U.S. patent application number 09/167986 was filed with the patent office on 2004-10-28 for organic thin-film el device.
Invention is credited to KITAZUME, EIICHI, TADA, HIROSHI, UTSUGI, KOJI.
Application Number | 20040214034 09/167986 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 17585205 |
Filed Date | 2004-10-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040214034 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
UTSUGI, KOJI ; et
al. |
October 28, 2004 |
ORGANIC THIN-FILM EL DEVICE
Abstract
In an organic thin-film EL device of a charge injection type
which has an organic thin-film layer contiguous to the surface of
the cathode opposite to an anode, said organic thin-film layer is
made of an organic compound represented by the following formula
(I): 1 wherein R.sub.1 to R.sub.6 each independently represents a
hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group or a
cyano group; L represents a group --OR.sub.7 in which R.sub.7
represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aromatic group
which may contain a nitrogen atom, an aromatic group having a
bonding group composed of a metal atom or an oxygen atom or a
ligand of an oxinoid compound having said bonding group; M
represents a metal atom; and n stands for an integer of 1 or 2, and
the cathode is made of aluminum containing lithium in an amount of
0.05 to 1.5 wt. %. The organic thin-film EL device according to the
present invention has high efficiency and high luminance without a
substantial deterioration in the luminance. In addition, it can be
fabricated in a high yield.
Inventors: |
UTSUGI, KOJI; (TOKYO,
JP) ; TADA, HIROSHI; (TOKYO, JP) ; KITAZUME,
EIICHI; (TOKYO, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCGUIREWOODS, LLP
1750 TYSONS BLVD
SUITE 1800
MCLEAN
VA
22102
US
|
Family ID: |
17585205 |
Appl. No.: |
09/167986 |
Filed: |
October 8, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/690 ;
313/504; 313/506; 428/332; 428/457; 428/917 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C09K 2211/188 20130101;
C09K 2211/1044 20130101; H01L 51/009 20130101; C09K 2211/1029
20130101; C09K 11/06 20130101; C09K 2211/1007 20130101; Y10T
428/31678 20150401; C09K 2211/1011 20130101; H01L 51/006 20130101;
H01L 51/5231 20130101; H01L 51/5012 20130101; H01L 51/0081
20130101; H05B 33/14 20130101; H01L 51/5048 20130101; Y10T 428/26
20150115; C09K 2211/186 20130101; Y10S 428/917 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/690 ;
428/917; 428/332; 428/457; 313/504; 313/506 |
International
Class: |
H05B 033/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 9, 1997 |
JP |
277558/1997 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An organic thin-film EL device of a charge injection type which
has an organic thin-film layer contiguous to the surface of a
cathode opposite to an anode, said organic thin-film layer contains
an organic compound represented by the following formula (I):
196wherein R.sub.1 to R.sub.6 each independently represents a
hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group or a
cyano group; L represents a group --OR.sub.7 in which R.sub.7
represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aromatic group
which may contain a nitrogen atom, an aromatic group having a
bonding group composed of a metal atom or an oxygen atom or a
ligand of an oxinoid compound having said bonding group; M
represents a metal atom; and n stands for an integer of 1 or 2, and
said cathode comprising aluminum as a main component and lithium in
an amount of -0.05 to 1.5 wt. %.
2. An organic thin-film EL device of a charge injection type which
has an organic thin-film layer contiguous to the surface of a
cathode opposite to an anode, said organic thin-film layer contains
an organic compound represented by the following formula (I):
197wherein R.sub.1 to R.sub.6 each independently represents a
hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group or a
cyano group; L represents a group --OR.sub.7 in which R.sub.7
represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aromatic group
which may contain a nitrogen atom, an aromatic group having a
bonding group composed of a metal atom or an oxygen atom or a
ligand of an oxinoid compound having said bonding group; M
represents a metal atom; and n stands for an integer of 1 or 2, and
said cathode comprising magnesium as a main component and lithium
in an amount of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %.
3. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 1, wherein the
cathode has a film thickness of 1 to 50 nm and has a cathode
protective layer thereon.
4. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 2, wherein the
cathode has a film thickness of 1 to 50 nm and has a cathode
protective layer thereon.
5. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 1, wherein the
cathode has a film thickness of 1 to 50 nm and has a cathode
protective layer thereon, said cathode protective layer comprising
aluminum single substance or an aluminum alloy.
6. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 1, wherein at
least one of the components contained in the cathode has been doped
into the organic thin film contiguous to said cathode.
7. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 2, wherein at
least one of the components contained in the cathode has been doped
into the organic thin film contiguous to said cathode.
8. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 3, wherein at
least one of the components contained in the cathode protective
layer has been doped into the organic thin film contiguous to said
cathode.
9. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 4, wherein at
least one of the components contained in the cathode protective
layer has been doped into the organic thin film contiguous to said
cathode.
10. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 5, wherein at
least one of the components contained in the cathode protective
layer has been doped into the organic thin film contiguous to said
cathode.
11. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 1, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an emitter
layer.
12. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 2, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an emitter
layer.
13. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 3, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an emitter
layer.
14. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 4, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an emitter
layer.
15. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 5, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an emitter
layer.
16. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 6, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an emitter
layer.
17. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 7, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an emitter
layer.
18. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 8, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an emitter
layer.
19. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 9, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an emitter
layer.
20. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 10, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an emitter
layer.
21. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 1, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an
electron injection transport layer.
22. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 2, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an
electron injection transport layer.
23. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 3, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an
electron injection transport layer.
24. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 4, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an
electron injection transport layer.
25. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 5, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an
electron injection transport layer.
26. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 6, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an
electron injection transport layer.
27. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 71 wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an
electron injection transport layer.
28. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 8, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an
electron injection transport layer.
29. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 9, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an
electron injection transport layer.
30. An organic thin-film EL device according to claim 10, wherein
the organic thin film layer contiguous to the cathode is an
electron injection transport layer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to an organic thin-film EL device,
particularly to a cathode of an organic thin-film EL device having
light emitting picture elements arranged in the matrix form.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] An organic thin-film EL device makes use of the phenomenon
that holes injected from an anode and electrons injected from a
cathode recombine in an emitter layer and emits light after the
excitation state. Although various device structures have been
studied according to the properties of the light emitting material
of the emitter layer, devices can be fabricated principally by
sandwiching between the anode and cathode an organic emitter layer
which emits strong fluorescence. For the heightening of luminous
efficiency and stable operation, it is considered effective to
dispose a charge transport layer such as hole injection transport
layer or electron injection transport layer or to carry out doping
of guest molecules into an organic emitter layer. Furthermore,
electrode materials, particularly, cathode materials are under
investigation with a view to improving the luminous efficiency or
lifetime properties.
[0005] As a cathode, it is effective to employ an alloy metal
having a work function as low as possible. It is reported that from
an organic thin-film EL device using, among various alloy metals,
lithium-containing aluminum having a low work function, light
emission of high efficiency, high luminance and long lifetime is
available.
[0006] For example, it is reported in Japanese Patent Application
Laid-Open No. 165771/1985 that in an organic thin film having an
emitter layer, which is contiguous to a cathode, made of
anthracene, light emission with high efficiency is available when
an aluminum-lithium alloy or magnesium-lithium alloy is used as a
cathode. It is also reported that the optimum content of lithium in
the alloy is 1 to 99 wt. %, preferably 10 to 50 wt. %.
[0007] On page 6 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
212287/1992, it is reported that light emission with higher
luminance can be attained using tris(8-quinolinol) aluminum (which
will hereinafter be abbreviated as "Alq") as an electron transport
emitter layer contiguous to a cathode and as the cathode, an alloy
containing at least 6 mole % of an alkali metal (for example, an
aluminum alloy containing 28 mole % of lithium or magnesium-lithium
alloy).
[0008] In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 121172/1993, it
is reported that light emission with high efficiency and long
lifetime and EL emission with high environmental stability can be
attained in the case where a lithium-aluminum alloy is used as a
cathode contiguous to an organic fluorescent thin film made of Alq
and this alloy has a lithium concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 wt.
%.
[0009] Thus, in an organic thin-film EL device having a cathode
made of a lithium-containing alloy, it is considerably important to
select a suitable concentration range of lithium to be incorporated
in the cathode in accordance with an organic material adjacent to
the cathode with a view to imparting the organic thin-film EL
device with excellent efficiency and lifetime properties and high
environmental resistance.
[0010] An organic thin-film EL device which uses a cathode material
containing lithium within a certain composition range exhibits
light emission of relatively high luminance and high
efficiency.
[0011] In the case where Alq is used as an emitter layer, since Alq
emits a green light, light emission on the shorter-wavelength side
than it (for example, blue light emission) is not available even by
doping into the emitter layer made of Alq. In the case where Alq is
used as an electron transport layer, the use of an emitter layer
having a large excitation energy or charge injection level (ex.
blue-light emitting material) does not permit the sufficient
closure of excited electrons or charges, which makes it difficult
to attain sufficient luminous efficiency or luminance. The compound
of the formula (I) which will be described later is used in this
invention in view of such defects.
[0012] The above-described composition range of lithium is used
only when an organic thin-film layer adjacent to a cathode is a
specific compound (ex. Alq). If an organic thin film made of the
compound as represented by the below-described formula (I) is used
as an organic thin-film layer adjacent to a cathode, lithium of the
above-described composition range does not bring about sufficient
luminous efficiency or increases a luminance lowering rate while
the resulting element is driven. Such disadvantages occur because
the electron injection level of the organic thin film varies
depending on the organic material to be employed so that the
injection efficiency of electrons is presumed to be insufficient in
a known lithium concentration range; and because adhesion between
the organic thin film and cathode is weak in the known lithium
concentration range, which lowers the electron injection efficiency
and makes it difficult to attain stable light emission.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide
an organic thin-film EL device which has high efficiency and high
luminance, is free from a substantial deterioration in the
luminance and has a high yield when producing the same.
[0014] The present inventors have found that an organic thin-film
EL device having high luminous efficiency (luminance per current
density) and has long lifetime can be obtained using an aluminum
alloy containing lithium in a concentration range of 0.05 to 1.5
wt. % as a cathode for the organic thin-film EL device wherein an
organic thin film layer adjacent to the cathode contains an organic
compound represented by the below-described formula (I).
[0015] In the present invention, there is thus provided an organic
thin-film EL device of a charge injection type which has an organic
thin film layer adjacent to the surface of a cathode opposite to an
anode, said organic thin film layer containing an organic compound
represented by the following formula (I): 2
[0016] wherein R.sub.1 to R.sub.6 each independently represents a
hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group or a
cyano group; L represents a group --OR.sub.7 in which R.sub.7
representing an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aromatic group
which may contain a nitrogen atom, an aromatic group having a
bonding group composed of a metal atom or an oxygen atom, or a
ligand of an oxinoid compound having said bonding group; M
represents a metal atom; and n stands for an integer of 1 or 2,
said cathode comprising aluminum as a main component and lithium in
an amount of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %.
[0017] In another aspect of the present invention, there is also
provided an organic thin-film EL device of a charge injection type
having an organic thin-film layer adjacent to the surface of a
cathode opposite to an anode, said organic thin-film layer
containing an organic compound represented by the above-described
formula (I) and said cathode comprising magnesium as a main
component and lithium in an amount of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %.
[0018] The present invention makes it possible to heighten the
basic properties of the device such as luminous efficiency and
lifetime.
[0019] In addition, lithium is contained in the aluminum alloy
cathode of the present invention in a concentration range as wide
as from 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % so that even a slight difference in the
lithium composition does not have a large influence on the
properties of the device, which makes it possible to fabricate an
organic thin-film EL device in a high yield, more specifically, to
widen the area of the device without losing uniform luminance and
efficiency. Furthermore, neither corrosion nor black spot appears
on the cathode easily.
