JP5018211B2 - Organic electroluminescence panel and lighting device using the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescence panel and a lighting device using the same.

  The need for a surface light-emitting element with low power consumption and a small volume has increased, and an electroluminescence element (hereinafter abbreviated as “EL element”) has attracted attention as one of such surface light-emitting elements. Such EL elements are roughly classified into inorganic electroluminescent elements (“inorganic EL elements”) and organic electroluminescent elements (“organic EL elements”) depending on the materials used.

  Here, the inorganic EL element generally applies a high electric field to the light emitting portion, accelerates the electrons in the high electric field and collides with the light emission center, thereby exciting the light emission center to emit light. On the other hand, the organic EL element injects electrons and holes from the electron injection electrode and the hole injection electrode, respectively, into the light emitting layer, and combines the injected electrons and holes in the light emitting layer. Light is emitted when the organic material returns to the ground state from the excited state in the excited state, and there is an advantage that it can be driven at a lower voltage than the inorganic EL element. Taking advantage of the fact that it emits light on its surface, it is expected to be developed as a thin and flexible lighting application.

  When applied as a lighting application, the organic electroluminescence element (hereinafter also referred to as “organic electroluminescence panel” or “organic EL panel”) decreases in luminance as the drive time elapses. Need to be replaced. Therefore, the development from the viewpoint that the user replaces the organic EL panel himself is required. On the other hand, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 disclose inventions relating to a lighting fixture and a lighting device that can be attached and detached by a user. Patent Document 3 discloses an invention about a panel and a lighting device that allow a user to safely replace an organic EL panel.

However, since the luminance of the organic EL panel is gradually lowered, the user may continue to use it without noticing even when the brightness becomes lower than the appropriate brightness. JIS-Z9110 standard “illuminance standard” has standards for work content and brightness, and the brightness of the entire work place must ensure the brightness of lighting suitable for the work place and work content. . In addition, problems such as a reduction in the user's visual acuity are caused. Therefore, it is desirable that the user can grasp the appropriate timing for replacing the organic EL panel from the viewpoint of appropriate luminance and chromaticity of the lighting device.
JP 2004-31341 A JP 2004-55535 A JP 2007-5227 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems and situations, and a solution to the problem is to provide an organic electroluminescence panel that allows a user to visually recognize and grasp an appropriate replacement time, and an illumination device using the same. It is to be.

  The above-mentioned problem according to the present invention is solved by the following means.

1. An organic electroluminescence panel comprising an anode, a light emitting layer, and a cathode on the same substrate, the panel being an organic electroluminescence element, having an illumination part and an indicator part, and the illumination part and the indicator part Ri Do different chromaticity variation of each of the driving time, an organic electroluminescence difference between chromaticity chromaticity and the indicator portion of the illumination unit, characterized in that it presents a degree of deterioration over time of the illuminating unit panel.

2. An organic electroluminescence panel comprising an anode, a light emitting layer, and a cathode on the same substrate, the panel being an organic electroluminescence element, having an illumination part and an indicator part, and the illumination part and the indicator part each of the luminance variation of the driving time is Ri Do different, organic electroluminescence panel difference between the luminance brightness and the indicator portion of the illumination unit, characterized in that it presents a degree of deterioration over time of the illumination portion.

3. The organic electroluminescence panel according to any one of 1 or 2 , wherein the organic layer configuration of the illumination unit and the indicator unit is different.

4). Wherein 1 or 2 organic electroluminescent panel according to any one of, wherein said at the illumination unit the indicator unit is a respective organic layer configuration same.

5. The organic electroluminescence panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the lighting units and the indicator units have different current densities when driven.

6). The said indicator part has two or more light emission parts, The brightness | luminance change amount and chromaticity change amount of the said two or more light emission parts at the time of a drive time differ, The said 1-5 characterized by the above-mentioned. Organic electroluminescence panel.

7). An illuminating device using the organic electroluminescence panel according to any one of 1 to 6 above.

  The above-described means of the present invention can provide an organic electroluminescence panel that allows a user to visually recognize and grasp an appropriate replacement time, and a lighting device using the same.

  Hereinafter, the present invention and its components will be described in detail.

(Preferred embodiments and features of the organic electroluminescence panel of the present invention)
The organic electroluminescence panel of the present invention is an organic electroluminescence panel in which an anode, a light emitting layer, and a cathode are provided on the same substrate, and has an illumination part and an indicator part. Or it is an organic electroluminescent panel which provides an anode, a light emitting layer, and a cathode on a board | substrate, Comprising: The said illumination part and indicator part are provided on the mutually different board | substrate, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. This feature is a technical feature common to the inventions according to claims 1 to 9.

  In addition, it is preferable that the luminance change amount with the driving time of each of the illumination unit and the indicator unit is different. Moreover, it is preferable that the amount of chromaticity change with the passage of time is different between the illumination unit and the indicator unit.

  In the present invention, depending on the performance of the luminescent compound to be used, the lighting unit and the indicator unit have different organic layer configurations, or the lighting unit and the indicator unit have the same organic layer configuration. It is preferable to adopt an embodiment.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that the current density when driving the illumination unit and the indicator unit is different.

  Further, as an aspect different from the above aspect, the indicator unit has two or more light emitting units, and the light emission state changes (luminance change amount and chromaticity change amount) with the driving time of the two or more light emitting units are different. It is also preferable to make it an aspect. Furthermore, it is also preferable to adopt a mode in which the light emission state changes of the illumination unit and the indicator unit are different and the light emission state changes in the plurality of light emitting units of the indicator unit are different.

Hereinafter, further detailed description will be given with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, the conceptual diagram of the organic electroluminescent panel of this invention is shown. The feature of the present invention is that it has an illumination part (illumination organic EL light-emitting part) as shown in FIG. 1 and an indicator part (light-emitting part) having a smaller area than that. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the organic layer structure is different between the illumination unit and the indicator unit. At this time, the indicator unit is configured to have a larger change in chromaticity with time than the illumination unit. By doing so, it is confirmed that it is time to replace the organic EL panel, and the chromaticity variation with time of the indicator portion (chromaticity deviation ΔE is 0.05 or more, preferably 0.1 or more, where ΔE = (x ² + Y ² ) ^1/2 ), the user can visually recognize. In addition, if the indicator part has an organic layer structure that is significantly degraded over time compared to the illumination part, it is time to replace the illumination due to the difference in brightness between the indicator and the illumination part (the indicator part is substantially extinguished). It can be recognized by the user (see a and b in FIG. 2).

  In another preferred embodiment, the organic layer configuration of the illumination unit and the indicator unit is the same, and the current density when driven by the illumination unit and the indicator unit is changed. By making the current density of the indicator part larger than that of the illumination part, the brightness of the indicator part becomes larger than that of the illumination part in the initial stage of driving. However, at this time, the deterioration over time in the indicator section is larger than that in the illumination section, so that the luminance decrease over time is greater than that in the illumination section. The user can visually recognize that it is time to replace the organic EL panel by the change in luminance of the indicator portion over time (the difference in luminance of the indicator portion with respect to the illumination portion is 10% or more, preferably 20% or more) ( (See c in FIG. 2).

  In FIG. 1, the indicator unit and the illumination unit exist on the same panel, that is, the same substrate, but the indicator unit and the illumination unit may be on different panels (substrates) instead of on the same panel.

  In the above-mentioned form, the replacement time is recognized by the light emission status (luminance difference, chromaticity difference) over time of the illumination unit and the indicator unit. However, a plurality of light emitting units are provided on the indicator to recognize the replacement time. You may be able to do it.

<Structure of organic electroluminescence panel>
The organic electroluminescence panel of the present invention is composed of components such as a substrate (support base), electrodes, and organic layers having various functions. Specific examples of preferred configurations are shown below, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

(I) Anode / hole transport layer / electron blocking layer / light emitting layer unit / hole blocking layer / electron transport layer / cathode (ii) Anode / hole transport layer / electron blocking layer / light emitting layer unit / hole blocking layer / Electron transport layer / cathode buffer layer / cathode (iii) anode / anode buffer layer / hole transport layer / electron blocking layer / light emitting layer unit / hole blocking layer / electron transport layer / cathode (iv) anode / anode buffer layer / Hole transport layer / electron blocking layer / light emitting layer unit / hole blocking layer / electron transport layer / cathode buffer layer / cathode << light emitting layer unit >>
The “light emitting layer unit” according to the present invention is a structural unit having a plurality of light emitting layers, and refers to an organic layer laminated from the light emitting layer closest to the anode side to the light emitting layer closest to the cathode side. That is, each light emitting layer is composed of an organic layer containing a light emitting compound having a different emission color.

  Although the typical example of the said light emitting layer unit is illustrated below, it is not limited to these.

(I) Light emitting layer A / light emitting layer B
(Ii) Light emitting layer A / intermediate layer / light emitting layer B
(Iii) Light emitting layer A / hole blocking layer / light emitting layer B
(Iv) Light emitting layer A / electron blocking layer / light emitting layer B
(V) Light emitting layer A / light emitting layer B / light emitting layer C
(Vi) Light emitting layer A / intermediate layer / light emitting layer B / intermediate layer / light emitting layer C
(Vii) Light emitting layer A / intermediate layer / light emitting layer B / hole blocking layer / light emitting layer C
(Viii) Light emitting layer A / electron blocking layer / light emitting layer B / intermediate layer / light emitting layer C
The light emitting layer according to the present invention is a layer that emits light by recombination of electrons and holes injected from the electrode, the electron transport layer, or the hole transport layer, and the light emitting portion is within the layer of the light emitting layer. Even the interface between the light emitting layer and the adjacent layer may be used.

  The light emitting layer unit according to the present invention is composed of a plurality of light emitting layers containing two or more kinds of luminescent compounds having different light emission maximum wavelengths each having a light emission maximum wavelength in the range of 440 nm to 480 nm, 500 nm to 540 nm, and 600 nm to 640 nm. You can also Even if the unit has a non-light emitting intermediate layer between each light emitting layer and is composed of a plurality of light emitting layers, it emits light by containing two or more light emitting compounds having different light emission maximum wavelengths in a single layer. Two or more different types of light emission having different maximum wavelengths may be emitted.

  In addition, when making the luminescent color of the organic electroluminescent panel which concerns on this invention white, it is preferable that the said light emitting layer unit has at least three light emitting layers.

<Light emitting layer>
The light emitting layer according to the present invention is a layer that emits light by recombination of electrons and holes injected from the electrode, the electron transport layer, or the hole transport layer, and the light emitting portion is in the layer of the light emitting layer. May be the interface between the light emitting layer and the adjacent layer.

(Host compound)
The host compound contained in the light emitting layer of the organic EL panel according to the present invention transfers the energy of excitons generated by recombination of carriers on the compound to the light emitting compound (light emitting dopant: guest compound), and As a result, a compound that emits the luminescent compound and a carrier that traps the carrier on the host compound in the luminescent compound, generates excitons on the luminescent compound, and as a result, a compound that emits the luminescent compound. Say.

  In the present invention, the ratio of the host compound among the compounds contained in the light emitting layer is preferably 20% by mass or more.

  As the host compound, known host compounds may be used alone or in combination of two or more. By using a plurality of types of host compounds, it is possible to adjust the movement of charges, and the organic EL panel can be made highly efficient. Moreover, it becomes possible to mix different light emission by using multiple types of phosphorescent compounds etc. which are used as a luminescent dopant mentioned later, Thereby, arbitrary luminescent colors can be obtained. It is possible to adjust the kind of phosphorescent compound and the amount of doping, and it can be applied to illumination and backlight.

  The light-emitting host compound used in the present invention is not particularly limited in terms of structure, but typically, a carbazole derivative, a triarylamine derivative, an aromatic borane derivative, a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound, a thiophene derivative, a furan derivative, Those having a basic skeleton such as an oligoarylene compound, or a carboline derivative or a diazacarbazole derivative (herein, a diazacarbazole derivative means that at least one carbon atom of the hydrocarbon ring constituting the carboline ring of the carboline derivative is nitrogen Represents an atom substituted with an atom.) And the like.

  The host compound used in the present invention is preferably a host compound represented by the following general formula (a).

