Organic el display and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

An organic EL display includes an array of electrodes including first and second electrodes, a counter electrode, and an organic layer including a first emitting layer interposed between the array of electrodes and the counter electrode and a second emitting layer interposed between the first emitting layer and the counter electrode. Each of the first and second emitting layers is a continuous layer extending over a display region. Portions of a laminate including the array of electrodes, the organic layer and the counter electrode that correspond to the first and second electrodes form first and second organic EL elements different in luminous colors from each other.

1 . An organic EL display comprising:
 an insulating substrate;   an array of electrodes including first and second electrodes and supported by the insulating substrate;   a counter electrode facing the array of electrodes;   an organic layer including a first emitting layer interposed between the array of electrodes and the counter electrode and a second emitting layer interposed between he first emitting layer and the counter electrode, each of the first and second emitting layers being a continuous layer extending over a display region including the array of electrode, wherein portions of a laminate including the array of electrodes, the organic layer and the counter electrode that correspond to the first and second electrodes form first and second organic EL elements different in luminous colors from each other.   
   
   
       2 . The display according to  claim 1 , wherein regions of the first emitting layer that correspond to the first and second organic EL elements are different in physical properties from each other, or regions of the second emitting layer that correspond to the first and second organic EL elements are different in physical properties from each other. 
   
   
       3 . The display according to  claim 1 , wherein a region of the first emitting layer that corresponds to the first organic EL element emits light at an efficiency higher than a region of the first emitting layer that corresponds to the second organic EL element does, and a region of the second emitting layer that corresponds to the second organic EL element emits light at an efficiency higher than a region of the second emitting layer that corresponds to the first organic EL element does. 
   
   
       4 . The display according to  claim 3 , wherein light emitted by the first organic EL element is longer in dominant wavelengths than light emitted by the second organic EL element. 
   
   
       5 . The display according to  claim 1 , wherein a region of the first emitting layer that corresponds to the first organic EL element is made of a first material, and a region of the first emitting layer that corresponds to the second organic EL element is made of a second material different from the first material and identical with a material obtained by irradiating the first material with light. 
   
   
       6 . The display according to  claim 1 , wherein the array of electrodes further includes a third electrode supported by the insulating substrate, the organic layer further includes a third emitting layer interposed between the second emitting layer and the counter electrode, the third emitting layer being a continuous layer extending over the display region, and a portion of the laminate that corresponds to the third electrode forms a third organic EL element different in luminous colors from the first and second organic EL elements. 
   
   
       7 . The display according to  claim 6 , wherein regions of the first emitting layer that correspond to the second and third organic EL element are different in physical properties from a region of the first emitting layer that corresponds to the first organic EL element, and a region of the second emitting layer that corresponds to the third organic EL element is different in physical properties from regions of the second emitting layer that correspond to the first and second organic EL elements. 
   
   
       8 . The display according to  claim 6 , wherein a region of the first emitting layer that corresponds to the first organic element emits light at an efficiency higher than regions of the first emitting layer that correspond to the second and third organic EL elements do, a region of the second emitting layer that corresponds to the second organic EL element emits light at an efficiency higher than regions of the second emitting layer that correspond to the first and third organic EL elements do, and a region of the third emitting layer that corresponds to the third organic EL element emits light at an efficiency higher than regions of the third emitting layer that correspond to the first and second organic EL elements do. 
   
   
       9 . The display according to  claim 8 , wherein light emitted by the first organic EL element is longer in dominant wavelengths than light emitted by the second organic EL element, and the light emitted by the second organic EL element is longer in dominant wavelengths than light emitted by the third organic EL element. 
   
   
       10 . The display according to  claim 8 , wherein the region of the first emitting layer that corresponds to the first organic EL element emits light of red color, the region of the second emitting layer that corresponds to the second organic EL element emits light of green color, the region of the third emitting layer that corresponds to the third organic EL element emits light of blue color, a luminous color of the first organic element is red, a luminous color of the second organic element is green, and a luminous color of the first organic element is blue. 
   
   
       11 . The display according to  claim 6 , wherein a region of the first emitting layer that corresponds to the first organic EL element is made of a first material, regions of the first emitting layer that correspond to the second and third organic EL elements are made of a second material different from the first material and identical with a material obtained by irradiating the first material with light, regions of the second emitting layer that correspond to the first and second organic EL elements are made of a third material, and a region of the second emitting layer that corresponds to the third organic EL element is made of a fourth material different from the third material and identical with a material obtained by irradiating the third material with light. 
   
   
       12 . A method of manufacturing an organic EL display, comprising:
 depositing a first luminescent organic material over an array of electrodes supported by an insulating substrate to form a first emitting layer as a continuous layer that extends over a display region including the array of electrodes; and   irradiating a region of the first emitting layer that faces a part of the electrodes with a first light without irradiating a region of the first emitting layer that faces another part of the electrodes with the first light so as to transform the first luminescent organic material in the region of the first emitting layer irradiated with the first light into a material different from the first luminescent organic material.   
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the electrodes includes a first electrode facing the region of the first emitting layer that is not irradiated with the first light and second and third electrodes each facing the region of the first emitting layer that is irradiated with the first light, and the method further comprises:
 depositing a second luminescent organic material different from the first luminescent organic material over the first emitting layer to form a second emitting layer as a continuous layer that extends over the display region;   irradiating a region of the second emitting layer that faces the third electrode with a second light without irradiating regions of the first emitting layer that face the first and second electrodes with the second light so as to transform the second luminescent organic material in the region of the second emitting layer irradiated with the second light into a material different from the second luminescent organic material; and   depositing a third luminescent organic material different from the first and second luminescent organic materials over the second emitting layer to form a third emitting layer as a continuous layer that extends over the display region.   
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein irradiating with the first light is performed before depositing the second luminescent organic material. 
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first and second lights are different in spectra from each other, and irradiating with the first light is performed after depositing the second luminescent organic material. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 depositing a second luminescent organic material different from the first luminescent organic material over the first emitting layer to form a second emitting layer as a continuous layer that extends over the display region; and   depositing a third luminescent organic material different from the first and second luminescent organic materials over the second emitting layer to form a third emitting layer as a continuous layer that extends over the display region,   wherein the electrodes includes a first electrode facing the region of the first emitting layer that is not irradiated with the first light and second and third electrodes each facing the region of the first emitting layer that is irradiated with the first light, and irradiating with the first light is performed after depositing the second luminescent organic material such that an exposure value at a position of the third electrode is greater than an exposure value at a position of the second electrode.   
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 forming a hole-transporting layer over the array of electrodes before depositing the first luminescent organic material; and   irradiating at least a part of the hole-transporting layer with light before depositing the first luminescent organic material so as to change electrical characteristics of the part of the hole-transporting layer that is irradiated with light.   
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 forming an electron-transporting layer over the first emitting layer; and   irradiating a part of the electron-transporting layer with light to cause a difference in electrical characteristics between the part of the electron-transporting layer that is irradiated with light and a part of the electron-transporting layer that is not irradiated with light.   
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the first light is ultraviolet light. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein a wavelength of the first light is longer than 200 nm and shorter than 400 nm, and irradiating with the first light is performed at an exposure power of 0.001 to 1 mW·mm −2 ·nm −1 .