Patent ID: 7326473

Claim:
An organic electroluminescent device comprising: at least one luminescent layer comprising an organic compound, said luminescent layer being positioned between a cathode electrode layer and an anode electrode layer opposed to said cathode electrode layer; and an organic electron injection layer positioned adjacent to said cathode electrode layer, wherein said organic electron injection layer comprises an organic metal complex compound containing at least one metal ion selected from an alkali metal ion, an alkaline earth metal ion and a rare earth metal ion, and wherein said cathode electrode layer contains a metal selected from aluminum, zirconium, titanium, yttrium, scandium, or silicon, all of which metals have a capability of thermally reducing said at least one metal ion contained in said organic metal complex compound, in vacuum, and wherein a metal is reduced from said at least one metal ion and is liberated from said organic metal complex compound; and wherein said luminescent layer and said organic electron injection layer are not the same.