(In the formula, X represents NR ′, O, S, CR′R ″ or SiR′R ″. R ′ and R ″ each represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent. Ar represents an aromatic ring. N Represents an integer of 0 to 8.)
In X of the general formula (a), as substituents represented by R ′ and R ″, an alkyl group (for example, a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, an isopropyl group, a tert-butyl group, a pentyl group, Hexyl group, octyl group, dodecyl group, tridecyl group, tetradecyl group, pentadecyl group, etc.), cycloalkyl group (for example, cyclopentyl group, cyclohexyl group, etc.), alkenyl group (for example, vinyl group, allyl group, 1-propenyl group, 2-butenyl group, 1,3-butadienyl group, 2-pentenyl group, isopropenyl group, etc.), alkynyl group (for example, ethynyl group, propargyl group, etc.), aromatic hydrocarbon group (aromatic carbocyclic group, aryl group) For example, phenyl group, p-chlorophenyl group, mesityl group, tolyl group, xylyl group, naphthyl group, anthryl Group, azulenyl group, acenaphthenyl group, fluorenyl group, phenanthryl group, indenyl group, pyrenyl group, biphenylyl group, etc., aromatic heterocyclic group (for example, furyl group, thienyl group, pyridyl group, pyridazinyl group, pyrimidinyl group, pyrazinyl group) , Triazinyl group, imidazolyl group, pyrazolyl group, thiazolyl group, quinazolinyl group, carbazolyl group, carbolinyl group, diazacarbazolyl group (one of the carbon atoms constituting the carboline ring of the carbolinyl group is replaced by a nitrogen atom) Phthalazinyl group etc.), heterocyclic group (eg pyrrolidyl group, imidazolidyl group, morpholyl group, oxazolidyl group etc.), alkoxy group (eg methoxy group, ethoxy group, propyloxy group, pentyloxy group, hexyl) Oxy group, octylo Si group, dodecyloxy group, etc.), cycloalkoxy group (eg, cyclopentyloxy group, cyclohexyloxy group, etc.), aryloxy group (eg, phenoxy group, naphthyloxy group, etc.), alkylthio group (eg, methylthio group, ethylthio group) Propylthio group, pentylthio group, hexylthio group, octylthio group, dodecylthio group, etc.), cycloalkylthio group (for example, cyclopentylthio group, cyclohexylthio group, etc.), arylthio group (for example, phenylthio group, naphthylthio group, etc.), alkoxycarbonyl group (Eg, methyloxycarbonyl group, ethyloxycarbonyl group, butyloxycarbonyl group, octyloxycarbonyl group, dodecyloxycarbonyl group, etc.), aryloxycarbonyl group (eg, phenyloxy Sulfonyl group, naphthyloxycarbonyl group, etc.), sulfamoyl group (for example, aminosulfonyl group, methylaminosulfonyl group, dimethylaminosulfonyl group, butylaminosulfonyl group, hexylaminosulfonyl group, cyclohexylaminosulfonyl group, octylaminosulfonyl group, dodecyl) Aminosulfonyl group, phenylaminosulfonyl group, naphthylaminosulfonyl group, 2-pyridylaminosulfonyl group, etc.), acyl group (for example, acetyl group, ethylcarbonyl group, propylcarbonyl group, pentylcarbonyl group, cyclohexylcarbonyl group, octylcarbonyl group, 2-ethylhexylcarbonyl group, dodecylcarbonyl group, phenylcarbonyl group, naphthylcarbonyl group, pyridylcarbonyl group, etc.), acyloxy group (example) For example, acetyloxy group, ethylcarbonyloxy group, butylcarbonyloxy group, octylcarbonyloxy group, dodecylcarbonyloxy group, phenylcarbonyloxy group, etc.), amide group (for example, methylcarbonylamino group, ethylcarbonylamino group, dimethylcarbonyl) Amino group, propylcarbonylamino group, pentylcarbonylamino group, cyclohexylcarbonylamino group, 2-ethylhexylcarbonylamino group, octylcarbonylamino group, dodecylcarbonylamino group, phenylcarbonylamino group, naphthylcarbonylamino group, etc.), carbamoyl group ( For example, aminocarbonyl group, methylaminocarbonyl group, dimethylaminocarbonyl group, propylaminocarbonyl group, pentylaminocarbonyl group, cyclo Xylaminocarbonyl group, octylaminocarbonyl group, 2-ethylhexylaminocarbonyl group, dodecylaminocarbonyl group, phenylaminocarbonyl group, naphthylaminocarbonyl group, 2-pyridylaminocarbonyl group, etc.), ureido group (for example, methylureido group, ethyl) Ureido group, pentylureido group, cyclohexylureido group, octylureido group, dodecylureido group, phenylureido group, naphthylureido group, 2-pyridylaminoureido group, etc.), sulfinyl group (for example, methylsulfinyl group, ethylsulfinyl group, butylsulfinyl group) Cyclohexylsulfinyl group, 2-ethylhexylsulfinyl group, dodecylsulfinyl group, phenylsulfinyl group, naphthylsulfinyl group, 2-pyridyl Rufinyl group, etc.), alkylsulfonyl group (eg, methylsulfonyl group, ethylsulfonyl group, butylsulfonyl group, cyclohexylsulfonyl group, 2-ethylhexylsulfonyl group, dodecylsulfonyl group, etc.), arylsulfonyl group or heteroarylsulfonyl group (eg, Phenylsulfonyl group, naphthylsulfonyl group, 2-pyridylsulfonyl group, etc.), amino group (for example, amino group, ethylamino group, dimethylamino group, butylamino group, cyclopentylamino group, 2-ethylhexylamino group, dodecylamino group, Anilino group, naphthylamino group, 2-pyridylamino group, etc.), halogen atom (eg fluorine atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom etc.), fluorinated hydrocarbon group (eg fluoromethyl group, trifluoromethyl group, pentaf) Fluoroethyl group, pentafluorophenyl group, etc.), cyano group, nitro group, hydroxy group, mercapto group, silyl group (for example, trimethylsilyl group, triisopropylsilyl group, triphenylsilyl group, phenyldiethylsilyl group, etc.), phosphono group, etc. Is mentioned.

  These substituents may be further substituted with the above substituents. In addition, a plurality of these substituents may be bonded to each other to form a ring.

  X in the general formula (a) is preferably NR ′ or O, and R ′ is particularly preferably an aromatic hydrocarbon group or an aromatic heterocyclic group.

  In the general formula (a), examples of the aromatic ring represented by Ar include an aromatic hydrocarbon ring and an aromatic heterocyclic ring. The aromatic ring may be a single ring or a condensed ring, and may be unsubstituted or may have a substituent as described later.

  In the general formula (a), examples of the aromatic hydrocarbon ring represented by Ar include a benzene ring, biphenyl ring, naphthalene ring, azulene ring, anthracene ring, phenanthrene ring, pyrene ring, chrysene ring, naphthacene ring, triphenylene ring, o-terphenyl ring, m-terphenyl ring, p-terphenyl ring, acenaphthene ring, coronene ring, fluorene ring, fluoranthrene ring, naphthacene ring, pentacene ring, perylene ring, pentaphen ring, picene ring, pyrene ring, Examples include a pyranthrene ring and anthraanthrene ring. These rings may further have a substituent.

  In the general formula (a), examples of the aromatic heterocycle represented by Ar include a furan ring, a dibenzofuran ring, a thiophene ring, an oxazole ring, a pyrrole ring, a pyridine ring, a pyridazine ring, a pyrimidine ring, a pyrazine ring, and a triazine ring. , Benzimidazole ring, oxadiazole ring, triazole ring, imidazole ring, pyrazole ring, thiazole ring, indazole ring, indazole ring, benzimidazole ring, benzothiazole ring, benzoxazole ring, quinoxaline ring, quinazoline ring, cinnoline ring, quinoline Ring, isoquinoline ring, phthalazine ring, naphthyridine ring, carbazole ring, carboline ring, diazacarbazole ring (showing a ring in which one of the carbon atoms of the hydrocarbon ring constituting the carboline ring is further substituted with a nitrogen atom), etc. Can be mentioned. These rings may further have a substituent.

  Among the above, in the general formula (a), the aromatic ring represented by Ar is preferably a carbazole ring, a carboline ring, a dibenzofuran ring, or a benzene ring, and particularly preferably used is a carbazole ring, A carboline ring or a benzene ring.

  Among these, a benzene ring having a substituent is preferable, and a benzene ring having a carbazolyl group is particularly preferable.

  Further, in the general formula (a), the aromatic ring represented by Ar is preferably a condensed ring having 3 or more rings, as shown below, and is an aromatic hydrocarbon condensed in which 3 or more rings are condensed. Specific examples of the ring include naphthacene ring, anthracene ring, tetracene ring, pentacene ring, hexacene ring, phenanthrene ring, pyrene ring, benzopyrene ring, benzoazulene ring, chrysene ring, benzochrysene ring, acenaphthene ring, acenaphthylene ring, triphenylene Ring, coronene ring, benzocoronene ring, hexabenzocoronene ring, fluorene ring, benzofluorene ring, fluoranthene ring, perylene ring, naphthoperylene ring, pentabenzoperylene ring, benzoperylene ring, pentaphen ring, picene ring, pyranthrene ring, coronene ring, Naphthocoronene ring, Ovalene ring, Ansula Ntoren ring and the like.

  In addition, these rings may further have a substituent.

  Specific examples of the aromatic heterocycle condensed with three or more rings include an acridine ring, a benzoquinoline ring, a carbazole ring, a carboline ring, a phenazine ring, a phenanthridine ring, a phenanthroline ring, a carboline ring, a cyclazine ring, Kindin ring, tepenidine ring, quinindrin ring, triphenodithiazine ring, triphenodioxazine ring, phenanthrazine ring, anthrazine ring, perimidine ring, diazacarbazole ring (any one of the carbon atoms constituting the carboline ring is a nitrogen atom Phenanthroline ring, dibenzofuran ring, dibenzothiophene ring, naphthofuran ring, naphthothiophene ring, benzodifuran ring, benzodithiophene ring, naphthodifuran ring, naphthodithiophene ring, anthrafuran ring, anthradifuran ring, A Tiger thiophene ring, anthradithiophene ring, thianthrene ring, phenoxathiin ring, such as thio fan Tren ring (naphthaldehyde thiophene ring), and the like. In addition, these rings may further have a substituent.

  Here, in the general formula (a), the substituent that the aromatic ring represented by Ar may have is the same as the substituent represented by R ′ and R ″.

  In the general formula (a), n represents an integer of 0 to 8, preferably 0 to 2, and particularly preferably 1 to 2 when X is O or S.

  Here, in the general formula (a), the substituent that the aromatic ring represented by Ar may have is the same as the substituent represented by R ′ and R ″.

  Specific examples of the luminescent host compound represented by the general formula (a) are shown below, but are not limited thereto.

  The host compound used in the present invention may be a low molecular compound, a high molecular compound having a repeating unit, or a low molecular compound having a polymerizable group such as a vinyl group or an epoxy group (evaporation polymerizable light emitting host). .

  As the host compound, a compound having a hole transporting ability and an electron transporting ability, which prevents emission of longer wavelengths and has a high Tg (glass transition temperature) is preferable.

  As the host compound according to the present invention, a plurality of known host compounds may be used in combination. By using a plurality of types of host compounds, it is possible to adjust the movement of charges, and the organic EL panel can be made highly efficient. In addition, by using a plurality of phosphorescent compounds, it is possible to mix different light emission, thereby obtaining an arbitrary emission color. White light emission is possible by adjusting the kind of phosphorescent compound and the amount of doping, and can also be applied to illumination and backlight.

As specific examples of conventionally known host compounds, compounds described in the following documents are suitable. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2001-257076, 2002-308855, 2001-313179, 2002-319491, 2001-357777, 2002-334786, 2002-8860 Gazette, 2002-334787 gazette, 2002-15871 gazette, 2002-334788 gazette, 2002-43056 gazette, 2002-334789 gazette, 2002-75645 gazette, 2002-338579 gazette. No. 2002-105445, No. 2002-343568, No. 2002-141173, No. 2002-352957, No. 2002-203683, No. 2002-363227, No. 2002-231453. No. 2003-3165, No. 2002-234888, No. 2003-27048, No. 2002-255934, No. 2002-286061, No. 2002-280183, No. 2002-299060. 2002-302516, 2002-305083, 2002-305084, 2002-308837, etc. (Luminescent dopant)
As the luminescent dopant according to the present invention, a phosphorescent compound (also referred to as “phosphorescent compound”, “phosphorescent substance”, or the like) and a fluorescent compound can be used, but the emission efficiency is higher. From the viewpoint of obtaining an organic EL panel, the light-emitting dopant used in the light-emitting layer or light-emitting unit of the organic EL panel of the present invention (sometimes simply referred to as “light-emitting material”) contains the above host compound. At the same time, it is necessary to contain at least one phosphorescent emitter. When using a fluorescent emitter together, it is preferable to select blue.

(Phosphorescent compound: phosphorescent emitter)
The phosphorescent compound according to the present invention (also referred to as “phosphorescent emitter” or “phosphorescent dopant”) is a compound in which light emission from an excited triplet is observed, specifically, room temperature (25 The phosphorescence quantum yield is defined as a compound having a phosphorescence quantum yield of 0.01 or more at 25 ° C., but a preferred phosphorescence quantum yield is 0.1 or more.

