting devices 750G and 750B have a configuration in which the light-emitting layer 753R of the light-emitting device 750R is replaced with the light-emitting layer 753G and the light-emitting layer 753B, respectively, and are otherwise similar in configuration to the light-emitting device 750R.

[0334] The layers 751, 752, 754, and 755 may have the same structure (material, film thickness, etc.) in the light-emitting devices of the respective colors, or may have different structures.

[0335] The light-receiving device 760 has a pixel electrode 791PD, a layer 761, a layer 762, a layer 763, and an upper electrode 792. The light-receiving device 760 may have a structure without a hole injection layer and an electron injection layer.

[0336] The layer 762 includes an active layer (also called a photoelectric conversion layer). The layer 762 has a function of absorbing light in a specific wavelength band and generating carriers (electrons and holes).

[0337] The layer 761 and the layer 763 each include, for example, either a hole transport layer or an electron transport layer. When the layer 761 includes a hole transport layer, the layer 763 includes an electron transport layer. On the other hand, when the layer 761 includes an electron transport layer, the layer 763 includes a hole transport layer.

[0338] In addition, in the light receiving device 760, the pixel electrode 791PD may be the anode and the upper electrode 792 may be the cathode, or the pixel electrode 791PD may be the cathode and the upper electrode 792 may be the anode.

[0339] 15B is a modification of FIG. 15A. In FIG. 15B, the layer 755 is provided in common between the light-emitting devices and the light-receiving devices, similar to the upper electrode 792. In this case, the layer 755 can be called a common layer. By providing one or more common layers between the light-emitting devices and the light-receiving devices in this manner, the manufacturing process can be simplified, and therefore the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0340] Here, the layer 755 functions as an electron injection layer or a hole injection layer for the light-emitting device 750. At this time, the layer 755 functions as an electron transport layer or a hole transport layer for the light-receiving device 760. Therefore, the layer 763 functioning as an electron transport layer or a hole transport layer does not need to be provided in the light-receiving device 760 shown in FIG.

[0341] [Light Emitting Device] Here, a specific example of the configuration of the light emitting device will be described.

[0342] The light-emitting device has at least a light-emitting layer. The light-emitting device may further have, as a layer other than the light-emitting layer, a layer containing a substance with high hole-injection properties, a substance with high hole-transport properties, a hole-blocking material, a substance with high electron-transport properties, an electron-blocking material, a substance with high electron-injection properties, a bipolar substance (a substance with high electron-transport properties and high hole-transport properties), or the like.

[0343] The light-emitting device can use either a low-molecular-weight compound or a high-molecular-weight compound, and may contain an inorganic compound. The layers constituting the light-emitting device can be formed by a method such as vapor deposition (including vacuum vapor deposition), a transfer method, a printing method, an inkjet method, or a coating method.

[0344] For example, the light-emitting device may have one or more layers selected from the group consisting of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a hole blocking layer, an electron blocking layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer.

[0345] The hole injection layer is a layer that injects holes from the anode into the hole transport layer and contains a material with high hole injection properties, such as an aromatic amine compound and a composite material containing a hole transport material and an acceptor material (electron acceptor material).

[0346] The hole transport layer is a layer that transports holes injected from the anode by the hole injection layer to the light emitting layer. The hole transport layer is a layer that contains a hole transporting material. Examples of the hole transporting material include 10 −６ cm ２ A substance having a hole mobility of 1 / Vs or more is preferred. Note that other substances can also be used as long as they have a higher hole transporting property than electron transporting property. As the hole transporting material, a material having a high hole transporting property, such as a π-electron-rich heteroaromatic compound (e.g., a carbazole derivative, a thiophene derivative, a furan derivative, etc.) or an aromatic amine (a compound having an aromatic amine skeleton), is preferred.

[0347] The electron transport layer is a layer that transports electrons injected from the cathode by the electron injection layer to the light emitting layer. The electron transport layer is a layer that contains an electron transporting material. The electron transporting material is a material having a molecular weight of 1×10 −６ cm ２A substance having an electron mobility of 1 / Vs or more is preferred. Note that other substances can also be used as long as they have a higher electron transporting property than holes. Examples of electron-transporting materials that can be used include metal complexes having a quinoline skeleton, metal complexes having a benzoquinoline skeleton, metal complexes having an oxazole skeleton, and metal complexes having a thiazole skeleton, as well as oxadiazole derivatives, triazole derivatives, imidazole derivatives, oxazole derivatives, thiazole derivatives, phenanthroline derivatives, quinoline derivatives having a quinoline ligand, benzoquinoline derivatives, quinoxaline derivatives, dibenzoquinoxaline derivatives, pyridine derivatives, bipyridine derivatives, pyrimidine derivatives, and other π-electron-deficient heteroaromatic compounds including nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic compounds.

[0348] The electron injection layer is a layer that injects electrons from the cathode to the electron transport layer and contains a material with high electron injection properties. Examples of the material with high electron injection properties include alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and compounds thereof. Examples of the material with high electron injection properties include a composite material containing an electron transport material and a donor material (electron donor material).

[0349] The electron injection layer may be formed of, for example, lithium, cesium, ytterbium, lithium fluoride (LiF), cesium fluoride (CsF), calcium fluoride (CaF ２ ), 8-(quinolinolato)lithium (abbreviation: Liq), 2-(2-pyridyl)phenolatolithium (abbreviation: LiPP), 2-(2-pyridyl)-3-pyridinolatolithium (abbreviation: LiPPy), 4-phenyl-2-(2-pyridyl)phenolatolithium (abbreviation: LiPPP), lithium oxide (LiO ｘ ), alkali metals such as cesium carbonate, alkaline earth metals, or compounds thereof can be used. The electron injection layer may have a stacked structure of two or more layers. For example, the stacked structure may have a structure in which lithium fluoride is used in the first layer and ytterbium is provided in the second layer.

[0350] Alternatively, the electron injection layer may be formed using a material having electron transport properties. For example, a compound having an unshared electron pair and an electron-deficient heteroaromatic ring may be used as the material having electron transport properties. Specifically, a compound having at least one of a pyridine ring, a diazine ring (pyrimidine ring, pyrazine ring, pyridazine ring), and a triazine ring may be used.

[0351] The organic compound having an unshared electron pair preferably has a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of -3.6 eV to -2.3 eV. Generally, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level and the LUMO level of an organic compound can be estimated by CV (cyclic voltammetry), photoelectron spectroscopy, optical absorption spectroscopy, inverse photoelectron spectroscopy, or the like.

[0352] For example, 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (abbreviation: BPhen), 2,9-di(naphthalen-2-yl)-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (abbreviation: NBPhen), diquinoxalino[2,3-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (abbreviation: HATNA), 2,4,6-tris[3'-(pyridin-3-yl)biphenyl-3-yl]-1,3,5-triazine (abbreviation: TmPPPyTz), etc. can be used as the organic compound having an unshared electron pair. Note that NBPhen has a higher glass transition temperature (Tg) and is superior in heat resistance compared to BPhen.

[0353] The light-emitting layer is a layer containing a light-emitting substance. The light-emitting layer can contain one or more light-emitting substances. As the light-emitting substance, a substance that emits light of a color such as blue, purple, blue-purple, green, yellow-green, yellow, orange, or red is appropriately used. Furthermore, a substance that emits near-infrared light can also be used as the light-emitting substance.

[0354] Examples of the light-emitting material include fluorescent materials, phosphorescent materials, TADF materials, and quantum dot materials.

[0355] Examples of fluorescent materials include pyrene derivatives, anthracene derivatives, triphenylene derivatives, fluorene derivatives, carbazole derivatives, dibenzothiophene derivatives, dibenzofuran derivatives, dibenzoquinoxaline derivatives, quinoxaline derivatives, pyridine derivatives, pyrimidine derivatives, phenanthrene derivatives, and naphthalene derivatives.

[0356] Examples of phosphorescent materials include organometallic complexes (particularly iridium complexes) having a 4H-triazole skeleton, a 1H-triazole skeleton, an imidazole skeleton, a pyrimidine skeleton, a pyrazine skeleton, or a pyridine skeleton; organometallic complexes (particularly iridium complexes) having a phenylpyridine derivative having an electron-withdrawing group as a ligand; platinum complexes; and rare earth metal complexes.

[0357] The light-emitting layer may contain one or more organic compounds (host materials, assist materials, etc.) in addition to a light-emitting substance (guest material). As the one or more organic compounds, one or both of a hole-transporting material and an electron-transporting material can be used. Furthermore, as the one or more organic compounds, a bipolar material or a TADF material can be used.

[0358] The light-emitting layer preferably includes, for example, a phosphorescent material and a hole-transporting material and an electron-transporting material, which are a combination that easily forms an exciplex. This configuration allows for efficient emission using Exciplex-Triple Energy Transfer (ExTET), which is energy transfer from the exciplex to the light-emitting material (phosphorescent material). By selecting a combination that forms an exciplex that emits light that overlaps with the wavelength of the lowest-energy absorption band of the light-emitting material, the energy transfer becomes smooth, allowing for efficient emission. This configuration simultaneously achieves high efficiency, low-voltage operation, and a long life for the light-emitting device.

[0359] [Light-receiving device] The active layer of the light-receiving device includes a semiconductor. Examples of the semiconductor include inorganic semiconductors such as silicon and organic semiconductors containing organic compounds. In this embodiment, an example in which an organic semiconductor is used as the semiconductor of the active layer is shown. Using an organic semiconductor is preferable because the light-emitting layer and the active layer can be formed by the same method (e.g., vacuum deposition), allowing the use of a common manufacturing device.

[0360] The n-type semiconductor material of the active layer is fullerene (e.g., C ６０ , C ７０ Examples of suitable electron-accepting organic semiconductor materials include fullerene derivatives and other electron-accepting organic semiconductor materials. Fullerenes have a soccer ball-like shape, which is energetically stable. Fullerenes have deep (low) HOMO and LUMO levels. Because fullerenes have a deep LUMO level, they have extremely high electron-accepting (acceptor) properties. Normally, when π-electron conjugation (resonance) spreads across a plane, as in benzene, electron-donating (donor) properties increase, but fullerenes have a spherical shape, so they have high electron-accepting properties despite the wide spread π-electron conjugation. High electron-accepting properties allow charge separation to occur quickly and efficiently, making them useful as light-receiving devices. C ６０ , C ７０ Both have a wide absorption band in the visible light region, and C ７０ is C ６０ Other fullerene derivatives include [6,6]-Phenyl-C71-butylic acid methyl ester (abbreviation: PC70BM), [6,6]-Phenyl-C61-butylic acid methyl ester (abbreviation: PC60BM), and 1',1",4',4"-Tetrahydro-di[1,4]methanenaphthaleno[1,2:2',3',56,60:2",3"][5,6]fullerene-C60 (abbreviation: ICBA).

[0361] Examples of n-type semiconductor materials include metal complexes having a quinoline skeleton, metal complexes having a benzoquinoline skeleton, metal complexes having an oxazole skeleton, metal complexes having a thiazole skeleton, oxadiazole derivatives, triazole derivatives, imidazole derivatives, oxazole derivatives, thiazole derivatives, phenanthroline derivatives, quinoline derivatives, benzoquinoline derivatives, quinoxaline derivatives, dibenzoquinoxaline derivatives, pyridine derivatives, bipyridine derivatives, pyrimidine derivatives, naphthalene derivatives, anthracene derivatives, coumarin derivatives, rhodamine derivatives, triazine derivatives, and quinone derivatives.

[0362] Examples of the p-type semiconductor material of the active layer include electron-donating organic semiconductor materials such as copper(II) phthalocyanine (CuPc), tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene (DBP), zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc), tin phthalocyanine (SnPc), and quinacridone.

[0363] Examples of p-type semiconductor materials include carbazole derivatives, thiophene derivatives, furan derivatives, compounds having an aromatic amine skeleton, etc. Examples of p-type semiconductor materials include naphthalene derivatives, anthracene derivatives, pyrene derivatives, triphenylene derivatives, fluorene derivatives, pyrrole derivatives, benzofuran derivatives, benzothiophene derivatives, indole derivatives, dibenzofuran derivatives, dibenzothiophene derivatives, indolocarbazole derivatives, porphyrin derivatives, phthalocyanine derivatives, naphthalocyanine derivatives, quinacridone derivatives, polyphenylenevinylene derivatives, polyparaphenylene derivatives, polyfluorene derivatives, polyvinylcarbazole derivatives, polythiophene derivatives, etc.

[0364] The HOMO level of the electron-donating organic semiconductor material is preferably shallower (higher) than the HOMO level of the electron-accepting organic semiconductor material, and the LUMO level of the electron-donating organic semiconductor material is preferably shallower (higher) than the LUMO level of the electron-accepting organic semiconductor material.

