1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a color tunable panel and, in particular, to a color tunable panel of an organic electroluminescent display.
2. Related Art
The full-color technologies utilized in the present organic electroluminescent displays mainly include the following three. The first technology is “Three Primary Colors Light-emitting Method” that uses three primary colors (Red, Green, and Blue) for independent electroluminescent units. The second technology is “Color Conversion Medium (CCM)” that includes a blue CCM and cooperates with a red CCM and a green CCM to generate various colors. The third technology is “Color Filter Method” that includes white light electroluminescent devices and color filters. Hereinafter, the CCM technology is taken for an example and is described below.
Idemitsu Kosan Co. is one of the leaders in developing the CCM technology. As shown in
The white light emitted from the organic light-emitting area 31 can pass through the blue conversion film 331′, green conversion film 332′ and red conversion film 333′, and converted into blue light, green light and red light, respectively. The blue light, green light and red light converted from the white light pass the blue filter 331, the green filter 332 and the red filter 333 respectively, to increase the purity of the blue color, the green color and the red color. Finally, a driving circuit is provided to produce the desired color screen according to the generated three primary colors (red color (R), green color (G), and blue color (B)).
In the conventional color display panel 3, however, since at least three photolithography processes are necessary to form the blue conversion films 331′, the green conversion films 332′ and the red conversion films 333′ on the blue filters 331, the green filters 332 and the red filters 333, the manufacturing processes of the color display panel 3 are more complex and the cost thereof is increased. Furthermore, since the color display panel 3 includes the planarization layer 32 to make the whole panel more planar, the thickness of the whole panel 3 is also increased, which did not follow the trend toward lightweight and compact devices.
In addition, the light generated from inside of the organic electroluminescent display panel may get lose a lot of light during the transmission to the outside, which decreases the external quantum efficiency of the display panel.
To solve this problem, a convex lens is additionally attached to the light-emitting surface of the substrate with higher refraction so as to enhance the external quantum efficiency. As shown in
However, the previously mentioned lens has too large diameter and thickness (several millimeters), so the whole device has too large dimension, which does not match the trend toward lightweight and compact light-emitting devices. Furthermore, since the refraction index matching oil is used to attach to lens to the light-emitting surface of the element, the lens may be stripped off easily. Thus, the lifetime of the device is short.
It is therefore a subjective of the invention is to provide a color tunable panel of an organic electroluminescent display, which can solve the above-mentioned problems.
In view of the foregoing, the invention is to provide a color tunable panel of an organic electroluminescent display, which can modulate the light color and increase the luminescent efficiency.
To achieve the above, a color tunable panel of an organic electroluminescent display of the invention comprises a substrate, an organic light-emitting area and a micro-lens array. In the invention, the organic light-emitting area is disposed over the substrate and comprises a plurality of pixels for emitting white light. The micro-lens array comprises a plurality of micro-lenses disposed on or covering the pixels, and the micro-lenses are doped with a fluorescent material and/or a phosphorescent material.
To achieve the above, a color tunable panel of an organic electroluminescent display of the invention comprises a substrate, an organic light-emitting area and a micro-lens array. In the invention, the organic light-emitting area is disposed over the substrate and comprises a plurality of pixels for emitting short-wavelength light. The micro-lens array comprises a plurality of micro-lenses disposed on or covering the pixels, and the micro-lenses are doped with a fluorescent material and/or a phosphorescent material. Herein, the short-wavelength light emitted from the pixels of the organic light-emitting area is ultraviolet light or blue light.
