Abstract: An inter-layer insulating film and a gate insulating film which are positioned on the optical path of light from an organic EL element to be externally emitted, for example, located under a transparent electrode, are removed. Because SiO2 films having a refractive index which differs significantly from refractive indexes of other films are used for these films, there was a problem of light attenuation in these layers. Such light attenuation can be reduced by removing these layers located in the region through which light from the organic EL element passes.

Abstract: A hole transport layer has a thickness of 170 nm or larger. This can prevent a hole transport layer from being broken down even when a cathode is partly in contact with the surface of the hole transport layer due to dust introduced during manufacturing of an organic emissive layer, and leads to suppression of defects.

Abstract: A concave and convex portion is formed on the surface of the planarization insulating film. The surface of the anode also has a concave and convex portion, reflecting the concave and convex structure of the planarization insulating film. The hole transportation layer, the emissive layer, the electron transportation layer and the cathode are disposed on the anode through vacuum evaporation. The surface of the hole transportation layer, the emissive layer, the electron transportation layer, and the cathode has the concave and convex structure, respectively, reflecting the concave and convex structure on the surface of the anode. The effective light-emitting area of the emissive layer is larger than that of a conventional device. That is, a higher brightness can be achieved by increasing the effective light-emitting area of the EL device. Also, the life span of the EL device is extended while keeping its brightness at a conventional level.

Abstract: An electroluminescent display device has a device glass substrate and a sealing glass substrate that are attached together with a sealing resin. The device glass substrate has a pixel region provided with an organic EL element, and a horizontal driving circuit and a vertical driving circuit, both of which supply driving signals for driving the organic EL element. The sealing glass substrate is provided with a light shield layer for preventing incident light from entering the horizontal driving circuit and the vertical driving circuit. This makes edges of an organic EL panel clear, thereby improving a display contrast.

Abstract: To effectively prevent intrusion of moisture into a space above an organic EL element, a moisture blocking layer made of a silicon-based nitride film such as SiNx or a TEOS film formed to cover a drain electrode and source electrode of a TFT is formed on the entire surface of the element. A sealing glass is attached to the moisture blocking layer by a sealing material on the peripheral region of the substrate. The intrusion of moisture from the outside is effectively prevented by the moisture blocking layer.

Abstract: This thin film-forming apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber 2 for forming a thin film on a target material 5, an evaporation source 3 arranged in the chamber 2 and having an evaporation port 33 through which the vapor of a material 40 to be vapor-deposited passes, and a moving mechanism 20 for moving the source 3 towards the widthwise direction of the port 33 between a prescribed waiting position and film-forming position of the source 3. This apparatus further comprises a film-thickness sensor 50 for detecting a film-forming speed of the material 40, which is arranged in a vicinity of the waiting position of the source 3 and on a side of the material 5. The source 3 is positioned opposite to the sensor 50 at the waiting position and is positioned opposite to the material 5 at the film-forming position.

Abstract: A second planarization (insulating) film is formed so as to cover the periphery of a pixel electrode. Then, using the same mask, a hole transport layer, an organic emissive layer, and an electron transport layer are sequentially formed. In particular, use of larger anisotropy in evaporation for upper layers results in the upper layers which are smaller than the lower layers. Thus, the lateral side of the lower layer is not covered by the upper layer. This can reduce immixing of dust attributable to use of a mask.

Abstract: An electroluminescent display device includes an anode, a cathode and a light emitting layer disposed between the anode and the cathode. The display device also includes a substrate allowing light from the light emitting layer to pass through itself and an ultraviolet protection film disposed in an optical path of the light passing through the substrate. Retardation films and polarizers used in conventional electroluminescent display devices are replaced by the ultraviolet protection film with respect to reducing the effect of ultraviolet rays on the degradation of the display characteristics.

Abstract: On a cathode (40) of an organic EL element, a stress reducing layer (42) formed by a material which is the same as that used for an organic layer of the organic EL element is formed. A moisture block layer (44) formed by a material which is the same as that used for the cathode (40) is then formed on the stress reducing layer (42). Thus, entering of moisture is effective prevented while the stress is reduced.

Abstract: An electroluminescence (EL) device is resistant to external shock and has a prolonged service life. In the device, an emissive element substrate has a first electrodes formed on a substrate, an emissive element layer formed over the first electrodes, and a second electrode formed on the emissive layer. A sealing member covers the second electrode of the emissive element substrate. Shock buffers in pillar, spherical, or sheet form are arranged in a gap between the second electrode and the sealing member. When the shock members are made of a hard material, they are preferably arranged above the non-emissive areas in the EL device.