[0020] On the other hand, lithium is contained in the magnesium
alloy cathode of the present invention in a concentration range as
wide as from 0.03 to 1.7 wt. % so that similar advantages as
described above can be obtained and neither corrosion nor black
spot occurs easily on the cathode.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an
organic thin-film EL device of the present invention wherein an
organic thin-film layer adjacent to a cathode is an emitter
layer;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an
organic thin-film EL device of the present invention wherein an
organic thin-film layer adjacent to a cathode is an electron
injection transport layer;
[0023] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an
organic thin-film EL device of the present invention wherein an
organic thin-film layer adjacent to a cathode is an electron
injection transport layer containing at least one of the cathode
components;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an organic
thin-film EL device of the present invention having a cathode
protective layer formed on a cathode;
[0025] FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Example 1A as a function of
its lithium concentration;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Example 43A as a function of
its lithium concentration;
[0027] FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Example 85A as a function of
its lithium concentration;
[0028] FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Example 106A as a function of
its lithium concentration;
[0029] FIG. 9 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Comparative Example 1A as a
function of its lithium concentration;
[0030] FIG. 10 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Comparative Example 2A as a
function of its lithium concentration;
[0031] FIG. 11 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Comparative Example 3A as a
function of its lithium concentration;
[0032] FIG. 12 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Comparative Example 4A as a
function of its lithium concentration;
[0033] FIG. 13 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Example 1B as a function of
its lithium concentration;
[0034] FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Example 43B as a function of
its lithium concentration;
[0035] FIG. 15 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Example 85B as a function of
its lithium concentration;
[0036] FIG. 16 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Example 106B as a function of
its lithium concentration;
[0037] FIG. 17 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Comparative Example 1B as a
function of its lithium concentration;
[0038] FIG. 18 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Comparative Example 2B as a
function of its lithium concentration;
[0039] FIG. 19 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Comparative Example 3B as a
function of its lithium concentration; and
[0040] FIG. 20 is a graph illustrating luminous efficiency and
luminance half-life of the cathode of Comparative Example 4B as a
function of its lithium concentration.
[0041] In each diagram, indicated at numeral 11 is a substrate, 12
an anode, 13 a hole injection layer, 14 a hole transport layer, 15
an emitter layer, 16a an electron injection transport layer of an
organic thin-film made of the compound of the formula (I), 16b an
electron injection transport layer of an organic thin-film which is
made of the compound of the formula (I) and has at least one
cathode component doped therein, 17 a cathode and 18 a cathode
protective layer.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0042] In one embodiment of the present invention, when an organic
thin-film layer containing the compound of the formula (I) is
brought into contact with a cathode made of an aluminum-lithium
alloy, a lithium concentration not less than 0.05 wt. % in the
alloy is sufficiently effective for improving luminous efficiency
and lifetime properties. At a lithium concentration not less than
0.05 wt. %, neither a marked reduction in luminous efficiency nor
noticeably rapid lowering in luminance when operating the same is
observed. This owes to the following reasons: while the use of an
organic thin film containing the compound of the formula (I)
heightens an electron injection level when compared with the use of
conventional Alq and is therefore disadvantageous in the injection
of electrons at a conventional lithium concentration, the injection
of electrons is carried out sufficiently at a lithium concentration
not less than 0.05 wt. %; and while the adhesion between the
organic thin film containing the compound of the formula (I) and a
cathode having the conventional lithium concentration is
insufficient, sufficient adhesion can be obtained at a lithium
concentration not less than 0.05 wt. %. On the other hand, the
upper limit of the lithium concentration is controlled to 1.5 wt. %
in the present invention, whereby environmental resistance can be
maintained sufficiently. Lithium is considerably corrodible in the
air, but the lithium concentration in the aluminum alloy not
greater than 1.5 wt. % makes it possible not only to suppress the
corrosion-induced lowering in luminous efficiency or lifetime
properties but also to suppress the growth of black spots.
Accordingly, the lithium concentration suitably ranges from 0.05 to
1.5 wt. %, preferably 0.1 to 0.5 wt. %, more preferably 0.15 to 0.5
wt. %.
[0043] Aluminum to be alloyed with lithium and used as a cathode
material may be in the form of a single substance or alloy. As an
alloy, a known aluminum alloy can be employed insofar as it does
not cause an essential deterioration in the properties of aluminum.
In this case, the content of aluminum is preferably 80 wt. % or
greater, with 90 wt. % or greater being particularly preferred.
Examples of such an aluminum alloy include aluminum-scandium,
aluminum-silicon, aluminum-copper, aluminum-magnesium and
aluminum-cerium.
[0044] In another aspect of the present invention, when an organic
thin-film layer represented by the formula (I) is brought into
contact with a cathode made of a magnesium-lithium alloy,
sufficient effects can be obtained at the lithium concentration in
the alloy not less than 0.03 wt. %. When the lithium concentration
is not less than 0.03 wt. %, not only sufficient luminous
efficiency can be obtained but also a noticeably rapid lowering in
luminance when operating the same is not observed. This is because
the adhesion between the organic thin film containing the compound
of the formula (I) and the magnesium cathode having a lithium
concentration not less than 0.03 wt. % becomes sufficient. When the
upper limit of the lithium concentration is set at 1.7 wt. %,
sufficient environmental resistance can be maintained. Lithium is
considerably corrodible in the air, but the lithium concentration
in the magnesium alloy not greater than 1.7 wt. % makes it possible
not only to suppress the corrosion-induced lowering in luminous
efficiency or lifetime properties but also to suppress the growth
of a black spot. Accordingly, the lithium concentration range
suitably ranges from 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %, preferably 0.03 to 1.0 wt.
%, more preferably 0.4 to 1.0 wt. %.
[0045] Magnesium to be alloyed with lithium and used as a cathode
material may be in the form of a single substance or alloy. As an
alloy, a known magnesium alloy can be employed insofar as it does
not cause an essential deteriorate in the properties of magnesium.
In this case, the content of magnesium is preferably 80 wt. % or
greater. Examples of such a magnesium alloy include
magnesium-aluminum, magnesium-indium and magnesium-silver. The
organic thin-film EL device to which the cathode of the present
invention is applicable can be imparted with excellent storage
stability and physical resistance by disposing a cathode protective
layer on the cathode of the present invention.
[0046] When the cathode protective layer is disposed on the cathode
of the present invention, the cathode is preferred to have a
thickness of 1 to 50 nm. If the cathode has a thickness not less
than 1 nm, the organic thin-film layer can be covered completely
with the above-described cathode material. The organic thin-film
layer can be covered sufficiently with the cathode component when
its thickness is 50 nm. An unnecessarily thick cathode is not
preferred because it thickens the whole device.
[0047] As the cathode protective layer to be formed on the cathode,
an aluminum single substance or aluminum alloy is preferred because
it is inexpensive, has excellent corrosion resistance and
processability and can provide a low sheet resistance. When an
aluminum alloy is used as the cathode protective layer, preferred
examples of the substance contained in the alloy include scandium,
silicon, manganese and copper from the viewpoints of ease of alloy
formation and stability of film formation. Particularly in the
fabrication and operation of an organic thin-film EL device or an
organic thin-film EL device wherein electrodes are interconnected
in the form of matrix (for example, active matrix operation type
display), there is room for the improvement of the physical
strength in the case of a single aluminum substance. Described
specifically, addition of the above-described substance can
suppress thermal expansion, thereby improving the physical
strength, and particularly when the luminance is large (in other
words, when the heat evolution due to light emission is large), not
only step breakage but also local unevenness and cracks show a
marked decrease. The above-described substance provides apparent
advantages when added in an amount of 0.1 to 5 mole % based on an
alloy to be formed as the protective layer, because amounts not
less than 0.1 mole % have a sufficient influence on various
properties such as thermal expansion coefficient, when compared
with aluminum alone. Amounts not greater than 5 mole %, on the
other hand, prevent occurrence of phase separation between aluminum
and the substance. The cathode protective layer is desired to have
a thickness of 50 to 3000 nm with a view to preventing the
influence of oxygen or moisture on the cathode.
[0048] In the present invention, doping of at least one alloy
component contained in the cathode or cathode protective layer into
an organic thin film (film containing the compound of the formula
(I)) contiguous to the cathode brings about an improvement in the
luminous efficiency and at the same time is effective for excellent
adhesion and improvement in the operation stability (Japanese
Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 243393/1989 and 274695/1991,
Preprints of Lecture on the 44-th Spring Meeting of the Japan
Society of Applied Physics and Related Society, 1154,
29p-NK-8(1997).
[0049] In the present invention, the most apparent advantages can
be obtained when the organic thin film layer contiguous to the
cathode is an emitter layer or an electron injection transport
layer.
[0050] The compound represented by the formula (I) is preferred to
be contained in an amount not less than 95 mole % in the organic
thin film layer contiguous to the cathode. It the amount is not
less than 95 mole %, no marked deterioration in properties due to
impurities or the like occurs and the object of the present
invention can be attained sufficiently.
[0051] When the compound of the formula (I) has an alkyl or alkoxy
group as R.sub.1 to R.sub.2, the number of carbon atoms is
preferably 1 to 6, with 1 to 4 being particularly preferred. When
R.sub.7 represents an alkyl group, the number of carbon atoms is
preferably 1 to 6, with 1 to 4 being particularly preferred.
[0052] Examples of the compound represented by the formula (I)
include organic metal complexes containing an oxinoid ligand as
disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos.
214332/1993, 258860/1993, 258862/1993, 198378/1993, 331460/1993,
95620/1997, 13026/1997 and 31455/1997 and European Patent
Publication Nos. 765106 and 779765. According to them, these
compounds are usable as an emitter layer or electron injection and
transport layer.
[0053] Specific examples of the compound of the formula (I)
include, but not limited to, those shown in Tables 1 to 18.
