Scatter Layer Uniform Illumination OLED
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radiation-emitting apparatuses, such as OLEDs, often fail to emit electromagnetic radiation uniformly across their surfaces due to regions being covered by contacting or insulating elements, or lacking an active radiation-emitting layer, resulting in non-uniform luminous density and incomplete illumination.
Innovation Solution
A radiation-emitting apparatus with a substrate, layer sequence, and a scatter layer having distinct regions, where the functional layer emits radiation only in one region, and the scatter layer, comprising a matrix material and scatter particles with different refractive indices, scatters radiation to enter the second region, ensuring uniform illumination and transparency or translucency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the functional layer is formed only in the active surface region, then the device structure is simplified and manufacturing is easier, but radiation is not emitted in edge regions resulting in non-uniform luminous density
Solution Approach 1:
The scatter layer is divided into two regions with different scatter particle concentrations: a first region with 0.1 to 5 volume percent scatter particles directly above the functional layer, and a second region with 2 to 20 volume percent scatter particles in the edge regions. This local variation in scatter particle density enables uniform luminous density across the entire surface while maintaining the simple structure of having the functional layer only in the active region.
2Area of stationary object
If the functional layer is extended to edge regions, then radiation emission coverage is increased, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The scattering function is extracted from the functional layer and assigned to a separate scatter layer. This allows the functional layer to remain simple and confined to the active surface region, while the scatter layer with its gradient of scatter particles handles the radiation distribution to achieve full-surface emission without increasing functional layer complexity.
3Illumination intensity
If a scatter layer with high scatter particle concentration is used throughout, then radiation is scattered to unlit regions, but transparency of the device is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The scatter layer uses locally optimized scatter particle concentrations: low concentration (0.1 to 5 volume percent) in the first region to maintain transparency where the functional layer emits radiation, and high concentration (2 to 20 volume percent) in the second region to scatter radiation into edge regions. This spatially varying concentration achieves both transparency and uniform radiation distribution.
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 solution enables radiation emission across the entire surface, achieving homogeneous luminous density and subjective perception of uniform illumination, even in areas conventionally non-emitting, by effectively scattering radiation from the functional layer to previously unlit regions through the scatter layer.
Implementation Method 1
the scatter layer at least partially scatters radiation incident upon the first region of the scatter layer so that said radiation enters the second region of the scatter layer
Implementation Method 2
the scatter layer comprises a matrix material and scatter particles having a refractive index different from that of the matrix material
Data Source
AI summary
A radiation emitting apparatus including a substrate, at least one layer sequence arranged on the substrate and producing electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range, having at least one first electrode surface, at least one second electrode surface, and at least one functional layer between the first electrode surface and the second electrode surface, wherein the functional layer produces electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range in a switched-on operating state, and a scatter layer having a first region and a second region, wherein radiation produced by the functional layer is directly incident on the scatter layer only in the first region of the scatter layer, and the scatter layer at least partially scatters radiation incident upon the first region of the scatter layer so that said radiation enters the second region of the scatter layer.