Abstract:
Disclosed is an organic electroluminescent display panel which may be of passive-matrix type or active matrix type. When the organic electroluminescent display panel is of passive-matrix type, an organic functional layer is held between a first electrode line and a second electrode line. The organic functional layer contains a material with electroluminescent characteristics, and is arranged in a light-emitting region of the first electrode line. The light-emitting region is defined by an insulation layer having a window, and the insulation layer includes a gas barrier layer covering the peripheral portion of the windows. A partition wall and the organic functional layer may be sealed with a protection layer composed of an inorganic material. The partition wall may be formed in a region of the insulation layer where the window is not provided.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescence (hereinafter referred to as an organic EL) display panel and a method of manufacturing the organic EL display panel.  
       BACKGROUND ART  
       [0002]     An organic EL element is known in the art which includes an organic light-emitting material having luminescent characteristic. The organic EL element includes a transparent electrode, an organic functional layer having an organic light-emitting material, and a metal electrode, which are sequentially laminated on a transparent substrate.  
         [0003]     There is, for example, an organic EL display panel having the organic EL elements which are arranged in a matrix pattern. Application of a flexible display panel is proposed for the organic EL display panel, in which a flexible substrate is made of, for example, a resin material. Since the flexible display panel has light weight and flexible properties as compared with the display panel having a glass substrate, the flexible display panel has less limitations in terms of the installation place.  
         [0004]     The resin material, however, has a poor blocking characteristic against passage of moisture and gases such as oxygen. Specifically, the resin material has a poor gas barrier characteristic. Therefore, the moisture and gases may pass through the flexible substrate. If the moisture and gases come into contact with the organic functional layer, a light-emitting-function of the layer may deteriorate which produces light-emission disabled regions, i.e., so-called dark spots.  
         [0005]     In order to prevent this deterioration in the flexible substrate, a gas barrier layer is proposed. The gas barrier layer is made of silicon nitride oxide, and is deposited on a resin base material (for example, Akira Sugimoto, “Development of organic EL film display,” Optronics, Vol. 3, 2001, pp. 122-126).  
         [0006]     Forming the gas barrier layer on the substrate imparts gas barrier characteristic to the flexible substrate. However, if a minute defect such as a pinhole is formed during the deposition of the gas barrier layer, moisture may pass through the substrate via such defect. Accordingly, the dark spot cannot be completely eliminated.  
         [0007]     The problems to be solved by the present invention includes the above-described problem.  
       DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION  
       [0008]     According to one aspect of the present invention, an organic electroluminescence display panel is provided which includes a plurality of electrode line groups arranged in parallel to each other, an insulation layer having a plurality of windows arranged along electrode lines of the first electrode line groups so at to define light-emitting areas, and an organic functional layer formed in the light-emitting areas. The insulation layer includes a gas barrier layer which covers peripheries of the windows. The display panel may also include a plurality of second electrode line groups arranged to cross the first electrode lines via the organic functional layer.  
         [0009]     Since intrusion of moisture into the organic functional layer from the surrounding of the display panel is blocked by the gas barrier layer, the display panel having the organic functional layer causing no deterioration can be obtained. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a top view showing an embodiment of an organic EL display panel of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line II-II of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2A  is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a modified embodiment of the organic EL display panel of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a top view showing another modified embodiment of the organic EL display panel of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line IV-IV of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4A  is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to  FIG. 4 , and illustrates a modified embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing yet another modified embodiment of the organic EL display panel of the present invention;  
         [0017]     FIGS.  6  to  12  are top views showing a series of manufacturing steps of the organic EL display panel according to the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 13A  is a cross-sectional view showing a organic functional layer formation process for the organic EL display panel of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 13B  is a cross-sectional view showing another organic functional layer formation process of the organic EL display panel;  
         [0020]      FIG. 13C  is a cross-sectional view showing yet another organic functional layer formation process the organic EL display panel;  
         [0021]      FIG. 14  is a top view showing a modified embodiment of a gas barrier layer formation process of the organic EL display panel of the present invention; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 15  is a top view showing another modified embodiment of a gas barrier layer formation process of the organic EL display panel of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]     An embodiment of an organic EL display panel according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and symbols are assigned to similar elements. Although the organic EL display panel includes a wiring, a driving section necessary for driving the display panel and so on, these devices are omitted from the following description.  
