Patterned LED Device with Deformable Reflective Anode
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patterned OLED devices are not clearly visible when not in operation due to reduced light emission in patterned regions, and known patterning methods are inefficient for small molecule OLED devices due to their high stability and difficulty in local adaptation without damaging other layers.
Innovation Solution
A patterned light emitting diode device where the pattern is generated in the light-reflective layer, allowing it to be visible both in the on and off states through scattering of external and emitted light, using deformations in the anode or cathode layer that maintain conductivity and are created via localized heating or stamping, enabling easy customization and high stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the light emitting material is locally adapted to create the pattern, then the pattern is visible, but the method is inefficient and may damage other layers in small molecule OLED devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the patterning process from the light emitting material layer and relocates it to the electrode layer. By creating the pattern in the electrode layer through localized deformation or reflectivity modification, the method avoids the need to locally adapt the stable light emitting material, thereby preventing damage to other layers while maintaining pattern visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode layer serves as an intermediary element that carries the pattern information. Instead of modifying the light emitting material directly, the pattern is encoded in the electrode layer's reflective properties, which then modulates the overall light output. This intermediary approach protects the light emitting material and other layers from damage while achieving the desired patterning effect.
2Illumination intensity
If the light-reflective layer is deformed to create the pattern, then the pattern is clearly visible in both on and off states, but the conductivity of the layer may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating localized deformations or reflectivity modifications in the electrode layer that are confined to the pattern regions. The deformations are designed to affect only the optical properties (light scattering and reflection) in the patterned areas while leaving the bulk conductivity of the electrode layer intact. This selective local modification resolves the contradiction between pattern visibility and conductivity maintenance.
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
The patterned light emitting diode device achieves clear visibility of the pattern in both operational and non-operational states with maintained conductivity and light emission, facilitating easy customization and compatibility with both polymer and small molecule OLED devices.
Implementation Method 1
visible both in the on and off states through scattering of external and emitted light
Implementation Method 2
created via localized heating or stamping
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~2D
AI summary
The invention relates to a patterned light emitting diode device (10, 12) which comprises a layer of light emitting material (20) and comprising a light-reflective layer (32) being visible through a light-emission window (64) of the patterned light emitting diode device. The light-reflective layer comprising a pattern (45) constituted of local deformations (40A, 40B, 42A, 42B) of the light-reflective layer. The pattern may be generated via impinging condensed light beam (70, 72) which may enter via a rear- wall 33 of the light-reflective layer, or via impinging the condensed light beam through the light-emission window on the light-reflective layer. The deformations are preferably generated without altering the conductivity of the light-reflective layer too much. An effect of this patterned light emitting diode device is that the pattern remains clearly visible both during an on-state and during an off- state of the light emitting diode device. Furthermore, the light-reflective layer may preferably be the anode layer 32 or the cathode layer 30 of the light emitting diode device. As such, by maintaining the conductivity of the light-reflective layer, substantially any pattern may be generated while the patterned light emitting diode device still, in operation, emits light from the whole light emitting material.