[0365] It is preferable to use a spherical fullerene as the electron-accepting organic semiconductor material and a planar organic semiconductor material as the electron-donating organic semiconductor material. Molecules with similar shapes tend to aggregate together, and when molecules of the same type aggregate, the energy levels of their molecular orbitals become close, which can improve carrier transport properties.

[0366] For example, the active layer is preferably formed by co-evaporating an n-type semiconductor and a p-type semiconductor, or may be formed by laminating an n-type semiconductor and a p-type semiconductor.

[0367] The light-receiving device may further include, as a layer other than the active layer, a layer containing a substance with high hole-transporting properties, a substance with high electron-transporting properties, a bipolar substance (a substance with high electron-transporting properties and high hole-transporting properties), etc. Furthermore, without being limited to the above, the light-receiving device may further include a layer containing a substance with high hole-injecting properties, a hole-blocking material, a material with high electron-injecting properties, an electron-blocking material, etc.

[0368] The light-receiving device may be made of either a low-molecular-weight compound or a high-molecular-weight compound, and may contain an inorganic compound. The layers constituting the light-receiving device may be formed by a method such as vapor deposition (including vacuum deposition), transfer, printing, inkjet printing, or coating.

[0369] For example, the hole transport material or the electron blocking material may be a polymer compound such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) / poly(styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT / PSS), or an inorganic compound such as molybdenum oxide or copper iodide (CuI). The electron transport material or the hole blocking material may be an inorganic compound such as zinc oxide (ZnO), or an organic compound such as polyethyleneimine ethoxylate (PEIE). The light-receiving device may have, for example, a mixed film of PEIE and ZnO.

[0370] Furthermore, a polymer compound such as Poly[[4,8-bis[5-(2-ethylhexyl)-2-thienyl]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl]-2,5-thiophenediyl[5,7-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4,8-dioxo-4H,8H-benzo[1,2-c:4,5-c']dithiophene-1,3-diyl]] polymer (abbreviation: PBDB-T) or a PBDB-T derivative, which functions as a donor, can be used in the active layer. For example, a method of dispersing an acceptor material in PBDB-T or a PBDB-T derivative can be used.

[0371] The active layer may also contain a mixture of three or more materials. For example, in order to expand the wavelength range, a third material may be mixed in addition to an n-type semiconductor material and a p-type semiconductor material. In this case, the third material may be a low-molecular-weight compound or a high-molecular-weight compound.

[0372] This concludes the description of the light receiving device.

[0373] This embodiment mode can be implemented by appropriately combining at least a part thereof with other embodiment modes described in this specification.

[0374] Embodiment 8 In this embodiment, a structural example of a light-emitting device or a display device that can be used as a light-emitting and receiving device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0375] One embodiment of the present invention is a display device including a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device. For example, a full-color display device can be realized by including three types of light-emitting devices that emit red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light, respectively.

[0376] In one embodiment of the present invention, EL layers and an EL layer and an active layer are processed into fine patterns by photolithography without using a shadow mask such as a metal mask. This makes it possible to realize a display device with high definition and a large aperture ratio, which have been difficult to achieve until now. Furthermore, because the EL layers can be separately formed, a display device with extremely vivid images, high contrast, and high display quality can be realized.

[0377] While it is difficult to achieve a gap of less than 10 μm between EL layers of different colors or between an EL layer and an active layer using, for example, a metal mask, the above-described method can narrow the gap to 3 μm or less, 2 μm or less, or even 1 μm or less. For example, by using an exposure device for LSIs, the gap can be narrowed to 500 nm or less, 200 nm or less, 100 nm or less, or even 50 nm or less. This significantly reduces the area of ​​non-light-emitting regions that may exist between two light-emitting devices or between a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device, enabling the aperture ratio to approach 100%. For example, the aperture ratio can be 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, or even 90% or more, and even less than 100%.

[0378] Furthermore, the patterns of the EL layer and active layer themselves can be made much smaller than when a metal mask is used. Furthermore, for example, when a metal mask is used to separately form an EL layer, thickness variations occur between the center and edges of the pattern, resulting in a smaller effective area that can be used as the light-emitting region relative to the overall area of ​​the pattern. On the other hand, with the above-described fabrication method, a pattern is formed by processing a film deposited to a uniform thickness, so the thickness can be made uniform within the pattern, and even with a fine pattern, almost the entire area can be used as the light-emitting region. Therefore, the above-described fabrication method can achieve both high definition and a high aperture ratio.

[0379] Organic films formed using FMM (Fine Metal Mask) often have an extremely small taper angle (e.g., greater than 0 degrees and less than 30 degrees), with the thickness decreasing toward the edge. Therefore, organic films formed using FMM have a continuous connection between their side and top surfaces, making it difficult to clearly identify the side surfaces. On the other hand, one embodiment of the present invention has an EL layer processed without using FMM, resulting in clear side surfaces. In particular, one embodiment of the present invention preferably has a portion of the EL layer with a taper angle of 30 degrees or more and 120 degrees or less, preferably 60 degrees or more and 120 degrees or less.

[0380] In this specification, the term "tapered end of an object" refers to a cross-sectional shape in which the angle between the side surface (surface) and the surface to be formed (bottom surface) in the end region is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, and the thickness increases continuously from the end. The taper angle refers to the angle between the bottom surface (surface to be formed) and the side surface (surface) at the end of the object.

[0381] A more specific example will be described below.

[0382] 16A shows a schematic top view of the display region 100. The display region 100 includes a plurality of red light-emitting devices 90R, a plurality of green light-emitting devices 90G, a plurality of blue light-emitting devices 90B, and a plurality of light-receiving devices 90S. In FIG. 4A, the light-emitting regions of the light-emitting devices (and the light-receiving regions of the light-receiving elements) are labeled with R, G, B, and S to easily distinguish between the light-emitting devices.

[0383] The light-emitting devices 90R, 90G, 90B, and the light-receiving devices 90S are arranged in a matrix. Fig. 16A shows a configuration in which two light-emitting devices are alternately arranged in one direction. Note that the arrangement of the light-emitting devices is not limited to this, and other arrangements such as a stripe arrangement, an S-stripe arrangement, a delta arrangement, a Bayer arrangement, or a zigzag arrangement may also be used, or a pentile arrangement, a diamond arrangement, or the like may also be used.

[0384] 16A also shows a connection electrode 111C that is electrically connected to the common electrode 113. The connection electrode 111C is given a potential (e.g., an anode potential or a cathode potential) to be supplied to the common electrode 113. The connection electrode 111C is provided outside the display area where the light-emitting devices 90R and the like are arranged. In addition, in FIG. 16A, the common electrode 113 is shown by a dashed line.

[0385] The connection electrode 111C can be provided along the periphery of the display area. For example, it may be provided along one side of the periphery of the display area, or it may be provided over two or more sides of the periphery of the display area. That is, when the top surface shape of the display area is rectangular, the top surface shape of the connection electrode 111C can be strip-shaped, L-shaped, U-shaped (square bracket-shaped), square-shaped, or the like.

[0386] Fig. 16B is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to dashed dotted lines A1-A2 and C1-C2 in Fig. 16A, showing the light emitting device 90B, the light emitting device 90R, the light receiving device 90S, and the connection electrode 111C.

[0387] The light emitting device 90G, which is not shown in the schematic cross-sectional view, can have the same configuration as the light emitting device 90B or the light emitting device 90R, and the following description thereof can be used.

[0388] The light-emitting device 90B has a pixel electrode 111, a material layer 112B, a material layer 114, and a common electrode 113. The light-emitting device 90R has a pixel electrode 111, a material layer 112R, a material layer 114, and a common electrode 113. The light-receiving device 90S has a pixel electrode 111, a common electrode 115, a material layer 114, and a common electrode 113. The material layer 114 and the common electrode 113 are provided in common to the light-emitting device 90B, the light-emitting device 90R, and the light-receiving device 90S. The material layer 114 can also be referred to as a common layer.

[0389] The material layer 112R contains a light-emitting organic compound that emits light having an intensity in at least the red wavelength range. The material layer 112B contains a light-emitting organic compound that emits light having an intensity in at least the blue wavelength range. The common electrode 115 contains a photoelectric conversion material that is sensitive to visible light or infrared light. The material layer 112R and the material layer 112B can also be called EL layers.

[0390] The material layer 112R, the material layer 112B, and the common electrode 115 may each have one or more of an electron injection layer, an electron transport layer, a hole injection layer, and a hole transport layer. The material layer 114 may not have a light-emitting layer. For example, the material layer 114 has one or more of an electron injection layer, an electron transport layer, a hole injection layer, and a hole transport layer.

[0391] Here, in the stacked structure of the material layer 112R, the material layer 112B, and the common electrode 115, the uppermost layer, i.e., the layer in contact with the material layer 114, is preferably a layer other than the light-emitting layer. For example, it is preferable to provide an electron injection layer, an electron transport layer, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, or a layer other than these to cover the light-emitting layer, and to configure the layer in contact with the material layer 114. In this way, when manufacturing each light-emitting device, the reliability of the light-emitting device can be improved by protecting the top surface of the light-emitting layer with another layer.

[0392] The pixel electrode 111 is provided for each light-emitting device. The common electrode 113 and the material layer 114 are provided as a continuous layer common to each light-emitting device. A conductive film that is transparent to visible light is used for either one of the pixel electrodes or the common electrode 113, and a conductive film that is reflective is used for the other. By making each pixel electrode transparent and the common electrode 113 reflective, a bottom-emission display device can be obtained. Conversely, by making each pixel electrode reflective and the common electrode 113 transparent, a top-emission display device can be obtained. Note that by making both the pixel electrodes and the common electrode 113 transparent, a dual-emission display device can also be obtained.

[0393] An insulating layer 131 is provided to cover the end of the pixel electrode 111. The end of the insulating layer 131 is preferably tapered. In this specification and the like, a tapered end of an object means that the angle formed between the surface and the surface on which the object is formed in the end region is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, and the object has a cross-sectional shape in which the thickness increases continuously from the end.

[0394] Furthermore, by using an organic resin for the insulating layer 131, the surface can be made gently curved, which improves the coverage of the film formed on the insulating layer 131.

[0395] Examples of materials that can be used for the insulating layer 131 include acrylic resin, polyimide resin, epoxy resin, polyamide resin, polyimideamide resin, siloxane resin, benzocyclobutene resin, phenol resin, and precursors of these resins.

[0396] Alternatively, an inorganic insulating material may be used for the insulating layer 131. Examples of inorganic insulating materials that can be used for the insulating layer 131 include oxide or nitride films such as silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, aluminum oxynitride, and hafnium oxide. Alternatively, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide, gallium oxide, tantalum oxide, magnesium oxide, lanthanum oxide, cerium oxide, neodymium oxide, and the like may be used.

[0397] As shown in Figure 16B, a gap is provided between two material layers (also referred to as organic material layers) between light-emitting devices of different colors and between a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device. In this manner, it is preferable that the material layer 112R, the material layer 112B, and the common electrode 115 are arranged so as not to contact each other. This effectively prevents current from flowing through two adjacent material layers, which would otherwise cause unintended light emission. This allows for increased contrast and a display device with high display quality.

[0398] The material layer 112R, the material layer 112B, and the common electrode 115 preferably have a taper angle of 30 degrees or more. The material layer 112R, the material layer 112G, and the material layer 112B preferably have an angle between the side surface (surface) and the bottom surface (surface to be formed) at the end of the material layer 112R, the material layer 112G, and the material layer 112B of 30 degrees or more and 120 degrees or less, preferably 45 degrees or more and 120 degrees or less, and more preferably 60 degrees or more and 120 degrees or less. Alternatively, the material layer 112R, the material layer 112G, and the material layer 112B preferably each have a taper angle of 90 degrees or nearly 90 degrees (for example, 80 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less).

[0399] A protective layer 121 is provided on the common electrode 113. The protective layer 121 has a function of preventing impurities such as water from diffusing into each light-emitting device from above.

[0400] The protective layer 121 may have, for example, a single-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure including at least an inorganic insulating film. Examples of the inorganic insulating film include oxide films or nitride films such as a silicon oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film, a silicon nitride oxide film, a silicon nitride film, an aluminum oxide film, an aluminum oxynitride film, and a hafnium oxide film. Alternatively, the protective layer 121 may be made of a semiconductor material such as indium gallium oxide or indium gallium zinc oxide.

[0401] Furthermore, a laminated film of an inorganic insulating film and an organic insulating film can also be used as the protective layer 121. For example, a configuration in which an organic insulating film is sandwiched between a pair of inorganic insulating films is preferable. Furthermore, it is preferable that the organic insulating film functions as a planarizing film. This allows the upper surface of the organic insulating film to be flat, thereby improving the coverage of the inorganic insulating film thereon and enhancing the barrier properties. Furthermore, since the upper surface of the protective layer 121 is flat, when a structure (e.g., a color filter, a touch sensor electrode, a lens array, etc.) is provided above the protective layer 121, the influence of uneven shapes caused by the structure below can be reduced, which is preferable.