         [0024]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the organic EL display panel  1  according to this embodiment includes a display area  2  having a plurality of light-emitting sections (not shown) arranged in a matrix pattern. The light-emitting sections are formed of anode lines  4  as first electrodes, an organic functional layer (not shown) including a light-emitting layer having electroluminescence characteristic, and cathode lines  5  as second electrodes, which are sequentially laminated on a substrate  3 . The display area  2  is covered with a protection layer  6 .  
         [0025]     The display area  2  includes light-emitting pixels (not shown) each consisting of three light-emitting sections which respectively emit, for example, red light, green light and blue light. It should be noted that instead of the light-emitting sections of red, green and blue colors, the display panel may be a monochrome display panel in which all the light-emitting sections are monochrome.  
         [0026]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a plurality of anode lines  4  made of transparent material such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) are formed within the display area  2  on the substrate  3  having a light transparency characteristic and a gas barrier characteristic such as glass or resin. The anode lines  4  are arranged in parallel to each other. On the anode lines  4 , an organic insulation layer  7  is formed which is made of an organic material having an insulation characteristic such as polyimide. The organic insulation layer  7  has windows  8  for exposing the anode lines  4 .  
         [0027]     The organic insulation layer  7  is covered with a gas barrier layer  9 . It is preferable that the gas barrier layer  9  has an excellent insulation characteristic as well as an excellent gas barrier characteristic. It is also preferable that the gas barrier layer is made of a material that allows easy formation of a fine pattern. The material which can provide the above characteristic are, for example, an inorganic material such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon nitride oxide. At least peripheries of the windows  8  are covered with the gas barrier layer  9  so as to define light-emitting areas  10  of the light-emitting sections. Specifically, in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , although the gas barrier layer  9  is formed in such a manner as to connect the peripheries of the adjacent windows  8 , it is sufficient to form the gas barrier layer  9  only at the periphery of each window  8  as shown in  FIG. 2A .  
         [0028]     In the light-emitting areas  10 , the organic functional layer  11  including light-emitting layer is formed. The light-emitting layer is made of an organic compound exhibiting an electroluminescence characteristic. The organic functional layer  11  is in contact with the anode lines  4  in the light-emitting areas  10 . It should be noted that the organic functional layer  11  may have a laminated structure including, for example, a functional layer. The functional layer improves a current injection efficiency when a current is injected into the light-emitting layer.  
         [0029]     The cathode lines  5  are provided to cross the anode lines  4  via the organic functional layer  11 . The cathode lines  5  are made of a metal having a low electrical resistance such as Al alloy. The organic functional layer  11  and the cathode lines  5  are sealed with the protection layer  6  made of an inorganic material having a gas barrier characteristic such as silicon nitride.  
         [0030]     As described above, in the organic EL display panel, the anode lines or the gas barrier layer, which are both made of an inorganic material, is formed between the organic functional layer and the substrate. The inorganic material has a blocking characteristic as compared with the organic material against the passage of gases such as gases including organic substances and moisture. Accordingly, even though gases such as oxygen and moisture may pass through the substrate  3  from the surrounding air of the panel, they cannot pass through the anode lines  4  and the gas barrier  9 . Therefore, the organic functional layer  11  can be protected from these gases.  
         [0031]     As an alternate embodiment, the display area of the organic EL display panel may include ramparts (i.e., partition walls) which define a light-emitting pattern.  
         [0032]     For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , within the display area  2  of an organic EL display panel  1   a , the anode lines  4 , the organic functional layer (not shown) including the light-emitting layer, and the cathode lines  5  are sequentially laminated. The ramparts  12  are provided between the cathode lines  5  so as to separate the cathode lines  5  from each other. The cathode lines  5  and the ramparts  12  are partly covered with the protection layer  6 . It should be noted that above description of  FIG. 3  has been made based on a plurality of ramparts  12 , however, since all ramparts  12  shown in  FIG. 3  are formed on the same plane, these ramparts  12 , as a whole, may be referred to as a single rampart layer. Specifically, the rampart layer includes a plurality of ramparts (rampart elements).  