As mentioned above, the color tunable panel of the organic electroluminescent display comprises the micro-lenses doped with the fluorescent materials and/or the phosphorescent materials, which cover or disposed on the pixels. Comparing with the conventional art, the micro-lenses doped with the fluorescent materials and/or the phosphorescent materials can convert the white light or short-wavelength light, such as UV light or blue light, emitted from the organic light-emitting area into monochromatic light of various colors, combination of monochromatic lights, or broadband spectrum white light. Thus, the color tunable panel for emitting monochromatic light, combination of monochromatic lights, white light or color light can be obtained. Furthermore, the luminescent efficiency of the panel can be increased by the excitation of short-wavelength light to the fluorescent materials and/or the phosphorescent materials, so the decay of luminescent efficiency caused by the absorption of the color conversion films and filters in the color conversion medium technology can be compensated efficiently. Moreover, the invention comprises color filters to purify each color light or to filter out the wanted color light, so that the application of the display on the various colors can be broadened. In addition, the micro-lenses doped with the fluorescent materials and/or the phosphorescent materials can improve the color purity of the white light emitted from the organic light-emitting area. This can provide a uniform and broadband radiation spectrum to satisfy the application of full color displays. The special shape of the micro-lenses can decrease the possibility that the light is restricted inside the panel, so as to increase the external quantum efficiency of the organic electroluminescent display. Since the micro-lenses cover or disposed on the pixels, the pixels, comprising the first electrode, organic functional layer and second electrode, can be protected from invasion by moisture and oxygen, which results in dark spots. The micro-lenses can be manufactured by ink-jet printing, which is simple, convenient operation, and low manufacturing cost. Thus, the invention is suitable for mass production. In brief, micro-lenses doped with fluorescent material and/or phosphorescent material of the invention possesses the integrated functions of modulating colors emitted form the panel, pixel protection, and waterproof. Also, the micro-lenses with high refraction can compensate the luminescent efficiency lose after filtering, and further increase luminescent efficiency. Therefore, the display of the invention can provide a uniform spectrum, increase the aspect ratio of the pixels when the panel emits light, and increase the lifetime thereof. In addition, the resolution of the panel may not restrict to the fine pattern of the mask, and the manufacturing yield can be enhanced. Therefore, the invention can apply the present developed fluorescent and/or phosphorescent materials and color filter technology in the panel, so as to speed the commercialization of color tunable panel of the organic electroluminescent display.
The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
The present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same references relate to the same elements.
With reference to
In the present embodiment, the substrate 11 can be a flexible or a rigid substrate. The substrate 11 can also be a plastic or glass substrate. In particular, the flexible substrate or plastic substrate can be made of polycarbonate (PC), polyester (PET), cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), or metallocene-based cyclic olefin copolymer (mCOC). Of course, the substrate 11 can be a silicon substrate.
Referring to
The first electrode 1211 is formed on the substrate 11 by a sputtering method or an ion plating method. The first electrode 1211 is usually used as an anode and made of a transparent conductive metal oxide, such as indium-tin oxide (ITO), aluminum-zinc oxide (AZO), or indium-zinc oxide (IZO).
The organic functional layer 1212 in the current embodiment is disposed on the first electrode 1211. The organic functional layer 1212 usually comprises a hole-injecting layer, a hole-transporting layer, a light-emitting layer, an electron-transporting layer and an electron-injecting layer (not shown). The hole-injecting layer comprises copper phthalocyanine (CuPc), the hole-transporting layer comprises 4,4′-bis[N-(1-naphthyl)-N-phenylamino]biphenyl (NPB), the electron-injecting layer comprises lithium fluoride (LiF), and the electron-transporting layer comprises tris(8-quinolinato-N1,08)-aluminum (Alq). Each layer of the organic functional layer 1212 may be formed upon the first electrode 1211 by utilizing evaporation, spin coating, ink jet printing, or printing. Herein, the light emitted from the organic functional layer 1212 is white light. This may be carried out by mixing electroluminescent materials with complementary colors such as orange and blue. Of course, electroluminescent materials with other complementary colors could be used.
The second electrode 1213 is disposed on the organic functional layer 1212. Herein, the second electrode 1213 can be formed on the organic functional layer 1212 by way of evaporation or sputtering. The material of the second electrode 1213 can be, for example but not limited to, aluminum, calcium, magnesium, indium, zinc, manganese, silver, gold and magnesium alloy. The magnesium alloy can be, for example but not limited to, Mg:Ag alloy, Mg:In alloy, Mg:Sn alloy, Mg:Sb alloy and Mg:Te alloy.
With reference to
In the embodiment, the micro-lenses 131 are capable of improving the external quantum efficiency of the color tunable panel 1. In the color tunable panel 1, the light emitted from the organic light-emitting area 12 can cause the panel waveguide phenomenon. Thus, the micro-lenses 131 can focus the light, which has an incident angle larger than the critical angle thereof, and then pass it out of the panel. Accordingly, the external quantum efficiency of the color tunable panel 1 can be greatly increased.
With reference to
In this embodiment, the micro-lenses 131 can be a transparent medium doped with a fluorescent material and/or a phosphorescent material. Herein, the material of the protecting medium can be at least one selected from, and is not limited to, the group consisting of Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), tetrafluoroethylene resine, silicon resin, and silicon oxide. The transparent medium of the embodiment can be made of photo-cured material, which can be cured by ultraviolet light. In addition, the transparent medium has high refraction for increasing the external quantum efficiency.