[0402] In the connection portion 130, a common electrode 113 is provided in contact with the connection electrode 111C, and a protective layer 121 is provided to cover the common electrode 113. Also, an insulating layer 131 is provided to cover the end of the connection electrode 111C.

[0403] A structural example of a display device partially different from that of Fig. 16B will be described below. Specifically, an example in which the insulating layer 131 is not provided will be described.

[0404] 17A to 17C show an example in which the side surface of the pixel electrode 111 and the side surface of the material layer 112R, the material layer 112B, or the common electrode 115 are substantially aligned.

[0405] 17A , the material layer 114 is provided to cover the upper and side surfaces of the material layer 112R, the material layer 112B, and the common electrode 115. The material layer 114 can prevent the pixel electrode 111 and the common electrode 113 from coming into contact with each other and causing an electrical short circuit.

[0406] 17B shows an example in which an insulating layer 125 is provided in contact with the material layer 112R, the material layer 112G, and the material layer 112B, as well as the side surface of the pixel electrode 111. The insulating layer 125 can effectively prevent an electrical short between the pixel electrode 111 and the common electrode 113 and a leakage current between them.

[0407] The insulating layer 125 can be an insulating layer containing an inorganic material. For example, an inorganic insulating film such as an oxide insulating film, a nitride insulating film, an oxynitride insulating film, or a nitride oxide insulating film can be used for the insulating layer 125. The insulating layer 125 may have a single-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure. Examples of oxide insulating films include a silicon oxide film, an aluminum oxide film, a magnesium oxide film, an indium gallium zinc oxide film, a gallium oxide film, a germanium oxide film, an yttrium oxide film, a zirconium oxide film, a lanthanum oxide film, a neodymium oxide film, a hafnium oxide film, and a tantalum oxide film. Examples of nitride insulating films include a silicon nitride film and an aluminum nitride film. Examples of oxynitride insulating films include a silicon oxynitride film and an aluminum oxynitride film. Examples of nitride oxide insulating films include a silicon nitride oxide film and an aluminum nitride oxide film. In particular, by using an inorganic insulating film such as an aluminum oxide film, a hafnium oxide film, or a silicon oxide film formed by an ALD method as the insulating layer 125, an insulating layer 125 with few pinholes and excellent protection of the organic material layer can be formed.

[0408] In this specification and elsewhere, an oxynitride refers to a material whose composition contains more oxygen than nitrogen, and a nitride oxide refers to a material whose composition contains more nitrogen than oxygen. For example, silicon oxynitride refers to a material whose composition contains more oxygen than nitrogen, and silicon nitride oxide refers to a material whose composition contains more nitrogen than oxygen.

[0409] The insulating layer 125 can be formed by a sputtering method, a CVD method, a PLD method, an ALD method, or the like. The insulating layer 125 is preferably formed by an ALD method because it has good coverage.

[0410] 17C , a resin layer 126 is provided between two adjacent light-emitting devices or between a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device so as to fill the gap between two opposing pixel electrodes and the gap between two opposing material layers. The resin layer 126 can flatten the surfaces on which the material layer 114, common electrode 113, etc. are formed, thereby preventing the common electrode 113 from being disconnected due to insufficient coverage of the step between adjacent light-emitting devices.

[0411] An insulating layer containing an organic material can be suitably used as the resin layer 126. For example, the resin layer 126 can be made of acrylic resin, polyimide resin, epoxy resin, imide resin, polyamide resin, polyimideamide resin, silicone resin, siloxane resin, benzocyclobutene-based resin, phenolic resin, or precursors of these resins. Alternatively, the resin layer 126 can be made of organic materials such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl butyral, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol, polyglycerin, pullulan, water-soluble cellulose, or alcohol-soluble polyamide resin. Alternatively, the resin layer 126 can be made of a photosensitive resin. A photoresist can be used as the photosensitive resin. The photosensitive resin can be a positive-type material or a negative-type material.

[0412] Furthermore, by using a colored material (for example, a material containing a black pigment) for the resin layer 126, the layer may be given the function of blocking stray light from adjacent pixels and suppressing color mixing.

[0413] 17D , an insulating layer 125 and a resin layer 126 are provided on the insulating layer 125. The insulating layer 125 prevents the material layer 112R and the like from contacting the resin layer 126, and therefore impurities such as moisture contained in the resin layer 126 can be prevented from diffusing into the material layer 112R and the like, thereby making it possible to provide a highly reliable display device.

[0414] In addition, a reflective film (e.g., a metal film containing one or more selected from silver, palladium, copper, titanium, aluminum, etc.) may be provided between the insulating layer 125 and the resin layer 126, and a mechanism for improving the light extraction efficiency may be provided by reflecting the light emitted from the light-emitting layer with the reflective film.

[0415] 18A to 18C show an example in which the width of the pixel electrode 111 is larger than the width of the material layer 112R, the material layer 112B, or the common electrode 115. The material layer 112R, etc. are provided inside the end of the pixel electrode 111.

[0416] 18A shows an example in which an insulating layer 125 is provided. The insulating layer 125 is provided to cover the side surfaces of the material layers included in the light-emitting device or the light-receiving device, and part of the upper surface and the side surfaces of the pixel electrode 111.

[0417] 18B shows an example in which a resin layer 126 is provided. The resin layer 126 is located between two adjacent light-emitting devices or between a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device, and is provided so as to cover the side surfaces of the material layer and the top and side surfaces of the pixel electrodes 111.

[0418] 18C shows an example in which both an insulating layer 125 and a resin layer 126 are provided. The insulating layer 125 is provided between the material layer 112R etc. and the resin layer 126.

[0419] 19A to 19D show examples where the width of the pixel electrode 111 is smaller than the width of the material layer 112R, the material layer 112B, or the common electrode 115. The material layer 112R, etc., extends outward beyond the edge of the pixel electrode 111.

[0420] 19B shows an example in which an insulating layer 125 is provided. The insulating layer 125 is provided in contact with the side surfaces of the material layers of two adjacent light-emitting devices. Note that the insulating layer 125 may be provided to cover not only the side surfaces of the material layers 112R, etc., but also part of the upper surfaces.

[0421] 19C shows an example having a resin layer 126. The resin layer 126 is located between two adjacent light-emitting devices and is provided so as to cover part of the side and upper surfaces of the material layer 112R, etc. Note that the resin layer 126 may be configured to contact the side surfaces of the material layer 112R, etc., but not cover the upper surfaces.

[0422] 19D shows an example in which both an insulating layer 125 and a resin layer 126 are provided. The insulating layer 125 is provided between the material layer 112R etc. and the resin layer 126.

[0423] Here, an example of the structure of the resin layer 126 will be described.

[0424] The flatter the upper surface of the resin layer 126, the better. However, depending on the irregularities of the surface on which the resin layer 126 is formed, the conditions under which the resin layer 126 is formed, and the like, the surface of the resin layer 126 may have a concave or convex shape.

[0425] 20A to 21F show enlarged views of an end portion of a pixel electrode 111R of the light-emitting device 90R, an end portion of a pixel electrode 111G of the light-emitting device 90G, and their vicinity. A material layer 112G is provided on the pixel electrode 111G.

[0426] 20A, 20B, and 20C show enlarged views of the resin layer 126 and its vicinity when the upper surface of the resin layer 126 is flat. Fig. 20A shows an example where the width of the material layer 112R etc. is larger than that of the pixel electrode 111. Fig. 20B shows an example where these widths are approximately the same. Fig. 20C shows an example where the width of the material layer 112R etc. is smaller than that of the pixel electrode 111.

[0427] 20A , since the material layer 112R is provided to cover the end of the pixel electrode 111, it is preferable that the end of the pixel electrode 111 has a tapered shape. This improves the step coverage of the material layer 112R, resulting in a highly reliable display device.

[0428] 20D, 20E, and 20F show examples in which the upper surface of the resin layer 126 is concave. In this case, concave portions that reflect the concave upper surface of the resin layer 126 are formed on the upper surfaces of the material layer 114, the common electrode 113, and the protective layer 121.

[0429] 21A, 21B, and 21C show an example in which the upper surface of the resin layer 126 is convex. In this case, convex portions that reflect the convex upper surface of the resin layer 126 are formed on the upper surfaces of the material layer 114, the common electrode 113, and the protective layer 121.

[0430] 21D, 21E, and 21F show examples in which part of the resin layer 126 covers the upper end and part of the upper surface of the material layer 112R and the upper end and part of the upper surface of the material layer 112G. In this case, an insulating layer 125 is provided between the resin layer 126 and the upper surface of the material layer 112R or the material layer 112G.

[0431] 21D, 21E, and 21F show an example in which a portion of the upper surface of the resin layer 126 is concave. In this case, the material layer 114, the common electrode 113, and the protective layer 121 are formed with concave and convex shapes that reflect the shape of the resin layer 126.

[0432] The above is a description of the configuration example of the resin layer.

[0433] This embodiment mode can be implemented by appropriately combining at least a part thereof with other embodiment modes described in this specification.

[0434] In this embodiment, a structural example of a display device that can be used as a light-emitting and receiving device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described. Here, a display device that can display an image will be described, but the light-emitting device can also be used as a light-emitting and receiving device by using it as a light source.

[0435] The display device of the present embodiment can be a high-resolution display device or a large-sized display device. Therefore, the display device of the present embodiment can be used in electronic devices having relatively large screens, such as television devices, desktop or notebook personal computers, computer monitors, digital signage, and large game machines such as pachinko machines, as well as in the display units of digital cameras, digital video cameras, digital photo frames, mobile phones, portable game machines, smartphones, wristwatch-type terminals, tablet terminals, personal digital assistants, and sound reproducing devices.

[0436] [Display Device 400] FIG. 22 shows a perspective view of display device 400, and FIG. 23A shows a cross-sectional view of display device 400.

[0437] The display device 400 has a configuration in which a substrate 452 and a substrate 451 are bonded together. In Fig. 22, the substrate 452 is clearly indicated by a dashed line.

[0438] The display device 400 has a display portion 462, a circuit 464, wiring 465, and the like. Fig. 22 shows an example in which an electrode 473 is provided in the display device 400. Therefore, the configuration shown in Fig. 23 can also be called a display module having the display device 400. Note that the electrode 473 can also be called a through electrode for connecting to a wiring layer on a support via an opening formed in the substrate 451. In addition, an IC (integrated circuit) such as a driver circuit may be connected to the electrode 473.

[0439] The circuit 464 can be, for example, a scanning line driver circuit.

[0440] When signals and power are supplied to the display portion 462 and the circuit 464, they are input to various wirings from the outside through wiring layers or electrodes formed on the support body shown in Embodiment Mode 1.

[0441] 23A shows an example of a cross section obtained by cutting a part of circuit 464, a part of display unit 462, and a part of a region including a connection portion of display device 400. In FIG. 23A, an example of a cross section obtained by cutting a region of display unit 462 that includes light-emitting device 430b that emits green light (G) and light-receiving device 440 that receives reflected light (L) is shown.

[0442] The display device 400 shown in FIG. 23A includes the transistor 252, the transistor 260, the transistor 258, the light-emitting device 430b, the light-receiving device 440, and the like between a substrate 453 and a substrate 454.

[0443] The light emitting device or light receiving device exemplified above can be applied to the light emitting device 430b and the light receiving device 440.

[0444] Here, when a pixel of a display device has three types of subpixels having light-emitting devices that emit different colors, the three subpixels include subpixels of three colors: red (R), green (G), and blue (B), or subpixels of three colors: yellow (Y), cyan (C), and magenta (M). When a pixel of a display device has four subpixels, the four subpixels include subpixels of four colors: R, G, B, and white (W), or subpixels of four colors: R, G, B, and Y. Alternatively, the subpixels may be equipped with light-emitting devices that emit infrared light.

[0445] The light receiving device 440 may be a photoelectric conversion element sensitive to light in the red, green, or blue wavelength range, or a photoelectric conversion element sensitive to light in the infrared wavelength range.

[0446] The substrate 454 and the protective layer 416 are bonded together via an adhesive layer 442. The adhesive layer 442 is provided to overlap the light-emitting device 430b and the light-receiving device 440, respectively, and a solid sealing structure is applied to the display device 400. A light-shielding layer 417 is provided on the substrate 454.

[0447] The light-emitting device 430b and the light-receiving device 440 each have a conductive layer 411a, a conductive layer 411b, and a conductive layer 411c as pixel electrodes. The conductive layer 411b is reflective to visible light and functions as a reflective electrode. The conductive layer 411c is transparent to visible light and functions as an optical adjustment layer.