1TABLE 1 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6
M L (1) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 3 (2) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 4
(3) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 5 (4) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 6 (5)
2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 7 (6) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 8 (7) 2
--CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 9 (8) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 10 (9) 2
--CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 11 (10) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 12 (11) 2
--CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 13 (12) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 14
[0054]
2TABLE 2 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6
M L (13) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 15 (14) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H
Al 16 (15) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 17 (16) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H
Al 18 (17) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 19 (18) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H
Al 20 (19) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 21 (20) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H
Al 22 (21) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al Cl (22) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H
H H H Al 23 (23) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Al 24
[0055]
3TABLE 3 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6
M L (24) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Al 25 (25) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5
H H H H H Al 26 (26) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Al 27 (27) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Al 28 (28) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H
Al Cl (29) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Al 29 (30) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Al 30 (31) 2
H H H Cl H Cl Al 31 (32) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Al 32 (33) 2 H H H Cl H Cl
Al 33 (34) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Al 34 (35) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Al 35 (36) 2
H H H Cl H Cl Al 36 (37) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Al 37
[0056]
4TABLE 4 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6
M L (38) 2 H H H CI H Cl Al 38 (39) 2 H H H CI H Cl Al 39 (40) 2 H
H H CI H Cl Al 40 (41) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Al 41 (42) 2 H H H CI H Cl
Al 42 (43) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Al 43 (44) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Al 44 (45) 2
H H H Cl H Cl Al 45 (46) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Al 46
[0057]
5TABLE 5 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6
M L (47) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Al 47 (48) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 48
(49) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 49 (50) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 50
(51) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 51 (52) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 52
(53) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 53 (54) 2 CH.sub.3 H H CN H H Al 54
(55) 2 CH.sub.3 H H CN H H Al 55 (56) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 56
(57) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 57 (58) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 58
(59) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 59
[0058]
6TABLE 6 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6
M L (60) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 60 (61) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl
Al 61 (62) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 62 (63) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl
Al 63 (64) 2 CH.sub.3 H H Cl H Cl Al 64 (65) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H
CF.sub.3 H Al 65 (66) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 66 (67) 2 CH.sub.3 H
H H H H In 67 (68) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 68 (69) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H
H H In 69 (70) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 70
[0059]
7TABLE 7 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6
M L (71) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 71 (72) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 72
(73) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 73 (74) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 74
(75) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 75 (76) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 76
(77) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 77 (78) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 78
(79) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 79 (80) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 80
[0060]
8TABLE 8 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6
M L (81) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 81 (82) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 82
(83) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 83 (84) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 84
(85) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H In 85 (86) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H
In 86 (87) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H In 87 (88) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H In 88 (89) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H
In 89 (90) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H In 90 (91) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H In 91 (92) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H
In 92
[0061]
9TABLE 9 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6
M L (93) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H In 93 (94) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5
H H H H H In 94 (95) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H In 95 (96) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.6 H H H H H In 96 (97) 2 --C.sub.2h.sub.5 H H H H H
In 97 (98) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H In 98 (99) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H In 99 (100) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H
In 100 (101) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H In 101
[0062]
10TABLE 10 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5
R.sub.6 M L (102) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H In 102 (103) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H In 103 (104) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H
H In 104 (105) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 105 (106) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 106
(107) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 107 (108) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 108 (109) 2 H
H H Cl H Cl In 109 (110) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 110 (111) 2 H H H Cl H
Cl In 111 (112) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 112 (113) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In
113
[0063]
11TABLE 11 Com- pound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5
R.sub.6 M L (114) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 114 (115) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In
115 (116) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 116 (117) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 117 (118)
2 H H H Cl H Cl In 118 (119) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 119 (120) 2 H H H
Cl H Cl In 120 (121) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 121 (122) 2 H H H Cl H Cl
In 122
[0064]
12TABLE 12 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5
R.sub.6 M L (123) 2 H H H Cl H Cl In 123 (124) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H
Ga 124 (125) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H Ga 125 (126) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H
Ga 126 (127) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H Ga 127 (130) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H
Ga 128 (131) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H Ga 129 (132) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H
Ga 130 (133) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H Ga 131 (134) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H
Ga 132 (135) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H Ga 133 (136) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H
Ga 134
[0065]
13TABLE 13 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5
R.sub.6 M L (137) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H Ga 135 (138) 2 CH.sub.3 H H
H H H Ga 136 (139) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H Ga 137 (140) 2 CH.sub.3 H H
H H H Ga 138 (141) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H Ga 139 (142) 2 CH.sub.3 H H
H H H Ga 140 (143) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H Ga 141 (144) 2 CH.sub.3 H H
H H H Ga 142 (145) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H Ga 143 (146) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 144
[0066]
14TABLE 14 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5
R.sub.6 M L (147) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 145 (148) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 146 (149) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H
H Ga 147 (150) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 148 (151) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 149 (152) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H
H Ga 150 (153) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 151 (154) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 152 (155) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H
H Ga 153 (156) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 154 (157) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 155 (158) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H
H Ga 156
[0067]
15TABLE 15 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5
R.sub.6 M L (159) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 157 (160) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 158 (161) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H
H Ga 159 (162) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 160 (163) 2
--C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H H Ga 161 (164) 2 --C.sub.2H.sub.5 H H H H
H Ga 162 (165) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 163 (166) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 164
(167) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 165 (168) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 166 (169) 2 H
H H Cl H Cl Ga 167 (170) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 168
[0068]
16TABLE 16 Com- pound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5
R.sub.6 M L (171) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 169 (172) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga
170 (173) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 171 (174) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 172 (175)
2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 173 (176) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 174 (177) 2 H H H
Cl H Cl Ga 175 (178) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 176 (179) 2 H H H Cl H Cl
Ga 177 (180) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 178
[0069]
17TABLE 17 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5
R.sub.6 M L (181) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 179 (182) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga
180 (183) 2 H H H Cl H Cl Ga 181 (184) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al
182 (185) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 183 (186) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H
Ga 184 (187) 2 CH.sub.3 H H H H H Al 185 (188) 2 --CH.sub.3 H H H H
H Ga 186 (189) 2 H H H H H H Al 187
[0070]
18TABLE 18 Compound n R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5
R.sub.6 M L (190) 1 H H H H H H Zn 188 (191) 1 H H H H H H Be 189
(192) 1 H H H H H H Be 190 (193) 1 H H H H H H Be 191 (194) 1 H H H
H H H Be 192
[0071] Examples of the essential device structure applicable to the
organic thin-film EL device having the cathode of the present
invention include:
[0072] (1) anode/single or multiple hole injection and transport
layer/single or multiple emitter layer/cathode,
[0073] (2) anode/single or multiple emitter layer/single or
multiple electron injection transport layer/cathode and (3)
anode/single or multiple hole injection and transport layer/single
or multiple emitter layer/single or multiple electron injection
transport layer/cathode. A protective layer or interface layer may
be inserted between the cathode and anode as needed. Or, to the
organic thin-film EL device of the present invention, a lens-like
structure as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
171892/1997 may be applied with a view to lowering the power
consumption and increasing the luminous efficiency.
[0074] The above-described cathode or cathode protective layer may
be formed by the resistance-heating system vacuum deposition method
or by sputtering a substance to be deposited by using an inert gas
ion as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
19993/1992 with a view to improving the adhesion. In the
above-described film formation method of a cathode or cathode
protective layer by sputtering, surface migration is large owing to
the use of ions having a kinetic energy not less than several eV
for the film formation, which makes it possible to form a film
having excellent adhesion with an organic thin-film layer. By the
selection of appropriate film forming conditions, physical or
chemical damages to an organic thin film layer can be reduced and a
cathode and cathode protective layer having much more improved
adhesion when compared with the conventional ones can be formed.
Even if a mixture of metals, the vapor pressure of each of which
differs greatly from each other, is used as a target, a difference
of the composition between the target and cathode or target and
cathode protective layer is not large. Electrodes can be formed
uniformly even on a large substrate so that the present invention
is of practical utility.
[0075] The present invention will hereinafter be described more
specifically, but it should however be born in mind that the
present invention is not limited to or by the examples.
EXAMPLE 1A
[0076] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the
structure of an organic thin-film EL device according to a first
embodiment of the present invention, wherein an organic thin film
contiguous to a cathode 17 is an emitter layer 15. Example 1A of
the present invention will next be described with reference to FIG.
1.
[0077] On a glass substrate 11, a film of ITO (indium tin oxide)
was formed by the ion plating method. The film was etched into
short strips, whereby the glass substrate with an anode 12 was
formed. The anode 12 made of ITO had a sheet resistance of 13
.OMEGA./.quadrature..
[0078] Organic thin films over the ITO-adhered glass substrate were
all formed by the molecular-beam deposition method and the vacuum
degree during film formation was set at 2.times.10.sup.-8 Torr or
less. At an evaporation rate of 0.05 nm/s, a hole injection layer
13 made of tris(4-(4'-(N,N-di(4-tolyl)amino)styryl)
phenyltriphenylamine) (which will hereinafter be abbreviated as
"TTPA") of the following formula: 193
[0079] was formed to a thickness of 35 nm, followed by the
formation of a hole transport layer 14 made of
N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(.alpha.-naphthyl)--
1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine (which will hereinafter be abbreviated
as ".alpha.-NPD") of the following formula: 194
[0080] was formed to a thickness of 25 nm at an evaporation rate of
0.25 nm/s.
[0081] Over the hole transport layer, an emitter layer 15 was
formed by the co-deposition method, that is, by evaporating
Compound (1) in Table 1 and diphenyl 3,9-perylenedicarboxylate from
different deposition sources, respectively. At that time, the
evaporation rate was precisely controlled so that the diphenyl
3,9-perylenedicarboxylate was contained in the emitter layer in an
amount of 3 mole %, whereby the emitter layer 15 having a thickness
of 70 nm was formed.
[0082] Over the emitter layer, a cathode 17 made of an
aluminum-lithium alloy was pattern formed at a thickness of 150 nm
by the co-deposition method, more specifically, by evaporating
aluminum and lithium from different evaporation sources
respectively.
[0083] Lastly, the device was sealed in an Ar gas atmosphere.
Incidentally, the concentration of lithium in the cathode 17
employed in this example was determined by the inductively coupled
plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-AES).
[0084] The organic thin film EL device was electrified and luminous
efficiency and lifetime properties (luminance half-life) were
evaluated. The luminous efficiency (cd/A) was found from a current
density at the time when luminance of 300 cd/m.sup.2 was emitted.
Lifetime properties were evaluated by causing the light emission of
the device by the pulse operation at a pulse frequency of 100 Hz,
duty ratio of 50% and peak current density of 10 mA/cm.sup.2. While
the pulse was off, reverse bias voltage of -10 V was applied.
[0085] FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating the luminous efficiency
(.circle-solid.) and luminance half-life (.largecircle.) of the
cathode 17 as a function of its lithium concentration. The luminous
efficiency varies with the lithium concentration of the cathode 17
and becomes 3.1 to 7.2 cd/A at a concentration range of 0.05 to 1.5
wt. %. Particularly within a concentration range of 0.15 to 0.5 wt.
%, the luminous efficiency shows a stable value of about 7 cd/A.
The luminance half-life exceeds 500 hours within a concentration
range of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % and above all, it exceeds 1000 hours at
a concentration range of 0.1 to 0.5 wt. %. At a concentration range
less than 0.05 wt. % or greater than 1.5 wt. %, not only a small
luminous efficiency but also a markedly short luminance half-life
is observed.
[0086] The adhesion of the cathode 17 was measured by peeling in
the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % showed the highest load of 1500
to 1800 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.05 wt. % showed the load of 550 gf/24 mm or less and that
having a lithium concentration greater than 1.5 wt. % showed the
load of 850 gf/24 mm or less.
[0087] In this example, when the aluminum alloy cathode 17 having a
lithium concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, good properties were
attained and particularly at a lithium concentration of 0.15 to 0.5
wt. %, efficiency was high and lifetime properties were stable.
This result suggests that an organic thin-film EL device having
excellent properties can be obtained by incorporating Compound (1)
in the thin-film emitter layer 15 contiguous to the
aluminum-lithium cathode 17 and setting the lithium concentration
in the cathode 17 at a range of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, preferably 0.10
to 0.5 wt. %, more preferably 0.15 to 0.5 wt. %.
EXAMPLES 2A TO 42A
[0088] In each of Examples 2A to 42A, except that the emitter layer
15 having a thickness of 70 nm was formed by a co-deposition method
in which each of the compounds shown in Table 19 and 20 instead of
Compound (1), as the compound of the formula (I) and diphenyl 3,
9-perylenedicarboxylate were evaporated from different deposition
sources, respectively, wherein the evaporation rate was precisely
controlled so that the diphenyl 3, 9-perylenedicarboxylate was
contained in the emitter layer 15 in an amount of 3 mole %, an
organic thin-film EL device was formed in a similar manner to
Example 1A, and its properties were evaluated. Results are shown in
Tables 19 and 20.
[0089] Even if any one of the above-described compounds were used
for the emitter layer 15, when the aluminum-lithium alloy cathode
17 had a lithium concentration ranging from 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %,
luminous efficiency became about twice and luminance half-life
became about three to five times when compared with those at a
lithium concentration less than 0.05 wt. % or greater than 1.5 wt.
%. The lithium concentration which is regarded as most suited in
Comparative Example 1A is as small as 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % and its
range is very narrow, while in this example, the most suited
lithium concentration is as wide as 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % and good
light-emitting properties are attained. This suggests that when the
compound represented by the formula (I) is used for the emitter
layer 15 contiguous to the cathode 17, excellent advantages can be
obtained at a lithium concentration adjusted to 0.05 to 1.5 wt.
%.
[0090] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % showed the highest load of 1200
to 1800 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.05 wt. % showed the load of 550 gf/24 mm or less and that
having a lithium concentration greater than 1.5 wt. % showed the
load of 850 gf/24 mm or less.
[0091] The above results indicate that when the compound of the
formula (I) is used for the emitter layer 15 contiguous to the
cathode 17, improved adhesion, high efficiency and long-life light
emission can be attained by adjusting the lithium concentration in
the aluminum-lithium alloy cathode 17 at 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1A
[0092] Except that the emitter layer 15 having a thickness of 70 nm
was formed by a co-deposition method in which conventionally and
ordinarily used Alq and diphenyl 3, 9-perylenedicarboxylate were
evaporated from different deposition sources, respectively, wherein
the evaporation rate was precisely controlled so that the diphenyl
3, 9-perylenedicarboxylate was contained in the emitter layer 15 in
an amount of 3 mole %, an organic thin-film EL device was formed in
a similar manner to Example 1A, and its properties were
evaluated.
[0093] As a result, it was observed, as illustrated in FIG. 9, that
luminous efficiency and lifetime properties each showed a peak
between the lithium concentration of 0.01 and 0.1 wt. %. At the
lithium concentration exceeding 0.1 wt. %, a drastic deterioration
in light-emitting properties was observed.
[0094] When the adhesion of the cathode portion was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. As a result, the load was 1000
to 1200 gf/24 mm and showed the highest value when the cathode 17
having a lithium concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % was employed,
while it was 900 gf/24 mm or less when the cathode 17 having a
lithium concentration exceeding 0.1 wt. % was employed.
Example 43A
[0095] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the
structure of an organic thin-film EL device according to the second
embodiment of the present invention, wherein an organic thin film
contiguous to a cathode 17 is an electron injection transport layer
16a and the functions of an emitter layer 15 and electron transport
layer 16a are essentially separated.
