With Dielectric Layer Patents (Class 313/509)
  • Patent number: 5712528
    Abstract: A full color TFEL display includes stacked panels emitting blue and a combination of red and green light. The panel nearest the viewer employs transparent electrodes on both sides and an insulator bridge structure for the scanning electrodes that alleviates the effect of pinhole defects. The panel farthest from the viewer employs transparent-top electrodes. Each row electrode on the scanning side includes an insulator bridge extending across the panel and then ITO pads extending laterally of the bridge onto the EL stack to form sub pixel points. A bus bar connects all the pixel pads in a row and provides the scanning voltage. The insulator bridge prevents the bus bars from shorting out and permits the pixel pads to fuse open in the event of a short circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Planar Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Barrow, Carl W. Laakso, Eric R. Dickey
  • Patent number: 5711898
    Abstract: An improved blue-green emitting ZnS:Cu,Cl phosphor is made by doping the phosphor with small amounts of gold and increasing the amount of low intensity milling between firing steps. The improved phosphor has better halflife and brightness characteristics while maintaining its desired emission color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Vaddi Butchi Reddy, Kenneth T. Reilly
  • Patent number: 5707747
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel amine compounds useful as electron-transporting materials to be incorporated in organic electro-luminescence devices. More particularly, the present invention provides an organic electro-luminescence device (organic EL device) which can find wide application in various display units, requires a low applied voltage and exhibits a high luminance and an excellent stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignees: Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Tomiyama, Masahiko Oshino, Ikuko Ihara, Naoko Nakanishi, Mutsumi Suzuki, Masao Fukuyama, Mutsuaki Murakami, Taro Nambu
  • Patent number: 5705284
    Abstract: A thin film electroluminescence device and a process for production thereof. This device is characterized in that as a light emitting layer material or charge injection layer material, a polymer film having at least one of a light emitting layer function, a charge transport function and a charge injection function, and having a film thickness of not: more than 0.5 .mu.m is prepared by the vacuum evaporation method and used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chishio Hosokawa, Hisahiro Higashi, Tadashi Kusumoto
  • Patent number: 5702643
    Abstract: A improved ZnS:Cu electroluminescent phosphor having a halflife of at least about 900 hours. The halflife improvement is made by doping the phosphor with minor amounts of gold and substantially increasing the amount of low intensity milling between firing steps. The improved phosphor has a dramatically longer halflife without sacrificing brightness or exhibiting large shifts in emission color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Vaddi Butchi Reddy, Kenneth T. Reilly
  • Patent number: 5703436
    Abstract: A multicolor organic light emitting device employs vertically stacked layers of double heterostructure devices which are fabricated from organic compounds. The vertical stacked structure is formed on a glass base having a transparent coating of ITO or similar metal to provide a substrate. Deposited on the substrate is the vertical stacked arrangement of three double heterostructure devices, each fabricated from a suitable organic material. Stacking is implemented such that the double heterostructure with the longest wavelength is on the top of the stack. This constitutes the device emitting red light on the top with the device having the shortest wavelength, namely, the device emitting blue light, on the bottom of the stack. Located between the red and blue device structures is the green device structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: The Trustees Of Princeton University
    Inventors: Stephen R. Forrest, Mark E. Thompson, Paul E. Burrows, Vladimir Bulovic, Gong Gu
  • Patent number: 5700591
    Abstract: A phosphor thin film of a compound of zinc, cadmium, manganese or alkaline earth metals and an element of group VI is sandwiched by barrier layers having a larger energy gap than that of the phosphor thin film, and a plurality of the sandwich structures are accumulated thicknesswise to constitute a light-emitting device. The phosphor thin film ensures the confinement of injected electrons and holes within the phosphor thin film. The light-emitting device has a high brightness and a high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michio Okajima, Takao Tohda
  • Patent number: 5686792