[0448] A conductive layer 411a included in the light-emitting device 430b is connected to a conductive layer 272b included in the transistor 260 through an opening provided in the insulating layer 264. The transistor 260 has a function of controlling driving of the light-emitting device. On the other hand, the conductive layer 411a included in the light-receiving device 440 is electrically connected to a conductive layer 272b included in the transistor 258. The transistor 258 has a function of controlling timing of exposure using the light-receiving device 440, etc.

[0449] An EL layer 412G or a photoelectric conversion layer 412S is provided to cover the pixel electrode. An insulating layer 421 is provided in contact with the side surface of the EL layer 412G and the side surface of the photoelectric conversion layer 412S, and a resin layer 422 is provided to fill the recessed portion of the insulating layer 421. An organic material layer 414, a common electrode 413, and a protective layer 416 are provided to cover the EL layer 412G and the photoelectric conversion layer 412S. By providing the protective layer 416 that covers the light-emitting device, impurities such as water can be prevented from entering the light-emitting device, and the reliability of the light-emitting device can be improved.

[0450] Light G emitted by the light emitting device 430b is emitted toward the substrate 454. The light receiving device 440 receives light L incident thereon through the substrate 454 and converts it into an electrical signal. The substrate 454 is preferably made of a material that is highly transparent to visible light.

[0451] The transistor 252, the transistor 260, and the transistor 258 are all formed over a substrate 453. These transistors can be manufactured using the same material and through the same process.

[0452] Note that the transistor 252, the transistor 260, and the transistor 258 may be fabricated to have different structures. For example, transistors may be fabricated with or without a back gate, or transistors may be fabricated with different materials and / or thicknesses of semiconductors, gate electrodes, gate insulating layers, source electrodes, and drain electrodes.

[0453] The substrate 453 and the insulating layer 262 are bonded together by an adhesive layer 455 .

[0454] In a method for manufacturing the display device 400, first, a formation substrate provided with the insulating layer 262, the transistors, the light-emitting devices, the light-receiving devices, and the like is bonded to a substrate 454 provided with a light-shielding layer 417 with an adhesive layer 442. Then, the formation substrate is peeled off, and a substrate 453 is attached to the exposed surface, so that each component formed on the formation substrate is transferred to the substrate 453. The substrate 453 and the substrate 454 each preferably have flexibility. This can increase the flexibility of the display device 400.

[0455] The transistor 252, the transistor 260, and the transistor 258 each include a conductive layer 271 functioning as a gate, an insulating layer 261 functioning as a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer 281 including a channel formation region 281i and a pair of low-resistance regions 281n, a conductive layer 272a connected to one of the pair of low-resistance regions 281n, a conductive layer 272b connected to the other of the pair of low-resistance regions 281n, an insulating layer 275 functioning as a gate insulating layer, a conductive layer 273 functioning as a gate, and an insulating layer 265 covering the conductive layer 273. The insulating layer 261 is located between the conductive layer 271 and the channel formation region 281i. The insulating layer 275 is located between the conductive layer 273 and the channel formation region 281i.

[0456] The conductive layer 272a and the conductive layer 272b are each connected to the low-resistance region 281n through an opening provided in the insulating layer 265. One of the conductive layer 272a and the conductive layer 272b functions as a source, and the other functions as a drain.

[0457] 23A shows an example in which the top surface and side surfaces of the semiconductor layer are covered with an insulating layer 275. The conductive layer 272a and the conductive layer 272b are connected to the low-resistance region 281n through openings provided in the insulating layer 275 and the insulating layer 265, respectively.

[0458] 23B , the insulating layer 275 overlaps with the channel formation region 281i of the semiconductor layer 281 but does not overlap with the low-resistance region 281n. For example, the insulating layer 275 is processed using the conductive layer 273 as a mask, thereby manufacturing the structure shown in FIG. 23B . In FIG. 23B , the insulating layer 265 is provided to cover the insulating layer 275 and the conductive layer 273, and the conductive layer 272a and the conductive layer 272b are connected to the low-resistance region 281n through openings in the insulating layer 265. Furthermore, an insulating layer 268 may be provided to cover the transistor.

[0459] The structure of the transistor included in the display device of this embodiment is not particularly limited. For example, a planar transistor, a staggered transistor, an inverted staggered transistor, or the like can be used. Furthermore, either a top-gate transistor or a bottom-gate transistor structure may be used. Alternatively, gates may be provided above and below a semiconductor layer in which a channel is formed.

[0460] The transistors 252, 260, and 258 each have a structure in which a semiconductor layer in which a channel is formed is sandwiched between two gates. The two gates may be connected and the same signal may be supplied to drive the transistor. Alternatively, the threshold voltage of the transistor may be controlled by applying a potential for controlling the threshold voltage to one of the two gates and a potential for driving the other.

[0461] The crystallinity of a semiconductor material used for a semiconductor layer of a transistor is not particularly limited, and any of an amorphous semiconductor, a single-crystal semiconductor, and a semiconductor having crystallinity other than single crystal (a microcrystalline semiconductor, a polycrystalline semiconductor, or a semiconductor having a crystalline region in part) may be used. The use of a single-crystal semiconductor or a crystalline semiconductor is preferable because it can suppress deterioration of transistor characteristics.

[0462] The semiconductor layer of the transistor preferably includes a metal oxide (also referred to as an oxide semiconductor). That is, the display device of this embodiment preferably includes a transistor using a metal oxide for a channel formation region (hereinafter referred to as an OS transistor).

[0463] The band gap of the metal oxide used for the semiconductor layer of the transistor is preferably 2 eV or more, more preferably 2.5 eV or more. Use of a metal oxide with a wide band gap can reduce the off-state current of the OS transistor.

[0464] Alternatively, the semiconductor layer of the transistor may contain silicon, such as amorphous silicon or crystalline silicon (such as low-temperature polysilicon or single-crystal silicon).

[0465] In particular, low-temperature polysilicon has a relatively high mobility and can be formed over a glass substrate, and therefore can be suitably used in display devices. For example, a transistor using low-temperature polysilicon for a semiconductor layer can be applied to the transistor 252 in the driver circuit, and a transistor using an oxide semiconductor for a semiconductor layer can be applied to the transistor 260 and the transistor 258 provided in the pixel.

[0466] Alternatively, the semiconductor layer of the transistor may include a layered material that functions as a semiconductor. A layered material is a general term for a group of materials having a layered crystal structure. A layered crystal structure is a structure in which layers formed by covalent bonds or ionic bonds are stacked via bonds weaker than covalent bonds or ionic bonds, such as van der Waals forces. A layered material has high electrical conductivity within a unit layer, that is, high two-dimensional electrical conductivity. By using a material that functions as a semiconductor and has high two-dimensional electrical conductivity in the channel formation region, a transistor with a large on-state current can be provided.

[0467] Examples of the layered material include graphene, silicene, and chalcogenides. Chalcogenides are compounds containing chalcogen (an element belonging to Group 16). Examples of chalcogenides include transition metal chalcogenides and Group 13 chalcogenides. Specific examples of transition metal chalcogenides that can be used as semiconductor layers of transistors include molybdenum sulfide (typically MoS ２ ), molybdenum selenide (typically MoSe ２ ), molybdenum telluride (typically MoTe ２), tungsten sulfide (typically WS ２ ), tungsten selenide (typically WSe ２ ), tungsten tellurium (typically WTe ２ ), hafnium sulfide (typically HfS ２ ), hafnium selenide (typically HfSe ２ ), zirconium sulfide (typically ZrS ２ ), zirconium selenide (typically ZrSe ２ ) etc.

[0468] The transistors included in the circuit 464 may have the same structure as or different from the transistors included in the display portion 462. The transistors included in the circuit 464 may all have the same structure or may have two or more types of structures. Similarly, the transistors included in the display portion 462 may all have the same structure or may have two or more types of structures.

[0469] At least one insulating layer covering the transistor is preferably made of a material that is resistant to the diffusion of impurities such as water and hydrogen. This allows the insulating layer to function as a barrier layer. With this structure, it is possible to effectively prevent impurities from diffusing into the transistor from the outside, thereby improving the reliability of the display device.

[0470] It is preferable to use an inorganic insulating film for each of the insulating layers 261, 262, 265, 268, and 275. Examples of the inorganic insulating film that can be used include a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxynitride film, a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride oxide film, an aluminum oxide film, and an aluminum nitride film. Alternatively, a hafnium oxide film, an yttrium oxide film, a zirconium oxide film, a gallium oxide film, a tantalum oxide film, a magnesium oxide film, a lanthanum oxide film, a cerium oxide film, and a neodymium oxide film may also be used. Two or more of the above-described inorganic insulating films may be stacked.

[0471] Here, organic insulating films often have lower barrier properties than inorganic insulating films. Therefore, it is preferable that the organic insulating film has an opening near the edge of the display device 400. This makes it possible to prevent impurities from entering from the edge of the display device 400 through the organic insulating film. Alternatively, the organic insulating film may be formed so that the edge of the organic insulating film is located inside the edge of the display device 400, so that the organic insulating film is not exposed at the edge of the display device 400.

[0472] An organic insulating film is suitable for the insulating layer 264 that functions as a planarizing layer. Materials that can be used for the organic insulating film include acrylic resin, polyimide resin, epoxy resin, polyamide resin, polyimideamide resin, siloxane resin, benzocyclobutene resin, phenol resin, and precursors of these resins.

[0473] It is preferable to provide a light-shielding layer 417 on the surface of substrate 454 facing substrate 453. Various optical members can be arranged on the outside of substrate 454. Examples of optical members include a polarizing plate, a retardation plate, a light diffusion layer (such as a diffusion film), an anti-reflection layer, and a light-collecting film. The outside of substrate 454 may also be arranged with an antistatic film that suppresses the adhesion of dust, a water-repellent film that makes it difficult for dirt to adhere, a hard coat film that suppresses the occurrence of scratches during use, an impact absorbing layer, or the like.

[0474] 23A shows a connection portion 278. The common electrode 413 and a wiring are electrically connected at the connection portion 278. FIG. 23A shows an example in which the same layered structure as that of the pixel electrode is applied to the wiring.

[0475] The substrate 453 and the substrate 454 can each be made of glass, quartz, ceramic, sapphire, resin, metal, alloy, semiconductor, or the like. A material that transmits light is used for the substrate on the side from which light is extracted from the light-emitting device. Using a flexible material for the substrate 453 and the substrate 454 can increase the flexibility of the display device. Alternatively, a polarizing plate may be used for the substrate 453 or the substrate 454.

[0476] The substrates 453 and 454 may each be made of a polyester resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), a polyacrylonitrile resin, an acrylic resin, a polyimide resin, a polymethyl methacrylate resin, a polycarbonate (PC) resin, a polyethersulfone (PES) resin, a polyamide resin (nylon, aramid, etc.), a polysiloxane resin, a cycloolefin resin, a polystyrene resin, a polyamideimide resin, a polyurethane resin, a polyvinyl chloride resin, a polyvinylidene chloride resin, a polypropylene resin, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resin, an ABS resin, or a cellulose nanofiber. One or both of the substrates 453 and 454 may be made of glass having a thickness sufficient to provide flexibility.

[0477] When a circularly polarizing plate is superimposed on a display device, it is preferable that the display device has a substrate with high optical isotropy. A substrate with high optical isotropy has small birefringence (or a small amount of birefringence).

[0478] The absolute value of the retardation (phase difference) of a substrate having high optical isotropy is preferably 30 nm or less, more preferably 20 nm or less, and even more preferably 10 nm or less.

[0479] Examples of films with high optical isotropy include triacetyl cellulose (TAC, also known as cellulose triacetate) films, cycloolefin polymer (COP) films, cycloolefin copolymer (COC) films, and acrylic resin films.

[0480] Furthermore, when a film is used as a substrate, the film may absorb water, causing deformation such as wrinkles in the display panel. Therefore, it is preferable to use a film with low water absorption for the substrate. For example, it is preferable to use a film with a water absorption rate of 1% or less, more preferably 0.1% or less, and even more preferably 0.01% or less.

[0481] The adhesive layer can be made of various curable adhesives, such as photocurable adhesives (e.g., ultraviolet curable), reactive curable adhesives, thermosetting adhesives, and anaerobic adhesives. Examples of such adhesives include epoxy resin, acrylic resin, silicone resin, phenolic resin, polyimide resin, imide resin, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) resin, PVB (polyvinyl butyral) resin, and EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) resin. Materials with low moisture permeability, such as epoxy resin, are particularly preferred. Two-component resins may also be used. Adhesive sheets, etc., may also be used.

[0482] The connection layer may be an anisotropic conductive film (ACF), an anisotropic conductive paste (ACP), or the like.