[0096] Example 43A of the present invention will next be described
with reference to FIG. 2. On a glass substrate 11, an ITO (indium
tin oxide) film was formed by the ion plating method, followed by
etching into short strips, whereby a glass substrate with an anode
12 was formed. The anode 12 made of ITO had a sheet resistance of
13 .OMEGA./.quadrature.. Organic thin films over the ITO-applied
glass substrate were all formed by the molecular-beam deposition
method and the vacuum degree during the film formation was set at
2.times.10.sup.-8 Torr or less.
[0097] A hole injection layer 13 made of TTPA was then formed to a
thickness of 35 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.05 nm/s, followed by
the formation of a hole transport layer 14 made of .alpha.-NPD to a
thickness of 15 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.25 nm/s.
[0098] Over the hole transport layer, an emitter layer 15 made of
9,10-bis(4-(4-(N,N-di(4-tolyl)aminophenyl)benzyliden)anthracene
(which will hereinafter be abbreviated as "BPBA") represented by
the following formula: 195
[0099] was formed to a thickness of 48 nm at an evaporation rate of
0.07 nm/s.
[0100] Over the emitter layer 15, an electron injection transport
layer 16a made of the compound (1) in Table 1 was formed to a
thickness of 35 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.2 nm/s.
[0101] Then, a cathode 17 made of an aluminum-lithium alloy was
pattern-formed to a thickness of 150 nm over the electron injection
transport layer by the co-deposition method in which aluminum and
lithium were evaporated from different evaporation sources
respectively.
[0102] Finally, the resulting device was sealed in an Ar gas
atmosphere. In Example 43A, the concentration of lithium in the
cathode 17 was determined by ICP-AES.
[0103] The organic thin-film EL device so formed was electrified
and luminous efficiency and lifetime properties (luminance
half-life) were evaluated. The luminous efficiency (cd/A) was found
from a current density at the time when luminance of 300 cd/m.sup.2
was emitted. Lifetime properties were evaluated by causing the
light emission of the device by the pulse operation at a pulse
frequency of 100 Hz, duty ratio of 50% and peak current density of
10 mA/cm.sup.2. While the pulse was off, reverse bias voltage of
-10 V was applied.
[0104] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating the luminous efficiency
(.circle-solid.) and luminance half-life (.largecircle.) of the
cathode 17 as a function of its lithium concentration. The luminous
efficiency varies with the lithium concentration of the cathode 17
and becomes 4.3 to 8.5 cd/A at a concentration range of 0.05 to 1.5
wt. %. Particularly within a concentration range of 0.1 to 0.5 wt.
%, the luminous efficiency is as high as 8 cd/A or greater. The
luminance half-life exceeds 500 hours within a concentration range
of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % and above all, it exceeds 1000 hours at a
concentration range of 0.1 to 0.5 wt. %. At a concentration outside
the above range, that is, a range less than 0.05 wt. % or greater
than 1.5 wt. %, not only a small luminous efficiency but also a
markedly short luminance half-life as short as 100 hours or less
are observed. Such a lithium concentration outside the above range
cannot be employed practically.
[0105] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration ranging from 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % showed the highest
load of 1500 to 1800 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium
concentration less than 0.05 wt. % showed the load of 550 gf/24 mm
or less and that having a lithium concentration greater than 1.5
wt. % showed the load of 850 gf/24 mm or less.
[0106] In this Example 43A, when the aluminum alloy cathode 17
having a lithium concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, good
properties were attained and particularly at a lithium
concentration of 0.1 to 0.5 wt. %, efficiency was high and lifetime
properties were stable. This result suggests that, with respect to
organic thin-film EL devices having the device structure shown in
FIG. 2, an organic thin-film EL device having excellent properties
can be obtained by incorporating Compound (1) of Table 1 in the
electron injection transport layer 16a contiguous to the cathode 17
made of an aluminum-lithium alloy and setting the lithium
concentration in the cathode 17 at a range of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %,
preferably 0.1 to 0.5 wt. %.
EXAMPLES 44A TO 84A
[0107] In each of Examples 44A to 84A, in a similar manner to
Example 43A except that each of the compounds shown in Tables 21
and 22 was used as the compound of the formula (I) for forming the
electron injection transport layer 16a of FIG. 2, an organic
thin-film EL device was formed and its properties were evaluated.
Results are shown in Tables 21 and 22.
[0108] Even if any one of the above-described compounds were
employed as the hole injection transport layer 16a, when the
aluminum-lithium alloy cathode 17 had a lithium concentration
ranging from 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, luminous efficiency became about
twice and luminance half-life became about three to five times when
compared with those at a lithium concentration less than 0.05 wt. %
or greater than 1.5 wt. %. The lithium concentration which is
regarded as most suited in Comparative Example 2A is as small as
0.01 to 0.1 wt. % and its range is very narrow, while in this
example, the most suited lithium concentration is as wide as 0.05
to 1.5 wt. % and good light-emitting properties are attained. This
suggests that when the compound represented by the formula (I) is
used for an electron injection transport layer 16a contiguous to
the cathode 17, excellent advantages can be obtained at a lithium
concentration adjusted to 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %.
[0109] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % showed the highest load of 1200
to 1800 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.05 wt. % showed the load of 550 gf/24 mm or less and that
having a lithium concentration greater than 1.5 wt. % showed the
load of 850 gf/24 mm or less.
[0110] The above results suggest that when the compound of the
formula (I) is used for the electron injection transport layer 16a
contiguous to the cathode 17, improved adhesion, high efficiency
and long-life light emission can be attained by adjusting the
lithium concentration in the cathode 17 made of an aluminum-lithium
alloy at 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2A
[0111] In a similar manner to Example 43A except that
conventionally and ordinarily used Alq was used for forming an
electron injection transport layer 16a, an organic thin-film EL
device was formed and its properties were evaluated. As a result,
it was observed, as illustrated in FIG. 10, that luminous
efficiency and lifetime properties each showed a peak between the
lithium concentration of 0.01 and 0.1 wt. %. At the lithium
concentration exceeding 0.1 wt. %, a drastic deterioration in light
emitting properties was observed.
[0112] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. As a result, the load was 1000
to 1200 gf/24 mm and showed the highest value when the cathode 17
having a lithium concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % was employed,
while it was 900 gf/24 mm when the cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration exceeding 0.1 wt. % was employed.
EXAMPLE 85A
[0113] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the
structure of an organic thin-film EL device according to a third
embodiment of the present invention, which is different from the
structure of the second embodiment in that at least one of the
cathode components is contained in the electron injection transport
layer 16b contiguous to the cathode 17.
[0114] Example 85A of the present invention will next be described
with reference to FIG. 3. On a glass substrate 11, an ITO (indium
tin oxide) film was formed by the ion plating method, followed by
etching into short strips, whereby a glass substrate with an anode
12 was formed. The anode 12 made of ITO had a sheet resistance of
13 .OMEGA./.quadrature.. Organic thin films over the ITO-applied
glass substrate were all formed by the molecular-beam deposition
method and the vacuum degree during film formation was set at
2.times.10.sup.-8 Torr or less.
[0115] A hole injection layer 13 made of TTPA was then formed to a
thickness of 35 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.05 nm/s, followed by
the formation of a hole transport layer 14 made of .alpha.-NPD to a
thickness of 25 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.25 nm/s.
[0116] Over the hole transport layer, an emitter layer 15 made of
BPBA was formed to a thickness of 48 nm at an evaporation rate of
0.07 nm/s. Over the emitter layer 15, an electron injection
transport layer 16b containing 1.5 wt. % of lithium was formed to a
thickness of 35 nm by the co-deposition method in which lithium and
the compound (1) were evaporated as electron transport materials
from different evaporation sources, respectively.
[0117] Then, a cathode 17 made of an aluminum-lithium alloy was
pattern-formed to a thickness of 150 nm over the electron injection
transport layer by the co-deposition method in which aluminum and
lithium were evaporated from different evaporation sources
respectively.
[0118] Finally, the resulting element was sealed in an Ar gas
atmosphere. In Example 85A, the concentration of lithium in the
cathode 17 was studied and determined by ICP-AES.
[0119] FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating the luminous efficiency
(.circle-solid.) and luminance half-life (.largecircle.) of the
cathode 17 as a function of its lithium concentration. The luminous
efficiency varies with the lithium concentration of the cathode 17
and becomes 5 to 9.5 cd/A at a concentration range of 0.05 to 1.5
wt. %. Particularly within a concentration range of 0.1 to 0.5 wt.
%, the luminous efficiency is as high as 9 cd/A or greater. The
luminance half-life exceeds 600 hours within a concentration range
of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % and above all, it exceeds 1000 hours at a
concentration range of 0.1 to 0.5 wt. %. At a concentration outside
the above range, that is, a range less than 0.05 wt. % or greater
than 1.5 wt. %, on the other hand, not only luminous efficiency but
also luminance half-life decreases to half or less of that within
the above-described concentration range and luminance half-life
becomes even 300 hours or less. In addition, in this Example 85A,
the luminous efficiency and lifetime properties shows about a 10%
improvement when compared with those of Example 43A. Such an
improvement in the properties was brought about by doping lithium,
which is one of the cathode components, into the electron injection
transport layer 16b of the organic thin-film EL device of the
present invention.
[0120] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % showed the highest load of 1800
to 2200 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.05 wt. % showed the load of 1000 gf/24 mm and that having a
lithium concentration greater than 1.5 wt. % showed the load of
1200 gf/24 mm. When compared with Example 43A, the adhesion was
improved by about 1.3 times. Such an improvement in the properties
was brought about by doping 4 lithium, which is one of the cathode
components, into the electron injection transport layer 16b of the
present invention, thereby improving the adhesion.
[0121] In this Example, when the aluminum cathode 17 had a lithium
concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, properties were good and
particularly at a lithium concentration of 0.1 to 0.5 wt. %,
luminous efficiency was high and lifetime properties were stable.
This result suggests that, with respect to organic thin-film EL
devices having the device structure shown in FIG. 3, an organic
thin-film EL device having-excellent properties can be obtained by
incorporating the compound (1) in the electron injection transport
layer 16b contiguous to the cathode 17 made of an aluminum and
lithium alloy and setting the lithium concentration in the cathode
17 at a range of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, preferably 0.1 to 0.5 wt.
%.
EXAMPLES 86A TO 105A
[0122] In each of Examples 86A to 105A, in a similar manner to
Example 85A except that each of the compounds shown in Tables 23
was used for the electron injection transport layer 16b of FIG. 3,
an organic thin-film EL device was formed and its properties were
evaluated. The results are shown in Tables 23.
[0123] Even if any one of the above-described compounds were used
for the electron injection transport layer 16b, when the
aluminum-lithium alloy cathode 17 had a lithium concentration
ranging from 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, luminous efficiency became about
twice and luminance half-life became about three to five times when
compared with those at a lithium concentration less than 0.05 wt. %
or greater than 1.5 wt. %. The lithium concentration which is
regarded as most suited in Comparative Example 3A is as small as
0.01 to 0.1 wt. % and its range is very narrow, while in this
example, the most suited lithium concentration is as wide as 0.05
to 1.5 wt. % and good light-emitting properties are attained. This
suggests that when the compound represented by the formula (I) is
used for the electron injection transport layer 16b contiguous to
the cathode, excellent advantages can be obtained at a lithium
concentration adjusted to 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %.
[0124] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % showed the highest load of 1800
to 2200 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.05 wt. % showed the load of 550 gf/24 mm or less and that
having a lithium concentration greater than 1.5 wt. % showed the
load of 850 gf/24 mm or less.
[0125] The above results suggest that when the compound of the
formula (I) is used for the electron injection transport layer 16b
contiguous to the cathode 17, improved adhesion, high efficiency
and long-life light emission can be attained by adjusting the
lithium concentration in the cathode 17 made of an aluminum-lithium
alloy at 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 3A
[0126] In a similar manner to Example 85A except that the electron
injection transport layer 16b was formed by doping lithium into a
layer composed of conventionally and ordinarily used Alq, an
organic thin-film EL device was formed and its properties were
evaluated. As a result, it was observed, as illustrated in FIG. 11,
that luminous efficiency and lifetime properties each showed a peak
within the lithium concentration ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 wt. %. At
the lithium concentration exceeding 0.1 wt. %, a drastic
deterioration in light emitting properties was observed.
[0127] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. As a result, the load was 1000
to 1200 gf/24 mm and showed the highest value when the cathode 17
having a lithium concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % was employed,
while it was 900 gf/24 mm or less when the cathode 17 having a
lithium concentration exceeding 0.1 wt. % was employed.