    Abstract: An electroluminescent lamp includes a continuous electroluminescent dielectric layer and a patterned rear electrode overlying the electroluminescent dielectric layer, wherein the rear electrode includes at least two conductive segments separated by a gap. An insulating layer fills the gap and a conductive interconnect overlies the insulating layer, joining the segments. The insulating layer spaces the interconnect from the electroluminescent dielectric layer a sufficient distance to reduce the electric field in the electroluminescent dielectric layer below the point at which the lamp appears luminous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Inventor: Thomas C. Ensign, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5677594
    Abstract: An electroluminescent phosphor is sandwiched by a pair of insulating layers which are sandwiched by a pair of electrode layers to provide an AC TFEL device. The phosphor consists of a host material and an activator dopant that is preferably a rare earth. The host material is an alkaline earth sulfide, an alkaline earth selenide or an alkaline earth sulfide selenide that includes a Group 3A metal selected from aluminum, gallium and indium. The phosphor is preferably fabricated by first depositing a layer of the alkaline earth sulfide, alkaline earth selenide or alkaline earth sulfide selenide including the rare earth dopant therein, depositing thereon an overlayer selected from an alkaline earth thiogallate, an alkaline earth thioindate, an alkaline earth thioaluminate, an alkaline earth selenoaluminate, an alkaline earth selenoindate, or an alkaline earth selenogallate. The two layers are annealed at a temperature preferably between 750.degree. and 850.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Inventors: Sey-Shing Sun, Michael S. Bowen
  • Patent number: 5675217
    Abstract: A color EL device includes a substrate; a first electrode formed on the substrate; a first insulating layer formed on the first electrode; a phosphorous layer formed on the first insulating layer and having inserted therein one or more intermediate insulating layers; a second insulating layer formed on the said phosphorous layer; and a second electrode formed on the second insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: LG Semicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hai Yong Kang
  • Patent number: 5670980
    Abstract: A compact outputter of a simple structure is provided without the back lighting function being deteriorated. A transparent electrode is exposed out of a first surface and a second surface through a through hole of an electro luminescence element. A driving signal output by an LSI chip is directed from a driving signal outputting aluminum electrode to a driving signal inputting transparent electrode through another transparent electrode. The driving signal is input to an LCD panel. Since the LSI chip is mounted on the second surface, the light from the electro luminescence element illuminating the LCD panel is not intercepted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kaeko Kuga
  • Patent number: 5667905
    Abstract: An electro-luminescent material and solid state electro-luminescent device comprising a mixed material layer formed of a mixture of silicon and silicon oxide doped with rare earth ions so as to show intense room-temperature photo- and electro-luminescence is described. The luminescence is due to internal transitions of the rare earth ions. The mixed material layer has an oxygen content ranging from 1 to 65 atomic % and is produced by vapor deposition and rare earth ions implant. A separated implant with elements of the V or III column of the periodic table of elements gives rise to a PN junction. The so obtained structure is then subjected to thermal treatment in the range 400.degree.-1100.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Consorzio per la Ricerca sulla Microelettronica nel Mezzogiorno
    Inventors: Salvatore Ugo Campisano, Salvatore Lombardo, Giuseppe Ferla, Albert Polman, Gerard Nicolaas Van Den Hoven
  • Patent number: 5660697
    Abstract: An electroluminescent display device with decreased voltage requirements comprises:(a) a substrate having a major surface;(b) a first electrode disposed over the major surface of the substrate;(c) a first insulating film disposed over the first electrode;(d) a light-emitting film disposed over the first insulating film;(e) a second insulating film disposed over the light-emitting film; and(f) a second electrode disposed over the second insulating film. The insulating films have a columnar structure oriented perpendicular to an electric field formed between the two electrodes, and either of the insulating films may be omitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kawashima, Harutaka Taniguchi, Hisato Kato, Kazuyoshi Shibata
  • Patent number: 5656888
    Abstract: A novel thin-film electroluminescent (TFEL) structure for emitting light in response to the application of an electric field is disclosed. The TFEL structure includes first and second electrode layers sandwiching a TFEL stack, the stack including first and second insulator layers and a phosphor layer that includes an alkaline earth thiogallate doped with oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Inventors: Sey-Shing Sun, Eric R. Dickey, Richard T. Tuenge, Randall Wentross