The transparent medium of the embodiment may be capable of adhesive and/or waterproof. Since the micro-lenses 131 cover or disposed on the pixels 121, the pixels 121, including the first electrode 1211, organic functional layer 1212 and second electrode 1213, can be protected from invasion by water and oxygen, which causes dark spots. In the embodiment, the micro-lenses 131 can be formed by ink jet printing, and the micro-lenses 131 formed by ink jet printing have higher curvature radiuses.
In addition, the micro-lenses 131 may be doped with a fluorescent material and/or a phosphorescent material. As shown in
As mentioned above, the fluorescent material may include more than one organic dyes or more than one inorganic dyes. Herein, the red fluorescent powder may be an azo dye (organic dye) or Y2O2S:Eu3+, Bi3+ (inorganic dye). The green fluorescent powder may be a CuPc dye (organic dye) or SrGa2O4:Eu2+ (inorganic dye). The blue fluorescent powder may be a cyanine dye (organic dye) or SrGa2S4:Eu2+ (inorganic dye). In this embodiment, the fluorescent material may be nano sized powder.
In addition, the phosphorescent material may include more than one organic dye or more than one inorganic dye. In the embodiment, the red phosphorescent powder may be 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethyl-12H,23H-porphine platinum(II) [PtOEP] or Tris-(4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-thienyl)-1,3-butanediono)-1,10-phenanthroline europium(III) [Eu(TTA)3phen]. The green phosphorescent powder may be Bis(2-phenyl-pyridinato-N,C2)iridium(acetylacetone) [ppy2lr(acac)] or Iridium(III) bis(tolypyridine)salicyclidene [tpyIrsd]. The blue phosphorescent powder may be Iridium-bis(4,6-di-fluorophenyl-pyridinato-N,C2)-picolinate [Firpic] or Bis[(4,6-difluorophenyl-pyridinato-N,C2)iridium(acetylacetone) [Fir(acac)]. In this embodiment, the phosphorescent material may be nano sized powder.
Referring to
In the embodiment, the white light emitted from the organic light-emitting area 12 passes the micro-lens doped with red fluorescent powder and/or red phosphorescent powder, the micro-lens doped with green fluorescent powder and/or green phosphorescent powder, and the micro-lens doped with blue fluorescent powder and/or blue phosphorescent powder, respectively, so as to generate red light, green light and blue light. The generated red light, green light and blue light then respectively pass through the red filter 141, the green filter 142 and the blue filter 143 to generate the red light, green light and blue light of high purity. As shown in
With reference to
As shown in
The separating layer 16 is configured in a Passive Matrix OLED (PMOLED) for simply separating the cathodes of the pixels 121. Alternatively, in an Active Matrix OLED (AMOLED) as shown in
The color tunable panel 1 of the embodiment may further comprise a driving circuit (not shown), which is passive driving circuit or active driving circuit and is connected to the organic light-emitting area 12 and power source (not shown). Herein, the driving circuit can control the on/off and brightness of each pixel of,the organic light-emitting area 12.
Furthermore, the color tunable panel 1 of the embodiment may further comprise an encapsulating unit 17, such as a cover plate. In the embodiment, the encapsulating unit 17 is attached to the substrate 11 with an adhesive. Thus, the encapsulating unit 17 can prevent the pixels 121 (the organic functional layer 1212) from invasion of water and oxygen. Of course, the encapsulating unit 17 can also be a passivation film (not shown).
With reference to
In this embodiment, the color tunable panel 1 may also comprise a plurality of color filters 14. Herein, the filters 14 are red filters 141.
Of course, the fluorescent material can be green fluorescent powder, the phosphorescent material can be green phosphorescent powder, and the filters 14 can be green filters 142. Herein, the color tunable panel 1 is a green light display panel (not shown).
Of course, the fluorescent material can be blue fluorescent powder, the phosphorescent material can be blue phosphorescent powder, and the filters 14 can be blue filters 143. Herein, the color tunable panel 1 is a blue light display panel (not shown).
Moreover, the fluorescent material and/or the phosphorescent material can be the fluorescent material and/or the phosphorescent material for emitting other monochromatic light, so as to manufacture the display panel with other monochromatic light.