EXAMPLE 106A
[0128] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the
structure of an organic thin-film EL device according to a fourth
embodiment of the present invention, which is different from the
structures of the other embodiments in that a cathode protective
layer 18 is disposed over a cathode 17.
[0129] Example 106A of the present invention will next be described
with reference to FIG. 4. On a glass substrate 11, an ITO (indium
tin oxide) film was formed by the ion plating method, followed by
etching into short strips, whereby a glass substrate with an anode
12 was formed. The anode 12 made of ITO had a sheet resistance of
13 .OMEGA./.quadrature.. Organic thin films over the ITO-applied
glass substrate were all formed by the molecular-beam deposition
method and the vacuum degree during the film formation was set at
2.times.10.sup.-8 Torr or less.
[0130] A hole injection layer 13 made of TTPA was then formed to a
thickness of 35 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.05 nm/s, followed by
the formation of a hole transport layer 14 made of .alpha.-NPD to a
thickness of 15 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.25 nm/s.
[0131] Over the hole transport layer, an emitter layer 15 made of
BPBA was formed to a thickness of 48 nm at an evaporation rate of
0.07 nm/s. Over the emitter layer 15, an electron injection
transport layer 16a composed of the compound (1) was formed to a
thickness of 35 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.2 nm/s.
[0132] Over the electron injection transport layer, a cathode 17
made of an aluminum-scandium-lithium alloy was pattern-formed to a
thickness of 30 nm by the co-deposition method in which aluminum
containing 1.5 wt. % of scandium and lithium were evaporated from
different evaporation sources respectively.
[0133] Over the cathode, an aluminum-scandium alloy containing 1.5
wt. % of scandium was formed to a thickness of 300 nm as a
protective layer 18 for the cathode 17 by the RF sputtering in an
argon gas.
[0134] Finally, the resulting device was sealed in an Ar gas
atmosphere. In Example 106A, the concentrations of lithium and
scandium in the cathode 17 were determined by ICP-AES.
[0135] FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating the luminous efficiency
(.circle-solid.) and luminance half-life (.largecircle.) of the
cathode 17 as a function of its lithium concentration. The luminous
efficiency varies with the lithium concentration of the cathode 17
and becomes 6 to 10.5 cd/A at a concentration range of 0.05 to 1.5
wt. %. Particularly within a concentration range as wide as 0.1 to
0.5 wt. %, the luminous efficiency is as high as about 10 cd/A. The
luminance half-life exceeds 800 hours within a concentration range
of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % and above all, it exceeds 1500 hours at a
concentration range of 0.1 to 0.5 wt. %. At a concentration outside
the above range, that is, at a concentration less than 0.05 wt. %
or greater than 1.5 wt. %, not only the luminous efficiency but
also luminance half-life decreases to half of that within the
above-described range and luminance half-life becomes even to 300
hours or less.
[0136] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % showed the highest load of 1800
to 2200 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.05 wt. % showed the load of 1000 gf/24 mm and that having a
lithium concentration greater than 1.5 wt. % showed the load of
1200 gf/24 mm.
[0137] In this Example, when the cathode 17 made of a
scandium-containing aluminum-lithium alloy had a lithium
concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, good properties were attained
and particularly at a lithium concentration of 0.1 to 0.5 wt. %,
luminous efficiency was high and lifetime properties were stable.
This result suggests that, with respect to organic thin-film EL
devices having the device structure shown in FIG. 4, an organic
thin-film EL device having excellent properties can be obtained by
incorporating the Compound (1) in the electron injection transport
layer 16a contiguous to the cathode 17 made of a
scandium-containing aluminum-lithium alloy and setting the lithium
concentration in the cathode 17 at a range of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %,
preferably 0.1 to 0.5 wt. %.
EXAMPLES 107A TO 126A
[0138] In each of Examples 107A to 126A, in a similar manner to
Example 106A except that each of the compounds shown in Tables 24
was used for the electron injection transport layer 16a of FIG. 4,
an organic thin-film EL device was formed and its properties were
evaluated. The results are shown in Tables 24.
[0139] Even if any one of the above-described compounds was
employed for the electron injection transport layer 16a, when the
cathode 17 made of a scandium-containing aluminum-lithium alloy had
a lithium concentration ranging from 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %, luminous
efficiency became about twice and luminance half-life became about
three to five times when compared with those at a lithium
concentration less than 0.05 wt. % or greater than 1.5 wt. %. The
lithium concentration which is regarded as most suited in
Comparative Example 4A is as small as 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % and its
range is very narrow, while in this example, the most suited
lithium concentration is as wide as 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % and good
light-emitting properties are attained. This suggests that when the
compound represented by the formula (I) is used for the electron
injection transport layer 16a contiguous to the cathode 17,
excellent advantages can be obtained at a lithium concentration
adjusted to 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %.
[0140] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % showed the highest load of 1800
to 2200 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.05 wt. % showed the load of 550 gf/24 mm or less and that
having a lithium concentration greater than 1.5 wt. % showed the
load of 850 gf/24 mm or less.
[0141] The above results suggest that when the compound of the
formula (I) is used for the electron injection transport layer 16a
contiguous to the cathode 17, improved adhesion can be attained by
setting the lithium concentration in the scandium-containing
aluminum-scandium-lithium alloy cathode 17 at 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % and
high efficiency and emission of long lifetime can be attained by
disposing the cathode protective layer 18 on the cathode 17.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 4A
[0142] In a similar manner to Example 106A except that the electron
injection transport layer 16a was made of the conventionally and
ordinarily used Alq, an organic thin-film EL device was formed and
its properties were evaluated.
[0143] As a result, it was observed, as illustrated in FIG. 12,
that luminous efficiency and lifetime properties each showed a peak
within a lithium concentration range from 0.01 to 0.1 wt. %. At the
lithium concentration exceeding 0.1 wt. %, a drastic deterioration
in luminous properties was observed.
[0144] The adhesion of the cathode portion was measured by peeling
in the crosshatching test. As a result, the load was 1000 to 1200
gf/24 mm and showed the highest value when the cathode 17 having a
lithium concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % was employed, while it
was 900 gf/24 mm when the cathode 17 having a lithium concentration
exceeding 0.1 wt. % was employed.
19 TABLE 19 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More than Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example1A (1) <3.9 7.2 <3.1 <500 1350
<380 Example2A (4) <4.0 7.8 <3.5 <360 1500 <450
Example3A (5) <3.5 6.5 <3.0 <360 1400 <400 Example4A
(15) <2.5 5.5 <3.0 <240 1000 <400 Example5A (17)
<2.5 5.0 <2.5 <120 950 <240 Example6A (18) <3.0 5.5
<3.0 <200 1000 <240 Example7A (19) <3.5 6.0 <3.0
<300 1150 <350 Example8A (22) <3.8 6.8 <3.0 <300
1100 <400 Example9A (25) <4.0 7.5 <3.0 <450 1500
<400 Example10A (26) <4.0 7.0 <3.0 <400 1200 <360
Example11A (29) <3.0 5.5 <3.5 <250 800 <280 Example12A
(32) <3.5 6.0 <3.5 <350 950 <350 Example13A (48)
<3.5 6.5 <3.0 <280 800 <300 Example14A (62) <3.5 6.0
<3.5 <300 750 <250 Example15A (63) <3.5 6.0 <3.0
<350 700 <300 Example16A (66) <2.8 5.5 <2.5 <250 680
<280 Example17A (69) <3.0 6.0 <3.0 <380 780 <400
Example18A (70) <3.0 6.5 <3.5 <400 680 <300 Example19A
(72) <2.5 5.8 <2.8 <300 600 <280 Example20A (80)
<2.4 5.0 <2.5 <250 550 <180 Example21A (82) <2.2 4.5
<1.8 <150 350 <150
[0145]
20 TABLE 20 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More than Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example22A (83) <2.4 5.0 <2.5 <100 450
<100 Example23A (84) <2.4 5.0 <3.0 <80 500 <150
Example24A (86) <2.5 4.8 <3.0 <260 600 <150 Example25A
(87) <2.0 4.2 <1.8 <48 280 <48 Example26A (93) <1.8
3.6 <1.5 <48 300 <48 Example27A (96) <1.5 3.2 <1.5
<48 350 <72 Example28A (107) <1.5 3.5 <1.2 <72 400
<48 Example29A (119) <1.8 3.2 <1.5 <96 300 <72
Example30A (121) <1.5 3.0 <1.5 <48 280 <24 Example31A
(122) <3.0 5.0 <2.5 <80 480 <120 Example32A (124)
<3.5 6.0 <3.0 <180 880 <240 Example33A (127) <3.5
6.8 <3.5 <240 960 <300 Example34A (130) <3.5 6.0
<3.0 <240 960 <240 Example35A (133) <2.8 5.2 <3.0
<120 750 <180 Example36A (140) <2.4 4.5 <2.8 <120
600 <240 Example37A (142) <2.4 4.0 <2.6 <120 500 <96
Example38A (143) <3.0 5.0 <2.8 <300 650 <280 Example39A
(144) <2.6 4.6 <3.4 <280 580 <120 Example40A (146)
<3.2 5.5 <3.5 <280 720 <240 Example41A (165) <3.0
5.0 <3.5 <240 680 <240 Example42A (169) <3.0 5.6
<3.4 <300 720 <240
[0146]
21 TABLE 21 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More then Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example43A (1) <4.2 8.5 <4.3 <450 1380
<185 Example44A (4) <4.5 9.0 <4.5 <460 1200 <240
Example45A (5) <4.0 7.8 <4.0 <300 1100 <200 Example46A
(18) <3.5 6.5 <3.8 <240 1000 <240 Example47A (19)
<4.0 7.2 <3.5 <320 1150 <240 Example48A (21) <3.5
5.8 <3.2 <180 850 <120 Example49A (22) <4.0 6.5 <3.5
<240 950 <240 Example50A (25) <4.5 7.5 <4.0 <300
1200 <300 Example51A (26) <4.2 7.0 <3.5 <240 1000
<280 Example52A (48) <4.0 6.0 <3.0 <120 750 <240
Example53A (66) <3.6 6.4 <3.4 <240 800 <240 Example54A
(69) <3.8 6.8 <3.6 <300 900 <280 Example55A (70)
<4.0 6.0 <2.8 <120 750 <240 Example56A (72) <3.4 5.6
<3.2 <120 750 <240 Example57A (80) <3.2 5.2 <3.0
<240 700 <300 Example58A (82) <2.8 5.0 <2.6 <100 600
<120 Example59A (83) <2.8 5.0 <2.4 <100 500 <100
Example60A (84) <3.4 6.0 <3.0 <240 880 <300 Example61A
(86) <3.4 6.2 <3.5 <120 680 <240 Example62A (87)
<3.0 5.6 <2.8 <100 550 <72 Example63A (93) <3.6 6.6
<3.4 <240 750 <340
[0147]
22 TABLE 22 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More then Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example64A (108) <4.0 7.0 <3.6 <400 1100
<350 Example65A (109) <3.5 6.0 <3.5 <360 1000 <240
Example66A (119) <3.0 5.6 <3.0 <260 950 <200 Example67A
(121) <2.5 5.0 <2.8 <180 720 <240 Example68A (124)
<3.5 8.0 <3.8 <400 1400 <550 Example69A (127) <4.2
9.0 <4.5 <450 1500 <600 Example70A (130) <4.0 7.0
<4.0 <350 1000 <400 Example71A (133) <3.5 6.4 <3.2
<240 850 <300 Example72A (135) <3.2 5.8 <3.0 <240
720 <240 Example73A (140) <3.0 5.5 <3.2 <200 600
<240 Example74A (142) <2.8 5.0 <3.0 <120 580 <240
Example75A (143) <3.4 6.0 <3.0 <240 720 <240 Example76A
(144) <3.0 5.8 <2.5 <240 600 <180 Example77A (146)
<3.5 6.5 <3.4 <300 850 <350 Example78A (149) <4.2
9.0 <4.8 <500 1450 <480 Example79A (150) <3.5 7.4
<3.8 <360 1100 <500 Example80A (165) <3.2 6.5 <2.8
<240 870 <450 Example81A (168) <3.5 7.2 <3.2 <300
1000 <500 Example82A (182) <3.5 6.0 <3.4 <240 900
<350 Example83A (186) <3.0 6.5 <2.8 <240 800 <300
Example84A (193) <2.5 5.0 <2.8 <180 640 <240
[0148]
23 TABLE 23 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More than Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example85A (1) <4.7 9.5 <3.6 <500 1480
<480 Example86A (4) <5.0 9.5 <3.0 <400 1200 <450
Example87A (19) <4.0 7.5 <3.0 <360 1100 <400 Example88A
(22) <4.5 8.0 <3.0 <300 1000 <360 Example89A (25)
<5.0 9.0 <3.5 <400 1200 <400 Example90A (48) <4.0
7.0 <3.0 <240 900 <300 Example91A (66) <3.2 6.0 <3.0
<240 840 <300 Example92A (69) <3.5 6.5 <3.5 <300 900
<450 Example93A (80) <3.0 6.2 <3.4 <240 840 <280
Example94A (82) <2.5 5.0 <3.0 <180 720 <200 Example95A
(83) <3.5 6.0 <3.0 <240 840 <300 Example96A (84)
<3.2 6.2 <3.5 <360 900 <350 Example97A (108) <3.4
6.6 <3.8 <400 950 <400 Example98A (124) <4.3 8.5
<4.0 <450 1150 <550 Example99A (127) <4.5 9.0 <4.2
<500 1400 <600 Example100A (130) <4.0 7.5 <3.5 <380
1000 <400 Example101A (140) <3.6 6.0 <3.2 <300 800
<240 Example102A (146) <3.6 6.0 <3.5 <240 720 <240
Example103A (149) <3.6 5.5 <3.2 <240 600 <200
Example104A (182) <3.4 6.0 <3.0 <300 900 <450
Example105A (186) <3.2 5.8 <2.8 <240 680 <200
[0149]
24 TABLE 24 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More than Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example106A (1) <4.8 9.8 <4.5 <580 1680
<400 Example107A (4) <5.0 10.2 <5.3 <360 1650 <450
Example108A (5) <4.6 8.5 <4.2 <300 1500 <400
Example109A (19) <4.0 8.0 <3.8 <300 1250 <360
Example110A (108) <3.5 6.8 <3.2 <240 960 <300
Example111A (109) <3.0 6.0 <3.0 <240 900 <240
Example112A (124) <4.6 8.0 <4.0 <300 1350 <480
Example113A (127) <5.2 10.5 <5.0 <450 1650 <720
Example114A (130) <4.3 8.5 <4.5 <380 1250 <500
Example115A (133) <4.0 7.8 <4.2 <380 1100 <420
Example116A (137) <3.5 5.8 <2.9 <240 680 <300
Example117A (179) <3.2 6.5 <3.4 <300 840 <420
Example118A (182) <4.5 8.5 <4.8 <480 1150 <480
Example119A (184) <3.0 6.2 <3.5 <240 720 <240
Example120A (185) <3.4 4.2 <3.2 <180 580 <240
Example121A (186) <4.2 7.2 <4.1 <380 950 <400
Example122A (187) <3.8 6.0 <3.2 <200 640 <180
Example123A (188) <3.5 5.0 <2.8 <180 550 <240
Example124A (189) <4.2 5.5 <3.2 <240 600 <300
Example125A (192) <3.8 4.8 <3.5 <100 500 <120
Example126A (193) <3.0 6.0 <2.8 <240 720 <200
EXAMPLE 1B
[0150] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the
structure of an organic thin-film EL device according to a first
embodiment of the present invention, wherein an organic thin-film
layer contiguous to a cathode 17 is an emitter layer 15. Example 1B
of the present invention will next be described with reference to
FIG. 1.