  • Patent number: 5653914
    Abstract: An electroluminescent device is provided incorporating an emissive layer comprising a processible polymer matrix such as poly(methylmethacrylate) and a chromophoric component such as an asymmetric stilbene or distyrylbenzene. The chromophoric component is blended with the polymer matrix or covalently attached thereto as a side chain and is selected to emit radiation in the region 400 nm to 500 nm when excited to luminesce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Cambridge Display Technology Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Bruce Holmes, Arno Kraft, Paul Leslie Burn, Stephen Carl Moratti, Richard Henry Friend, Donal Donat Conor Bradley, Neil Clement Greenham, Adam Richard Brown, Josef Herbert Ferdinand Martens, Franco Cacialli, Johannes Gruener
  • Patent number: 5648181
    Abstract: An inorganic thin film EL device comprises, on an insulating substrate 1, a back electrode 2, an insulating layer 3, a light emission layer 4, an insulating layer 3, and a transparent electrode 5 formed on the substrate 1 in this order. The emission layer comprises lanthanum fluoride and at least one member selected from the group consisting of rare earth element metals and compounds thereof. The rare earth element is, for example, cerium, praseodymium, neodium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and mixture thereof. The compounds maybe those compounds of the rare earth elements and fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and oxygen. The rare earth element is preferably present in the emission layer in an amount of from 5 to 90 wt %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masao Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5645948
    Abstract: An organic EL device, comprising an anode and a cathode, and at least one organic luminescent medium containing a compound of benzazoles of the formula: ##STR1## wherein: n is an integer of from 3 to 8;Z is O, NR or S; andR and R' are individually hydrogen; alkyl of from 1 to 24 carbon atoms, for example, propyl, t-butyl, heptyl, and the like; aryl or hetero-atom substituted aryl of from 5 to 20 carbon atoms for example, phenyl and naphthyl, furyl, thienyl, pyridyl, quinolinyl and other heterocyclic systems; or halo such as chloro, fluoro; or atoms necessary to complete a fused aromatic ring;B is a linkage unit consisting of alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl, or subsituted aryl which conjugately or unconjugately connects the multiple benzazoles together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jianmin Shi, Ching Wan Tang, Chin Hsin Chen
  • Patent number: 5646481
    Abstract: An EL lamp having a transparent front electrode is overprinted with an opaque graphic having the same color as the phosphor in the lamp. A translucent coating over the graphic is clear or tinted. The graphic is visible only when the lamp is lit. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a second graphic, visible whether or not the lamp is lit, is overprinted on the lamp. The second graphic has a color perceptibly different from the color of the phosphor and is opaque, transparent, or any opacity between opaque and transparent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Inventor: Charles I. Zovko
  • Patent number: 5643685
    Abstract: An electroluminescence element composed of a substrate, a first electrode, a first insulating layer, a light-emitting layer, a second insulating layer, and a second electrode in this order and a process for producing the same are disclosed, in which the light-emitting layer comprises a chemically stable oxide material containing a plurality of elements, the composition ratio of the elements constituting said oxide material being substantially equal to that of the elements charged, the light-emitting layer is formed by coating a first insulating layer with a sol solution containing a plurality of metal elements at a prescribed composition ratio and heating the coating layer to form an oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kaoru Torikoshi
  • Patent number: 5643496
    Abstract: An electroluminescent phosphor composed of copper activated zinc sulfide having an average particle size less than 23 micrometers and a halflife equal to or greater than the halflife of a second phosphor having a similar composition and an average particle size of at least 25 micrometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel E. Brese, Kenneth T. Reilly
  • Patent number: 5641582
    Abstract: A thin-film EL element which does not permit the color of the emitted light to change irrespective of a change in the voltage, which remains chemically stable and which emits light of high brightness even on a low voltage. The element comprises two or more polycrystalline thin light emitting layers (4, 5, 6) and one or more thin insulating layers (3, 7). The interface between a thin film and a thin film constituting a light emitting layer is formed by epitaxial growth, and the electrical characteristics of the element are equivalent to those of a single circuit which includes two Zener diodes (12, 13) connected in series, a capacitor (14) connected in parallel with the serially connected Zener diodes, and a capacitor (15) connected to one end of the capacitor (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nire, Atsushi Miyakoshi