  The phosphorescence quantum yield can be measured by the method described in Spectroscopic II, page 398 (1992 edition, Maruzen) of Experimental Chemistry Course 4 of the 4th edition. Although the phosphorescence quantum yield in a solution can be measured using various solvents, the phosphorescence emitter according to the present invention achieves the phosphorescence quantum yield (0.01 or more) in any solvent. Just do it. There are two types of light emission of phosphorescent emitters in principle. One is the recombination of carriers on the host compound to which carriers are transported to generate an excited state of the host compound, and this energy is transferred to the phosphorescent emitter. The energy transfer type that emits light from the phosphorescent emitter by moving to the other, the phosphorescent emitter becomes a carrier trap, carrier recombination occurs on the phosphorescent emitter, and from the phosphorescent emitter Although it is a carrier trap type in which light emission is obtained, in any case, it is a condition that the excited state energy of the phosphorescent emitter is lower than the excited state energy of the host compound. The phosphor luminescent material can be appropriately selected from known materials used for the light emitting layer of the organic EL panel. The phosphorescent emitter according to the present invention is preferably a complex compound containing a group 8-10 metal in the periodic table of elements, more preferably an iridium compound, an osmium compound, or a platinum compound (platinum complex system). Compound) and rare earth complexes, and most preferred is an iridium compound. In the present invention, it is particularly preferable that red is selected from iridium compounds.

  Although the specific example of the compound used as a phosphorescent body is shown below, this invention is not limited to these. These compounds are described, for example, in Inorg. Chem. 40, 1704-1711, and the like.

(Fluorescent compound: Fluorescent substance)
Representative examples of fluorescent compounds (also referred to as “fluorescent emitters”, “fluorescent dopants”, etc.) are coumarin dyes, pyran dyes, cyanine dyes, croconium dyes, squalium dyes, oxobenzanthracene dyes. Examples thereof include dyes, fluorescein dyes, rhodamine dyes, pyrylium dyes, perylene dyes, stilbene dyes, polythiophene dyes, and rare earth complex phosphors. In addition, conventionally known dopants can also be used in the present invention. For example, WO 00/70655 pamphlet, JP 2002-280178 A, JP 2001-181616 A, JP 2002-280179 A, JP 2001-181617 A, JP 2002-280180 A, JP 2001-247859 A, JP 2002-299060 A, JP 2001-313178 A, JP 2002-302671 A, JP JP 2001-345183 A, JP 2002-324679 A, WO 02/15645 Pamphlet, JP 2002-332291 A, JP 2002-50484 A, JP 2002-332292 A, JP 2002-2002 A. -83684 publication, special table 2002 JP 40572, JP 2002-117978, JP 2002-338588, JP 2002-170684, JP 2002-352960, WO 01/93642, JP 2002-50483. JP, JP-A No. 2002-1000047, JP-A No. 2002-173684, JP-A No. 2002-359082, JP-A No. 2002-175854, JP-A No. 2002-363552, JP-A No. 2002-184582 JP, 2003-7469, JP 2002-525808, JP 2003-7471, JP 2002-525833, JP 2003-31366, JP 2002-226495, JP JP 2002-234894, JP No. 002-235076, JP 2002-241751, JP 2001-319779, JP 2001-319780, JP 2002-62824, JP 2002-1000047, JP 2002 No. 203679, JP-A No. 2002-343572, JP-A No. 2002-203678, and the like.

<Non-light emitting intermediate layer>
In the present invention, a non-light emitting intermediate layer may be provided as the carrier control layer. The layer thickness of the non-light emitting intermediate layer is preferably in the range of 1 to 15 nm, more preferably in the range of 3 to 10 nm, to suppress interaction such as energy transfer between adjacent light emitting layers, and This is preferable from the viewpoint of not giving a large load to the current-voltage characteristics of the panel.

  The material used for the non-light emitting intermediate layer may be the same as or different from the host compound of the light emitting layer, but may be the same as the host compound of at least one of the adjacent light emitting layers. preferable.

  The non-light emitting intermediate layer may contain a compound common to each light emitting layer (for example, a host compound). Each of the common host compounds (where a common host compound is used) means phosphorescence emission. In which the physicochemical characteristics such as energy and glass transition temperature are the same or the molecular structure of the host compound is the same.) Thus, even if the voltage (current) is changed, the effect of easily maintaining the injection balance of holes and electrons can be obtained. It has also been found that the effect of improving the color shift when a voltage (current) is applied can be obtained.

  Furthermore, as described above, by using a compound in which the lowest excited triplet energy level T1 of the common host compound is higher than the lowest excited triplet energy level T2 of the phosphorescent emitter, light emission is achieved. It was found that a highly efficient panel can be obtained because the triplet excitons of the layer are effectively confined in the light emitting layer.

  In addition, in the organic EL panel of three colors of blue, green, and red, when a phosphorescent emitter is used for each light emitting material, the excited triplet energy of the blue phosphorescent emitter is the largest, A light emitting layer and a non-light emitting intermediate layer may contain a host compound having an excited triplet energy larger than that of a blue phosphorescent emitter as a common host compound.

  In the organic EL panel of the present invention, since the host compound is responsible for carrier transport, a compound having carrier transport ability is preferable. Carrier mobility is used as a physical property representing carrier transport ability, and the carrier mobility of an organic compound generally depends on the electric field strength. Since a material having a high electric field strength dependency easily breaks the balance of hole and electron injection / transport, it is preferable to use a material having a low electric field strength dependency of mobility for the intermediate layer material and the host compound. On the other hand, in order to optimally adjust the injection balance of holes and electrons, it is also preferable that the non-light emitting intermediate layer functions as a blocking layer, that is, a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer. It is done.

《Hole transport layer》
The hole transport layer is made of a hole transport material having a function of transporting holes, and in a broad sense, a hole injection layer and an electron blocking layer are also included in the hole transport layer. The hole transport layer can be provided as a single layer or a plurality of layers.

  The hole transporting material has either hole injection or transport or electron barrier properties, and may be either organic or inorganic. For example, triazole derivatives, oxadiazole derivatives, imidazole derivatives, polyarylalkane derivatives, pyrazoline derivatives and pyrazolone derivatives, phenylenediamine derivatives, arylamine derivatives, amino-substituted chalcone derivatives, oxazole derivatives, styrylanthracene derivatives, fluorenone derivatives, hydrazone derivatives, Examples thereof include stilbene derivatives, silazane derivatives, aniline copolymers, and conductive polymer oligomers, particularly thiophene oligomers. The above-mentioned materials can be used as the hole transport material, but it is preferable to use a porphyrin compound, an aromatic tertiary amine compound and a styrylamine compound, particularly an aromatic tertiary amine compound. Representative examples of aromatic tertiary amine compounds and styrylamine compounds include N, N, N ', N'-tetraphenyl-4,4'-diaminophenyl; N, N'-diphenyl-N, N'- Bis (3-methylphenyl)-[1,1′-biphenyl] -4,4′-diamine (TPD); 2,2-bis (4-di-p-tolylaminophenyl) propane; 1,1-bis (4-di-p-tolylaminophenyl) cyclohexane; N, N, N ′, N′-tetra-p-tolyl-4,4′-diaminobiphenyl; 1,1-bis (4-di-p-tolyl) Aminophenyl) -4-phenylcyclohexane; bis (4-dimethylamino-2-methylphenyl) phenylmethane; bis (4-di-p-tolylaminophenyl) phenylmethane; N, N'-diphenyl-N, N ' − (4-methoxyphenyl) -4,4'-diaminobiphenyl; N, N, N ', N'-tetraphenyl-4,4'-diaminodiphenyl ether; 4,4'-bis (diphenylamino) quadriphenyl; N, N, N-tri (p-tolyl) amine; 4- (di-p-tolylamino) -4 '-[4- (di-p-tolylamino) styryl] stilbene; 4-N, N-diphenylamino- (2-diphenylvinyl) benzene; 3-methoxy-4′-N, N-diphenylaminostilbenzene; N-phenylcarbazole, and two more described in US Pat. No. 5,061,569 Having a condensed aromatic ring of, for example, 4,4'-bis [N- (1-naphthyl) -N-phenylamino] biphenyl (NPD), JP-A-4-308 4,4 ', 4 "-tris [N- (3-methylphenyl) -N-phenylamino] triphenylamine in which three triphenylamine units described in Japanese Patent No. 88 are linked in a starburst type ( MTDATA) etc. Further, a polymer material in which these materials are introduced into a polymer chain or these materials are used as a polymer main chain can also be used. An inorganic compound such as SiC can also be used as a hole injecting material and a hole transporting material, and also disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-251067, J. Huang et al. (Applied Physics Letters 80 (2002), p.139), a so-called p-type hole transport material can also be used. It is preferable to use these materials from the used. The hole transport layer can be formed by thinning the hole transport material by a known method such as a vacuum deposition method, a spin coating method, a casting method, a printing method including an ink jet method, or an LB method. it can. Although there is no restriction | limiting in particular about the film thickness of a positive hole transport layer, Usually, 5 nm-about 5 micrometers, Preferably it is 5 nm-200 nm. The hole transport layer may have a single layer structure composed of one or more of the above materials. Alternatively, a hole transport layer having a high p property doped with impurities can be used. Examples thereof include JP-A-4-297076, JP-A-2000-196140, JP-A-2001-102175, J.A. Appl. Phys. 95, 5773 (2004), and the like. In the present invention, it is preferable to use such a hole transport layer having a high p property because a panel with lower power consumption can be produced.

《Electron transport layer》
The electron transport layer is made of a material having a function of transporting electrons, and includes an electron injection layer and a hole blocking layer in a broad sense. The electron transport layer can be provided as a single layer or a plurality of layers. Conventionally, in the case of a single-layer electron transport layer and a plurality of layers, the electron transport material (also serving as a hole blocking material) used for the electron transport layer adjacent to the cathode side with respect to the light emitting layer was injected from the cathode. Any material can be used as long as it has a function of transferring electrons to the light-emitting layer, and any material can be selected from conventionally known compounds. For example, nitro-substituted fluorene derivatives, diphenylquinone derivatives, thiopyrans can be used. Dioxide derivatives, carbodiimides, fluorenylidenemethane derivatives, anthraquinodimethane and anthrone derivatives, oxadiazole derivatives and the like. Furthermore, in the above oxadiazole derivative, a thiadiazole derivative in which the oxygen atom of the oxadiazole ring is substituted with a sulfur atom, and a quinoxaline derivative having a quinoxaline ring known as an electron withdrawing group can also be used as an electron transport material. Furthermore, a polymer material in which these materials are introduced into a polymer chain or these materials are used as a polymer main chain can be used. In addition, metal complexes of 8-quinolinol derivatives such as tris (8-quinolinol) aluminum (Alq), tris (5,7-dichloro-8-quinolinol) aluminum, tris (5,7-dibromo-8-quinolinol) aluminum Tris (2-methyl-8-quinolinol) aluminum, tris (5-methyl-8-quinolinol) aluminum, bis (8-quinolinol) zinc (Znq), and the like, and the central metals of these metal complexes are In, Mg, Metal complexes replaced with Cu, Ca, Sn, Ga or Pb can also be used as the electron transport material. In addition, metal-free or metal phthalocyanine, or those having terminal ends substituted with an alkyl group or a sulfonic acid group can be preferably used as the electron transporting material. In addition, the distyrylpyrazine derivatives exemplified as the material for the light emitting layer can also be used as an electron transport material. Similarly to the hole injection layer and the hole transport layer, inorganic semiconductors such as n-type-Si and n-type-SiC can also be used. It can be used as an electron transport material. The electron transport layer can be formed by thinning the electron transport material by a known method such as a vacuum deposition method, a spin coating method, a casting method, a printing method including an ink jet method, or an LB method. Although there is no restriction | limiting in particular about the film thickness of an electron carrying layer, Usually, 5 nm-about 5 micrometers, Preferably it is 5-200 nm. The electron transport layer may have a single layer structure composed of one or more of the above materials. Further, an electron transport layer having a high n property doped with impurities can also be used. Examples thereof include JP-A-4-297076, JP-A-10-270172, JP-A-2000-196140, JP-A-2001-102175, J. Pat. Appl. Phys. 95, 5773 (2004), and the like. In the present invention, it is preferable to use such an electron transport layer having a high n property because a panel with lower power consumption can be produced.

<< Injection layer: electron injection layer, hole injection layer >>
The injection layer is a layer that is provided between the electrode and the organic layer in order to lower the driving voltage and improve the light emission luminance. “The organic EL element and its forefront of industrialization (issued on November 30, 1998 by NTS Corporation) 2 of Chapter 2, “Electrode Materials” (pages 123 to 166) in detail, and includes a hole injection layer (anode buffer layer) and an electron injection layer (cathode buffer layer).

  The injection layer may be provided as necessary, and may be present between the anode and the light emitting layer or the hole transport layer and between the cathode and the light emitting layer or the electron transport layer as described above.

  The details of the anode buffer layer (hole injection layer) are described in JP-A-9-45479, JP-A-9-260062, JP-A-8-288069 and the like. As a specific example, copper phthalocyanine is used. Examples thereof include a phthalocyanine buffer layer represented by an oxide, an oxide buffer layer represented by vanadium oxide, an amorphous carbon buffer layer, and a polymer buffer layer using a conductive polymer such as polyaniline (emeraldine) or polythiophene. The details of the cathode buffer layer (electron injection layer) are described in JP-A-6-325871, JP-A-9-17574, JP-A-10-74586, and the like. Specifically, strontium, aluminum, etc. Metal buffer layer typified by lithium, alkali metal compound buffer layer typified by lithium fluoride, alkaline earth metal compound buffer layer typified by magnesium fluoride, oxide buffer layer typified by aluminum oxide, etc. . The buffer layer (injection layer) is preferably a very thin film, and the film thickness is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, although it depends on the material.

