Full color organic electroluminescence display devices by thermal patterning using laser and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

An organic electroluminescence display device made by a laser induced thermal imaging process has a substrate having first and second electrode layers, and an organic layer having red, green, and blue light-emitting layers between the electrode layers. Thermosetting light-emitting materials are used to form the red, green, and blue light-emitting layers, and a laser is then selectively irradiated onto a light-to-heat conversion layer formed on the substrate to deliver heat energy converted from light energy through the light-to-heat conversion layer to the thermosetting light-emitting materials so that curing is progressed to form patterned light-emitting layers. In accordance with the fabrication method of the present invention, the light-emitting materials may be patterned using a laser, thereby fabricating a large scaled organic electroluminescence display device and simplifying the process by not using a mask when the light-emitting layers are formed.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method for manufacturing an organic electroluminescence display device, the method comprising:
 preparing a substrate;   patterning a first electrode layer on the substrate;   forming an insulating layer for defining pixel regions comprising a first pixel region, a second pixel region, and a third pixel region on the first electrode layer;   applying a first light-emitting material on the pixel regions;   selectively irradiating a laser only on the first pixel region to cure the first light-emitting material, and removing the uncured portions to form a first light-emitting layer;   applying a second thermosetting light-emitting material on the regions except the first pixel region;   selectively irradiating a laser only on the second pixel region to cure the second light-emitting material, and removing the uncured portions to form a second light-emitting layer;   applying a third thermosetting light-emitting material on the third pixel region;   selectively irradiating a laser only on the third pixel region to cure the third light-emitting material, and removing the uncured portions to form a third light-emitting layer; and   forming a second electrode layer on the first to third light-emitting layers.   
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the first light-emitting material is one of red, green, and blue light-emitting materials, the second light-emitting material is another of the red, green, and blue light-emitting materials, and the third light-emitting material is the other of the red, green, and blue light-emitting materials. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising forming a light-to-heat conversion layer. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming the light-to-heat conversion layer includes forming the light-to-heat conversion layer between the substrate and the first electrode layer before patterning the first electrode layer. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming the light-to-heat conversion layer is performed between patterning the first electrode layer and applying the first light-emitting material to form the light-to-heat conversion layer between the first electrode layer and the first, second, and third-light emitting layers. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming the light-to-heat conversion layer includes forming the light-to-heat conversion layer below the substrate before patterning the first electrode layer. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer is formed in a form of a thin layer by a dry wet coating process or a wet coating process. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the first, second, third thermosetting light-emitting materials are applied on the first electrode layer by a wet coating process. 
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the laser irradiation is performed under a vacuum condition or an inactive atmosphere condition. 
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the uncured portions of the first, second and third light-emitting materials are removed by a solvent. 
     
     
         22 . An organic electroluminescence display device manufactured by the method of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         23 - 24 . (canceled)