         [0033]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , for example, a plurality of anode lines  4  made of transparent material such as ITO are formed in the display area  2  on the substrate  3  made of resin. The anode lines  4  are arranged in parallel to each other. On the anode lines  4 , the windows  8  are formed of the organic insulation layer  7  made of an organic material having an insulation characteristic such as polyimide.  
         [0034]     The organic insulation layer  7  is covered with the gas barrier layer  9 . At least peripheries of the windows  8  are covered with the gas barrier layer  9  so as to define light-emitting areas  10  of the light-emitting sections. Specifically, although the gas barrier layer  9  is formed in such a manner as to connect the peripheries of the adjacent windows  8  in  FIG. 4 , it is sufficient to form the gas barrier layer  9  only at the periphery of each window  8  as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0035]     In regions of the gas barrier layer  9  other than the windows  8 , the linear-shaped ramparts  12  are provided so as to perpendicularly cross the anode lines  4 . The ramparts  12  are formed so as to protrude from the gas barrier layer  9 . The ramparts  12  may be formed, for example, by firstly providing a photoresist on the substrate, and then carrying out an exposure process using a mask followed by a development process. The ramparts  12  are formed to have a cross section of, for example, inverse truncated triangle shapes, and are arranged in parallel to each other.  
         [0036]     In the light-emitting areas  10 , the organic functional layer  11  including the light-emitting layer is formed. The organic functional layer  11  is in contact with the anode lines  4  in the light-emitting areas  10 . Since the light-emitting areas  10  are defined by the gas barrier layer  9 , the organic functional layer  11  is not in contact with the organic insulation layer  7 .  
         [0037]     On the organic functional layer  11 , the cathode lines  5  are formed which are made of a metal having a low electrical resistance such as Al alloy. The cathode lines  5  are electrically separated from each other by the ramparts  12 .  
         [0038]     The organic functional layer  11 , the cathode lines  5 , and the ramparts  12  are sealed with the protection layer  6  which is made of an inorganic material having a gas barrier characteristic such as silicon nitride.  
         [0039]     In the above-described organic EL panel, diffusion of moisture coming from the outside of the panel can be blocked by the gas barrier layer thereby preventing formation of the dark spots. Furthermore, deterioration caused by an internal factor, particularly, deterioration inherent in the display panel provided with the ramparts, can be prevented.  
         [0040]     The internal factor includes the gases such as moisture or organic compounds which are released from the ramparts when the organic EL display panel provided with the ramparts becomes high temperature. These gases are generated by a heat-up of a water and/or an organic solvent, which are included in the photoresist used for the rampart material, and which remain in the ramparts.  
         [0041]     In the above-described organic EL panel, diffusion of these gases released from the ramparts is blocked by the gas barrier layer. Accordingly, a deterioration caused by the contact between these gases and the organic functional layer can be prevented.  
         [0042]     The ramparts  12  are sealed with the gas barrier layer  9  and the protection layer  6  which are both made of inorganic materials, and therefore the gases generated in the ramparts  12  cannot diffuse therefrom. Consequently, these gases are trapped in the ramparts  12 . Since these gases do not intrude into the organic functional layer  11 , deterioration caused by these gases, i.e., dark spots, can be prevented.  
         [0043]     Note that the gas barrier layer may not be provided between the rampart and organic insulation layer. Such structure (alternative embodiment) will be hereinafter described. For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the gas barrier layer  9  includes openings  14  at the positions of the ramparts  12 . Within the openings  14 , the ramparts  12  are in contact with the organic insulation layer  7 . Other than the structure described above, the structures of the panel shown in  FIG. 5  are similar to those of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0044]     In the organic EL display panel having the structure described above, the ramparts are provided on the organic insulation layer made of the organic substance. Accordingly, adhesiveness between the ramparts and the organic insulation layer is improved. Since it is difficult to remove the ramparts from the substrate, damages of the panel caused by the separation of the ramparts do not occur.  
         [0045]     Furthermore, since the gas barrier layer is formed between the organic functional layer and the organic insulation layer, those gases which intrude into the organic insulation layer from the ramparts cannot pass through the gas barrier layer thereby preventing the diffusion to the organic functional layer. Accordingly, deterioration caused by the internal factor can be prevented.  