<Blocking layer: hole blocking layer, electron blocking layer>
The hole blocking layer has a function of an electron transport layer in a broad sense, and is made of a hole blocking material having a function of transporting electrons but having a remarkably small ability to transport holes. The probability of recombination of electrons and holes can be improved by blocking. Moreover, the structure of the electron carrying layer mentioned above can be used as a hole-blocking layer concerning this invention as needed. The hole blocking layer of the organic EL panel of the present invention is preferably provided adjacent to the light emitting layer.

  As described above, the blocking layer is provided as necessary in addition to the basic constituent layer of the organic compound thin film. For example, it is described in JP-A Nos. 11-204258, 11-204359, and “Organic EL elements and their forefront of industrialization” (issued by NTT, Inc. on November 30, 1998). There is a hole blocking (hole blocking) layer.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that 50% by mass or more of the compound contained in the hole blocking layer has an ionization potential of 0.2 eV or more larger than the host compound of the shortest wave emitting layer. When the hole blocking layer according to the present invention contains the electron donor, the electron density increases, which is preferable for further lowering the voltage.

  The ionization potential is defined by the energy required to emit electrons at the HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) level of the compound to the vacuum level, and can be obtained by the following method, for example.

(1) Using Gaussian 98 (Gaussian 98, Revision A.11.4, MJ Frisch, et al, Gaussian, Inc., Pittsburgh PA, 2002.), a molecular orbital calculation software manufactured by Gaussian, USA The ionization potential can be obtained as a value obtained by rounding off the second decimal place of a value (eV unit converted value) calculated by performing structural optimization using B3LYP / 6-31G ^* . This calculation value is effective because the correlation between the calculation value obtained by this method and the experimental value is high.

  (2) The ionization potential can also be obtained by a method of directly measuring by photoelectron spectroscopy. For example, a method known as ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy can be suitably used by using a low energy electron spectrometer “Model AC-1” manufactured by Riken Keiki Co., Ltd.

  On the other hand, the electron blocking layer has a function of a hole transport layer in a broad sense, and is made of a material that has a function of transporting holes and has an extremely small ability to transport electrons, and transports electrons while transporting holes. By blocking, the recombination probability of electrons and holes can be improved. The electron blocking layer preferably used in the present invention is a material for the hole transport layer. Further, when the electron acceptor is contained, the effect of further lowering the voltage can be obtained.

  The film thickness of the hole blocking layer and the electron transport layer according to the present invention is preferably 3 nm to 100 nm, and more preferably 5 nm to 30 nm.

"substrate"
There are no particular limitations on the type of glass, plastic, etc., as the substrate related to the organic EL panel of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as “base”, “support base”, “base”, “support”, etc.). It may be opaque. When extracting light from the substrate side, the substrate is preferably transparent. Examples of the transparent substrate preferably used include glass, quartz, and a transparent resin film. A particularly preferable substrate is a resin film that can give flexibility to the organic EL panel. Examples of the resin film include polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene, polypropylene, cellophane, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), Cellulose esters such as cellulose acetate phthalate (TAC) and cellulose nitrate or derivatives thereof, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene vinyl alcohol, syndiotactic polystyrene, polycarbonate, norbornene resin, polymethylpentene, polyether ketone, polyimide , Polyethersulfone (PES), polyphenylene sulfide, polysulfones, Cycloolefin resins such as polyether imide, polyether ketone imide, polyamide, fluororesin, nylon, polymethyl methacrylate, acrylic or polyarylate, Arton (trade name, manufactured by JSR) or Appel (trade name, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals) Can be mentioned. On the surface of the resin film, an inorganic film, an organic film, or a hybrid film of both may be formed. Water vapor permeability measured by a method in accordance with JIS K 7129-1992 (25 ± 0.5 ° C., It is preferable that the relative humidity (90 ± 2)% RH) is a barrier film of 1 × 10 ⁻³ g / (m ² · 24 h) or less, and further measured by a method based on JIS K 7126-1987. The oxygen permeability is 1 × 10 ⁻³ ml / m ² · 24 h · atm or less, and the water vapor permeability (25 ± 0.5 ° C., relative humidity (90 ± 2)% RH) is 1 × 10 ^−3. It is preferable that it is a high barrier film of g / (m ² · 24h) or less.

  As a material for forming a barrier film formed on the surface of the resin film in order to obtain a high barrier film, any material may be used as long as it has a function of suppressing intrusion of water or oxygen that causes panel deterioration. Silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, or the like can be used. Further, in order to improve the brittleness of the film, it is more preferable to have a laminated structure of these inorganic layers and layers made of organic materials. Although there is no restriction | limiting in particular about the lamination | stacking order of an inorganic layer and an organic layer, It is preferable to laminate | stack both alternately several times.

<Method for forming barrier film>
The method for forming the barrier film is not particularly limited. For example, the vacuum deposition method, the sputtering method, the reactive sputtering method, the molecular beam epitaxy method, the cluster ion beam method, the ion plating method, the plasma polymerization method, the atmospheric pressure plasma weighting. A combination method, a plasma CVD method, a laser CVD method, a thermal CVD method, a coating method, and the like can be used, but an atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization method as described in JP-A-2004-68143 is particularly preferable. Examples of the opaque support base include metal plates / films such as aluminum and stainless steel, opaque resin substrates, ceramic substrates, and the like.

  The external extraction efficiency at room temperature of light emission of the organic EL panel of the present invention is preferably 1% or more, more preferably 5% or more. Here, the external extraction quantum efficiency (%) = the number of photons emitted to the outside of the organic EL panel / the number of electrons sent to the organic EL panel × 100. In addition, a hue improvement filter such as a color filter may be used in combination, or a color conversion filter that converts the emission color from the organic EL panel into multiple colors using a phosphor may be used in combination.

<Sealing>
As a sealing means used for sealing the organic EL panel of the present invention, for example, a method of adhering a sealing member, an electrode, and a support base with an adhesive can be mentioned. As a sealing member, it should just be arrange | positioned so that the display area of an organic electroluminescent panel may be covered, and it may be concave plate shape or flat plate shape. Moreover, transparency and electrical insulation are not particularly limited. Specific examples include a glass plate, a polymer plate / film, and a metal plate / film. Examples of the glass plate include soda-lime glass, barium / strontium-containing glass, lead glass, aluminosilicate glass, borosilicate glass, barium borosilicate glass, and quartz.

  Examples of the polymer plate include polycarbonate, acrylic, polyethylene terephthalate, polyether sulfide, and polysulfone. Examples of the metal plate include those made of one or more metals or alloys selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, iron, copper, aluminum, magnesium, nickel, zinc, chromium, titanium, molybdenum, silicon, germanium, and tantalum.

In the present invention, a polymer film and a metal film can be preferably used because the panel can be thinned. Furthermore, the polymer film has a water vapor permeability (25 ± 0.5 ° C., relative humidity (90 ± 2)% RH) measured by a method in accordance with JIS K 7129-1992, 1 × 10 ⁻³ g / (M ² · 24h) It is preferable that the film has a barrier property of not more than 1, and furthermore, the oxygen permeability measured by a method according to JIS K 7126-1987 is 1 × 10 ⁻³ ml / m ² · 24h ·. It is preferable that the film has a high barrier property with a water vapor permeability (25 ± 0.5 ° C., relative humidity (90 ± 2)% RH) of 1 × 10 ⁻³ g / (m ² · 24 h) or less. .

  For processing the sealing member into a concave shape, sandblasting, chemical etching, or the like is used.

  Specific examples of the adhesive include photocuring and thermosetting adhesives having a reactive vinyl group of acrylic acid oligomers and methacrylic acid oligomers, and moisture curing adhesives such as 2-cyanoacrylate. be able to. Moreover, the heat | fever and chemical curing types (two-component mixing), such as an epoxy type, can be mentioned. Moreover, hot-melt type polyamide, polyester, and polyolefin can be mentioned. Moreover, a cationic curing type ultraviolet curing epoxy resin adhesive can be mentioned. In addition, since an organic electroluminescent panel may deteriorate with heat processing, what can be adhesively cured from room temperature to 80 degreeC is preferable. A desiccant may be dispersed in the adhesive. Application | coating of the adhesive agent to a sealing part may use commercially available dispenser, and may print it like screen printing.

  In addition, it is also preferable to coat the electrode and the organic layer on the outside of the electrode facing the support substrate with the organic layer interposed therebetween, and form an inorganic or organic layer in contact with the support substrate to form a sealing film. it can. In this case, as a material for forming the film, any material may be used as long as it has a function of suppressing intrusion of water or oxygen that causes panel deterioration. For example, silicon oxide, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, or the like is used. it can. Furthermore, in order to improve the brittleness of the film, it is preferable to have a laminated structure of these inorganic layers and layers made of organic materials.

  The method for forming these films is not particularly limited. For example, vacuum deposition, sputtering, reactive sputtering, molecular beam epitaxy, cluster-ion beam method, ion plating method, plasma polymerization method, atmospheric pressure plasma A polymerization method, a plasma CVD method, a laser CVD method, a thermal CVD method, a coating method, or the like can be used. In the gap between the sealing member and the display area of the organic EL panel, an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon, or an inert liquid such as fluorinated hydrocarbon or silicon oil is injected in the gas phase and the liquid phase. Is preferred. A vacuum can also be used. Moreover, a hygroscopic compound can also be enclosed inside. Examples of the hygroscopic compound include metal oxides (eg, sodium oxide, potassium oxide, calcium oxide, barium oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide), sulfates (eg, sodium sulfate, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, cobalt sulfate, etc.). Metal halides (eg, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, cesium fluoride, tantalum fluoride, cerium bromide, magnesium bromide, barium iodide, magnesium iodide, etc.), perchloric acids (eg, barium perchlorate, In particular, anhydrous salts are preferably used in sulfates, metal halides and perchloric acids.

《Protective film, protective plate》
In order to increase the mechanical strength of the panel, a protective film or a protective plate may be provided outside the sealing film or the sealing film on the side facing the support substrate with the organic layer interposed therebetween. In particular, when sealing is performed by the sealing film, the mechanical strength is not necessarily high, and thus it is preferable to provide such a protective film and a protective plate. As a material that can be used for this, the same glass plate, polymer plate / film, metal plate / film, etc. used for the sealing can be used. Is preferably used.

"anode"
As the anode in the organic EL panel, an electrode material made of a metal, an alloy, an electrically conductive compound, or a mixture thereof having a high work function (4 eV or more) is preferably used. Specific examples of such electrode materials include metals such as Au, and conductive transparent materials such as CuI, indium tin oxide (ITO), SnO ₂ and ZnO. Alternatively, an amorphous material such as IDIXO (In ₂ O ₃ —ZnO) capable of forming a transparent conductive film may be used. For the anode, these electrode materials may be formed into a thin film by a method such as vapor deposition or sputtering, and a pattern having a desired shape may be formed by a photolithography method. ), A pattern may be formed through a mask having a desired shape when the electrode material is deposited or sputtered. Or when using the substance which can be apply | coated like an organic electroconductivity compound, wet film forming methods, such as a printing system and a coating system, can also be used. When light emission is extracted from the anode, it is desirable that the transmittance be greater than 10%, and the sheet resistance as the anode is preferably several hundred Ω / □ or less. Further, although the film thickness depends on the material, it is usually selected in the range of 10 to 1000 nm, preferably 10 to 200 nm.

"cathode"
On the other hand, as the cathode, a material having a low work function (4 eV or less) metal (referred to as an electron injecting metal), an alloy, an electrically conductive compound, and a mixture thereof as an electrode material is used. Specific examples of such electrode materials include sodium, sodium-potassium alloy, magnesium, lithium, magnesium / copper mixture, magnesium / silver mixture, magnesium / aluminum mixture, magnesium / indium mixture, aluminum / aluminum oxide (Al ₂ O ₃ ) Mixtures, indium, lithium / aluminum mixtures, rare earth metals and the like. Among these, from the point of durability against electron injection and oxidation, etc., a mixture of an electron injecting metal and a second metal which is a stable metal having a larger work function than this, for example, a magnesium / silver mixture, Suitable are a magnesium / aluminum mixture, a magnesium / indium mixture, an aluminum / aluminum oxide (Al ₂ O ₃ ) mixture, a lithium / aluminum mixture, aluminum and the like. The cathode can be produced by forming a thin film of these electrode materials by a method such as vapor deposition or sputtering. Further, the sheet resistance as a cathode is preferably several hundred Ω / □ or less, and the film thickness is usually 10 to 5 μm, preferably 50 to 200 nm. In order to transmit the emitted light, if either one of the anode or the cathode of the organic EL panel is transparent or translucent, the emission luminance is advantageously improved.