[0483] Materials that can be used for conductive layers such as the gate, source, and drain of a transistor, as well as various wirings and electrodes that constitute a display device include metals such as aluminum, titanium, chromium, nickel, copper, yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, silver, tantalum, and tungsten, and alloys containing these metals as main components, etc. Films containing these materials can be used as a single layer or a stacked layer structure.

[0484] Examples of light-transmitting conductive materials include conductive oxides such as indium oxide, indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, zinc oxide, and zinc oxide containing gallium, or graphene. Alternatively, metal materials such as gold, silver, platinum, magnesium, nickel, tungsten, chromium, molybdenum, iron, cobalt, copper, palladium, and titanium, or alloy materials containing such metal materials, may be used. Alternatively, nitrides of such metal materials (e.g., titanium nitride) may be used. When using metal materials or alloy materials (or their nitrides), it is preferable to thin the metal materials to a degree that they have light-transmitting properties. A stacked film of the above materials may be used as the conductive layer.

[0485] Examples of insulating materials that can be used for each insulating layer include resins such as acrylic resin and epoxy resin, and inorganic insulating materials such as silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, silicon nitride, and aluminum oxide.

[0486] At least a part of the configuration examples exemplified in this embodiment and the corresponding drawings can be combined as appropriate with other configuration examples or drawings.

[0487] This embodiment mode can be implemented by appropriately combining at least a part thereof with other embodiment modes described in this specification.

[0488] Embodiment 10 In this embodiment, an example of a display device including a light-receiving device or the like according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0489] In the display device of this embodiment, a pixel can be configured to have a plurality of types of subpixels having light-emitting devices that emit different colors. For example, a pixel can be configured to have three types of subpixels. Examples of the three subpixels include subpixels of three colors: red (R), green (G), and blue (B), and subpixels of three colors: yellow (Y), cyan (C), and magenta (M). Alternatively, a pixel can be configured to have four types of subpixels. Examples of the four subpixels include subpixels of four colors: R, G, B, and white (W), and subpixels of four colors: R, G, B, and Y.

[0490] The arrangement of the sub-pixels is not particularly limited, and various methods can be applied, such as a stripe arrangement, an S-stripe arrangement, a matrix arrangement, a delta arrangement, a Bayer arrangement, and a pentile arrangement.

[0491] Examples of the top surface shape of the sub-pixel include a polygon such as a triangle, a quadrangle (including a rectangle and a square), a pentagon, a polygon with rounded corners, an ellipse, a circle, etc. The top surface shape of the sub-pixel here corresponds to the top surface shape of the light-emitting region of the light-emitting device.

[0492] In a display device having a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device in each pixel, the pixel has a light-receiving function, so that it is possible to detect contact or proximity of an object while displaying an image. For example, in addition to displaying an image using all of the sub-pixels of the display device, some of the sub-pixels can emit light as a light source and the remaining sub-pixels can display an image.

[0493] The pixel shown in FIGS. 24A, 24B, and 24C includes subpixels G, B, R, and PS.

[0494] The pixels shown in Fig. 24A are arranged in a stripe pattern, while the pixels shown in Fig. 24B are arranged in a matrix pattern.

[0495] The pixel array shown in FIG. 24C has a configuration in which three subpixels (subpixel R, subpixel G, and subpixel PS) are vertically aligned next to one subpixel (subpixel B).

[0496] The pixel shown in FIG. 24D has subpixels G, B, R, IR, and PS.

[0497] 24D shows an example in which one pixel is provided across two rows, with the upper row (first row) having three subpixels (subpixels G, B, and R), and the lower row (second row) having two subpixels (one subpixel PS and one subpixel IR).

[0498] The layout of the sub-pixels is not limited to the configurations shown in FIGS. 24A to 24D.

[0499] Subpixel R has a light-emitting device that emits red light. Subpixel G has a light-emitting device that emits green light. Subpixel B has a light-emitting device that emits blue light. Subpixel IR has a light-emitting device that emits infrared light. Subpixel PS has a light-receiving device. The wavelength of light detected by subpixel PS is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the light-receiving device of subpixel PS is sensitive to light emitted by the light-emitting device of subpixel R, subpixel G, subpixel B, or subpixel IR. For example, it is preferable to detect one or more of light in wavelength ranges such as blue, purple, blue-purple, green, yellow-green, yellow, orange, and red, and light in the infrared wavelength range.

[0500] The light-receiving area of ​​the subpixel PS is smaller than the light-emitting area of ​​the other subpixels. The smaller the light-receiving area, the narrower the imaging range, which makes it possible to suppress blurring in the imaging result and improve the resolution. Therefore, by using the subpixel PS, it is possible to perform imaging with high definition or high resolution. For example, the subpixel PS can be used to perform imaging for personal authentication using fingerprints, palm prints, irises, pulse shapes (including vein shapes and arterial shapes), faces, etc.

[0501] The subpixel PS can be used as a touch sensor (also called a direct touch sensor) or a near-touch sensor (also called a hover sensor, hover touch sensor, non-contact sensor, or touchless sensor). For example, the subpixel PS preferably detects infrared light, which enables touch detection even in dark places.

[0502] Here, the touch sensor or near-touch sensor can detect the proximity or contact of an object (such as a finger, hand, or pen). The touch sensor can detect an object when the display device and the object are in direct contact with each other. The near-touch sensor can detect an object even if the object does not touch the display device. For example, it is preferable that the display device be configured to detect the object when the distance between the display device and the object is in the range of 0.1 mm to 300 mm, preferably 3 mm to 50 mm. This configuration makes it possible to operate the display device without the object directly touching it, in other words, to operate the display device in a non-contact (touchless) manner. This configuration reduces the risk of the display device becoming dirty or scratched, or makes it possible to operate the display device without the object directly touching dirt (e.g., dust, viruses, etc.) attached to the display device.

[0503] The non-contact sensor function can also be called a hover sensor function, a hover-touch sensor function, a near-touch sensor function, a touchless sensor function, etc. The touch sensor function can also be called a direct touch sensor function, etc.

[0504] Furthermore, the display device of one embodiment of the present invention can have a variable refresh rate. For example, the refresh rate can be adjusted (for example, within a range of 0.01 Hz to 240 Hz) depending on the content displayed on the display device, thereby reducing power consumption. Furthermore, driving that reduces the power consumption of the display device by driving it at a reduced refresh rate may be called idling stop (IDS) driving.

[0505] The drive frequency of the touch sensor or near-touch sensor may be changed depending on the refresh rate. For example, if the refresh rate of the display device is 120 Hz, the drive frequency of the touch sensor or near-touch sensor may be set to a frequency higher than 120 Hz (typically 240 Hz). This configuration enables low power consumption and an increased response speed of the touch sensor or near-touch sensor.

[0506] In order to capture high-resolution images, it is preferable that the sub-pixels PS be provided in all pixels of the display device. On the other hand, when used in a touch sensor or near-touch sensor, the sub-pixels PS do not require high accuracy compared to when capturing images of fingerprints, etc., so they may be provided in only some of the pixels of the display device. By making the number of sub-pixels PS in the display device smaller than the number of sub-pixels R, etc., the detection speed can be increased.

[0507] FIG. 24E shows an example of a pixel circuit of a sub-pixel having a light receiving device, and FIG. 24F shows an example of a pixel circuit of a sub-pixel having a light emitting device.

[0508] 24E includes a light receiving device PD, a transistor M11, a transistor M12, a transistor M13, a transistor M14, and a capacitance element C2. Here, an example is shown in which a photodiode is used as the light receiving device PD.

[0509] The light-receiving device PD has an anode electrically connected to the wiring V1 and a cathode electrically connected to one of the source and drain of the transistor M11. The transistor M11 has a gate electrically connected to the wiring TX and the other of the source and drain electrically connected to one electrode of the capacitor C2, one of the source and drain of the transistor M12, and the gate of the transistor M13. The transistor M12 has a gate electrically connected to the wiring RES and the other of the source and drain electrically connected to the wiring V2. The transistor M13 has one of the source and drain electrically connected to the wiring V3 and the other of the source and drain electrically connected to one of the source and drain of the transistor M14. The transistor M14 has a gate electrically connected to the wiring SE and the other of the source and drain electrically connected to the wiring OUT1.

[0510] A constant potential is supplied to the wiring V1, the wiring V2, and the wiring V3. When the light-receiving device PD is driven with a reverse bias, a potential higher than the potential of the wiring V1 is supplied to the wiring V2. The transistor M12 is controlled by a signal supplied to the wiring RES and has a function of resetting the potential of a node connected to the gate of the transistor M13 to the potential supplied to the wiring V2. The transistor M11 is controlled by a signal supplied to the wiring TX and has a function of controlling the timing at which the potential of the node changes depending on the current flowing through the light-receiving device PD. The transistor M13 functions as an amplifying transistor that outputs according to the potential of the node. The transistor M14 is controlled by a signal supplied to the wiring SE and functions as a selection transistor that reads out an output according to the potential of the node to an external circuit connected to the wiring OUT1.

[0511] 24F includes a light-emitting device EL, transistors M15, M16, and M17, and a capacitance element C3. Here, an example is shown in which a light-emitting diode is used as the light-emitting device EL. It is particularly preferable to use an organic EL device as the light-emitting device EL.

[0512] The transistor M15 has a gate electrically connected to a wiring VG, one of its source or drain electrically connected to a wiring VS, and the other of its source or drain electrically connected to one electrode of a capacitor C3 and the gate of a transistor M16. One of the source or drain of the transistor M16 is electrically connected to a wiring V4, and the other is electrically connected to an anode of a light-emitting device EL and one of the source or drain of a transistor M17. The transistor M17 has a gate electrically connected to a wiring MS, and the other of its source or drain electrically connected to a wiring OUT2. The cathode of the light-emitting device EL is electrically connected to a wiring V5.

[0513] A constant potential is supplied to the wiring V4 and the wiring V5. The anode side of the light-emitting device EL can be set to a high potential, and the cathode side can be set to a lower potential than the anode side. The transistor M15 is controlled by a signal supplied to the wiring VG and functions as a selection transistor for controlling the selection state of the pixel circuit PIX2. The transistor M16 also functions as a drive transistor that controls the current flowing through the light-emitting device EL depending on the potential supplied to its gate. When the transistor M15 is in a conductive state, the potential supplied to the wiring VS is supplied to the gate of the transistor M16, and the light emission brightness of the light-emitting device EL can be controlled depending on the potential. The transistor M17 is controlled by a signal supplied to the wiring MS and has the function of outputting the potential between the transistor M16 and the light-emitting device EL to the outside via the wiring OUT2.

[0514] Here, it is preferable to use transistors that use a metal oxide (oxide semiconductor) in a semiconductor layer in which a channel is formed for the transistors M11, M12, M13, and M14 included in the pixel circuit PIX1, and the transistors M15, M16, and M17 included in the pixel circuit PIX2.

[0515] A transistor using a metal oxide, which has a wider band gap and a lower carrier density than silicon, can achieve an extremely small off-state current. Therefore, the small off-state current allows charge stored in a capacitor connected in series to the transistor to be held for a long period of time. Therefore, it is preferable to use a transistor including an oxide semiconductor for the transistor M11, the transistor M12, and the transistor M15, which are connected in series to the capacitor C2 or the capacitor C3. Furthermore, by using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor for other transistors as well, manufacturing costs can be reduced. However, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. A transistor using silicon for a semiconductor layer (hereinafter also referred to as a Si transistor) may also be used.

[0516] Note that the off-state current of an OS transistor per 1 μm of channel width at room temperature is 1 aA (1×10 −１８ A) Below, 1zA (1×10 −２１ A) or less, or 1yA (1 x 10 −２４ Note that the off-state current of a Si transistor per 1 μm of channel width at room temperature can be 1 fA (1×10 −１５ A) More than 1pA (1×10 −１２ Therefore, it can be said that the off-state current of an OS transistor is about 10 orders of magnitude lower than that of a Si transistor.

[0517] A display device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an OS transistor and a light-emitting device with a metal maskless (MML) structure. This structure can significantly reduce leakage current that may flow through the transistor and leakage current that may flow between adjacent light-emitting devices (also referred to as lateral leakage current or side leakage current). Furthermore, when an image is displayed on the display device, the viewer can observe one or more of image clarity, image sharpness, and a high contrast ratio. By using a structure in which the leakage current that may flow through the transistor and the lateral leakage current between the light-emitting devices are extremely low, a display with extremely low light leakage that may occur during black display (also referred to as true black display) can be achieved.

