Organic Device

Abstract

An organic device is disclosed. In an embodiment the organic device includes an organic component designed to emit and/or detect radiation, wherein the organic component has a first layer stack and a radiation passage surface and an organic protection diode having a second layer stack, wherein the organic protection diode is arranged directly after the organic component in a stacking direction (Z), and wherein the organic protection diode is designed to protect the organic component from an electrostatic discharge and/or from a polarity reversal of the organic component.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. An organic device comprising: an organic component designed to emit and/or detect radiation, wherein the organic component comprises a first layer stack and a radiation passage surface; and an organic protection diode comprising a second layer stack, wherein the organic protection diode is arranged directly after the organic component in a stacking direction (Z), and wherein the organic protection diode is designed to protect the organic component from an electrostatic discharge and/or from a polarity reversal of the organic component.

14. The organic device according to claim 13, wherein a p-n junction of the organic protection diode is connected antiparallel to a p-n junction of the organic component.

15. The organic device according to claim 13, further comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode mounted on a side of the first layer stack facing away from the first electrode; and a third electrode mounted on a side of the second layer stack facing away from the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is in direct electrical and/or physical contact with the first layer stack and second layer stack, and wherein the first electrode and the third electrode are connected to one another in an electrically conductive manner.

16. The organic device according to claim 15, wherein the first electrode and the third electrode are connected in an electrically conductive manner by a connecting layer, wherein the connecting layer extends along the stacking direction (Z) on at least one lateral surface of the organic component and/or at least one lateral surface of the organic protection diode.

17. The organic device according to claim 15, wherein the second layer stack comprises a layer structure, wherein the layer structure has a thickness in the stacking direction (Z) of at least 10 μm and no more than 200 μm.

18. The organic device according to claim 17, wherein the layer structure is arranged between the first electrode and the third electrode.

19. The organic device according to claim 17, wherein the layer structure comprises at least one buffer layer, wherein the buffer layer is produced by a solution-processed method.

20. The organic device according to claim 17, wherein the layer structure comprises a buffer layer and at least one sealing layer, wherein the sealing layer is arranged between the first layer stack and the buffer layer in the stacking direction (Z), the sealing layer and the buffer layer are produced by different methods and the buffer layer comprises at least 10 times the thickness of the sealing layer.

21. The organic device according to claim 19, wherein the second electrode is formed using a material which is insoluble in a solvent used in the solution-processed method, and wherein the second electrode covers at least one of the lateral surfaces of the first layer stack.

22. The organic device according to claim 20, wherein the sealing layer of the layer structure is adjacent to the second electrode and completely covers this on external surfaces of the second electrode facing away from the first layer stack in an area of the buffer layer.

23. The organic device according to claim 15, wherein the second electrode comprises an ALD layer.

24. The organic device according to claim 13, wherein the organic component is covered completely by at least one layer of the organic protection diode on external surfaces thereof facing away from the radiation passage surface.

25. The organic device according to claim 13, wherein the first layer stack is covered and/or encapsulated completely by at least one layer of the organic protection diode on an external surface thereof facing away from the radiation passage surface.

26. An organic device comprising: an organic component designed to emit and/or detect radiation, wherein the organic component comprises a first layer stack and a radiation passage surface; an organic protection diode having a second layer stack, wherein the organic protection diode is arranged directly after the organic component in a stacking direction (Z), and wherein the organic protection diode is designed to protect the organic component from an electrostatic discharge and/or from a polarity reversal of the organic component; a first electrode; a second electrode mounted on a side of the first layer stack facing away from the first electrode; and a third electrode mounted on a side of the second layer stack facing away from the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is in direct electrical and/or physical contact with the first layer stack and second layer stack, and wherein the first electrode and the third electrode are connected to one another in an electrically conductive manner by means of a connecting layer, wherein the connecting layer extends along the stacking direction (Z) on at least one lateral surface of the organic component and/or at least one lateral surface of the organic protection diode.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Hereinafter, the organic device described here is explained in more detail using exemplary embodiments and the associated figures.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of an organic device as described here using a sectional illustration.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a substitutional circuit diagram of an organic device as described here.

[0047] FIGS. 3 to 4 show exemplary embodiments of an organic device as described here using sectional illustrations.

[0048] FIG. 5 shows a distribution of the particle sizes in an ISO class 5 clean room.

[0049] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary image of a particle.