         [0046]     It should be noted that the display area may be sealed with a can sealing which has a hollow portion and includes an adsorbent in the hollow portion. Application of the can sealing may omit the protection layer.  
         [0047]     The substrate may also be flexible, which is made of, for example, film resin.  
         [0048]     A method of manufacturing the above-described organic EL display panel will be hereinafter described.  
         [0049]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , an anode formation process is carried out to form a plurality of anode lines  4  so as to extend parallel to each other on the substrate  3 . In the anode formation process, island-shaped pads  13  are also formed which will be connected to the cathode lines.  
         [0050]     After the anode formation process, as shown in FIG.  7 , an organic insulation layer formation process is carried out in which the organic insulation layer  7  is formed by means of a photo-lithograph method. The organic insulation layer  7  has a plurality of windows  8  which are arranged along the anode lines  4 . The organic insulation layer forming process includes a process to deposit a photosensitive resin such as polyimide by means of a deposition method such as spin coating. It is preferable that an organic insulation material used for the organic insulation layer has sufficient coating property when applied on a stepped section.  
         [0051]     As shown in  FIG. 8 , after forming the organic insulation layer, a gas barrier layer formation process is carried out in which the gas barrier layer  9  made of inorganic material having an insulation property such as silicon nitride oxide is formed by means of the sputtering method. The gas barrier layer formation process includes a mask formation step by means of a resist on the inorganic material layer which is formed by the sputtering. The mask corresponds to a pattern of the light-emitting areas. The gas barrier layer formation process further includes etching step by means of a plasma etching method. Upon performing the above steps, a pattern of the light-emitting areas  10  is formed. It should be noted that the light-emitting areas  10  are formed by covering at least peripheries of the windows  8  with the gas barrier layer  9 .  
         [0052]     As shown in  FIG. 9 , after applying a photosensitive resin such as polyimide on the display area having the gas barrier layer formed thereon, a rampart formation process is carried out in which the ramparts  12  are formed by means of an exposure process using a photomask and a development process. The ramparts  12  are formed so as to expose the light-emitting areas  10 . The ramparts  12  protrude from the substrate  3  so that a recessed portion is defined between each two adjacent ramparts  12 .  
         [0053]     After the rampart formation process, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the organic functional layers  11  are formed by means of a deposition method such as a mask evaporation method. The organic functional layers  11  are formed in regions other than the locations of the ramparts  12 . The organic functional layers  11  are formed to be in contact with the anode lines  4  at the light-emitting areas  10 . It should be noted that since all of the plurality of organic functional layers described above are formed on the same plane, these organic functional layers, as a whole, may be referred to as a single organic functional layer.  
         [0054]     The organic functional layers are formed, as shown for example in  FIGS. 13A , by aligning openings of the deposition mask M with recessed portions on the substrate having the ramparts  12  formed thereon. Then, the mask M is placed on the ramparts. Thereafter, first organic functional layers  11   a , for example, red color, are formed so as to have a predetermined thickness by means of the evaporation method. After the formation of the first organic functional layers  11   a , the deposition mask M is displaced toward the next rampart on the left side and alignment is carried out. Thereafter, the deposition mask M is placed on the ramparts, and second organic functional layers  11   b , for example, green color, are formed ( FIG. 13B ). The deposition mask M are aligned with the unprocessed recessed portions. Then the deposition mask M is placed on the ramparts. Thereafter, third organic functional layers  11   c , for example, blue color, are formed ( FIG. 13C ). Upon performing the above steps, the organic functional layers  11  are formed in the display area as shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0055]     Alternatively, the organic functional layers may be formed by a single deposition process applied on the whole display area without using the deposition mask. Because of the height of the ramparts, isolation of the deposited substances between the rampart sections and the sections other than the locations of the ramparts is made by this deposition method. Accordingly, the organic functional layers formed in the sections other than the locations of the ramparts are defined by the ramparts. Specifically, a pattern of the organic functional layer is formed by the ramparts.  