[0151] On a glass substrate 11, a film of ITO (indium tin oxide)
was formed by the ion plating method. The film 4, was etched into
short strips, whereby the glass substrate with an anode 12 was
formed. The anode 12 made of ITO had a sheet resistance of 13
.OMEGA./.quadrature..
[0152] All the organic thin films over the ITO-adhered glass
substrate were formed by the molecular-beam deposition method and
the vacuum degree during film formation was set at
2.times.10.sup.-8 Torr or less. At an evaporation rate of 0.05
nm/s, a hole injection layer 13 made of
tris(4-(4'-(N,N-di(4-tolyl)amino)styryl) phenyltriphenylamine)
(which will hereinafter be abbreviated as "TTPA") was formed to a
thickness of 35 nm, followed by the formation of a hole transport
layer 14 made of
N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(.alpha.-naphthyl)-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine
(which will hereinafter be abbreviated as ".alpha.-NPD") was formed
to a thickness of 25 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.25 nm/s.
[0153] Over the hole transport layer, an emitter layer 15 was
formed by the co-deposition method, that is, by evaporating
Compound (1) in Table 1 and diphenyl 3,9-perylenedicarboxylate from
different deposition sources, respectively. At that time, the
evaporation rate was precisely controlled so that the diphenyl
3,9-perylenedicarboxylate was contained in the emitter layer in an
amount of 3 mole %, whereby the emitter layer 15 having a thickness
of 70 nm was formed.
[0154] Over the emitter layer, a cathode 17 made of a
magnesium-lithium alloy was pattern formed to a thickness of 150 nm
by the co-deposition method in which magnesium and lithium were
evaporated from different evaporation sources respectively.
[0155] Lastly, the device was sealed in an Ar gas atmosphere.
Incidentally, the concentration of lithium in the cathode 17
employed in this example was determined by the inductively coupled
plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-AES).
[0156] The organic thin-film EL device was electrified and luminous
efficiency and lifetime properties (luminance half-life) were
evaluated. The luminous efficiency (cd/A) was found from a current
density at the time when luminance of 300 cd/m.sup.2 was emitted.
Lifetime properties were evaluated by causing the light emission of
the device by the pulse operation at a pulse frequency of 100 Hz,
duty ratio of 50% and peak current density of 10 mA/cm.sup.2. While
the pulse was off, reverse bias voltage of -10V was applied.
[0157] FIG. 13 is a graph illustrating the luminous efficiency
(.circle-solid.) and luminance half-life (.largecircle.) of the
cathode 17 as a function of its lithium concentration. The luminous
efficiency varies with the lithium concentration of the cathode 17
and becomes 3.0 to 6.1 cd/A at a concentration range of 0.03 to 1.7
wt. %. Particularly within a concentration range of 0.03 to 1.0 wt.
%, the luminous efficiency shows a stable value not less than about
5 cd/A. The luminance half-life exceeds 500 hours within a
concentration range of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %. At a concentration range
less than 0.03 wt. % or greater than 1.7 wt. %, not only luminous
efficiency shows a marked decrease but also luminance half-life is
considerably short and does not reach even 100 hours.
[0158] The adhesion of the cathode 17 was measured by peeling in
the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. % showed the highest load of 1350
to 1750 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.03 wt. % showed the load of 550 gf/24 mm or less and that
having a lithium concentration greater than 1.7 wt. % showed the
load of 750 gf/24 mm or less.
[0159] In this example, when the lithium concentration of the
magnesium alloy cathode 17 ranges from 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %, good
properties were attained and particularly at a lithium
concentration of 0.03 to 1.0 wt. %, high efficiency and stable
lifetime properties were attained. This result suggests that an
organic thin-film EL device having excellent properties can be
obtained by incorporating Compound (1) in the thin-film emitter
layer 15 contiguous to the magnesium-lithium cathode 17 and setting
the lithium concentration in the cathode 17 at a range of 0.03 to
1.7 wt. %, preferably 0.03 to 1.0 wt. %.
EXAMPLES 2B TO 42B)
[0160] In each of Examples 2B to 42B, except that the emitter layer
15 having a thickness of 70 nm was formed by co-deposition method
in which each of the compounds shown in Tables 25 and 26 as a
compound of the formula (I) and diphenyl 3, 9-perylenedicarboxylate
were evaporated from different deposition sources, respectively,
wherein the evaporation rate was precisely controlled so that the
diphenyl 3, 9-perylenedicarboxy-late was contained in the emitter
layer 15 in an amount of 3 mole %, an organic thin-film EL device
was formed in a similar manner to Example 1B, and its properties
were evaluated. The results are shown in Tables 25 and 26.
[0161] Even if any one of the above-described compounds was
employed for the emitter layer 15, when the magnesium-lithium alloy
cathode 17 had a lithium concentration ranging from 0.03 to 1.7 wt.
%, luminous efficiency became about twice and luminance half-life
became about three to ten times when compared with those at a
lithium concentration less than 0.03 wt. % or greater than 1.7 wt.
%. This suggests that when the compound represented by the formula
(I) is used for an emitter layer 15 contiguous to the cathode 17,
excellent advantages can be obtained at a lithium concentration
adjusted to 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %.
[0162] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. % showed the highest load of 1200
to 1800 gf/24 mm, while that J having a lithium concentration less
than 0.03 wt. % showed the load of 450 gf/24 mm or less and that
having a lithium concentration greater than 1.7 wt. % showed the
load of 800 gf/24 mm or less.
[0163] The above results indicate that when the compound of the
formula (I) is used for an emitter layer 15 contiguous to the
cathode 17, improved adhesion, high efficiency and long-life light
emission can be attained by adjusting the lithium concentration in
the magnesium-lithium alloy cathode 17 at 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1B
[0164] Except that the emitter layer 15 having a thickness of 70 nm
was formed by a co-deposition method in which conventionally and
ordinarily used Alq and diphenyl 3, 9-perylenedicarboxylate were
evaporated from different deposition sources, respectively, wherein
the evaporation rate was precisely controlled so that the diphenyl
3, 9-perylenedicarboxylate was contained in the emitter layer 15 in
an amount of 3 mole %, an organic thin-film EL device was formed in
a similar manner to Example 1B, and its properties were
evaluated.
[0165] As a result, it was observed, as illustrated in FIG. 17,
that luminous efficiency and lifetime properties each showed a peak
at a lithium concentration range exceeding 1.7 wt. %. Such a high
lithium concentration range is not however preferred, because
corrosion or black spots tend to appear on the electrode.
[0166] When the adhesion of the cathode portion was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. As a result, the load was 1000
to 1200 gf/24 mm and showed the highest value when the cathode 17
having a lithium concentration exceeding 1.7 wt. % was employed,
while it was 900 gf/24 mm or less when the cathode 17 having a
lithium concentration less than 1.7 wt. % was employed.
EXAMPLE 43B
[0167] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the
structure of an organic thin-film EL device according to a second
embodiment of the present invention, wherein an organic thin film
contiguous to a cathode 17 is an electron injection transport layer
16a and functions of an emitter layer 15 and electron injection
transport layer 16a are essentially separated.
[0168] Example 43B of the present invention will next be described
with reference to FIG. 2. On a glass substrate 11, an ITO (indium
tin oxide) film was formed by the ion plating method, followed by
etching into short strips, whereby a glass substrate with an anode
12 was formed. The anode 12 made of ITO had a sheet resistance of
13 .OMEGA./.quadrature.. Organic thin films over the ITO-applied
glass substrate were all formed by the molecular-beam deposition
method and the vacuum degree during the film formation was set at
2.times.10.sup.-8 Torr or less.
[0169] A hole injection layer 13 made of TTPA was then formed to a
thickness of 35 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.05 nm/s, followed by
the formation of a hole transport layer 14 made of .alpha.-NPD to a
thickness of 15 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.25 nm/s.
[0170] Over the hole transport layer, an emitter layer 15 made of
9,10-bis(4-(4-(N,N-di(4-tolyl)aminophenyl) benzyliden)anthracene
(which will hereinafter be abbreviated as "BPBA") was formed to a
thickness of 48 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.07 nm/s.
[0171] Over the emitter layer 15, an electron injection transport
layer 16a made of the compound (1) in Table 1 was formed to a
thickness of 35 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.2 nm/s.
[0172] Then, a cathode 17 made of a magnesium-lithium alloy was
pattern-formed to a thickness of 150 nm over the electron injection
transport layer by the co-deposition method in which magnesium and
lithium were evaporated from different evaporation sources,
respectively.
[0173] Finally, the resulting device was sealed in an Ar gas
atmosphere. In Example 43B, the concentration of lithium in the
cathode 17 was determined by ICP-AES.
[0174] The organic thin film EL device so formed was electrified
and luminous efficiency and lifetime properties (luminance
half-life) were evaluated. The luminous efficiency (cd/A) was found
from a current density at the time when luminance of 300 cd/m.sup.2
was emitted. Lifetime properties were evaluated by causing the
light emission of the device by the pulse operation at a pulse
frequency of 100 Hz, duty ratio of 50% and peak current density of
10 mA/cm.sup.2. While the pulse was off, reverse bias voltage of
-10V was applied.