  Moreover, after producing the said metal with a film thickness of 1-20 nm on a cathode, a transparent or semi-transparent cathode can be produced by producing the electroconductive transparent material quoted by description of the anode on it, By applying this, a panel in which both the anode and the cathode are transmissive can be manufactured.

<< Light extraction and / or condensing sheet >>
In particular, for organic electroluminescence panels for backlights, it is usually desirable for the light to be emitted in all directions so that the brightness does not change even if the viewing angle changes. It is desirable to reduce the luminance at a large viewing angle (an angle observed from an oblique direction). Therefore, it is preferable that a diffusion plate, a prism sheet, and the like for controlling the radiation angle are combined on the organic electroluminescence panel.

  Usually, in an organic electroluminescence panel that emits light from a substrate (glass substrate, resin substrate, etc.), part of the light emitted from the light emitting layer causes total reflection at the interface between the substrate and air, and the light is emitted. The problem of loss occurs. In order to solve this problem, the prism surface or lens sheet is processed on the surface of the substrate, or the prism sheet or lens sheet is attached to the surface of the substrate, thereby suppressing total reflection and improving the light extraction efficiency. .

  Although the preferable form of a light extraction and / or condensing sheet | seat is demonstrated below, if it is in the range which does not impair the objective effect in this invention, light extraction efficiency can be improved using these.

(1) Configuration in which a diffusing plate and a prism sheet are placed on a glass substrate For example, in an organic electroluminescence panel comprising a glass substrate / transparent conductive film / organic light emitting layer / electrode / sealing layer, it is opposite to the light emitting layer of the glass substrate The first diffusion plate is placed in contact with the substrate surface on the side. A first lens sheet (for example, 3M BEF II) is arranged so as to be in contact with the diffusion plate so that the lens surface faces the opposite side of the glass substrate, and the second lens sheet is formed with a stripe of the first lens. It is arranged so as to be orthogonal to the stripe of the lens and the lens surface thereof facing away from the glass substrate. Next, a second diffusion plate is disposed so as to be in contact with the second lens sheet. As the shape of the first and second lens sheets, a Δ-shaped stripe having an apex angle of 90 degrees and a pitch of 50 μm is formed of acrylic resin on a PET base material. A shape with a rounded apex angle (3M RBEF), a shape with a randomly changed pitch (3M BEF III), or other similar shapes may be used. As the first diffusion plate, a film in which beads for diffusing light are mixed is formed on a PET substrate of about 100 μm, and the transmittance is about 85% and the haze value is about 75%. As the second diffusion plate, a film in which beads for diffusing light are mixed is formed on a PET substrate of about 100 μm, and the transmittance is about 90% and the haze value is about 30%. The diffusion plate arranged in contact with the glass substrate may be bonded to the glass substrate via an optical adhesive. Further, a layer for diffusing light may be directly applied to the surface of the glass substrate, or a fine structure for diffusing light may be provided on the surface of the glass substrate. The glass substrate has been described above, but the substrate may be a resin substrate.

(2) When forming a microlens array on the surface of a substrate In an organic electroluminescence panel comprising a glass substrate / transparent conductive film / organic light emitting layer / electrode / sealing layer, the surface of the glass substrate on which the organic light emitting layer is provided; Attach a microlens array sheet to the opposite surface via an optical adhesive. Each microlens array sheet has a shape in which microlenses each having a square apex of 50 μm (pyramid shape) and an apex angle of 90 degrees are aligned at a pitch of 50 μm. The sheet is manufactured by injecting UV curable resin between a metal mold that is the mother mold of the microlens array and a glass plate placed between 0.5 mm spacers, and UV exposure from the glass substrate. By doing so, the resin is cured to obtain a microlens array sheet. Here, as the shape of each microlens, a conical shape, a triangular pyramid shape, a convex lens shape, or the like is applicable. Although described as a structure in which the microlens array sheet is attached to the glass substrate, the microlens array sheet may be attached to the resin substrate. Moreover, the structure of providing a transparent electrode / organic light emitting layer / electrode / sealing layer on the surface opposite to the surface provided with the microlens array of the microlens array sheet may be used.

(3) Structure for adhering the microlens array sheet downward on the surface of the substrate In an organic electroluminescence device comprising a glass substrate / transparent conductive film / organic light emitting layer / electrode / sealing layer, an organic light emitting layer of the glass substrate is provided. The microlens array sheet is attached to the surface opposite to the surface on which the concave and convex surfaces of the microlens face the glass substrate side via an optical adhesive. The microlens array sheet has a shape in which microlenses having a structure in which the apexes of a rectangular shape each having a side of 50 μm are flat are arranged at a pitch of 50 μm. The flat top portion is adhered to the surface of the glass substrate. Here, as the shape of each microlens, a conical shape, a triangular pyramid shape, a convex lens shape, or the like is applicable. Although described as a structure in which the microlens array sheet is attached to the glass substrate, the microlens array sheet may be attached to the resin substrate.

  In order to further increase the light extraction efficiency, it is preferable to insert a low refractive index layer between the transparent electrode and the transparent substrate. When a low refractive index medium is formed between the transparent electrode and the transparent substrate with a thickness longer than the wavelength of light, the light extracted from the transparent electrode has a higher extraction efficiency to the outside as the refractive index of the medium is lower. . Examples of the low refractive index layer include aerogel, porous silica, magnesium fluoride, and a fluorine-based polymer. Since the refractive index of the transparent substrate is generally about 1.5 to 1.7, the low refractive index layer preferably has a refractive index of about 1.5 or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that it is 1.35 or less. The thickness of the low refractive index medium is preferably longer than the wavelength in the light medium, preferably twice or more. This is because the effect of the low refractive index layer is diminished when the thickness of the low refractive index medium is about the wavelength of light and the electromagnetic wave that has exuded by evanescent enters the substrate. Examples of the low refractive index layer according to the present invention will be described below. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples as long as the object effects are not impaired.

(1) Dispersing hollow silica A method for producing a glass substrate in which a hollow silica is dispersed by a sol-gel method to form a low refractive index layer will be described. A low refractive index layer can be formed on a glass substrate by the following procedure. Metal alkoxide (original tetrasilicate Si (OC ₂ H ₅ ) ₄ : abbreviated as “TEOS”) as a raw material compound, ethanol as a solvent, acetic acid as a catalyst, and water required for hydrolysis are added to a preparation liquid. A liquid obtained by adding a refractive index material (catalyst chemical industry, silica particles (refractive index: 1.35)) to isopropyl alcohol is mixed and kept at several tens of degrees C to cause hydrolysis and polycondensation reaction. Generate. When the prepared sol is applied on a glass substrate by spin coating and allowed to react, it solidifies as a gel. This is further dried in an atmosphere of 150 ° C. to obtain a dry gel, and the conditions of the solution preparation and spin coating are set so that the film thickness at that time becomes 0.5 μm. As a result, a low refractive index layer having a thickness of 0.5 μm and a refractive index of 1.37 is formed. Here, spin coating is described as the solution coating method, but any method that can obtain a uniform film thickness may be used, such as dip coating. Although an example of a glass substrate is shown as the substrate, since the process temperature is 150 ° C. or less, it can be applied directly on the resin substrate. Further effects can be expected by selecting a lower refractive index as a raw material compound or a low refractive index material, and setting the refractive index of the resulting low refractive index layer to 1.37 or less. The film thickness is preferably 0.5 μm or more, more preferably 1 μm or more.

  Production of hollow silica is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2001-167637, 2001-233611, and 2002-79616.

(2) In the case of silica airgel The transparent low refractive index layer is formed of silica airgel obtained by supercritical drying of a wet gel formed by a sol-gel reaction of silicon alkoxide. Silica airgel is a light-transmitting porous body having a uniform ultrafine structure. Liquid A was prepared by mixing tetramethoxysilane oligomer and methanol, and liquid B was prepared by mixing water, aqueous ammonia and methanol. An alkoxysilane solution obtained by mixing the A liquid and the B liquid is applied onto the substrate 2. After the alkoxysilane is gelled, it is immersed in a curing solution of water, aqueous ammonia, and methanol and cured at room temperature for one day. Next, the cured gel-like compound is immersed in an isopropanol solution of hexamethyldisilazane, hydrophobized, and then subjected to supercritical drying to form a silica airgel.

(3) In the case of porous silica As a low refractive index material, a film of a low relative dielectric constant material containing hexamethyldisiloxane or hexamethyldisilazane having water repellency is applied on a substrate to form a film. In addition to a water-repellent material such as hexamethyldisiloxane or hexamethyldisilazane, alcohol or butyl acetate may be added as an additive to the solution of the low relative dielectric constant material used here. . Then, a low refractive index film made of a porous silica material is formed by evaporating the solvent, water, acid, alkali catalyst, surfactant, or the like in the solution of the low relative dielectric constant material by firing treatment or the like. This is washed to obtain a low refractive index film.

After forming the low refractive index film on the substrate in this way, an intermediate layer is formed on the low refractive index film directly or with a transparent insulating film made of a SiO ₂ film by, for example, RF sputtering, and then the intermediate layer is formed. An ITO film is formed on the layer by DC sputtering to form a substrate with a transparent electrode.

  Further, in order to further increase the light extraction efficiency, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-283951, Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-48686, etc., diffraction occurs in the interface or any medium that causes total reflection. It is preferable to use a method of introducing a lattice together. For example, a diffraction grating is formed on a glass substrate.

  This method is generated from the light emitting layer by utilizing the property that the diffraction grating can change the direction of light to a specific direction different from refraction by so-called Bragg diffraction such as first-order diffraction or second-order diffraction. Of the light, light that cannot go out due to total reflection between layers, etc., is diffracted by introducing a diffraction grating in any layer or medium (in the transparent substrate or transparent electrode) It tries to take out light. The introduced diffraction grating desirably has a two-dimensional periodic refractive index. This is because light emitted from the light-emitting layer is randomly generated in all directions, so in a general one-dimensional diffraction grating having a periodic refractive index distribution only in a certain direction, only light traveling in a specific direction is diffracted. The light extraction efficiency does not increase so much. However, by making the refractive index distribution a two-dimensional distribution, light traveling in all directions is diffracted, and light extraction efficiency is increased. As described above, the position where the diffraction grating is introduced may be in any of the layers or in the medium (in the transparent substrate or the transparent electrode), but is preferably in the vicinity of the organic light emitting layer where light is generated. At this time, the period of the diffraction grating is preferably about 1/2 to 3 times the wavelength in the medium of the light to be amplified. The arrangement of the diffraction gratings is preferably two-dimensionally repeated, such as a square lattice, a triangular lattice, or a honeycomb lattice.

  For example, in order to form a diffraction grating on a glass substrate, a positive resist is applied to the surface after cleaning the glass substrate. Next, two parallel lights having a wavelength λ that are coherent with each other are irradiated on the resist so as to face each other at an angle of θ degrees from the vertical direction of the substrate. At this time, interference fringes having a pitch d are formed in the resist. Here, d = λ / (2 cos θ). When an argon laser having a wavelength of 488 nm is used and a 300 nm pitch is formed as a photonic crystal, if both light beams are exposed at an angle of 35.6 degrees from a direction perpendicular to the substrate, a first interference fringe having a pitch of 300 nm is formed. Is done. Next, the substrate is rotated 90 degrees in the plane of the substrate to form a second interference fringe so as to be orthogonal to the first interference fringe. If the light beam to be exposed is maintained as it is, second interference fringes are formed at a pitch of 300 nm. Two interference fringes are superimposed on the resist and exposed to form a grid-like exposure pattern. By appropriately setting the exposure power and the development conditions, the development is performed so that the resist is removed only at the portion where the two interference fringes overlap and is strongly exposed. On the glass substrate, a pattern in which the resist is removed in a substantially circular shape is formed in the overlapping portion of the lattices each having a vertical and horizontal pitch of 300 nm. The diameter of the circle is, for example, 220 nm. Next, dry etching is performed to form a hole having a depth of 200 nm in the portion where the range is removed. Thereafter, the resist is removed and the glass substrate is washed. As described above, a glass substrate in which holes having a depth of 200 nm and a diameter of 220 nm are arranged on the apexes of a square lattice having a pitch of 300 nm in length and width is formed on the surface. Next, an ITO film having a thickness of about 300 nm as measured from the bottom of the hole is formed by bias sputtering, and the surface unevenness can be flattened to 50 nm or less by appropriately controlling the bias sputtering conditions. By polishing the surface of the glass substrate with ITO produced as described above, a glass substrate with ITO for organic EL is formed. In addition to patterning by applying a photoresist to a glass substrate and etching the glass substrate, a glass mold is formed by a similar method, and a UV-curable resist is transferred onto the glass substrate by a nanoimprinting method. An etching method is also possible. In addition, the pattern formed on the glass substrate is transferred to a mold by a technique such as nickel electroforming, and the mold is transferred to a resin by a nanoimprint technique. Is possible.