With reference to
In the embodiment, the white light emitted from the organic light-emitting area 12 passes through the micro-lenses 131 doped with the mixture of the red fluorescent powder, green fluorescent powder and blue fluorescent powder, and/or the mixture of the red phosphorescent powder, green phosphorescent powder and blue phosphorescent powder so as to generate broadband spectrum white light. Herein, the color tunable panel 1 is a white light display panel.
In this embodiment, the color tunable panel 1 may also comprise a plurality of filters 14. Herein, the filters 14 are red filters 141, green filters 142 and blue filters 143. The broadband spectrum white light formed by the micro-lenses 131 then respectively passes through the red filters 141, green filters 142 and blue filters 143, and is converted into red light, green light and blue light. As shown in
In the embodiment, the white light emitted from the organic light-emitting area 12 are mixed, scattered, and excited by the fluorescent material and/or the phosphorescent material. Thus, the luminescent efficiency can be increased, and the purity of the white light emitted from the organic light-emitting area 12 can be improved. Therefore, the white light with uniform and broadband radiation spectrum can be obtained, and satisfy the demands of full color displays.
With reference to
The features and functions of the substrate 21, micro-lens array 23 and micro-lenses 231 are the same to those described in the first embodiment, so the detailed descriptions are omitted here for concise purpose.
As shown in
Wherein, the features and functions of the first electrode 2211 and second electrode 2213 of the embodiment are the same to the first electrode 1211 and second electrode 1213 of the first embodiment, so the detailed descriptions are omitted here for concise purpose.
In this case, the light emitted from the organic functional layer 2212 is short-wavelength light. In addition, the structures and functions of the organic functional layer 2212 are the same to the organic functional layer 1212 of the first embodiment, so the detailed descriptions are omitted here for concise purpose.
In the embodiment, the micro-lenses 231 may be doped with a fluorescent material and/or a phosphorescent material. As shown in
As mentioned above, the fluorescent material may include more than one organic dyes or more than one inorganic dyes. Herein, the red fluorescent powder may be an azo dye (organic dye) or Y2O2S:Eu3+, Bi3+ (inorganic dye). The green fluorescent powder may be a CuPc dye (organic dye) or SrGa2O4:Eu2+ (inorganic dye). The blue fluorescent powder may be a cyanine dye (organic dye) or SrGa2S4:Eu2+ (inorganic dye). In this embodiment, the fluorescent material may be nano sized powder.
In addition, the phosphorescent material may include more than one organic dye or more than one inorganic dye. In the embodiment, the red phosphorescent powder may be 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethyl-12H,23H-porphine platinum(II) [PtOEP] or Tris-(4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-thienyl)-1,3-butanediono)-1,10-phenanthroline europium(III) [Eu(TTA)3phen]. The green phosphorescent powder may be Bis(2-phenyl-pyridinato-N,C2)iridium(acetylacetone) [ppy2Ir(acac)] or Iridium(III) bis(tolypyridine) salicyclidene [tpylrsd]. The blue phosphorescent powder may be Iridium-bis(4,6-di-fluorophenyl-pyridinato-N,C2)-picolinate [Firpic] or Bis[(4,6-difluorophenyl-pyridinato-N,C2)iridium(acetylacetone) [Fir(acac)]. In this embodiment, the phosphorescent material may be nano sized powder.
Referring to
In the embodiment, the short-wavelength light emitted from the organic light-emitting area 22 passes the micro-lens doped with red fluorescent powder and/or red phosphorescent powder, the micro-lens doped with green fluorescent powder and/or green phosphorescent powder, and the micro-lens doped with blue fluorescent powder and/or blue phosphorescent powder, respectively, so as to generate red light, green light and blue light. The generated red light, green light and blue light then respectively pass through the red filter 241, the green filter 242 and the blue filter 243 to generate the red light, green light and blue light of high purity. As shown in
Furthermore, as shown in
With reference to
In this embodiment, the color tunable panel 2 may also comprise a plurality of filters 24. Herein, the filters 24 are red filters 241.
Of course, the fluorescent material can be green fluorescent powder, the phosphorescent material can be green phosphorescent powder, and the filters 24 can be green filters 242. Herein, the color tunable panel 2 is a green light display panel (not shown).
Of course, the fluorescent material can be blue fluorescent powder, the phosphorescent material can be blue phosphorescent powder, and the filters 24 can be blue filters 243. Herein, the color tunable panel 2 is a blue light display panel (not shown).
Moreover, the fluorescent material and/or the phosphorescent material can be the fluorescent material and/or the phosphorescent material for emitting other monochromatic light, so as to manufacture the display panel with other monochromatic light.