  • Patent number: 5640067
    Abstract: An organic EL display device has a substrate, a plurality of organic EL elements formed on the substrate and a plurality of thin film transistors formed on the substrate. The transistors are connected to the respective EL elements for controlling current applied to the respective elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignees: TDK Corporation, Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Yamauchi, Michio Arai
  • Patent number: 5632663
    Abstract: An electroluminescent display in which a dielectric breakdown of a luminescent element is suppressed has luminescent elements disposed between first and second substrates, where the first and second substrates are deformed into a convex shape to improve breakdown characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Ishihara, Kazuhiro Inoguchi, Nobuei Ito, Tadashi Hattori
  • Patent number: 5616427
    Abstract: In an organic thin film EL device comprising an anode layer, a cathode layer, and a complex layer including hole injection material and luminescent material, an anode interfacial layer is formed between the anode layer and the complex layer. The anode interfacial layer includes quinacridone derivative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tada
  • Patent number: 5604398
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electroluminescence light-emitting device for generating an optical wavelength, comprises a substrate; an ITO layer coated on the substrate, at lest two light-emitting layers sequentially formed on the ITO layer and having a different band gap, and a metal electrode formed on an upper light-emitting layer of the at least two light-emitting layers, wherein the ITO layer is used as an anode and the metal electrode is used as a cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Tae-Hyoung Zyung, Jang-Joo Kim, Wol-Yon Hwang
  • Patent number: 5602445
    Abstract: A bright, short wavelength blue-violet phosphor for electroluminescent displays comprises an alkaline-based halide as a host material and a rare earth as a dopant. The host alkaline chloride can be chosen from the group II alkaline elements, particularly strontium chloride (SrCl.sub.2) or calcium chloride (CaCl.sub.2), which, with a europium (Eu) or cerium (Ce) rare earth dopant, electroluminesces at a peak wavelength of 404 and 367 nanometers (nm) respectively. The resulting emissions have CIE chromaticity coordinates which lie at the boundary of the visible range for the human eye thereby allowing a greater range of colors for full color flat panel electroluminescent (FPEL) displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Rajendra Solanki, Weiran Kong, Shafqat Ahmed
  • Patent number: 5598059
    Abstract: An AC thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) device includes a multilayer phosphor for emitting white light having improved emission intensity in the blue region of the spectrum. The multilayer stack consists of an inverted structure thin film stack having a red light emitting manganese doped zinc sulfide (ZnS:Mn) layer disposed on a first insulating layer; a blue-green light emitting cerium doped strontium sulfide (SrS:Ce) layer disposed on the red light emitting layer; and a blue light emitting cerium activated thiogallate phosphor (Sr.sub.x Ca.sub.1-x Ga.sub.2 S.sub.4 :Ce) layer disposed on the blue-green light emitting layer. The manganese doped zinc sulfide layer acts as a nucleating layer that lowers the threshold voltage, and the cerium activated thiogallate phosphor layer provides a moisture barrier for the hydroscopic cerium doped strontium sulfide layer. The white light from the multilayer phosphor can be appropriately filtered to produce any desired color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Planar Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sey-Shing Sun, Richard T. Tuenge
  • Patent number: 5598058
    Abstract: A thick-film multi-color electroluminescent display (10) includes a transparent substrate (12), a transparent electrode (14) deposited on the substrate (12), a phosphor layer (16) deposited on the transparent electrode (14) having two regions (18, 20) having different compositions providing visually distinct spectra of light when placed in a common electric field, a dielectric layer (22) deposited on the phosphor layer (16), and a second electrode (24) deposited on the dielectric layer (22). In an alternate embodiment, the phosphor layer (16) is composed of a marbled ink having a mixture of a first phosphor ink and a second phosphor ink having different compositions providing visually distinct spectra of light when placed in a common electric field. In another alternate embodiment, the phosphor layer (16) is composed of at least two halftone screen prints corresponding to at least two phosphor compositions providing visually distinct spectra of light when placed in a common electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Leading Edge Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley J. LaPointe