  In the organic EL panel using the light extraction and / or condensing sheet as described above, the front luminance amplification factor is increased. The light thus extracted is adjusted to be white light.

  Usually, the emission color is classified into blue light emission of 440 nm to less than 500 nm, green light emission of 500 nm to less than 540 nm, and red light emission of 600 nm to less than 640 nm. Therefore, although depending on the material (substantially dopant) that emits light, in the present invention, the front luminance peak value of the organic electroluminescence panel when there is no light extraction and / or light collecting sheet is compared with the case where the sheet is present. Qualitatively, blue is the smallest ratio.

  Since the blue color is generally rate-determined in the lifetime in continuous driving or the like, when such a light extraction and / or condensing sheet is used, a longer lifetime can be achieved in the organic electroluminescence panel. Also, the driving voltage is limited by blue, which has the largest energy gap between HOMO and LUMO. Therefore, the organic EL panel with improved light extraction has a design that requires less blue front luminance. Can be lowered.

  In other words, since the blue light emitting layer can be made thin and the driving voltage can be lowered, a longer life can be achieved compared to the case where there is no light extraction and / or light collecting sheet, and this combination provides a total of white light. Can be.

  Here, the amplification factor of the front luminance by the light extraction and / or condensing sheet is determined by using a spectral radiance meter (for example, CS-1000 (manufactured by Konica Minolta Sensing)) or the like, and the emission luminance from the front (2 ° C. field of view). The visible wavelength range is required so that the optical axis of the spectral radiance meter coincides with the normal from the light-emitting surface, with or without light extraction and / or condensing sheet. Measure and integrate the values and take the ratio.

《Light emission, front luminance, chromaticity of organic electroluminescence panel》
The emission color of the organic electroluminescence panel of the present invention and the compound related to the panel is shown in FIG. 4.16 on page 108 of “New Color Science Handbook” (Edited by the Japan Color Society, University of Tokyo Press, 1985). It is determined by the color when the result measured with the total CS-1000 (manufactured by Konica Minolta Sensing) is applied to the CIE chromaticity coordinates.

  In this application, white means a color temperature of 2500 K or more and 8000 K or less, and a Δuv representing a deviation from a black body locus / daylight locus on a UCS chromaticity diagram (CIE1976) is −0.01 or more. , +0.01 or less.

Here, Δuv = (Δu ^{* 2} + Δv ^{* 2} ) ^(1/2)
Δu ^* and Δv ^* indicate deviations of the UCS chromaticity (CIE 1976) coordinates u ^* and v ^{* from} the black body locus and the daylight locus, respectively.

<< Method for producing organic EL panel >>
As an example of the method for producing the organic EL panel of the present invention, a method for producing an organic EL panel comprising an anode / hole injection layer / hole transport layer / light emitting layer / hole blocking layer / electron transport layer / cathode will be described.

  First, a desired electrode material, for example, a thin film made of a material for an anode is formed on a suitable support base by a method such as vapor deposition or sputtering so as to have a film thickness of 1 μm or less, preferably 10 to 200 nm, thereby producing an anode. To do. Next, an organic compound thin film of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, a hole blocking layer, and an electron transport layer, which are organic EL panel materials, is formed thereon.

  As a method for thinning the organic compound thin film, there are a vapor deposition method and a wet process (spin coating method, casting method, ink jet method, printing method) as described above, but it is easy to obtain a uniform film and a pinhole. From the point of being difficult to form, a vacuum deposition method, a spin coating method, an ink jet method, and a printing method are particularly preferable. Further, different film forming methods may be applied for each layer.

When employing a vapor deposition method for film formation, the vapor deposition conditions vary depending on the type of compound used, but generally a boat heating temperature of 50 to 450 ° C., a degree of vacuum of 10 ⁻⁶ to 10 ⁻² Pa, and a vapor deposition rate of 0.01 to It is desirable to select appropriately within the range of 50 nm / second, substrate temperature −50 to 300 ° C., film thickness 0.1 nm to 5 μm, preferably 5 to 200 nm. After forming these layers, a thin film made of a cathode material is formed thereon by a method such as vapor deposition or sputtering so as to have a film thickness of 1 μm or less, preferably in the range of 50 to 200 nm, and a cathode is provided. Thus, a desired organic EL panel can be obtained.

  The organic EL panel is preferably manufactured from the hole injection layer to the cathode consistently by a single evacuation, but may be taken out halfway and subjected to different film forming methods. At that time, it is necessary to consider that the work is performed in a dry inert gas atmosphere. In addition, it is also possible to reverse the production order and produce the cathode, the electron injection layer, the electron transport layer, the light emitting layer, the hole transport layer, the hole injection layer, and the anode in this order. When a DC voltage is applied to the multicolor display device thus obtained, light emission can be observed by applying a voltage of about 2 to 40 V with the positive polarity of the anode and the negative polarity of the cathode. An alternating voltage may be applied. The alternating current waveform to be applied may be arbitrary.

<Application>
The organic electroluminescence panel of the present invention can be used as a display device, a display, and various light sources. Examples of light sources include home lighting, interior lighting, clock and liquid crystal backlights, billboard advertisements, traffic lights, light sources for optical storage media, light sources for electrophotographic copying machines, light sources for optical communication processors, and light sources for optical sensors. Although it is not limited to this, it can be effectively used especially as a backlight of a liquid crystal display device combined with a color filter and a light source for illumination. In the organic electroluminescence panel of the present invention, patterning may be performed by a metal mask, an ink jet printing method, or the like during film formation, if necessary. When patterning, only the electrode may be patterned, the electrode and the light emitting layer may be patterned, or the entire panel may be patterned.

《Lighting device》
A lighting device to which the organic EL panel of the present invention is applied will be described.

  The organic EL panel of the present invention may be used as a kind of lamp such as an illumination or exposure light source, a projection device that projects an image, or a display device that directly recognizes a still image or a moving image. (Display) may be used. The driving method when used as a display device for moving image reproduction may be either a simple matrix (passive matrix) method or an active matrix method.

  In the organic electroluminescence panel used in the present invention, patterning may be performed by a metal mask, an inkjet printing method, or the like at the time of film formation, if necessary. When patterning, only the electrode may be patterned, the electrode and the light emitting layer may be patterned, or the entire panel may be patterned. The light emitting dopant used in the light emitting layer is not particularly limited. For example, in the case of a backlight in a liquid crystal display panel, the platinum complex according to the present invention is adapted so as to fit the wavelength range corresponding to the CF (color filter) characteristics, Any one of known light-emitting dopants may be selected and combined, and combined with the light extraction and / or light collecting sheet according to the present invention to be whitened.

  As described above, the organic EL panel of the present invention is combined with a CF (color filter) and arranged in the CF (color filter) pattern so that the element and the driving transistor circuit are arranged, and thus the white color extracted from the organic electroluminescence panel. By obtaining blue light, green light, and red light through a blue filter, a green filter, and a red filter using light as a backlight, a full-color organic electroluminescence display with a low driving voltage and a long life can be obtained, which is preferable.

<< Industrial field to which the organic EL panel of the present invention is applied >>
The organic EL panel of the present invention can be used as a display device, a display, and various light emission sources. Examples of light sources include home lighting, interior lighting, clock and liquid crystal backlights, billboard advertisements, traffic lights, light sources for optical storage media, light sources for electrophotographic copying machines, light sources for optical communication processors, and light sources for optical sensors. Although it is not limited to this, it can be effectively used for backlights of various display devices combined with color filters, light diffusion plates, light extraction films, etc., and as a light source for illumination.

  Taking advantage of the characteristics of the organic EL panel of the present invention, it can be applied to various lighting fixtures and light-emitting display bodies as shown below.

[For product display and display]
For product display and display, there are store product display, freezer / refrigerated showcase, light up of exhibits in museums, art galleries, exhibition halls, vending machines, play tables, traffic advertisements, etc.

  Store merchandise displays include decorative displays, showcases, POPs and signs for the store itself. Among stores, high-end brand shops, precious metals, fashion, high-end restaurants, and other stores that place emphasis on the brand image have a great influence on the store image that lighting gives, so lighting has been selected with strong attention This is a field. By using organic EL, the space for the light source and equipment can be omitted in the field of indirect lighting, which has created an atmosphere by devising the structure of the building so that the light source can not be seen directly, and no complicated structure is required The space between the light source and the diffusion plate can be omitted because the shape of the light source cannot be seen through when creating diffused light in interiors or signs, and so on. Also, as a tool for changing the image of the store, it takes advantage of the feature that it is a light source that does not take up space such as display shelves, floors, fixtures, etc., and it has design freedom, easy workability, and easy There is an advantage that it can be adopted.

  Frozen and refrigerated showcases are placed in supermarkets and convenience stores to make fresh foods such as vegetables, fruits, fresh fish, meat, etc. full of beauty and freshness, making them easier to see, vivid, and easier to take. Lighting equipment is another important component. By using an organic EL light source, low temperature emission has little effect on the cooling function, and since it is thin, the light source space can be greatly reduced, so the storage space can be expanded, and it is easy to select food with a smart design. It can be made easier. In addition, it can appeal to consumers with colored light that makes it easy to understand the goodness of food, contributing to sales.

  In order to light up exhibits in museums, art galleries, exhibition halls, etc., it is necessary to select a light source that is suitable for the conditions of use from the viewpoint of visual recognition and sunburn. Has been developed. Since the organic EL light source does not contain ultraviolet rays and the calorific value is low, there is no adverse effect on the exhibit, it is uniform glare with the surface light source, and it is possible to faithfully appreciate the display as it is with high color rendering. it can. In addition, since a large light source device is not required, it is possible to focus only on the exhibits without the need for extra equipment protruding in the field of view. Also, in large-scale exhibition halls such as shows, large-sized electric decorations that attract attention can be assembled relatively easily due to their lightweight and thin features.

  Vending machines use light sources for push buttons, product samples, and posters on the front of the vending machine.

  It is a field where the advantage of organic EL that does not take up a thin light source space can be utilized because the space for the additional function to be taken in and the storage space are combined with the size of the entire device, especially on the outlet Needs are high in poster space. In recent years, there are many devices that have game characteristics such as hit / miss along with sales, and it is possible to make further use of the benefits by installing a light source (video display) with a pixel control function on the front poster. Can do.

  There are pachinko and pachislots at the playground. At these playgrounds, it is most important for users to experience and enjoy amusement (games, gambling, etc.). Although there is a merit of thinness that can reduce the thickness of one device by thinning the light source, like the vending machine, it can make further use of the merit by installing a light source (video display) with a pixel control function. Can do.

  Traffic advertisements include posters and signboards in public spaces, internal posters and screens such as trains and buses, and advertisements on the body. In particular, posters and billboards are box-type fluorescent lamps using a backlight, and the box itself can be made thinner and lighter by changing to organic EL.

  In addition, by thinning the box for hanging signboards, dust and dirt can be prevented from being accumulated, and bird damage caused by birds can be prevented.

[Built-in lighting for interior, furniture and building materials]
In terms of architecture, a combination of floors, walls, ceilings, etc. and lighting is called “architectural lighting”. Typical examples of “architectural lighting” include cornice lighting, troffer lighting, cove lighting, light ceiling, and louver ceiling, depending on the method. These require lighting sources to be built into the ceiling, walls and floors, extinguish their presence and signs as lighting, and the building materials themselves to emit light.

  Light sources using organic EL panels are the most suitable light sources for “architecture lighting” due to their thinness, lightness, color adjustment, and design variability, and can be applied to interiors, furniture, and furniture. It is. Conventionally, such architectural lighting, which has been used only in stores and museums, can be extended to ordinary houses by developing organic EL light sources, and new demand can be found.

  In commercial facilities, organic EL light sources are used in semi-underground stores, arcade ceilings, etc., and by changing the brightness and color temperature of illumination, it is possible to construct an optimal commercial space that is not affected by the weather or day and night.

  Examples of interior / furniture / furniture include desks and chairs, storage of cupboards / shoeboxes / lockers, vanities, altars, bed lights, footlights, handrails, doors, shoji screens, shojis, etc. It is not limited to that.

  On the other hand, it is possible to switch between transparent and opaque by using a transparent electrode for the organic EL light source and turning it off / emitting light. As a result, it can be used as any window, door, curtain, blind, and partition.

[Automotive lighting, luminous display]
For automobiles, organic EL panels can be used for external lighting fixtures and light-emitting display bodies, in-vehicle lighting fixtures and light-emitting display bodies, and the like. The former is a front (sub-classification) headlamp, auxiliary light, vehicle width light, fog lamp, direction indicator light, etc., and the rear is a rear combination lamp as stop lamp, vehicle width light, back light, direction indicator light, and There are license plate lights. In particular, by forming the rear combination lamp by using an organic EL panel and attaching it to the rear part, it becomes possible to reduce the space for the rear lamp and widen the trunk room. In addition, when the visibility is poor due to rain or fog, the visibility of the vehicle can be increased by widening the area of the vehicle width lights and stop lamps. On the other hand, visibility from the side surface can be enhanced by causing the wheel to emit light with the organic EL panel. Furthermore, the entire body can be formed with an organic EL panel to emit light, and new ideas can be incorporated into the body color and design.