         [0056]     After the formation of the organic functional layers, as shown in  FIG. 11 , a cathode formation process is carried out in which the cathode lines  5  are formed in the display area by means of a deposition of an inorganic substance having low electrical resistance such as Al alloy. The deposition is carried out by using an anisotropic flow of the inorganic material. The cathode lines  5  are defined by the ramparts  12 . Specifically, the cathode lines  5  are separated from each other because of the height of the ramparts  12 . It should be noted that the cathode lines  5  are formed to electrically connect to the cathode connecting pads  13  during the deposition.  
         [0057]     As shown in  FIG. 12 , the display area  2  provided with the cathode lines  5  is sealed with the protection layer  6  made of inorganic material having a gas barrier characteristic such as silicon nitride. The sealing is carried out by means of a deposition method such as a plasma CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) method. It is preferable that the protection layer material is isotropically applied by the deposition method of the protection layer  6 .  
         [0058]     Upon performing the above-described processes, the organic EL display panel  1   a  shown in  FIG. 3  is formed.  
         [0059]     It should be noted that when the organic insulation layer is formed to have sloped surfaces in order to cover stepped sections at ends of the anode lines in the above manufacturing method, the deposition material can be deposited on the sloped surfaces, even though a deposition method using an anisotropic flow of the deposited material is applied for the formation of the organic functional layer and the cathode lines. Consequently, no disconnection of the organic functional layer and the cathode line occurs between the light-emitting areas thereby improving reliability of the display panel.  
         [0060]     The method of manufacturing the organic EL display panel having the structure shown in  FIG. 5  is similar to that of the above-described embodiment except for the gas barrier layer formation process. In the gas barrier layer formation process, as shown for example in  FIG. 14 , band-shaped gas barrier layers  9   a  are formed on the organic insulation layer  7 . The gas barrier layers  9   a  extend to a direction perpendicular to the anode lines, and cover the peripheries of the windows  8 . After the gas barrier layer formation process, the ramparts are formed between the gas barrier layers such that the ramparts  12  are in contact with the organic insulation layer. It should be noted that since all of the plurality of gas barrier layers  9   a  mentioned above are formed on the same plane, these gas barrier layers  9   a , as a whole, may be referred to as a single gas barrier layer having a plurality of gas barrier elements.  
         [0061]     As an alternative embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 15 , the gas barrier layer formation process may provide island-shaped gas barrier layers  9   b  which cover only the peripheries of the windows  8  of the organic insulation layer  7 . It should be noted that since all of the plurality of gas barrier layers  9   b  mentioned above are formed on the same plane, these gas barrier layers  9   b , as a whole, may be referred to as a single gas barrier layer having a plurality of island-shaped gas barrier elements. After the gas barrier layer formation process, the rampart formation process and the organic functional layer forming process are carried out. In the rampart forming process, the ramparts are formed so as to extend in parallel to the island-shaped gas barrier layer lines perpendicular to the anode lines. The ramparts are formed at regions other than the locations where the windows are formed. In the organic functional layer formation process, the organic functional layers are formed only within the light-emitting areas. After forming the organic functional layers, the cathode formation process and the sealing process are carried out. In the cathode formation process, the cathode lines are formed by providing substance such as Al alloy in the display area. In the sealing process, the organic functional layers and the ramparts are sealed. Accordingly, the organic EL display panel is obtained.  
         [0062]     The above embodiments deal with the display panel of a passive drive type. The present invention, however, is not limited to the passive drive type. Specifically, the present invention can be applied to the display panel of an active drive type.  
         [0063]     In the above embodiments, the insulation layer defining the light-emitting areas includes the laminated layers having the organic insulation layer and the gas barrier layer. The present invention, however, is not limited to the laminated layers. Specifically, the insulation layer may be formed only by the gas barrier layer.  
         [0064]     Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the anode electrodes and the cathode electrodes may be converted into one another. Specifically, the cathode lines, the organic functional layer, and the anode lines may be sequentially laminated on the substrate in the described order.  
         [0065]     Further, as shown in  FIG. 4A , the insulation layer  7  itself may be formed to serve as the gas barrier layer  9 , i.e., the insulation layer is equal to the gas barrier layer.  
         [0066]     This application is based on a Japanese patent application No. 2003-143213, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.