[0518] Furthermore, in order to increase the emission luminance of a light-emitting device included in a pixel circuit, it is necessary to increase the amount of current flowing through the light-emitting device. To achieve this, it is necessary to increase the source-drain voltage of a driving transistor included in the pixel circuit. Since an OS transistor has a higher source-drain withstand voltage than a Si transistor, a high voltage can be applied between the source and drain of the OS transistor. Therefore, by using an OS transistor as the driving transistor included in a pixel circuit, a high voltage can be applied between the source and drain of the OS transistor, thereby increasing the amount of current flowing through the light-emitting device and increasing the emission luminance of the light-emitting device.

[0519] Furthermore, when a transistor operates in the saturation region, an OS transistor can reduce the change in source-drain current caused by a change in gate-source voltage compared to a Si transistor. Therefore, by using an OS transistor as a driving transistor included in a pixel circuit, the current flowing between the source and drain can be precisely determined by changing the gate-source voltage, and the amount of current flowing through the light-emitting device can be precisely controlled. Therefore, the light emission luminance of the light-emitting device can be precisely controlled (the gradation in the pixel circuit can be increased).

[0520] Furthermore, in terms of the saturation characteristics of the current that flows when a transistor operates in a saturation region, an OS transistor can flow a constant current (saturation current) that is more stable than a Si transistor, even when the source-drain voltage gradually increases. Therefore, by using an OS transistor as a driving transistor, a stable constant current can be flowed through a light-emitting device, for example, even when the current-voltage characteristics of a light-emitting device containing an EL material vary. In other words, when an OS transistor operates in a saturation region, the source-drain current hardly changes even when the source-drain voltage increases, and therefore the light-emitting luminance of the light-emitting device can be stabilized.

[0521] As described above, by using an OS transistor as a driving transistor included in a pixel circuit, it is possible to achieve "suppression of floating black," "increase in light-emitting luminance," "multiple gray levels," "suppression of variations in light-emitting devices," and the like. Therefore, a display device including the pixel circuit can display clear and smooth images, and as a result, one or more of image clarity, image sharpness, and a high contrast ratio can be observed. Furthermore, by configuring the driving transistor included in the pixel circuit to have an extremely low off-state current, black display in the display device can be achieved with extremely little light leakage (true black display).

[0522] Alternatively, the transistors M11 to M17 may be transistors in which silicon is used for a semiconductor layer in which a channel is formed. In particular, using silicon with high crystallinity, such as single crystal silicon or polycrystalline silicon, is preferable because high field-effect mobility can be achieved and higher-speed operation is possible.

[0523] Alternatively, one or more of the transistors M11 to M17 may be a transistor including an oxide semiconductor (OS transistor), and the remaining transistors may be silicon transistors (Si transistors). Note that the Si transistors may be low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) transistors (hereinafter referred to as LTPS transistors). A combination of an OS transistor and an LTPS transistor may be referred to as LTPO. The LTPO configuration allows the use of an LTPS transistor with high mobility and an OS transistor with low off-state current, thereby providing a display panel with high display quality.

[0524] Although the transistors are shown as n-channel transistors in FIGS. 24E and 24F, p-channel transistors can also be used.

[0525] The transistors of the pixel circuit PIX1 and the transistors of the pixel circuit PIX2 are preferably formed side by side on the same substrate. In particular, it is preferable that the transistors of the pixel circuit PIX1 and the transistors of the pixel circuit PIX2 are mixed and periodically arranged in one region.

[0526] Furthermore, it is preferable to provide one or more layers including one or both of a transistor and a capacitor at a position overlapping the light receiving device PD or the light emitting device EL, thereby reducing the effective area occupied by each pixel circuit and realizing a high-definition light receiving section or display section.

[0527] This embodiment mode can be implemented by appropriately combining at least a part thereof with other embodiment modes described in this specification.

[0528] Embodiment 11 In this embodiment, a metal oxide (also referred to as an oxide semiconductor) that can be used for the OS transistor described in the above embodiments will be described.

[0529] The metal oxide used in the OS transistor preferably contains at least indium or zinc, and more preferably contains indium and zinc. For example, the metal oxide preferably contains indium, M (M is one or more selected from gallium, aluminum, yttrium, tin, silicon, boron, copper, vanadium, beryllium, titanium, iron, nickel, germanium, zirconium, molybdenum, lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, magnesium, and cobalt), and zinc. In particular, M is preferably one or more selected from gallium, aluminum, yttrium, and tin, and more preferably gallium.

[0530] In particular, an oxide containing indium (In), gallium (Ga), and zinc (Zn) (also referred to as IGZO) is preferably used as the metal oxide used in an OS transistor. Alternatively, an oxide containing indium (In), aluminum (Al), and zinc (Zn) (also referred to as IAZO) may be used as the metal oxide used in an OS transistor. Alternatively, an oxide containing indium (In), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), and zinc (Zn) (IAGZO) may be used as the metal oxide used in an OS transistor.

[0531] The metal oxide can be formed by a sputtering method, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method such as a metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) method, or an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method.

[0532] Hereinafter, an oxide containing indium (In), gallium (Ga), and zinc (Zn) will be described as an example of a metal oxide. Note that an oxide containing indium (In), gallium (Ga), and zinc (Zn) may be referred to as an In—Ga—Zn oxide.

[0533] <Classification of Crystal Structure> Examples of the crystal structure of an oxide semiconductor include amorphous (including completely amorphous), c-axis-aligned crystalline line (CAAC), nanocrystalline line (nc), cloud-aligned composite (CAC), single crystal, and polycrystalline.

[0534] The crystalline structure of a film or substrate can be evaluated using an X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum. For example, it can be evaluated using an XRD spectrum obtained by GIXD (Grazing-Incident XRD) measurement. The GIXD method is also called the thin film method or the Seemann-Bohlin method. In the following, the XRD spectrum obtained by GIXD measurement may be simply referred to as the XRD spectrum.

[0535] For example, in the case of a quartz glass substrate, the peak shape of the XRD spectrum is almost symmetrical. On the other hand, in the case of an In-Ga-Zn oxide film having a crystalline structure, the peak shape of the XRD spectrum is asymmetrical. The asymmetrical peak shape of the XRD spectrum clearly indicates the presence of crystals in the film or substrate. In other words, if the peak shape of the XRD spectrum is not symmetrical, it cannot be said that the film or substrate is in an amorphous state.

[0536] Furthermore, the crystalline structure of a film or substrate can be evaluated by a diffraction pattern (also referred to as a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern) observed by nanobeam electron diffraction (NBED). For example, a halo is observed in the diffraction pattern of a quartz glass substrate, confirming that the quartz glass is in an amorphous state. Furthermore, a spot-like pattern is observed in the diffraction pattern of an In—Ga—Zn oxide film formed at room temperature, rather than a halo. For this reason, it is estimated that the In—Ga—Zn oxide formed at room temperature is neither single crystal nor polycrystal, nor in an amorphous state, but is in an intermediate state, and it cannot be concluded that it is in an amorphous state.

[0537] <<Structure of Oxide Semiconductor>> Note that oxide semiconductors may be classified differently from the above when focusing on their structures. For example, oxide semiconductors are classified into single-crystal oxide semiconductors and other non-single-crystal oxide semiconductors. Examples of non-single-crystal oxide semiconductors include the above-mentioned CAAC-OS and nc-OS. Non-single-crystal oxide semiconductors include polycrystalline oxide semiconductors, pseudo-amorphous-like oxide semiconductors (a-like OSs), amorphous oxide semiconductors, and the like.

[0538] Here, the above-mentioned CAAC-OS, nc-OS, and a-like OS will be described in detail.

[0539] [CAAC-OS] A CAAC-OS is an oxide semiconductor having multiple crystalline regions, each with its c-axis aligned in a specific direction. The specific direction refers to the thickness direction of the CAAC-OS film, the normal direction to the surface where the CAAC-OS film is formed, or the normal direction to the surface of the CAAC-OS film. A crystalline region is a region having periodic atomic arrangement. If the atomic arrangement is considered as a lattice arrangement, a crystalline region is also a region with a uniform lattice arrangement. Furthermore, a CAAC-OS has a region where multiple crystalline regions are connected in the a-b plane direction, and the region may have distortion. Note that distortion refers to a portion where the lattice arrangement changes between a region with a uniform lattice arrangement and a region with another uniform lattice arrangement in a region where multiple crystalline regions are connected. In other words, a CAAC-OS is an oxide semiconductor whose c-axes are aligned and whose orientation is not clearly aligned in the a-b plane direction.

[0540] Each of the multiple crystalline regions is composed of one or more minute crystals (crystals with a maximum diameter of less than 10 nm). When a crystalline region is composed of one minute crystal, the maximum diameter of the crystalline region is less than 10 nm. When a crystalline region is composed of many minute crystals, the size of the crystalline region may be several tens of nanometers.

[0541] In an In—Ga—Zn oxide, CAAC-OS tends to have a layered crystal structure (also referred to as a layered structure) in which a layer containing indium (In) and oxygen (hereinafter referred to as an In layer) and a layer containing gallium (Ga), zinc (Zn), and oxygen (hereinafter referred to as a (Ga, Zn) layer) are stacked. Note that indium and gallium are mutually substituted. Therefore, the (Ga, Zn) layer may contain indium. The In layer may contain gallium. The In layer may contain zinc. The layered structure is observed as a lattice image in a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) image, for example.

[0542] When a CAAC-OS film is subjected to structural analysis using an XRD apparatus, for example, a peak indicating c-axis orientation is detected at or near 2θ = 31° in out-of-plane XRD measurement using θ / 2θ scanning. Note that the position of the peak indicating c-axis orientation (the value of 2θ) may vary depending on the type and composition of the metal elements constituting the CAAC-OS.

[0543] For example, multiple bright spots are observed in the electron diffraction pattern of a CAAC-OS film, and the observed spots are at positions that are point-symmetric with respect to a spot of an incident electron beam that has passed through the sample (also referred to as a direct spot).

[0544] When a crystalline region is observed from the specific direction, the lattice arrangement in the crystalline region is basically a hexagonal lattice, but the unit cell is not necessarily a regular hexagon and may be a non-regular hexagon. The distortion may have a pentagonal, heptagonal, or other lattice arrangement. In CAAC-OS, no clear grain boundary can be identified even near the distortion. This indicates that the distortion in the lattice arrangement suppresses the formation of grain boundaries. This is thought to be because CAAC-OS can tolerate distortion due to the lack of close-packed oxygen atom arrangement in the a-b plane direction and the change in interatomic bond distance caused by metal atom substitution.

[0545] Note that a crystal structure in which clear grain boundaries are observed is called polycrystalline. The grain boundaries act as recombination centers, and are likely to trap carriers, resulting in a decrease in the on-state current of a transistor and a decrease in field-effect mobility. Therefore, CAAC-OS, in which clear grain boundaries are not observed, is one of the crystalline oxides having a crystal structure suitable for a semiconductor layer of a transistor. Note that a structure containing Zn is preferable for forming a CAAC-OS. For example, In—Zn oxide and In—Ga—Zn oxide are suitable because they can suppress the generation of grain boundaries more effectively than In oxide.

[0546] CAAC-OS is an oxide semiconductor with high crystallinity and no clear crystal grain boundaries. Therefore, it can be said that the CAAC-OS is less susceptible to a decrease in electron mobility due to crystal grain boundaries. Furthermore, since the crystallinity of an oxide semiconductor can be reduced by the inclusion of impurities, the formation of defects, or the like, the CAAC-OS can also be said to be an oxide semiconductor with few impurities and defects (such as oxygen vacancies). Therefore, an oxide semiconductor having a CAAC-OS has stable physical properties. Therefore, an oxide semiconductor having a CAAC-OS is heat-resistant and highly reliable. Furthermore, the CAAC-OS is stable even against high temperatures (so-called thermal budget) in the manufacturing process. Therefore, the use of a CAAC-OS in an OS transistor can increase the flexibility of the manufacturing process.

[0547] [nc-OS] The nc-OS has periodic atomic arrangement in a microscopic region (e.g., a region of 1 nm to 10 nm, particularly a region of 1 nm to 3 nm). In other words, the nc-OS has microcrystals. Note that the size of the microcrystals is, for example, 1 nm to 10 nm, particularly 1 nm to 3 nm, and therefore the microcrystals are also called nanocrystals. Furthermore, the nc-OS does not exhibit regularity in the crystal orientation between different nanocrystals. Therefore, no orientation is observed throughout the film. Therefore, depending on the analysis method, the nc-OS may be indistinguishable from an a-like OS or an amorphous oxide semiconductor. For example, when a structural analysis of an nc-OS film is performed using an XRD apparatus, no peak indicating crystallinity is detected in out-of-plane XRD measurement using θ / 2θ scanning. When an nc-OS film is subjected to electron diffraction (also referred to as selected-area electron diffraction) using an electron beam with a probe diameter larger than that of a nanocrystal (e.g., 50 nm or more), a diffraction pattern resembling a halo pattern is observed. On the other hand, when an nc-OS film is subjected to electron diffraction (also referred to as nanobeam electron diffraction) using an electron beam with a probe diameter close to or smaller than that of a nanocrystal (e.g., 1 nm to 30 nm), an electron diffraction pattern in which multiple spots are observed within a ring-shaped region centered on a direct spot may be obtained.