With reference to
In the embodiment, the short-wavelength light emitted from the organic light-emitting area 22 passes through the micro-lenses 231 doped with the mixture of the red fluorescent powder, green fluorescent powder and blue fluorescent powder, and/or the mixture of the red phosphorescent powder, green phosphorescent powder and blue phosphorescent powder so as to generate white light. Herein, the color tunable panel 2 is a white light display panel as shown in
In this embodiment, the color tunable panel 2 may also comprise a plurality of filters 24. Herein, the filters 24 are red filters 241, green filters 242 and blue filters 243. The broadband spectrum white light formed by the micro-lenses 231 then respectively passes through the red filters 241, green filters 242 and blue filters 243, and is converted into red light, green light and blue light. As shown in
In the embodiment, the short-wavelength light, such as ultraviolet light or blue light, emitted from the organic light-emitting area 22 are converted into white light according to the micro-lenses 231 doped with the mixture of red fluorescent powder, green fluorescent powder and blue fluorescent powder, and/or the mixture of red phosphorescent powder, green phosphorescent powder and blue phosphorescent powder. Thus, the luminescent efficiency of the organic light-emitting area 22 can be increased. Therefore, the white light with uniform and broadband radiation spectrum can be obtained, and satisfy the demands of full color displays.
Of course, the fluorescent material of the embodiment comprises at least two fluorescent powders with complementary colors, and the phosphorescent material comprises at least two phosphorescent powders with complementary colors. For example, the fluorescent material can be the mixture of orange fluorescent powder and blue fluorescent powder, and the phosphorescent material can be the mixture of orange phosphorescent powder and blue phosphorescent powder so as to generate white light. Similarly, the red filters 241, the green filters 242 and blue filters 243 can be used to manufacture the full color display panel (not shown).
As mentioned above, the color tunable panel of the organic electroluminescent display comprises the micro-lenses doped with the fluorescent materials and/or the phosphorescent materials, which cover or disposed on the pixels. Comparing with the conventional art, the micro-lenses doped with the fluorescent materials and/or the phosphorescent materials can convert the white light or short-wavelength light, such as UV light or blue light, emitted from the organic light-emitting area into monochromatic light of various colors, combination of monochromatic lights, or broadband spectrum white light. Thus, the color tunable panel for emitting monochromatic light, combination of monochromatic lights, white light or color light can be obtained. Furthermore, the luminescent efficiency of the panel can be increased by the excitation of short-wavelength light to the fluorescent materials and/or the phosphorescent materials, so the decay of luminescent efficiency caused by the absorption of the color conversion films and filters in the color conversion medium technology can be compensated efficiently. Moreover, the invention comprises color filters to purify each color light or to filter out the wanted color light, so that the application of the display on the various colors can be broadened. In addition, the micro-lenses doped with the fluorescent materials and/or the phosphorescent materials can improve the color purity of the white light emitted from the organic light-emitting area. This can provide a uniform and broadband radiation spectrum to satisfy the application of full color displays. The special shape of the micro-lenses can decrease the possibility that the light is restricted inside the panel, so as to increase the external quantum efficiency of the organic electroluminescent display. Since the micro-lenses cover or disposed on the pixels, the pixels, comprising the first electrode, organic functional layer and second electrode, can be protected from invasion by moisture and oxygen, which results in dark spots. The micro-lenses can be manufactured by ink-jet printing, which is simple, convenient operation, and low manufacturing cost. Thus, the invention is suitable for mass production. In brief, micro-lenses doped with fluorescent material and/or phosphorescent material of the invention possesses the integrated functions of modulating colors emitted form the panel, pixel protection and waterproof. Also, the micro-lenses with high refraction can compensate the luminescent efficiency lose after filtering, and further increase luminescent efficiency. Therefore, the display of the invention can provide a uniform spectrum, increase the aspect ratio of the pixels when the panel emits light, and increase the lifetime thereof. In addition, when the color tunable panel of the organic electroluminescent display can display full color, the conventional selective deposition processes for forming the three primary color pixels. Thus, the resolution of the panel may not restrict to the fine pattern of the mask, and the manufacturing yield can be enhanced. Therefore, the invention can apply the present developed fluorescent and/or phosphorescent materials and color filter technology in the panel, so as to speed the commercialization of color tunable panel of the organic electroluminescent display.
Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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092123079 | Aug 2003 | TW | national |