[0175] FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating the luminous efficiency
(.circle-solid.) and luminance half-life (.largecircle.) of the
cathode 17 as a function of its lithium concentration. The luminous
efficiency varies with the lithium concentration of the cathode 17
and becomes 5.5 to 7.1 cd/A at a concentration range of 0.03 to 1.7
wt. %. The luminance half-life exceeded 400 hours within a
concentration range of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %. At a concentration
outside the above range, that is, a range less than 0.03 wt. % or
greater than 1.7 wt. %, luminous efficiency decreased to about half
of that within the above range and luminance half-life became even
as short as 120 hours or less.
[0176] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. % showed the highest load of 1500
to 1800 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.03 wt. % showed the load of 550 gf/24 mm or less and that
having a lithium concentration greater than 1.7 wt. % showed the
load of 850 gf/24 mm or less.
[0177] In this Example 43B, when the lithium concentration in the
magnesium alloy cathode 17 falls within a range of 0.03 to 1.7 wt.
%, good properties were attained. This result suggests that, with
respect to organic thin-film EL devices having the device structure
shown in FIG. 2, an organic thin-film EL device having excellent
properties can be obtained by incorporating Compound (1) of Table 1
in the electron injection transport layer 16a contiguous to the
cathode 17 made of a magnesium-lithium alloy and setting the
lithium concentration range in the cathode 17 at 0.03 to 1.7 wt.
%.
EXAMPLES 44B TO 84B
[0178] In each of Examples 44B to 84B, in a similar manner to
Example 43B except that each of the compounds shown in Tables 27
and 28 was used as the compound of the formula (I) for forming the
electron injection transport layer 16 a of FIG. 2, an organic
thin-film EL device was formed and its properties were evaluated.
Results are shown in Tables 27 and 28.
[0179] Even if any one of the above-described compounds were
employed as the hole injection transport layer 16a, when the
magnesium-lithium alloy cathode 17 had a lithium concentration
ranging from 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %, luminous efficiency became about
twice and luminance half-life became about three to ten times when
compared with those at a lithium concentration less than 0.03 wt. %
or greater than 1.7 wt. %. This suggests that when the compound
represented by the formula (I) is used for the electron injection
transport layer 16a contiguous to the magnesium-lithium alloy
cathode 17, excellent advantages can be obtained at a lithium
concentration adjusted to 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %.
[0180] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. % showed the highest load of 1200
to 1800 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.03 wt. % showed the load of 550 gf/24 mm or less and that
having a lithium concentration greater than 1.7 wt. % showed the
load of 850 gf/24 mm or less.
[0181] The above results suggest that when the compound of the
formula (I) is used for the electron injection transport layer 16a
contiguous to the cathode 17, improved adhesion, high efficiency
and long-life light emission can be attained by adjusting the
lithium concentration in the cathode 17 made of a magnesium-lithium
alloy at 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2B
[0182] In a similar manner to Example 43B except that
conventionally and ordinarily used Alq was used for the formation
of the electron injection transport layer 16a, an organic thin-film
EL device was formed and its properties were evaluated. As a
result, it was observed, as illustrated in FIG. 18, that luminous
efficiency and lifetime properties each showed a peak in a range of
the lithium concentration exceeding 1.7 wt. %. Such a high lithium
concentration range is not preferred because corrosion or black
spots tend to appear.
[0183] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. As a result, the load was 1000
to 1200 gf/24 mm and showed the highest value when the cathode 17
having a lithium concentration exceeding 1.7 wt. % was employed,
while it was 900 gf/24 mm or less when the cathode 17 having a
lithium concentration not greater than 1.7 wt. % was employed.
EXAMPLE 85B
[0184] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the
structure of an organic thin-film EL device according to a third
embodiment of the present invention, which is different from the
structure of the second embodiment in that at least one of the
cathode components is contained in the electron injection transport
layer 16b contiguous to the cathode 17.
[0185] Example 85B of the present invention will next be described
with reference to FIG. 3. On a glass substrate 11, an ITO (indium
tin oxide) film was formed by the ion plating method, followed by
etching into short strips, whereby a glass substrate with an anode
12 was formed. The anode 12 made of ITO had a sheet resistance of
13 .OMEGA./.quadrature.. The organic thin films over the
ITO-applied glass substrate were all formed by the molecular-beam
deposition method and the vacuum degree during the film formation
was set at 2.times.10.sup.-8 Torr or less.
[0186] A hole injection layer 13 made of TTPA was then formed to a
thickness of 35 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.05 nm/s, followed by
the formation of a hole transport layer 14 made of .alpha.-NPD to a
thickness of 25 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.25 nm/s.
[0187] Over the hole transport layer, an emitter layer 15 made of
BPBA was formed to a thickness of 48 nm at an evaporation rate of
0.07 nm/s. Over the emitter layer 15, an electron injection
transport layer 16b containing 1.5 wt. % of lithium was formed to a
thickness of 35 nm by the co-deposition method in which lithium and
the compound (1) were evaporated as electron transport materials
from different evaporation sources, respectively.
[0188] Then, a cathode 17 made of a magnesium-lithium alloy was
pattern-formed to a thickness of 150 nm over the electron injection
transport layer by the co-deposition method in which magnesium and
lithium were evaporated from different evaporation sources
respectively.
[0189] Finally, the resulting device was sealed in an Ar gas
atmosphere. In this Example 85B, the concentration of lithium in
the cathode 17 was determined by ICP-AES.
[0190] FIG. 15 is a graph illustrating the luminous efficiency
(.circle-solid.) and luminance half-life (.largecircle.) of the
cathode 17 as a function of its lithium concentration. The luminous
efficiency varies with the lithium concentration of the cathode 17
and became 6.4 to 8.4 cd/A in a concentration range of 0.03 to 1.7
wt. %. The luminance half-life was not less than 440 hours within a
concentration range of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %. At a concentration
outside the above range, that is, a range of less than 0.03 wt. %
or greater than 1.7 wt. %, not only luminous efficiency but also
luminance half-life decreased to half or less of that within the
above range and luminance half-life became even 120 hours or less.
In addition, in this Example 85B, the luminous efficiency and
lifetime properties were improved by about 10 to 20% when compared
with those of Example 43B. Such an improvement in the properties
was brought about by doping 14 lithium, which is one of the cathode
components, into the electron injection transport layer 16b of the
organic thin-film EL device of the present invention.
[0191] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. % showed the highest load of 1750
to 2150 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.03 wt. % showed the load of 900 gf/24 mm and that having a
lithium concentration greater than 1.7 wt. % showed the load of
1100 gf/24 mm. The adhesion was improved by 1.2 times when compared
with that in Example 43B. Such an improvement in the properties was
brought about by doping lithium, which is one of the cathode
components, into the electron injection transport layer 16b of the
present invention, thereby improving the adhesion.
[0192] In this Example, when the magnesium alloy cathode 17 had a
lithium concentration of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %, properties were good.
This result suggests that, with respect to organic thin-film EL
devices having the device structure shown in FIG. 3, an organic
thin film EL device having excellent properties can be obtained by
incorporating Compound (1) in the electron injection transport
layer 16b contiguous to the cathode 17 made of a magnesium-lithium
alloy and setting the lithium concentration in the cathode 17 at
0.03 to 1.7 wt.
EXAMPLES 86B TO 105B
[0193] In each of Examples 86B to 105B, in a similar manner to
Example 85B except that each of the compounds shown in Tables 29
was used for the electron injection transport layer 16b of FIG. 3,
an organic thin-film EL device was formed and its properties were
evaluated. Results are shown in Tables 29.
[0194] Even if any one of the above-described compounds were
employed as the electron injection transport layer 16b, when the
magnesium-lithium alloy cathode 17 had a lithium concentration
ranging from 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %, luminous efficiency became about
twice and luminance half-life became about three to nine times when
compared with those at a lithium concentration less than 0.03 wt. %
or greater than 1.7 wt. %. This suggests that when the compound
represented by the formula (I) is used for the electron injection
transport layer 16b contiguous to the cathode 17 of the organic
thin-film EL device illustrated in FIG. 3, excellent advantages can
be obtained at a lithium concentration adjusted to 0.03 to 1.7 wt.
%.
[0195] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. % showed the highest load of 1750
to 2150 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.03 wt. % showed the load of 900 gf/24 mm or less and that
having a lithium concentration greater than 1.7 wt. % showed the
load of 1100 gf/24 mm or less.
[0196] The above results suggest that when the compound of the
formula (I) is used for the electron injection transport layer 16b
contiguous to the cathode 17, improved adhesion, high efficiency
and long-life light emission can be attained by adjusting the
lithium concentration in the cathode 17 made of an
magnesium-lithium alloy at 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 3B
[0197] In a similar manner to Example 85B except that the electron
injection transport layer 16b was formed by doping lithium into a
layer composed of conventionally and ordinarily used Alq, an
organic thin-film EL device was formed and its properties were
evaluated. As a result, it was observed, as illustrated in FIG. 19,
that luminous efficiency and lifetime properties each showed a peak
in a range of the lithium concentration exceeding 1.7 wt %.
[0198] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. As a result, the load was 1000
to 1200 gf/24 mm and showed the highest value when the cathode 17
having a lithium concentration exceeding 1.7 wt. % was employed,
while it was 900 gf/24 mm or less when the cathode 17 having a
lithium concentration not greater than 1.7 wt. % was employed.
EXAMPLE 106B
[0199] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the
structure of an organic thin-film EL device according to a fourth
embodiment of the present invention, which is different from the
structures of the other embodiments in that a cathode protective
layer 18 is disposed over a cathode 17.
[0200] Example 106B of the present invention will next be described
with reference to FIG. 4. On a glass substrate 11, an ITO (indium
tin oxide) film was formed by the ion plating method, followed by
etching into short strips, whereby a glass substrate with an anode
12 was formed. The anode 12 made of ITO had a sheet resistance of
13 .OMEGA./.quadrature.. Organic thin films over the ITO-applied
glass substrate were all formed by the molecular-beam deposition
method and the vacuum degree during the film formation was set at
2.times.10.sup.-8 Torr or less.
[0201] A hole injection layer 13 made of TTPA was then formed to a
thickness of 35 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.05 nm/s, followed by
the formation of a hole transport layer 14 made of .alpha.-NPD to a
thickness of 15 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.25 nm/s.
[0202] Over the hole transport layer, an emitter layer 15 made of
BPBA was formed to a thickness of 48 nm at an evaporation rate of
0.07 nm/s. Over the emitter layer 15, an electron injection
transport layer 16a composed of the compound (1) was formed to a
thickness of 35 nm at an evaporation rate of 0.2 nm/s.
[0203] Over the electron injection transport layer, a cathode 17
made of a magnesium-lithium alloy was pattern-formed to a thickness
of 30 nm by the co-deposition method in which magnesium and lithium
were evaporated from different evaporation sources
respectively.
[0204] Over the cathode, an aluminum-scandium alloy was formed to a
thickness of 300 nm as a protective layer 18 for the cathode 17 by
the RF sputtering method.
[0205] Finally, the resulting device was sealed in an Ar gas
atmosphere. In this Example 106B, the concentration of lithium in
the cathode 17 was determined by ICP-AES.
[0206] FIG. 16 is a graph illustrating the luminous efficiency
(.circle-solid.) and luminance half-life (.largecircle.) of the
cathode 17 as a function of its lithium concentration. The luminous
efficiency varies with the lithium concentration of the cathode 17
and becomes 5.0 to 7.1 cd/A at a concentration range of 0.03 to 1.7
wt. %. The luminance half-life exceeds 700 hours within a
concentration range of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. % and above all, it exceeds
1000 hours at a concentration range of 0.4 to 1.0 wt. %. At a
concentration outside the above range, that is, at a concentration
less than 0.03 wt. % or greater than 1.7 wt. %, on the other hand,
not only the luminous efficiency decreases to half or less than
that within the above range but also luminance half-life decreases
even as short as 100 hours or less.
[0207] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. % showed the highest load of 1500
to 1800 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.03 wt. % showed the load of 550 gf/24 mm and that having a
lithium concentration greater than 1.7 wt. % showed the load of 850
gf/24 mm.
[0208] In this Example, when the magnesium alloy cathode 17 had a
lithium concentration of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %, properties were good
and particularly at a lithium concentration of 0.4 to 1.0 wt. %,
luminous efficiency was high and lifetime properties were stable.