[0050] Identical or similar elements or elements having the same effect are provided with the same reference numerals in the figures. The figures and the size ratios to one another of the elements illustrated in the figures should not be considered as being to scale. Rather, to illustrate them better and/or to make them easier to understand, the size of individual elements may be exaggerated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0051] Using the sectional diagram of FIG. 1, a first exemplary embodiment of an organic device as described here is explained in more detail. The organic device comprises a substrate 5, an organic component 1, and an organic protection diode 2. The organic component 1 and the organic protection diode 2 follow the substrate 5 in a stacking direction Z. The organic component 1 comprises a first electrode 31, which includes a radiation passage surface 1c. The radiation passage surface is here faces the substrate 5. The substrate 5 and the first electrode 31 can be of radiation-permeable configuration. For example, the substrate 5 is formed using a glass or a plastic. The first electrode 31 can be formed using a transparent conductive oxide, such as, e.g., indium tin oxide.

[0052] On the side of the first electrode 31 facing away from the substrate 5, a first layer stack 10 is arranged. The first layer stack 10 comprises a conductive first layer 11, an emission layer 12 and a conductive second layer 13, which follows the first layer 11 and the emission layer 12 in the stacking direction Z. The first layer 11 can be the first electron-transport layer of the first layer stack and the second layer 13 can be the first hole-transport layer of the first layer stack. Alternatively, it is possible that the first layer 11 is the first hole-transport layer and the second layer 13 is the first electron-transport layer of the first layer stack.

[0053] The first layer stack 10 can also comprise further layers, not illustrated in the figures. For example, the first layer stack 10 can comprise hole-blocking layers and/or electron-blocking layers. Furthermore, it is possible that the first layer stack 10 comprises multiple emission layers 12, preferably arranged on top of one another in the stacking direction Z, which can, for example, emit light of different colors. This allows the provision of in particular an organic device that emits white light.

[0054] The second layer 13 is followed by a second electrode 32 in the stacking direction. The second electrode 32 is of radiation-reflecting design and can be formed using, e.g., a metal or a metal alloy. The first electrode 31, the first layer stack 10 and the second electrode 32 together form the organic component 1.

[0055] The first layer stack 10 is followed by a second layer stack 20 in the stacking direction Z. The second layer stack 20 here is adjacent to the second electrode 32. The second layer stack comprises a layer structure 21, a matrix layer 22 and a conductive further layer 23.

[0056] The layer structure 21 can be the second hole-transport layer of the organic protection diode. The further layer 23 can be the second electron-transport layer of the second layer stack. In this case, the second electron-transport layer of the organic protection diode 2 would therefore be arranged after the second hole-transport layer in the stacking direction Z. Alternatively, however, it is also possible that the layer structure 21 is the second electron-transport layer and the further layer 23 is the second hole-transport layer. The choice of the arrangement of the second electron-transport layer and the second hole-transport layer should be made such that the p-n junction of the organic component 1 is connected antiparallel to the p-n junction of the organic protection diode 2.

[0057] On the second electron-transport layer 23 of the second layer stack 20, a third electrode 42 is arranged in the stacking direction. The second electrode 32, the second layer stack 20 and the third electrode 42 together form the organic protection diode 2. The second electrode 32 can therefore simultaneously form the cathode of the organic component 1 and the anode of the organic protection diode 2. Alternatively, it is possible that the second electrode simultaneously forms the anode of the organic component 1 and the cathode of the organic protection diode 2.

[0058] The third electrode 42 is connected to the first electrode 31 by a connecting layer 34 arranged laterally to the first layer stack 10 and/or second layer stack 20. In particular, the first electrode 31 and the third electrode 42 are connected electrically conductive to one another via the connecting layer 34.

[0059] According to the substitutional circuit diagram of FIG. 2, the way in which the organic device as described here functions is explained in more detail. The organic device comprises an organic component 1 and an organic protection diode 2. These are electrically connected with a voltage U. The organic protection diode 2 is connected antiparallel to the organic component 1. The organic protection diode 2 can thus act as an ESD protection diode for the organic component 1.

[0060] According to the sectional illustration of FIG. 3, a further exemplary embodiment of an organic device as described here is explained in more detail. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the main extension planes of the respective layers of the first layer sequence 10 and/or the second layer sequence 20 in the present case run not only perpendicular to the stacking direction Z, but also partially parallel to the stacking direction Z.

