Organic Electroluminescent Element Electrode Skewness Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional organic electroluminescent elements suffer from insufficient device performance, including short element lifetime and low light-emitting efficiency due to oxygen and electrode material intrusion into the organic functional layer during the formation of the upper electrode.

Innovation Solution

The organic electroluminescent element features an upper electrode with a surface profile skewness between −0.5 and 0.7, which reduces the intrusion of oxygen and electrode material into the organic functional layer, enhancing the device's performance by forming a high-flatness interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional vapor deposition or sputtering methods are used to form the upper electrode, then the electrode can be formed on the organic functional layer, but oxygen and electrode material intrude into the organic functional layer causing poor device performance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice performanceVSAvoidoxygen and electrode material intrusion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by forming a protective layer between the upper electrode and the organic functional layer before the electrode formation process. This protective layer prevents oxygen and electrode material from intruding into the organic functional layer during the vapor deposition or sputtering process, thereby resolving the contradiction between forming the electrode and preventing harmful intrusion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary protective layer that acts as a barrier between the upper electrode and the organic functional layer. This intermediary layer prevents direct contact and harmful interactions during electrode formation, allowing the electrode to be formed while protecting the organic functional layer from oxygen and material intrusion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If the upper electrode surface profile has high roughness, then material deposition may be more tolerant, but spaces in the electrode film allow oxygen and material intrusion into the organic functional layer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial deposition toleranceVSAvoidelectrode film flatness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by forming a protective layer before depositing the upper electrode. This protective layer provides a controlled surface that ensures high flatness in the final electrode film while preventing oxygen and material intrusion, thus achieving both manufacturing precision and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The protective layer serves as an intermediary that mediates between the substrate and the upper electrode. It ensures that the upper electrode forms with high precision and flatness while preventing harmful substances from reaching the organic functional layer, resolving the contradiction between deposition tolerance and film precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If the upper electrode is formed directly on the organic functional layer, then the structure is simple, but the interface allows intrusion of oxygen and electrode material reducing element lifetime and efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidelement lifetime

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a protective layer as an intermediary between the upper electrode and the organic functional layer. This additional layer prevents oxygen and electrode material from intruding into the organic functional layer, thereby extending element lifetime and improving light-emitting efficiency while maintaining relatively simple device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective layer is implemented as a thin film that provides effective protection against oxygen and material intrusion without significantly increasing device complexity. This thin film barrier maintains the simplicity of the overall structure while dramatically improving element lifetime and performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach results in improved element lifetime and light-emitting efficiency by minimizing the intrusion of oxygen and electrode material into the organic functional layer, leading to better electron injection properties and overall device performance.

Implementation Method 1

profile of an upper surface of the upper electrode has a skewness of between −0.5 and 0.7 inclusive

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface profile control:

Data Source

PatentUS9356253B2Organic electroluminescent element and method for manufacturing organic electroluminescent element

Publication Date: 2016.05.31 MAGNOLIA BLUE CORP

AI summary

An organic electroluminescent element including: a lower electrode; an organic functional layer on the lower electrode; and an upper electrode on the organic functional layer, wherein profile of an upper surface of the upper electrode has a skewness of between −0.5 and 0.7 inclusive.