  Examples of the latter in-vehicle lighting fixtures and light-emitting displays include indoor lights, map lights, boarding lights at the bottom of doors, meter displays, car navigation displays, warning lights, and the like. In particular, taking advantage of the transparency of the organic EL panel, it is possible to use a sunroof during the daytime and emit a light at night to provide a calm indoor light with a surface light source. For taxis, etc., a lighting system consisting of an organic EL panel is attached to the back of the front seat, creating an easy-to-use lighting system that is easy for customers to use without sacrificing driver's driving and sacrificing indoor space. Can be built.

〔Public transport〕
The characteristics of the organic EL of the present invention can be utilized in lighting and display bodies in vehicles in public transportation such as trains, subways, buses, airplanes, and ships.

  Many lighting fixtures are installed in aircraft, but the benefits of organic EL lighting are fully demonstrated, especially for cabin indirect lighting among cabin lighting, cargo cabin lighting, cockpit lighting, etc. that are mounted inside the aircraft. Is done.

  Fluorescent lamps and light bulbs are used for room lighting, but these ceilings use indirect lighting reflected from the sides, giving the room a calm atmosphere and breaking glass in the event of a trouble. Has been devised so that does not fall into the audience seats.

  If an organic EL light source is used, it is easy to make indirect illumination because of its thinness, and even if it is directly illuminated, there is no risk of cracking and scattering of fragments, and it is possible to create a calm atmosphere with diffuse light.

  Moreover, even if it considers from the aspect that power consumption and weight reduction of an airframe are important for an aircraft, a light-weight organic EL light source with low power consumption is preferable. These benefits not only illuminate the customer, but are also demonstrated in the lighting inside the baggage storage, and can contribute to the reduction of leftovers.

  Display and lighting to guide customers can also be used at facilities such as stations, bus stops, and airports attached to public transportation. In addition, at night or at an outdoor bus stop, a person waiting for the bus can be detected to brighten the lighting, thereby contributing to crime prevention.

[Light source for OA equipment]
Examples of light sources for office automation equipment include facsimiles, copying machines, scanners, printers, and multi-function machines equipped with reading sensors.

  The reading sensor is divided into a contact type sensor (CIS) combined with an equal magnification optical system and a reduction type sensor (CCD linear) combined with a reduction optical system.

  The definition of CIS differs depending on the manufacturer. When the sensor, rod lens array, and LED base are modularized, the module is called CIS, or the modularized module is called CISM (contact image sensor module). The existing sensor chip may be called CIS. For these light sources, LEDs, xenon, CCFL lamps, LDs and the like are used.

  There is a demand for further miniaturization and low-voltage driving as an OA device, and the feature that the organic EL does not have a thickness and can be driven with a low calorific value and low voltage can meet those demands. .

[Industrial inspection system]
In the past, manufacturing companies used a lot of man-hours and manpower for the visual inspection process, but this is automated by using a photographed image to determine missing items. The image of the object captured by the CCD camera is converted into a digital signal, and various arithmetic processes are performed to extract features such as the area, length, number, and position of the object. The one that outputs the result of the determination is that a light source is required to capture the image. Such an inspection system is also used for package, shape size inspection, micro component inspection, and the like.

  Illumination light sources used for image sensors include fluorescent lamps, LEDs, and halogens. Among them, as a backlight for illuminating a transparent container or a lead frame from the background, uniform light is required in a planar shape.

  In addition, the detection of the stain on the sheet requires light that can illuminate the front surface in the width direction of the sheet with linearly uniform light.

  By adopting an organic EL light source in this field, for example, in the bottling process, it is possible to illuminate all 360 degrees around the bottle and illuminate and shoot at once, enabling inspection in a short time Become. Moreover, the space taken by the light source itself in the inspection equipment can be greatly reduced. Further, since the surface light source is used, it is possible to avoid a detection error due to difficulty in determining a captured image due to light reflection.

[Light source for agricultural products]
The plant factory is “an annual plant production system using high technology such as environmental control and automation”. A technology that automatically produces crops by controlling the plant cultivation environment with a computer, without being affected by the weather, and without the need for manpower. Considering the world's population growth and environmental issues in the future, the introduction of high technology to agriculture will require the so-called agricultural industrialization that leads to stable food production. Recently, LED and LD have been increasingly used as light sources for plant cultivation. Light sources such as high-pressure sodium lamps that have been widely used in the past have a poor spectral balance between red light and blue light, and a large amount of heat radiation increases the air conditioning load and requires a sufficient distance from the plant. There is a drawback that the facility becomes larger.

  Since the organic EL light source has no light source thickness, many shelves can be installed, and since the calorific value is small, it is highly efficient and can increase the amount of cultivation by being close to the plant.

  Also, taking advantage of space-saving in ordinary households, you can create a kitchen garden in a small indoor space such as a kitchen, changing the concept of a kitchen garden that was possible only in outdoor spaces such as gardens, verandas, and rooftops. It allows people to enjoy widely.

[Evacuation lighting]
Disaster prevention lighting equipment stipulated in the Fire Service Law and Building Standard Law is an emergency light that guarantees quick evacuation by ensuring the brightness of the evacuation route and the guide light that shows the exit and route for blame in case of building fire There is.

  Signals, guide lights, emergency lights, etc. used for FA / consumer use are premised on being easy to see, but the enlargement for that is unbalanced with the building depending on the installation location, and it is pointed out by architects and designers There were many things. As countermeasures, measures are taken to make the display a practicable graph that can be seen at a glance and to increase the attractive effect with a light source. Conventionally, a fluorescent lamp is often used as a light source of a guide lamp, but recently, a guide lamp using an LED has also come out.

  By using an organic EL light source for these guide lights, there is no reduction in brightness due to brightness spots and angular characteristics, visibility can be improved, and low power consumption and thinness make it easy to install without special work. Compared to conventional fluorescent lamp types, there is no need for replacement, and maintenance can be facilitated. In addition, since there is little heat generation, there is little color burn on the light emitting surface. Therefore, it can be installed in many places such as floors of evacuation routes, stairs handrails, fire doors, etc. to improve safety. In addition, there is no problem of mercury, which is currently regarded as a problem with fluorescent lamps, it is difficult to break, and it has excellent safety. Furthermore, it can be said that it is a light source that can enhance the attractive effect without impairing the beauty of the space-saving thin design.

[Lighting for shooting]
Halogen, tungsten, strobe light, fluorescent light, etc. are used as light sources used in photo studios, studios, and lighting photo boxes. Applying these light sources directly to the subject to add a strong shadow, or diffuse light to create soft light with little shadow, a combination of two types of light from various angles. Is made. In order to diffuse light, there are methods such as sandwiching a diffuser between a light source and a subject, or using reflected light applied to another surface (reflective plate or the like).

  The organic EL light source is diffuse light, and can emit light corresponding to the former without using a diffuser. In that case, the space between the light source and the diffuser required by the existing light source becomes unnecessary, and the light that has been adjusted with a fine angle by adjusting the direction of the light with a reflex plate etc. is flexible There is an advantage that it can be implemented by bending the type of organic EL itself.

  A color rendering property may be required for a light source used for photographing. If the difference in the color appearance when viewed with sunlight is large, the color rendering is poor, and if the difference is small, the color rendering is evaluated as good. Fluorescent lamps used in general households are not preferable for photographing because of their wavelength characteristics, and the portions that are exposed to light tend to be green. The color of skin, makeup, hair, kimono, jewelry, etc. is often required to be reflected in its own color, and color rendering is one of the important factors for light. An organic EL light source is excellent in color rendering, and is preferable for photographing that requires color fidelity as described above. This feature is also used in places where it is desired to faithfully evaluate colors such as printing and dyeing.

  By placing a surface light source such as an organic EL light source on the entire ceiling of the studio, children and pets can freely play indoors when shooting children and pets, etc., and free and natural expressions do not have to bother moving the light source Can shoot with natural colors.

〔Home appliances〕
Household appliances are often equipped with light sources for ease of viewing details, ease of work, and design. For example, sewing machines, microwave ovens, dishwashers / dryers, refrigerators, AV equipment, etc. have a light source than before, but in the new ones, the washing / dryer is a horizontal model, and the light source is attached because it is left behind. It became so. In many cases, incandescent bulbs and LEDs are attached to existing ones. In the future, we will install lighting at the tip of the vacuum cleaner to check the cleaning status of shadow parts such as furniture, install a light source of specific wavelength light on the shaver, and check the shaving status, etc. Development is possible.

  Such home appliances are required to be light and small as a whole and have a large storage space, and the light source part is required to be able to illuminate the whole without taking up as much space as possible. The organic EL thin surface light source can sufficiently meet the demand.

[Amusement facilities]
By arranging lighting using organic EL under the ice of the skating rink, it is possible to produce an effect different from the spotlight from above. Organic EL is particularly advantageous because of its low emission temperature. It is also possible to detect the position of the skater and emit light according to the movement of the skater. Combination effects with spotlights and light emission linked to the rhythm of music are also effective for show-ups.

  In the planetarium, instead of the conventional projection from the bottom, a system in which fine pixels of organic EL are arranged on the entire dome and the dome itself emits stars is possible, and a planetarium without a projector can be realized.

[Illumination lighting]
In general, the term “illumination” generally refers to illumination of trees, but in recent years there have been many cases of transition to decoration of objects such as houses, gates, and fences from the viewpoint of environmental protection. Yes. The mainstream of this is the use of a large number of point light sources, decorated in a line shape, and is expected to be even more widespread with the advent of LEDs.

  By using organic EL lighting in this field, what was previously expressed only by connecting point light sources, it is possible to use leaf-shaped lighting or wrap around trees for illumination of the same tree. Light up the whole tree, or conversely, connect it like a point light source as a standard surface module, and use it as a cocktail palette to shine in various colors to project characters and pictures as a whole, further enhancing the lighting effect by lighting It becomes possible.

[Lighting for belongings and clothes]
Reflective products that protect the safety of pedestrians by reflecting the light from the headlights attached to their belongings, shoes, and clothes for the purpose of making it easier to be recognized by cars and motorcycles during night walking and exercise. Sheet etc.) are sold and used.

  In the case of the glass bead type, fine glass beads are present on the surface, and the incoming light is retroreflected in the direction of the light source by the role of this lens. It seems to shine strongly when I return. The prism type also has the same function, but the lens structure is different. The glass bead type and the prism type feature that the glass bead type has a high reflection effect on light from an oblique direction, and the prism type reflects light from the front than the glass bead type, but from an oblique direction. The light may have a relatively low reflection effect. The material and the bonding method can also be selected depending on the hardness of the place to be attached. In any case, in order to make pedestrians aware of light, it is necessary to be exposed to light. It was necessary to devise such as pasting.

  By using an organic EL light source for these alternatives, the driver can be made to recognize the pedestrian before the headlight hits the area, and safety can be ensured. Further, from the point of being light and thin with respect to other light sources, the effect can be obtained while maintaining the merit of the seal. These can be used not only for humans but also for pet clothes. In addition, it is possible to generate electricity by walking to emit light from clothes, etc., with an organic EL with low power consumption. In particular, the present invention can be applied to clothes for identifying a person, and can be used for early protection of a deaf person, for example. By making the wet suit for diving emit light, there is a possibility of confirming the location of the diver and protecting himself from the trap. Of course, it can also be used for stage costumes and wedding dresses at shows.

[Communication light source]
Luminescent bodies using organic EL panels can be effectively used for “visible light tags” that send simple messages and information using visible light. That is, by emitting a signal due to blinking for an extremely short time, a large amount of information can be sent to the receiving side.

  Even if the illuminant emits a signal, since it is extremely short time, it is recognized as simple illumination in human vision. Lighting installed at each location, such as roads, stores, exhibition halls, hotels, and amusement parks, can send information signals specific to each location and provide necessary information to the receiver. In the case of organic EL, a single light emitter provides a plurality of different information by incorporating a plurality of light emitting dopants having different wavelengths into one light emitter and generating different signals for different wavelengths. You can also. Also in this case, the organic EL having a stable emission wavelength and color tone is superior.

  Unlike providing information by voice, radio waves, infrared light, etc., the “visible light tag” can be incorporated together as a lighting facility, so there is no need for complicated additional installation work.

[Medical light source]
The use of organic EL for endoscopes that currently use halogen lamps and illumination for abdominal surgery that operates with a wire inserted will contribute to miniaturization, weight reduction, and application expansion. In particular, it can be used for endoscope capsules (drinking endoscopes) that are attracting attention in recent years and are used for in-vivo examinations and treatments.