This result suggests that, with respect to organic thin-film EL
devices having the device structure shown in FIG. 4, an organic
thin-film EL device having excellent properties can be obtained by
incorporating the Compound (1) in the electron injection transport
layer 16a contiguous to the cathode 17 made of a magnesium and
lithium alloy and setting the lithium concentration in the cathode
17 at a range of 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %, preferably 0.4 to 1.0 wt.
%.
EXAMPLES 107B TO 126B
[0209] In each of Examples 107B to 126B, in a similar manner to
Example 106B except that each of the compounds shown in Tables 30
was used for the electron injection transport layer 16a of FIG. 4,
an organic thin-film EL device was formed and its properties were
evaluated. The results are shown in Tables 30.
[0210] Even if any one of the above-described compounds were
employed as the electron injection transport layer 16a, when the
magnesium-lithium alloy cathode 17 had a lithium concentration
ranging from 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %, luminous efficiency became about
twice and luminance half-life became about three to four times when
compared with those at a lithium concentration less than 0.03 wt. %
or greater than 1.7 wt. %.
[0211] This suggests that, with respect to organic thin-film EL
devices having the device structure shown in FIG. 4, when the
compound represented by the formula (I) is used for the emitter
layer 15 contiguous to the cathode 17, excellent advantages can be
obtained at a lithium concentration adjusted to 0.03 to 1.7 wt. %.
The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by peeling in
the crosshatching test. The cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration of 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % showed the highest load of 1500
to 1800 gf/24 mm, while that having a lithium concentration less
than 0.05 wt. % showed the load of 550 gf/24 mm or less and that
having a lithium concentration greater than 1.5 wt. % showed the
load of 850 gf/24 mm or less.
[0212] The above results suggest that when the compound of the
formula (I) is used for the electron injection transport layer 16a
contiguous to the cathode 17, an improvement in adhesion is brought
about by adjusting the lithium concentration in the
magnesium-lithium alloy cathode 17 at 0.03 to 1.7 wt. % and at the
same time, high efficiency and long-life light emission can be
attained by disposing the cathode protective layer 18 over the
cathode 17.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 4B
[0213] In a similar manner to Example 106B except that the electron
injection transport layer 16a was formed using the conventionally
and ordinarily used Alq, an organic thin-film EL device was formed
and its properties were evaluated.
[0214] As a result, it was observed, as illustrated in FIG. 20,
that luminous efficiency and luminance half-life each showed a peak
in a range of the lithium concentration exceeding 1.7 wt. %.
[0215] The adhesion of the cathode portion 17 was measured by
peeling in the crosshatching test. As a result, the load was 1000
to 1200 gf/24 mm and showed the highest value when the cathode 17
having a lithium concentration exceeding 1.7 wt. % was employed,
while it was 900 gf/24 mm when the cathode 17 having a lithium
concentration not greater than 1.7 wt. % was employed.
25 TABLE 25 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More than Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example1B (1) <2.4 6.1 <2.8 <100 1000
<100 Example2B (4) <2.6 6.5 <2.8 <150 1100 <120
Example3B (5) <2.6 6.0 <2.6 <150 1000 <200 Example4B
(15) <2.5 5.0 <2.5 <120 900 <150 Example5B (17) <2.2
4.5 <2.2 <120 840 <100 Example6B (18) <2.6 4.8 <2.5
<180 860 <200 Example7B (19) <3.0 5.0 <2.8 <240 860
<250 Example8B (22) <3.1 4.8 <2.8 <240 720 <200
Example9B (25) <3.5 6.4 <2.8 <350 1000 <300 Example10B
(26) <3.5 6.0 <3.2 <320 950 <260 Example11B (29)
<3.0 4.5 <3.2 <240 720 <240 Example12B (32) <3.2 4.8
<3.0 <300 850 <300 Example13B (48) <3.0 5.5 <2.8
<240 700 <200 Example14B (62) <3.0 5.2 <3.1 <200 750
<250 Example15B (63) <3.0 4.9 <2.8 <250 620 <240
Example16B (66) <2.5 4.8 <2.3 <220 600 <200 Example17B
(69) <3.0 5.0 <3.2 <320 650 <280 Example18B (70)
<2.6 5.5 <3.0 <350 740 <240 Example19B (72) <2.3 5.0
<2.8 <240 500 <180 Example20B (80) <2.4 4.5 <2.3
<200 450 <120 Example21B (82) <2.0 4.2 <1.8 <160 330
<120
[0216]
26 TABLE 26 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More than Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example22B (83) <2.2 4.6 <2.4 <100 380
<100 Example23B (84) <2.0 4.0 <1.8 <100 480 <240
Example24B (86) <2.2 4.2 <2.8 <240 580 <200 Example25B
(87) <2.0 3.8 <1.8 <24 240 <24 Example26B (93) <1.6
2.8 <1.4 <72 280 <48 Example27B (96) <1.5 2.9 <1.6
<72 280 <72 Example28B (107) <1.7 3.6 <1.4 <100 500
<120 Example29B (119) <2.0 3.6 <1.8 <120 480 <240
Example30B (121) <2.0 3.2 <1.6 <72 360 <72 Example31B
(122) <2.8 4.4 <2.2 <72 480 <120 Example32B (124)
<3.0 5.5 <2.6 <120 600 <200 Example33B (127) <3.0
5.8 <3.0 <200 760 <200 Example34B (130) <3.0 5.6
<2.6 <120 800 <200 Example35B (133) <2.6 4.8 <2.8
<100 720 <180 Example36B (140) <2.4 4.5 <2.8 <120
600 <240 Example37B (142) <2.8 4.4 <2.4 <200 640
<120 Example38B (143) <3.1 5.4 <3.0 <320 600 <280
Example39B (144) <2.4 4.2 <3.1 <240 480 <100 Example40B
(146) <3.0 5.0 <3.2 <240 600 <200 Example41B (165)
<3.6 6.0 <3.5 <300 800 <400 Example42B (169) <2.8
5.2 <3.2 <240 550 <240
[0217]
27 TABLE 27 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More than Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example43B (1) <2.8 7.1 <2.2 <100 1200
<100 Example44B (4) <4.3 8.4 <4.0 <400 1150 <200
Example45B (5) <4.0 7.8 <4.0 <300 1100 <200 Example46B
(18) <3.5 6.5 <3.8 <300 900 <240 Example47B (19)
<3.8 6.2 <3.9 <320 1050 <240 Example48B (21) <3.4
5.0 <3.0 <240 720 <240 Example49B (22) <4.5 6.8 <4.0
<300 1000 <400 Example50B (25) <4.8 7.4 <3.5 <350
950 <400 Example51B (26) <4.0 6.5 <3.2 <200 900 <280
Example52B (48) <3.8 6.2 <2.8 <200 760 <240 Example53B
(66) <3.8 6.8 <3.8 <300 840 <300 Example54B (69)
<3.5 6.0 <3.0 <400 900 <480 Example55B (70) <4.2 5.2
<2.4 <180 720 <200 Example56B (72) <3.4 5.6 <3.2
<120 750 <240 Example57B (80) <3.0 4.8 <2.8 <200 660
<320 Example58B (82) <2.8 4.8 <2.6 <100 500 <120
Example59B (83) <3.0 5.4 <2.8 <200 600 <240 Example60B
(84) <3.4 6.0 <3.0 <240 880 <300 Example61B (86)
<3.4 6.2 <3.5 <120 680 <240 Example62B (87) <3.5 5.8
<2.8 <200 400 <48 Example63B (93) <3.1 6.0 <3.6
<200 720 <240
[0218]
28 TABLE 28 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More than Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example64B (108) <3.8 6.5 <3.4 <400 1000
<300 Example65B (109) <3.4 6.0 <3.5 <400 1100 <360
Example66B (119) <3.2 5.3 <2.8 <360 850 <400 Example67B
(121) <2.2 4.0 <2.8 <120 600 <200 Example68B (124)
<3.2 6.8 <3.3 <300 1100 <480 Example69B (127) <4.0
8.0 <4.0 <300 1250 <500 Example70B (130) <3.5 6.2
<3.6 <300 960 <300 Example71B (133) <3.5 6.0 <3.0
<200 720 <240 Example72B (135) <3.0 5.0 <3.1 <240
600 <200 Example73B (140) <3.2 6.5 <3.2 <200 700
<300 Example74B (142) <2.6 4.6 <3.1 <120 550 <100
Example75B (143) <3.0 5.2 <2.8 <200 720 <240 Example76B
(144) <3.0 5.0 <2.8 <240 680 <200 Example77B (146)
<3.2 6.5 <3.4 <300 850 <350 Example78B (149) <4.1
8.4 <4.2 <480 1250 <300 Example79B (150) <3.2 7.0
<3.2 <400 1000 <400 Example80B (165) <3.0 6.0 <2.8
<200 700 <350 Example81B (168) <3.5 6.5 <3.0 <300
900 <500 Example82B (182) <3.8 5.8 <3.1 <150 700
<240 Example83B (186) <3.2 6.0 <2.8 <300 720 <240
Example84B (193) <2.6 4.6 <2.8 <200 560 <200
[0219]
29 TABLE 29 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-Life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More than Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example85B (1) <3.8 8.1 <3.2 <100 960
<400 Example86B (4) <4.5 8.6 <3.8 <400 1100 <380
Example87B (19) <4.2 7.8 <3.2 <350 1000 <420 Example88B
(22) <4.0 7.2 <3.1 <280 960 <300 Example89B (25)
<4.5 8.2 <3.8 <500 1000 <400 Example90B (48) <3.8
6.6 <2.8 <200 850 <400 Example91B (66) <3.2 6.0 <3.0
<240 840 <300 Example92B (69) <3.5 6.0 <3.0 <240 720
<300 Example93B (80) <3.0 6.2 <3.4 <240 840 <280
Example94B (82) <2.5 5.0 <3.0 <180 720 <200 Example95B
(83) <3.0 5.2 <3.1 <400 800 <240 Example96B (84)
<3.0 5.6 <3.1 <300 850 <380 Example97B (108) <3.2
6.2 <3.4 <360 800 <300 Example98B (124) <4.0 7.4
<3.5 <400 1100 <480 Example99B (127) <4.0 7.5 <4.0
<580 1250 <650 Example100B (130) <3.4 7.0 <3.2 <480
960 <360 Example101B (140) <3.8 5.2 <3.6 <200 720
<240 Example102B (146) <3.6 6.0 <3.5 <240 720 <240
Example103B (149) <3.0 5.0 <3.0 <200 580 <180
Example104B (182) <3.0 5.0 <3.0 <300 600 <240
Example105B (186) <2.8 5.2 <3.2 <280 720 <240
[0220]
30 TABLE 30 Luminous Efficiency (Maximum Value) Luminance Half-Life
(Maximum Value) Relative to Li Concentration (cd/A) Relative to Li
Concentration (h) Compound Less than More than Less than More than
No. 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5 wt % 1.5 wt % 0.05 wt % 0.05.about.1.5
wt % 1.5 wt % Example106B (1) <4.0 7.1 <4.0 <400 1300
<400 Example107B (4) <4.3 8.4 <4.0 <400 1500 <400
Example108B (5) <4.0 7.8 <4.0 <300 1400 <400
Example109B <3.8 6.2 <3.9 <320 1250 <260 Example110B
(108) <3.8 6.5 <3.4 <500 1200 <400 Example111B (109)
<3.4 6.0 <3.5 <450 1300 <400 Example112B (124) <3.2
6.8 <3.3 <350 1300 <600 Example113B (127) <4.0 8.0
<4.0 <330 1400 <600 Example114B (130) <3.5 6.2 <3.6
<300 1150 <350 Example115B (133) <3.5 6.0 <3.0 <240
800 <280 Example116B (137) <3.2 5.0 <2.5 <200 580
<240 Example117B (179) <3.0 6.0 <3.0 <280 720 <300
Example118B (182) <3.8 5.8 <3.1 <200 800 <300
Example119B (184) <2.6 5.7 <3.2 <260 680 <200
Example120B (185) <3.0 4.0 <3.0 <150 480 <200
Example121B (186) <3.2 6.0 <2.8 <350 800 <300
Example122B (187) <3.4 5.5 <3.0 <200 600 <200
Example123B (188) <3.0 4.6 <2.6 <150 480 <200
Example124B (189) <4.0 5.0 <3.0 <240 500 <200
Example125B (192) <3.5 4.5 <3.1 <100 400 <120
Example126B (193) <2.6 4.6 <2.8 <240 600 <240
* * * * *