  • Patent number: 5596246
    Abstract: A display system (25) includes an enhanced specularity multi-layer thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) panel (26) and circular polarizer filter (27) which combine to provide a high contrast TFEL display. The enhanced specularity is obtained by increasing the rate the phosphor layer of the panel is deposited which results in a smoother, more specular surface. The increased specularity of the panel (26) provides a darker display background, and therefore higher contrast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Russell A. Budzilek, Dominick L. Monarchie, Myroslaw Podoba, Richard R. Swatson
  • Patent number: 5589732
    Abstract: A color filter is laminated via a resin layer on an electroluminescence device. The resin layer includes silicone resin as its main ingredient while having a thickness of 2 to 100 .mu.m. Thereby, possible color dislocation and reduction of the angle of visibility attributed to the gap between the electroluminescence device and the color filter are prevented. Furthermore, possible damage, dielectric breakdown, pixel dropout, and line defect due to the contact between the electroluminescence device and the color filter are reduced. A surface of the resin layer is changed in condition to make the resin layer have a lipophilic property to facilitate application of a material of the color filter thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsushi Okibayashi, Takashi Ogura, Masaru Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5589733
    Abstract: Electroluminescent element includes two dielectric layers disposed on either side of a luminescent layer wherein a transparent electrode and a backing electrode are formed on respective dielectric layers. In a preferred embodiment, the dielectric films include tantalum oxide and at least one oxide of either indium, tin, or zinc wherein the total content of the indium, tin, and zinc atoms in the dielectric layer comprise 55 atomic % or less with respect to the total content of tantalum, indium, tin, and zinc atoms. The dielectric films have a relatively high dielectric constant and high breakdown strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho
    Inventors: Koji Noda, Hisayoshi Fujikawa, Katsuji Yamashita, Yasunori Taga
  • Patent number: 5585695
    Abstract: A thin film electroluminescent display module sealed against moisture with driver chip and optional lens is disclosed. The module is formed on a transparent substrate upon which a sequence of patterned thin layers is deposited and a patterned sealing layer and driver circuit(s) are applied. In one aspect the tile element achieves over 100 fL brightness in a 5.times.7 format with circular pixels. Expansion to a 16.times.16 format is also disclosed and a novel addressing geometry suitable for tiled displays is presented. The application of a unique insulator layer allows flexible interconnections with conductor crossovers to address pixel arrays in formats offer than X-Y matrix addressing. The absence of edge connections and a bulky edge seal permits production of a tiled display in which module-to-module spacing is not limited by connectors or seals. Multiple electroluminescent display modules may be tiled together edge-to-edge to form a large display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: Adrian Kitai
    Inventor: Adrian H. Kitai
  • Patent number: 5581150
    Abstract: A TFEL structure is disclosed that includes first and second electrode layers sandwiching a TFEL stack including at least one insulator layer and a novel three layer laminate structure. The three-layer laminate structure includes an alkaline earth thiogallate phosphor layer, a nucleating layer and an injection layer. The nucleating layer lies between the phosphor layer and the injection layer. The injection layer provides a charge injection function through the nucleating layer for the thiogallate phosphor layer which is of high crystallinity at its interface with the nucleating layer. A preferred injection layer includes indium, for example as the metal or as indium tin oxide. The best material for the nucleating layer is zinc sulfide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Planar Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Rack, Paul H. Holloway, Sey-Shing Sun, Eric R. Dickey, Christian F. Schaus, Richard T. Tuenge, Christopher N. King
  • Patent number: 5578379
    Abstract: Siloxene and siloxene derivatives are compatible with silicon and may be generated as epitaxial layer on a silicon monocrystal. This permits the production of novel and advantageous electroluminescent devices, such as displays, image converters, optoelectric integrated circuits. Siloxene and siloxene derivatives may also be advantageously employed in lasers as laser-active material and in fluorescent lamps or tubes as luminescent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Wissenschaften e.V.