[0548] [a-Like OS] The a-like OS is an oxide semiconductor having a structure between the nc-OS and an amorphous oxide semiconductor. The a-like OS has pores or low-density regions. That is, the a-like OS has lower crystallinity than the nc-OS and CAAC-OS. Furthermore, the a-like OS has a higher hydrogen concentration in the film than the nc-OS and CAAC-OS.

[0549] <<Structure of Oxide Semiconductor>> Next, the above-described CAC-OS will be described in detail. Note that the CAC-OS relates to a material structure.

[0550] [CAC-OS] CAC-OS is, for example, a material in which elements constituting a metal oxide are unevenly distributed in a size of 0.5 nm to 10 nm, preferably 1 nm to 3 nm, or in the vicinity thereof. Note that hereinafter, a state in which one or more metal elements are unevenly distributed in a metal oxide and regions containing the metal elements are mixed in a size of 0.5 nm to 10 nm, preferably 1 nm to 3 nm, or in the vicinity thereof, is also referred to as a mosaic or patch state.

[0551] Furthermore, the CAC-OS has a mosaic structure in which a material is separated into a first region and a second region, and the first region is distributed throughout the film (hereinafter also referred to as a cloud structure). That is, the CAC-OS is a composite metal oxide having a structure in which the first region and the second region are mixed.

[0552] Here, the atomic ratios of In, Ga, and Zn to the metal elements constituting the CAC-OS in the In—Ga—Zn oxide are denoted as [In], [Ga], and [Zn], respectively. For example, in the CAC-OS in the In—Ga—Zn oxide, the first region is a region where [In] is larger than [In] in the composition of the CAC-OS film. The second region is a region where [Ga] is larger than [Ga] in the composition of the CAC-OS film. Alternatively, for example, the first region is a region where [In] is larger than [In] in the second region and [Ga] is smaller than [Ga] in the second region. The second region is a region where [Ga] is larger than [Ga] in the first region and [In] is smaller than [In] in the first region.

[0553] Specifically, the first region is a region whose main component is indium oxide, indium zinc oxide, or the like. The second region is a region whose main component is gallium oxide, gallium zinc oxide, or the like. In other words, the first region can be referred to as a region whose main component is In. The second region can be referred to as a region whose main component is Ga.

[0554] It should be noted that there are cases where a clear boundary between the first region and the second region cannot be observed.

[0555] Furthermore, CAC-OS in In—Ga—Zn oxide refers to a structure in which a mosaic of regions containing Ga as the main component and regions containing In as the main component are randomly arranged in a material composition containing In, Ga, Zn, and O. Therefore, it is presumed that CAC-OS has a structure in which metal elements are distributed nonuniformly.

[0556] The CAC-OS can be formed by sputtering, for example, without intentionally heating the substrate. When forming the CAC-OS by sputtering, any one or more of an inert gas (typically argon), oxygen gas, and nitrogen gas may be used as the deposition gas. The lower the flow rate of oxygen gas relative to the total flow rate of deposition gas during deposition, the more preferable it is. For example, the flow rate of oxygen gas relative to the total flow rate of deposition gas during deposition is set to 0% or more and less than 30%, preferably 0% or more and 10% or less.

[0557] Furthermore, for example, in the case of CAC-OS in an In—Ga—Zn oxide, EDX mapping obtained using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) can confirm that the CAC-OS has a structure in which a region containing In as a main component (first region) and a region containing Ga as a main component (second region) are unevenly distributed and mixed.

[0558] Here, the first region has higher conductivity than the second region. That is, the flow of carriers through the first region causes the metal oxide to exhibit conductivity. Therefore, the first region is distributed in a cloud-like manner in the metal oxide, thereby achieving a high field-effect mobility (μ).

[0559] On the other hand, the second region has higher insulating properties than the first region. That is, the second region is distributed in the metal oxide, thereby suppressing leakage current.

[0560] Therefore, when a CAC-OS is used in a transistor, the conductivity due to the first region and the insulating property due to the second region act complementarily, thereby providing the CAC-OS with a switching function (a function of turning on / off). In other words, a CAC-OS has a conductive function in a part of the material and an insulating function in a part of the material, and the entire material functions as a semiconductor. By separating the conductive function and the insulating function, both functions can be maximized. Therefore, by using a CAC-OS in a transistor, a high on-current (I ｏｎ ), high field-effect mobility (μ), and good switching behavior can be achieved.

[0561] Furthermore, a transistor using the CAC-OS has high reliability, and therefore, the CAC-OS is ideal for various semiconductor devices such as display devices.

[0562] Oxide semiconductors have a variety of structures, each of which has different characteristics. The oxide semiconductor of one embodiment of the present invention may include two or more of an amorphous oxide semiconductor, a polycrystalline oxide semiconductor, an a-like OS, a CAC-OS, an nc-OS, and a CAAC-OS.

[0563] <Transistor Having Oxide Semiconductor> Next, a case where the oxide semiconductor is used for a transistor will be described.

[0564] By using the oxide semiconductor for a transistor, a transistor with high field-effect mobility and high reliability can be realized.

[0565] For the transistor, an oxide semiconductor having a low carrier concentration is preferably used. For example, the carrier concentration of the oxide semiconductor is 1×10 １７ cm −３ Below 1 × 10, preferably １５ cm −３ More preferably, 1×10 １３ cm −３ or less, more preferably 1 × 10 １１ cm −３ More preferably, 1×10 １０ cm−３ is less than 1×10 −９ cm −３ The above is the case. Note that in order to reduce the carrier concentration of an oxide semiconductor film, the impurity concentration in the oxide semiconductor film may be reduced to reduce the density of defect states. In this specification and the like, a semiconductor having a low impurity concentration and a low density of defect states is referred to as a highly purified intrinsic or substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor. Note that an oxide semiconductor having a low carrier concentration may also be referred to as a highly purified intrinsic or substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor.

[0566] Furthermore, a highly purified intrinsic or substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor film has a low density of defect states, and therefore the density of trap states may also be low.

[0567] Furthermore, charges trapped in the trap states of an oxide semiconductor take a long time to disappear and may behave like fixed charges. Therefore, a transistor in which a channel formation region is formed in an oxide semiconductor with a high density of trap states may have unstable electrical characteristics.

[0568] Therefore, reducing the impurity concentration in the oxide semiconductor is effective for stabilizing the electrical characteristics of a transistor. Furthermore, in order to reduce the impurity concentration in the oxide semiconductor, it is preferable to also reduce the impurity concentration in adjacent films. Examples of impurities include hydrogen, nitrogen, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, iron, nickel, and silicon. Note that impurities in an oxide semiconductor refer to, for example, elements other than the main components constituting the oxide semiconductor. For example, an element with a concentration of less than 0.1 atomic % can be considered an impurity.

[0569] <Impurities> Here, the influence of each impurity in an oxide semiconductor will be described.

[0570] When an oxide semiconductor contains silicon or carbon, which is one of Group 14 elements, defect levels are formed in the oxide semiconductor. Therefore, the concentration of silicon or carbon in the oxide semiconductor and the concentration of silicon or carbon near the interface with the oxide semiconductor (concentration obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)) are calculated to be 2×10 １８ atoms / cm３ Below 2 × 10, preferably １７ atoms / cm ３ The following applies.

[0571] Furthermore, when an oxide semiconductor contains an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, defect levels are formed and carriers are generated in some cases. Therefore, a transistor using an oxide semiconductor containing an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal is likely to have normally-on characteristics. For this reason, when the concentration of the alkali metal or the alkaline earth metal in the oxide semiconductor obtained by SIMS is 1×10 １８ atoms / cm ３ Below 2 × 10, preferably １６ atoms / cm ３ Do the following:

[0572] Furthermore, when nitrogen is contained in an oxide semiconductor, electrons serving as carriers are generated, the carrier concentration increases, and the semiconductor is likely to become n-type. As a result, a transistor using an oxide semiconductor containing nitrogen as a semiconductor tends to have normally-on characteristics. Alternatively, when nitrogen is contained in an oxide semiconductor, trap states may be formed. As a result, the electrical characteristics of the transistor may become unstable. For this reason, the nitrogen concentration in the oxide semiconductor obtained by SIMS is set to 5×10 １９ atoms / cm ３ Less than 5×10 １８ atoms / cm ３ or less, more preferably 1 × 10 １８ atoms / cm ３ or less, more preferably 5 × 10 １７ atoms / cm ３ Do the following:

[0573] Furthermore, hydrogen contained in an oxide semiconductor may react with oxygen bonded to a metal atom to form water, which may form an oxygen vacancy. Hydrogen entering the oxygen vacancy may generate electrons as carriers. Furthermore, some of the hydrogen may bond with oxygen bonded to a metal atom to generate electrons as carriers. Therefore, a transistor using an oxide semiconductor containing hydrogen is likely to have normally-on characteristics. Therefore, it is preferable to reduce the amount of hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor as much as possible. Specifically, the hydrogen concentration in the oxide semiconductor obtained by SIMS is measured to be 1×10 ２０ atoms / cm ３ less than 1×10 １９ atoms / cm ３ less than 5×10 １８ atoms / cm ３ less than 1×10 １８ atoms / cm ３ Make it less than.

[0574] When an oxide semiconductor with sufficiently reduced impurities is used for a channel formation region of a transistor, stable electrical characteristics can be obtained.

[0575] This embodiment mode can be implemented by appropriately combining at least a part thereof with other embodiment modes described in this specification.

[0576] Embodiment 12 In this embodiment, electronic devices using a display device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0577] In this embodiment mode, an example in which the display device described in any one of Embodiment Modes 1 to 3 is installed inside a vehicle will be described.

[0578] Fig. 25 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a vehicle. Fig. 25 shows a dashboard 151 arranged around the driver's seat, a display device 154 fixed in front of the driver's seat, a camera 155, an air outlet 156, a door 158a on the right side of the driver's seat, and a door 158b on the left side of the driver's seat. The display device 154 is provided across the area in front of the driver's seat.

[0579] The display device 154 fixed in front of the driver's seat can be any one of the display devices described in Embodiments 1 to 3. Fig. 25 illustrates the display device 154 as a single display surface, and shows an example in which a total of 27 display devices are combined in 3 rows and 9 columns. Although the boundaries of pixel regions are indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 25 , the dotted lines are not displayed in the actual displayed image, and the display device 154 has no seams or is inconspicuous. The display device 154 may also have a see-through structure in which a translucent region is provided to allow the outside to be seen.

[0580] The display device 154 is preferably provided with a touch sensor or a non-contact proximity sensor, or is preferably capable of gesture operation using a separately provided camera or the like.

[0581] Figure 25 shows an autonomous vehicle that does not have a handle (also called a steering wheel), but this is not limited to this, and a handle may be provided, and a display device with a curved surface may be provided on the handle, in which case the configuration shown in any one of embodiments 1 to 3 can be used.

[0582] Furthermore, multiple cameras 155 for capturing images of the rear and lateral conditions may be installed outside the vehicle. While FIG. 25 shows an example in which the cameras 155 are installed instead of the side mirrors, both side mirrors and cameras may be installed. The cameras 155 may be CCD cameras, CMOS cameras, or the like. Furthermore, these cameras may be combined with infrared cameras. Since the output level of an infrared camera increases as the temperature of the subject increases, it is possible to detect or extract living organisms such as people and animals.

[0583] The image captured by the camera 155 can be output to a part or the entire display device 154. This display device 154 is mainly used to assist driving of the vehicle. By capturing images of the rear and lateral conditions with a wide angle of view using the camera 155 and displaying the images on the display device 154, the driver can see blind spots, thereby preventing accidents from occurring.

[0584] Furthermore, a range image sensor may be provided on the roof of the vehicle, and an image obtained by the range image sensor may be displayed on the display device 154. As the range image sensor, an image sensor, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), or the like may be used. By displaying the image obtained by the image sensor and the image obtained by the range image sensor on the display device 154, more information can be provided to the driver, and driving assistance can be provided.

[0585] Furthermore, the display device 152 having a curved surface can be provided inside the roof of a vehicle, i.e., on the ceiling, etc. When the display device 152 having a curved surface is provided on the ceiling, etc., the display device described in any one of Embodiments 1 to 3 can be applied.

[0586] Furthermore, the display devices 152 and 154 may have the function of displaying map information, traffic information, television images, DVD images, and the like.