[Others]
Furthermore, the phosphor incorporating the organic EL panel of the present invention can easily select the color tone, does not flicker like a fluorescent lamp, and has a stable color tone with low power consumption. As a pest control apparatus as shown, as a mirror illumination as shown in JP-A-2001-286373, as a bathroom lighting system as shown in JP-A-2003-28895, as JP-A-2004-321074 As an artificial light source for plant growth shown in the official gazette, a photosensitizer as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-358063 was used as a light emitter of a water pollution measuring device as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-354232. As a treatment adherend, it is useful as a medical surgical light as disclosed in JP-A-2005-322602.

  EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example demonstrates this invention, this invention is not limited to these.

Example 1
Using a glass substrate with ITO (thickness 280 nm) of 80 × 80 mm and thickness 1.0 → 0.7 mm, the ITO was patterned so as to be an illumination portion of emission size 50 mm × 50 mm and an indicator portion of 2 mm × 2 mm.

Next, this substrate was washed and fixed to a substrate holder of a commercially available vacuum deposition apparatus, and each of the deposition crucibles in the vacuum deposition apparatus was filled with an optimal amount of the constituent material of each organic layer. Vapor deposition was performed under reduced pressure to a vacuum degree of 4 × 10 ⁻⁴ Pa.

  Using a shadow metal mask, an organic layer, a cathode buffer layer, and a cathode were sequentially laminated so that the illumination unit and the indicator unit had the following configuration.

Illumination part configuration: hole injection layer (copper phthalocyanine: CuPC: 10 nm) / hole transport layer (α-NPD: 30 nm) / light-emitting layer A (CBP, Ir (ppy) ₃ (10%), Ir (piq) ₃ (2%): 10 nm) / light-emitting layer B (H-1, Ir-A (10%): 20 nm) / hole blocking layer (E-1: 5 nm) / electron transport layer (E-1, CsF ( 20%): 45 nm) / Al (100 nm)
Indicator section: hole injection layer (CuPC: 10 nm) / hole transport layer (α-NPD: 30 nm) / light emitting layer A (CBP, Ir (ppy) ₃ (10%), Ir (piq) ₃ (2%) : 10 nm) / light-emitting layer B (H-1, Ir-A (13%): 20 → 15 nm) / hole blocking layer (E-1: 5 nm) / electron transport layer (E-1, CsF (20%)) : 45 nm) / Al (100 nm)

[Measurement]
R6243 made by ADC Co., Ltd. was used as the drive power source / measurement monitor for the organic EL panel, and CS1000A made by Konica Minolta Sensing was used as the brightness specifying device. The measurement of the illumination part was made into the center part.

Table 1 shows the change in luminance and the chromaticity (x, y) of the indicator unit when the illumination unit is driven at a constant current so that the initial luminance is 3000 cd / m ² .

  When the illumination unit is 80% of the initial luminance, the color of the indicator is slightly different from the illumination unit. When the illumination part is 70%, the color of the indicator is clearly different from the illumination part and looks warm.

  Therefore, it was visually recognized that the illumination portion was 80% to 70% by comparing the indicator portion and the illumination portion. When there is no indicator part, the user does not know how much the organic EL panel has decreased in luminance with respect to the initial luminance, and may continue to use even if the brightness is lower than the appropriate brightness. However, by utilizing the present invention, the user can grasp the appropriate timing for replacing the organic EL panel.

Example 2
Using a glass substrate with ITO (thickness 280 nm) of 80 × 80 mm and thickness 1.0 → 0.7 mm, the ITO was patterned so as to be an illumination portion of emission size 50 mm × 50 mm and an indicator portion of 2 mm × 2 mm.

Next, this substrate was washed and fixed to a substrate holder of a commercially available vacuum deposition apparatus, and each of the deposition crucibles in the vacuum deposition apparatus was filled with an optimal amount of the constituent material of each organic layer. Vapor deposition was performed under reduced pressure to a vacuum degree of 4 × 10 ⁻⁴ Pa.

  An organic layer, a cathode buffer layer, and a cathode were sequentially laminated so that the illumination unit and the indicator unit had the same configuration.

Hole injection layer (CuPC: 10 nm) / hole transport layer (α-NPD: 30 nm) / light emitting layer A (CBP, Ir (ppy) ₃ (10%), Ir (piq) ₃ (2%): 10 nm) / Light-emitting layer B (H-1, Ir-A (10%): 20 nm) / Hole blocking layer (E-1: 5 nm) / Electron transport layer (E-1, CsF (20%): 45 nm) / Al (100 nm)
Lighting unit initial luminance 3000 cd / m ^2, the indicator unit is driven with a constant current so that the initial luminance 6000 cd / m ^2. The luminance change (3000 cd / m ² is assumed to be 100%) at that time is shown in Table 2.

  When the illumination unit is 70% of the initial luminance, the luminance of the indicator is felt brighter than the illumination unit. When the illumination part is 60%, the brightness of the indicator feels darker than the illumination part. Therefore, by comparing the indicator part and the illumination part, it was visually recognized that the illumination part was 70% to 60%. When there is no indicator part, the user does not know how much the organic EL panel has decreased in luminance with respect to the initial luminance, and may continue to use even if the brightness is lower than the appropriate brightness. However, by utilizing the present invention, the user can grasp the appropriate timing for replacing the organic EL panel.

Example 3
Using a glass substrate with ITO (thickness: 280 nm) having a thickness of 100 × 100 mm and a thickness of 1.0 → 0.7 mm, the ITO was patterned so as to be an illuminating portion having four light emitting portions with a light emitting size of 30 mm × 30 mm. Using a glass substrate with ITO (thickness 280 nm) of 20 × 20 mm and thickness 1.0 → 0.7 mm, ITO was patterned so as to be an indicator portion where two light emitting portions having a light emitting size of 3 mm × 3 mm could be taken.

Next, the substrate serving as the illumination unit was washed and fixed to a substrate holder of a commercially available vacuum deposition apparatus, and each of the deposition crucibles in the vacuum deposition apparatus was filled with an optimal amount of the constituent material of each organic layer. Deposition under vacuum to a vacuum degree ⁴ × 10- 4 Pa, and deposition. An organic layer, a cathode buffer layer, and a cathode were sequentially laminated so that the configuration of the illumination unit (blue light emission) was as follows.

  Next, the substrate serving as the indicator part was also deposited in the same manner as the illumination part. An organic layer, a cathode buffer layer, and a cathode were sequentially laminated so that the indicator portion (white light emission) had the following configuration.

Illumination part configuration: hole injection layer (CuPC: 10 nm) / hole transport layer (α-NPD: 30 nm) / light emitting layer (H-1, Ir-A (10%): 30 nm) / hole blocking layer (E −1: 5 nm) / electron transport layer (E-1, CsF (20%): 45 nm) / Al (100 nm)
Indicator section: hole injection layer (CuPC: 10 nm) / hole transport layer (α-NPD: 30 nm) / light emitting layer A (CBP, Ir (ppy) ₃ (10%), Ir (piq) ₃ (2%) : 10 nm) / light-emitting layer B (H-1, Ir-A (10%)) / hole blocking layer (E-1: 5 nm) / electron transport layer (E-1, CsF (20%): 45 nm) / Al (100 nm)
Lighting unit initial luminance 1500 cd / m ^2, the indicator unit is one of the two is the light emitting portion is an initial luminance 6000 cd / m ^2, the other is driven with a constant current so that the initial luminance 3000 cd / m ^2. At that time, (100% 1500 cd / m ² at the light emitting portion, the 3000 cd / m ² is 100% in the indicator portion) brightness change are shown in Table 3.

  In the initial stage of driving, the indicator B is brighter than the indicator A. When the illumination part is 79% of the initial luminance, the indicator part B feels brighter than the indicator part A. When the illumination part is 72%, the brightness of the indicator feels darker than the illumination part. Therefore, by comparing the indicator part A and the indicator part B, it was visually recognized that the illumination part was about 70% of the initial luminance. When there is no indicator part, the user does not know how much the organic EL panel has decreased in luminance with respect to the initial luminance, and may continue to use even if the brightness is lower than the appropriate brightness. However, by utilizing the present invention, the user can grasp the appropriate timing for replacing the organic EL panel.

Example 4
Using a glass substrate with ITO (thickness 280 nm) of 100 × 100 mm and thickness 1.0 → 0.7 mm, there are two illumination portions that can take four light emission portions with a light emission size 30 mm × 30 mm and two light emission portions with a light emission size 3 mm × 3 mm. ITO was patterned so as to be an indicator part that can be taken individually.

Next, the substrate serving as the illumination unit was washed and fixed to a substrate holder of a commercially available vacuum deposition apparatus, and each of the deposition crucibles in the vacuum deposition apparatus was filled with an optimal amount of the constituent material of each organic layer. Vapor deposition was performed under reduced pressure to a vacuum degree of 4 × 10 ⁻⁴ Pa. An organic layer, a cathode buffer layer, and a cathode were sequentially laminated so that the configuration of the illumination unit and the indicator unit was as follows.

Illumination part and indicator part: hole injection layer (CuPC: 10 nm) / hole transport layer (α-NPD: 30 nm) / light emitting layer A (CBP, Ir (ppy) ₃ (10%), Ir (piq) 3 ( 2%): 10 nm) / light emitting layer B (H-01, Ir-A (10%)) / hole blocking layer (E-1: 5 nm) / electron transport layer (E-1, CsF (20%)): 45 nm) / Al (100 nm)
The illumination unit has an initial luminance of 3000 cd / m ² , one of the two light emitting units has an initial luminance of 6000 cd / m ² (indicator unit B), and the other has an initial luminance of 3000 cd / m ² (indicator unit A). It was driven at a constant current so that Table 4 shows the luminance change (3000 cd / m ² is assumed to be 100%).

  In the initial stage of driving, the indicator B is brighter than the indicator A. In the process in which the driving time elapses and the indicator part A changes from 70% to 60% with respect to the initial luminance, the indicator part B becomes felt darker than the indicator part A. Since the change in luminance with time is the same between the indicator part A and the illumination part, it is possible to visually recognize that the illumination part is about 60% of the initial luminance by comparing the indicator part A and the indicator part B. It was. When there is no indicator part, the user does not know how much the organic EL panel has decreased in luminance with respect to the initial luminance, and may continue to use even if the brightness is lower than the appropriate brightness. However, by utilizing the present invention, the user can grasp the appropriate timing for replacing the organic EL panel.

<< Evaluation as lighting equipment >>
In addition, said various organic electroluminescent panel which concerns on this invention can be used as an illuminating device. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the lighting device, and the organic EL panel 11 is covered with a glass cover 12. The sealing operation with the glass cover was performed in a glove box under a nitrogen atmosphere (in an atmosphere of high-purity nitrogen gas having a purity of 99.999% or more) without bringing the organic EL panel 11 into contact with the atmosphere. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the lighting device. In FIG. 4, 15 is a cathode, 16 is an organic EL layer, and 17 is a glass substrate with a transparent electrode. The glass cover 12 is filled with nitrogen gas 18 and a water catching agent 19 is provided.

  When the obtained illuminating device was energized, almost white light was obtained, and it was found that the illuminating device could be used.

Conceptual diagram of the organic electroluminescence panel of the present invention Conceptual diagram showing the change over time in the luminance of the illumination unit and indicator unit Schematic of lighting device Cross section of the lighting device

Explanation of symbols

1 Illumination unit 2 Indicator unit a Change in luminance of the indicator unit (recognized when the luminance difference becomes clear)
b Change in brightness of indicator (recognized by turning off)
c Luminance change in the indicator (recognized when the luminance is reversed)
d Luminance change of illumination section e Range of replacement period of illumination section 11 Organic EL panel 12 Glass cover 15 Cathode 16 Organic EL layer 17 Glass substrate with transparent electrode 18 Nitrogen gas 19 Water catching agent

Claims (7)

An organic electroluminescence panel comprising an anode, a light emitting layer, and a cathode on the same substrate, the panel being an organic electroluminescence element, having an illumination part and an indicator part, and the illumination part and the indicator part Ri Do different chromaticity variation of each of the driving time, an organic electroluminescence difference between chromaticity chromaticity and the indicator portion of the illumination unit, characterized in that it presents a degree of deterioration over time of the illuminating unit panel. An organic electroluminescence panel comprising an anode, a light emitting layer, and a cathode on the same substrate, the panel being an organic electroluminescence element, having an illumination part and an indicator part, and the illumination part and the indicator part each of the luminance variation of the driving time is Ri Do different, organic electroluminescence panel difference between the luminance brightness and the indicator portion of the illumination unit, characterized in that it presents a degree of deterioration over time of the illumination portion.   The organic electroluminescence panel according to claim 1, wherein the organic layer configuration of each of the illumination unit and the indicator unit is different.   3. The organic electroluminescence panel according to claim 1, wherein the organic layer configuration is the same between the illumination unit and the indicator unit. 4.   The organic electroluminescence panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the current density at the time of driving the illumination unit and the indicator unit is different.   The said indicator part has two or more light emission parts, The brightness | luminance change amount and the chromaticity change amount in the driving time-lapse of the said two or more light emission parts differ, The claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. The organic electroluminescence panel described.   An illuminating device using the organic electroluminescence panel according to claim 1.

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