    Inventors: Martin Stutzmann, Martin S. Brandt, Alf Breitschwerdt, Heinz D. Fuchs, Joerg Weber
  • Patent number: 5559399
    Abstract: An electroluminescent display includes a transparent electrode (4) and a metal assist structure (6) formed over a portion of the transparent electrode (6) such that the metal assist structure (6) is in electrical contact with the transparent electrode (4). The metal assist structure (6) includes a first refractory metal layer (10), a primary conductor layer (12) formed on the first refractory metal layer (10), and a second refractory metal layer (14) formed on the primary conductor layer (12). The first and second refractory metal layers (10, 14) are capable of protecting the primary conductor layer (12) from oxidation when the electroluminescent display is annealed to activate a phosphor layer (18). In an alternate embodiment, an electroluminescent display includes a substrate (2) and a metal electrode (22) formed on the substrate (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Norden Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Tanski, Roger Carroll, Emilio J. Branciforte
  • Patent number: 5557295
    Abstract: A display panel integrated with EL can be obtained by printing EL at the back of a light permeable substrate, and covering the front surface of the substrate and the rearface of EL with a moisture proof film for insulating and protecting the EL from the surrounding atmosphere. Alternatively, the film may cover the substrate and EL entirely. An indication mark is printed at the surface of the moisture proof film or the light permeable substrate. The light permeable front electrode, the light emission layer and the back electrode are successively printed to the rearface of the light permeable substrate. If the indication mark is printed on the surface of the substrate, the attenuation of decay of the light emission from the emission layer can be suppressed and the brightness of the display mark improved by not forming the insulation layer at the back of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Nippon Seiki K.K.
    Inventors: Sadamasa Miyashita, Laiying Zhang
  • Patent number: 5554449
    Abstract: A high luminance thin-film electroluminescent device comprising a phosphor layer comprising SrS as the host material and a luminous center. The phosphor layer is sandwiched between two insulating layers and two thin-film electrodes are provided on each side of the insulating layers. At least one of the electrodes is transparent, and the excitation spectrum of the phosphor layer exhibits a peak having a maximum value at a wavelength of about from 350 nm to 370 nm. Such a high luminance thin-film electroluminescent device can be prepared by annealing its phosphor layer comprising SrS as the host material at a temperature of at least 650 .degree. C. for at least one hour in an atmosphere of a sulfur-containing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichiro Tonomura, Masahiro Matsui, Takashi Morishita
  • Patent number: 5552668
    Abstract: An electroluminescent device having improved moisture resistance. The device comprises a transparent substrate having a transparent electrode layer. A luminescent layer and a dielectric layer are interposed between the transparent electrode layer and a back electrode layer. The luminescent layer comprises a resinous binder containing electroluminescent particles. The dielectric layer comprises a resinous binder containing dielectric particles. The back electrode layer comprises a resinous binder containing conductive particles. The resinous binder of at least one of the luminescent layer and the dielectric layer is made from a fluoride resin. A reaction accelerator for promoting polymerization of the fluoride resin is contained in the back electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Seiko Precision Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Hirose, Shigehiko Aoki
  • Patent number: 5539424
    Abstract: A thin-film EL display device of red luminescent color having high luminous intensity and high reliability is disclosed. The thin-film EL display device has a first transparent electrode, a first transparent insulating layer, a light-emitting layer of zinc sulfide (ZnS) with the addition of manganese (Mn), a red-light transmitting filter of amorphous silicon (a-Si), a second transparent insulating layer, and a second transparent electrode (second electrode), which are successively deposited one on top of another on a glass substrate. The EL display device produces red light from orange light emission from the light-emitting layer. High temperature resistance of the filter permits the insertion of the filter to a desired position during the fabrication process for the thin-film EL display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignees: Nippondenso Co., Ltd., Research Development Corporation of Japan
    Inventors: Yutaka Hattori, Atsushi Mizutani, Nobuei Ito, Tadashi Hattori
  • Patent number: 5525867
    Abstract: An electroluminescent display and method of fabricating the same is described in which an active driver panel (14) is integrated with a processed display panel (12) using a unique application of semiconductor wafer technology. A microelectronic driver circuit (32) and back electrode (34) are fabricated on a semiconductor wafer (30) to provide a panel for driving the display. Multiple driver circuits (32) and respective back electrodes (34) may be arranged on the wafer to form an active-matrix electroluminescent display. The display panel (12) includes a front electrode (18) and an adjacent phosphor panel (20) for illuminating the display. The driver panel (14) is adhered to the display panel (12) using either an indium bump connection or a thermal bond, which provide both mechanical and electrical coupling between the back electrodes (34) and the phosphor panel (20). Exposure of the active devices on the driver panel to destructive high processing temperatures inherent in display panel processing is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Ronald L. Williams