[0061] The organic device of FIG. 3 comprises the first layer stack 10 having lateral surfaces 10b which run along the stacking direction Z. The lateral surfaces 10b of the first layer stack 10 are covered by the second electrode 32.

[0062] Furthermore, the organic component 1 comprises lateral surfaces 1b. At least one of the lateral surfaces 1b of the organic component here is completely covered by the layer structure 21. It is possible here that the first layer stack 10 protects, by the second electrode 32, against the solvent optionally contained in the layer structure 21. To this end, the second electrode 32 can encapsulate the first layer stack 10 toward the layer structure 21.

[0063] Furthermore, the organic device comprises an insulating layer 6, by means of which the first electrode 31 is electrically insulated from the second electrode 32 and/or the organic component 1 is electrically insulated from the organic protection diode 2. The second layer stack 20 of the organic protection diode 2 additionally comprises at least one lateral surface 20b, which is completely covered by the third electrode 42 and can be encapsulated externally by the third electrode 42.

[0064] Furthermore, the first layer stack 10 of the organic component 1 is encapsulated externally by the insulating layer 6, the first electrode 32, the layer structure 21, the matrix layer 22, the further layer 23, the third electrode 42 and/or the connecting layer 34.

[0065] According to the sectional illustration of FIG. 4, a further exemplary embodiment of an organic device as described here is explained in more detail. To supplement the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a contact 320 mounted on the substrate 5 at a lateral distance from the first layer stack 10 is illustrated in FIG. 4. The contact 320 is in direct electrical contact with the second electrode 32 and serves to provide electrical contact with the second electrode 32. In addition, the insulating layer 6 in the exemplary embodiment illustrated is patterned and annularly surrounds the first layer sequence 10.

[0066] Furthermore, the layer structure 21 in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4 comprises a sealing layer 211 and a buffer layer 212. The buffer layer 212 is applied to the sealing layer 211, e.g., by a solution-processed method.

[0067] The sealing layer 211 completely covers all external surfaces of the second electrode 32 facing away from the first layer stack 10 in the area of the buffer layer 21. In other words, the sealing layer 211 covers all areas of the second electrode 32 facing the buffer layer 212. In addition, the sealing layer 211 seals positions 10f of the first layer stack 10 which are not covered by the second electrode 32 against the buffer layer 212.

[0068] The buffer layer 212 serves inter alia as protection from particles from the surrounding air. The sealing layer 211 additionally serves to protect the organic layers of the organic component 1 from the solvent that is used to apply the buffer layer 212. In particular, the buffer layer 212 can have a thickness of at least 5 μm, preferably at least 10 μm in the stacking direction Z. The buffer layer 21, and preferably also the layer structure 21, is/are covered on their external surfaces facing away from the first layer stack 10 by the matrix layer 22. In particular, the matrix layer 22 completely covers the layer structure 21 in the areas in which the layer structure 21 is likewise covered by the third electrode 42 and/or the connecting layer 34. The matrix layer 22 here can extend laterally along the layer structure 21 up to the insulating layer 6 and can be in direct contact with the insulating layer 6.

[0069] The second layer stack 20 is covered on its external surfaces facing away from the first layer stack 10 by the fourth electrode 42 and/or laterally by the connecting layer 34. The third electrode 42 and the connecting layer 34 here can serve to encapsulate the organic layers of the first layer stack 10 and/or second layer stack 20 externally.

[0070] Using the distribution of the particle sizes in an ISO class 5 clean room of FIG. 5, the way in which the buffer layer 212 functions is explained in more detail. What is shown is the average number of particles # per cubic meter as a function of the particle size d in μm. In an ISO class 5 clean room, which is used for producing an organic device as described here, there are in particular particles having a maximum particle size of 5 μm. During the production of the organic device, for example, these particles can land on the functional layers of the organic component during transport from one vacuum tank to another vacuum tank, resulting in the destruction of said layers. These particles can remain in the buffer layer 212 in the present organic device without damaging the organic component 1.

[0071] Using the image of FIG. 6, a way in which the buffer layer 212 functions is explained in more detail. FIG. 6 shows an image of a dust particle, the size of which is between about 5 μm and 10 μm, with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The dust particle is located in the layered composite structure of an organic component.

[0072] The description using the exemplary embodiments does not limit the invention thereto. Rather, the invention comprises any new feature and any combination of features, which in particular includes any combination of features in the patent claims, even if this feature or this combination is not per se explicitly stated in the patent claims or exemplary embodiments.