Abstract: The evaporation method of this invention comprises a process for tightly placing an evaporation mask on a substrate, and a process for disposing an evaporation material on the surface of the substrate through a plurality of openings formed in the evaporation mask by moving a plurality evaporation sources along the entire length of the substrate for forming a pattern. The evaporation sources are loaded with different evaporation materials. A plurality of evaporation layers can be continuously disposed on the substrate by sequentially or simultaneously moving the evaporation source.

Abstract: The upper limit VH of the driving voltage PVdd is set in such way that the brightness of an organic EL element is lower than the first standard brightness L1 when the video signal Dm is at the black signal level (V0), in an EL display device with the driving source for driving the organic EL element. Also, the lower limit VL of the driving voltage PVdd is set in such way the brightness of the organic EL element is higher than the second standard brightness L2 when the video signal Dm is at the white signal level (V1). The electroluminescent display device displays black and white with a proper contrast.

Abstract: An organic EL element of one pixel is selectively irradiated with laser light. With the laser irradiation, the functionality of the organic layer of the organic EL element is selectively degraded and the light emission capability is removed without damaging the cathode.

Abstract: A glass substrate and a shadow mask are put tightly together by inserting the glass substrate between a magnet and the shadow mask made of magnetic material. A pattern forming of an organic EL device is performed by depositing an organic EL material on the surface of the glass substrate from an evaporation source through an opening portion in the shadow mask. A coarsening processing has been performed on the surface of shadow mask facing the glass substrate. This suppresses the damage on the substrate surface by the shadow mask during the evaporation processing.

Abstract: A pixel electrode (55) and a common electrode (63) having alignment control windows (65) formed thereon, are formed on opposing substrates (50, 60). Alignment control assistance electrodes (1) are formed between the substrate (60) and a color filter (61) in areas covering the alignment control windows (65), and supplied with a voltage of a different polarity from that to be applied to the opposing pixel electrodes. With this arrangement, an electric field is formed in areas with the alignment control window formed thereon, whereby an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is more strongly controlled.

Abstract: In a display device formed by adhering substrates facing one another using a seal, a buffer layer is disposed between the seal and a substrate to prevent separation between the substrates. Specifically, for example, a display region is configured by covering switching elements with a planarizing insulating film for planarization, then forming, in order, pixel electrodes, an emissive layer, and a counter electrode. The planarizing insulating film is extended beyond the display region to an area under the seal. The planarizing insulating film functions as the buffer layer to absorb the stress generated during curing of the seal, thereby preventing separation between the substrate and the protective casing.

Abstract: Power source lines (183) for supplying drive current from power source input terminals (180) to organic EL elements (160) formed in a display pixel region having display pixels are connected by a bypass line (181) along the row direction within the display pixel region. This arrangement minimizes decrease in power source current caused by resistance of the power source lines (183) according to the line length. Accordingly, the organic EL elements (160) can adequately receive the actual desired current, thereby achieving an organic EL device capable of bright displays and having uniform display luminance within the display region.

Abstract: An evaporation mask is placed between an evaporation source and a plastic substrate. An evaporation substance from the evaporation source is allowed to selectively pass through one or more openings formed on the evaporation mask corresponding to the pattern of an evaporation layer of an EL element, to form the evaporation layer on the plastic substrate. As the material for the evaporation mask, a material whose thermal expansion coefficient is similar to (for example, within a range of ±30% of) the thermal expansion coefficient of the plastic substrate, for example, a plastic material such as a polyimide, is employed. It is preferable to employ a material having a thermal endurance which is, for example, at least approximately 50° C. higher than the thermal endurance of the plastic substrate.

Abstract: An evaporation mask onto which an opening is formed for selectively allowing passage of an evaporation substance from an evaporation source onto a glass substrate to form an evaporation layer of an electroluminescence element in a predetermined pattern is placed between an evaporation source and a glass substrate and evaporation is performed. As a material for the evaporation mask, a material having a thermal expansion coefficient 160% or smaller of the thermal coefficient of glass is employed so as to minimize the thermal deformation of the evaporation mask which is closer the evaporation source and temperature of which is increased, to thereby improve the evaporation patterning precision.

Abstract: On an insulating substrate, there are formed a first gate electrode, a gate insulating film, a semiconductor film, and an interlayer insulating film. Above the interlayer insulating film, a TFT is formed having a second gate electrode connected to the first gate electrode. Then, a photosensitive resin is formed over the entire surface of the extant layers. Subsequently, first exposure is applied using a first mask, and second exposure is then applied using a second mask with a larger amount of light than used for the first exposure. The second mask has an opening at a position corresponding to a source. Thereafter, the photosensitive resin film is developed thereby forming a contact hole and a concave.