[0587] The images displayed on display device 154 can be freely set according to the driver's preferences. For example, television images, DVD images, web videos, etc. can be displayed in the left image area, map information can be displayed in the central image area, and measurements such as a speedometer and tachometer can be displayed in the right image area.

[0588] 25, display devices 159a and 159b are provided along the surfaces of right door 158a and left door 158b, respectively. Each of display devices 159a and 159b can be formed using one or more display devices. For example, one display surface can be formed using one row and three columns of display devices.

[0589] The display device 159a and the display device 159b are disposed so as to face each other.

[0590] It is also preferable that at least one of the display devices 152, 154, 159a, and 159b is a display device having an imaging function.

[0591] For example, when the driver touches at least one image area of ​​the display devices 152, 154, 159a, and 159b, the vehicle can perform biometric authentication such as fingerprint authentication or palm print authentication. The vehicle may have a function for adjusting the environment to suit the driver's preferences when the driver is authenticated by biometric authentication. For example, it is preferable to perform one or more of the following after authentication: adjusting the seat position, adjusting the steering wheel position, adjusting the direction of the camera 155, setting the brightness, setting the air conditioner, setting the wiper speed (frequency), setting the audio volume, and reading out an audio playlist.

[0592] Furthermore, if the driver is authenticated by biometric authentication, the car can be automatically put into a state where it can be driven, for example, with the engine running, or in the case of an electric car, it can be started, which is preferable because it eliminates the need for a key, which was previously required.

[0593] Although the display device surrounding the driver's seat has been described here, a display device can also be provided in the rear seat so as to surround the passengers.

[0594] As described above, the structure of one embodiment of the present invention increases the degree of freedom in designing the display device, and the design of the display device can be improved. In addition, the display device of one embodiment of the present invention can be suitably used when it is installed in a vehicle or the like.

[0595] This embodiment mode can be implemented by appropriately combining at least a part thereof with other embodiment modes described in this specification.

[0596] In this example, the edges of display panels made using flexible substrates were overlapped, and vertical stripes that may occur in the overlapping area (near the boundary) of the two display panels were observed to determine whether or not a light-shielding layer such as a black matrix was present.

[0597] FIG. 26A shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the sample structure produced.

[0598] Two active matrix substrates each having an organic EL device were fabricated by a known method. A transistor and an organic EL device were formed on a first film, a black matrix was formed on a second film, and the two films were bonded together to fabricate a first display panel 600a. The first and second films were made of cycloolefin polymer films with a refractive index of 1.53.

[0599] Similarly, a second display panel 600b having the same pixel layout and configuration as the first display panel 600a was fabricated. The structure in which a filling resin 619 is sandwiched between two acrylic resin substrates 601a and 601b is shown in FIG. 26A.

[0600] A circularly polarizing plate is placed on the acrylic resin substrate 601b, and an enlarged view of this is shown in FIG. 26B.

[0601] As shown in Fig. 26B, the edge of the pixel region of the first display panel 600a and the edge of the pixel region of the second display panel 600b are fixed together with adhesive resin 618 so that they overlap. The black matrix 602a of the first display panel 600a and the black matrix 602b of the second display panel 600b are aligned so that they overlap. Furthermore, the space between the two acrylic resin substrates 601a and 601b is filled with filling resin 619, as shown in Fig. 26B.

[0602] An epoxy resin with a refractive index of 1.55 is used for the adhesive resin 618 and the filling resin 619. These resins are not particularly limited as long as they are materials whose refractive index difference is small compared to the refractive index of the first film and the second film, which is 1.53.

[0603] For comparison, a third display panel was fabricated by bonding the second film without forming a black matrix. A fourth display panel having the same pixel layout and configuration as the third display panel was fabricated in the same manner. The configuration other than the black matrix was the same, and the results of observation with a microscope from above the circular polarizer are shown in Figure 27A.

[0604] FIG. 27B shows the results of observation with a microscope from above the circular polarizer when a black matrix was provided.

[0605] In the result of FIG. 27B, vertical stripes are less noticeable compared to FIG. 27A, and this example confirmed that a configuration including a black matrix is ​​preferable.

[0606] The configuration of this example is an example for confirming whether the appearance of vertical stripes differs depending on whether or not a black matrix is ​​present, and is an experimental example in which two display panels are simply stacked on top of each other. The configuration of this example differs from many of the configurations disclosed in this specification in some respects, but is not particularly limited thereto.

[0607] 10: Support, 11: Support, 12: Wiring layer, 12a: Wiring layer, 12b: Wiring layer, 13: Cover material, 14a: Light emission direction, 14b: Light emission direction, 15: Region, 16a: Display device, 16b: Display device, 16c: Display device, 17a: Display device, 17b: Display device, 17c: Display device, 17d: Display device, 18a: Electrode, 18b: Electrode, 18d: Electrode, 19: Resin, 20: Interlayer insulating film, 20a: Drive circuit section, 20b: Drive circuit, 90B: Light emitting device, 90G: Light emitting device, 90R: Light emitting device, 90S: Light receiving device, 100: Display region, 101: Layer, 110: Pixel, 110a : sub-pixel, 110b: sub-pixel, 110c: sub-pixel, 111: pixel electrode, 111a: pixel electrode, 111b: pixel electrode, 111c: pixel electrode, 111C: connection electrode, 111G: pixel electrode, 111R: pixel electrode, 112B: material layer, 112G: material layer, 112R: material layer, 113: common electrode, 113a: material layer, 113b: material layer, 113c: material layer, 114: material layer, 115: common electrode, 120: substrate, 121: protective layer, 122: resin layer, 124a: pixel, 124b: pixel, 125: insulating layer, 126: resin layer, 127: insulating layer, 130: connection portion, 130a: light-emitting portion device, 130b: light-emitting device, 130c: light-emitting device, 131: insulating layer, 132: insulating layer, 140: connecting portion, 151: dashboard, 152: display device, 154: display device, 155: camera, 156: air vent, 158a: door, 158b: door, 159a: display device, 159b: display device, 200: display panel, 200A: display panel, 200B: display panel, 201: substrate, 202: substrate, 203: functional circuit layer, 211: light-emitting device, 211B: light-emitting device, 211G: light-emitting device, 211IR: light-emitting device, 211R: light-emitting device, 211W: light-emitting device, 211X : light-emitting device, 212: light-receiving device, 213R: light-receiving / light-emitting device, 220: finger, 221: contact portion, 222: fingerprint, 223: imaging range, 225: stylus, 226: trajectory, 252: transistor, 258: transistor, 259: transistor, 260: transistor, 261: insulating layer, 262: insulating layer, 264: insulating layer, 265: insulating layer, 268: insulating layer, 271: conductive layer, 272a: conductive layer, 272b: conductive layer, 273: conductive layer, 275: insulating layer, 278: connection portion, 281: semiconductor layer, 281i: channel formation region, 281n: low resistance region, 400: display device,411a: conductive layer, 411b: conductive layer, 411c: conductive layer, 412G: EL layer, 412S: photoelectric conversion layer, 413: common electrode, 414: organic material layer, 416: protective layer, 417: light-shielding layer, 421: insulating layer, 422: resin layer, 430b: light-emitting device, 440: light-receiving device, 442: adhesive layer, 451: substrate, 452: substrate, 453: substrate, 454: substrate, 455: adhesive layer, 462: display unit, 464: circuit, 465: wiring, 473 : electrode, 500: display panel, 500a: display panel, 500b: display panel, 500c: display panel, 500d: display panel, 501: display area, 501a: display area, 501b: display area, 501c: display area, 501d: display area, 510: area, 510b: area, 510c: area, 510d: area, 520: area, 520b: area, 520c: area, 550: laminated panel, 551: display area, 600a: table 600b: display panel, 601a: acrylic resin substrate, 601b: acrylic resin substrate, 602a: black matrix, 602b: black matrix, 618: resin, 619: resin, 711: light-emitting layer, 712: light-emitting layer, 713: light-emitting layer, 720: layer, 720-1: layer, 720-2: layer, 730: layer, 730-1: layer, 730-2: layer, 750: light-emitting device, 750B: light-emitting device, 750G: light-emitting device, 7 50R: light-emitting device, 751: layer, 752: layer, 753B: light-emitting layer, 753G: light-emitting layer, 753R: light-emitting layer, 754: layer, 755: layer, 760: light-receiving device, 761: layer, 762: layer, 763: layer, 775: layer, 790: EL layer, 790a: EL layer, 790b: EL layer, 791: lower electrode, 791B: pixel electrode, 791G: pixel electrode, 791PD: pixel electrode, 791R: pixel electrode, 792: upper electrode, 795: colored layer,

Claims

1. A display device and a support, The display device includes: a first flexible substrate; a second flexible substrate; a first display device formed on the first flexible substrate; a second display device formed on the second flexible substrate; a first electrode electrically connected to the first display device; a second electrode electrically connected to the second display device; The support is A curved surface and a wiring layer formed along the curved surface, the first display device is electrically connected to the wiring layer via the first electrode; the second display device is electrically connected to the wiring layer via the second electrode; the first display device and the second display device are each disposed along the curved surface; the second display device has a portion overlapping with the first display device; The second electrode has a portion overlapping with the first display device.

2. A display device and a support, The display device includes: a first flexible substrate; a second flexible substrate; a first display device formed on the first flexible substrate; a second display device formed on the second flexible substrate; a first electrode electrically connected to the first display device; a second electrode electrically connected to the second display device; the first display device has a pixel region, the pixel region has a first light-emitting device and a second light-emitting device disposed adjacent to the first light-emitting device, The first light emitting device and the second light emitting device each include a lower electrode, a first functional layer on the lower electrode, a light-emitting layer on the first functional layer, a second functional layer on the light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode on the second functional layer; the second display device has a portion overlapping with the first display device; The second electrode has a portion overlapping with the first display device.

3. A display device having a support, The display device includes: a first flexible substrate; a second flexible substrate; a first display device formed on the first flexible substrate; a second display device formed on the second flexible substrate; a first electrode electrically connected to the first display device; a second electrode electrically connected to the second display device; the first display device has a pixel region, the pixel region has a first light-emitting device and a second light-emitting device disposed adjacent to the first light-emitting device, The first light emitting device and the second light emitting device each include a lower electrode, a first functional layer on the lower electrode, a first light-emitting layer on the first functional layer, a common layer on the first light-emitting layer, a second light-emitting layer on the common layer, a second functional layer on the second light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode on the second functional layer; the second display device has a portion overlapping with the first display device; The second electrode has a portion overlapping with the first display device.

4. In claim 2 or 3, The first functional layer is The present invention has a hole injection layer and / or a hole transport layer, The second functional layer is The present invention has an electron transport layer and / or an electron injection layer. electronic equipment.

5. In claim 2, A side surface of the first functional layer and a side surface of the light emitting layer are aligned or approximately aligned in a cross-sectional view. electronic equipment.

6. In claim 3, a side surface of the first functional layer, a side surface of the first light-emitting layer, and a side surface of the second light-emitting layer are aligned or approximately aligned in a cross-sectional view; electronic equipment.

7. In claim 2 or 3, the light emitted from the first light-emitting device and the light emitted from the second light-emitting device have the same color; electronic equipment.

8. In claim 1, the first display device has a pixel region, the pixel region has a first light-emitting device and a second light-emitting device disposed adjacent to the first light-emitting device, The first light emitting device is a first lower electrode, a first functional layer on the first lower electrode, a first light-emitting layer on the first functional layer, a second functional layer on the first light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode on the second functional layer; The second light emitting device is a second lower electrode, a third functional layer on the second lower electrode, a second light-emitting layer on the third functional layer, and a fourth functional layer on the second light-emitting layer; electronic equipment.

9. In claim 1, the first display device has a pixel region, the pixel region has a first light-emitting device and a second light-emitting device disposed adjacent to the first light-emitting device, The first light emitting device is a first lower electrode, a first functional layer on the first lower electrode, a third light-emitting layer on the first functional layer, a first common layer on the third light-emitting layer, a fourth light-emitting layer on the first common layer, a second functional layer on the fourth light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode on the second functional layer; The second light emitting device is a second lower electrode, a third functional layer on the second lower electrode, a fifth light-emitting layer on the third functional layer, a second common layer on the fifth light-emitting layer, a sixth light-emitting layer on the second common layer, a fourth functional layer on the sixth light-emitting layer, and the upper electrode on the fourth functional layer; electronic equipment.

10. In claim 8 or claim 9, The first functional layer and the third functional layer each have The present invention has a hole injection layer and / or a hole transport layer, The second functional layer and the fourth functional layer each have The present invention has an electron transport layer and / or an electron injection layer. electronic equipment.

11. In claim 8 or claim 9, The light emitted from the first light emitting device and the light emitted from the second light emitting device are of different colors. electronic equipment.