  • Patent number: 5521465
    Abstract: An AC thin film electroluminescent display panel includes a metal assist structure formed on and in electrical contact over each transparent electrode, and light absorbing darkened rear electrodes which combine to provide a sunlight viewable display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Westinghouse Norden Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Russell A. Budzilek, Dominic L. Monarchie, Elliot Schlam, Richard R. Swatson
  • Patent number: 5517080
    Abstract: An AC thin film electroluminescent display panel includes a metal assist structure formed on and in electrical contact over each transparent electrode, and a graded layer of light absorbing dark material which combine to provide a sunlight viewable display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Westinghouse Norden Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Russell A. Budzilek, Dominic L. Monarchie, Elliot Schlam, Richard R. Swatson
  • Patent number: 5508585
    Abstract: An EL lamp includes a transparent electrode, an electroluminescent dielectric layer overlying the transparent electrode, a patterned insulating layer overlies selected portions of the dielectric layer for reducing the electric field across the selected portions of the electroluminescent dielectric layer, and a rear electrode overlying the insulating layer and the electroluminescent dielectric layer. The insulating layer is preferably a low dielectric constant material and can overlie the electroluminescent dielectric layer or can be located between a separate dielectric layer and a phosphor layer. A gray scale is produced by depositing or printing more than one thickness of insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Durel Corporation
    Inventor: James H. Butt
  • Patent number: 5507404
    Abstract: A color electroluminescence(EL) display element and the manufacturing method thereof which can improve an RC-time delay phenomenon and the contrast of the EL display element. According to the EL display element, an auxiliary metal electrode is formed on a transparent electrode. The auxiliary metal electrode is formed by forming on the transparent electrode a metal film having a high melting point and a low resistivity, such as molybdenenum, with a thickness of about 1000 .ANG., and then by selectively etching the metal film so that it remains on the boundary between each of R, G, and B color filters with a width of about 5 to 30 .mu.m. The color filters are formed on a circular polarizing plate and sealed up with the auxiliary metal electrode, and thus the circular polarizing plate absorbs an external light incident to and reflected from a metal electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Goldstar Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae H. Ryu
  • Patent number: 5504389
    Abstract: An electroluminescent display having a plurality of layers including at least a transparent electrode layer, a rear electrode layer, and at least three layers including an electroluminescent layer sandwiched between front and rear dielectric layers. All three layers thereof are disposed between the rear electrode layer and the transparent electrode layer wherein the transparent electrode layer is formed on a transparent substrate, so as to emit light upon the application of an electric field between the transparent electrode layer and the rear electrode layer. A thin-film absorption layer that absorbs a substantial percentage of light incident thereon is disposed between the rear electrode layer and the rear dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Planar Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric R. Dickey
  • Patent number: 5504390
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an addressable electroluminescent display which eliminates ghost images resulting from leads used to energize the display. The addressable display has a polymer film substrate with a first electrode deposited onto the polymer film. A group electrode is provided which is spaced apart from the first electrode. The group electrode has segments so arranged that, when projected onto the first electrode, form a substantially continuous group electrode footprint. A phosphor layer is interposed between the first electrode and the group electrode. Preferably, a dielectric is also interposed between the phosphor layer and the group electrode. A group electrode insulating layer overlies the group electrode and has group electrode insulating layer passages therethrough. Group electrode leads overlay the group electrode insulating layer and are positioned such that their projection onto the first electrode lies within the group electrode footprint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Inventor: Mark Topp
  • Patent number: 5496427
    Abstract: An elongated electroluminescent light strip is provided. The electroluminescent light strip includes a lighting element which includes a phosphor matrix layer. The lighting element or lamp is encapsulated in a moisture impervious material. A process for manufacturing an elongated electroluminescent light strip is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: The Standard Products Company
    Inventors: Thomas L. Gustafson, Marc A. Brookman
  • Patent number: 5491378
    Abstract: An electro luminescence device includes a light shield element made of a metal layer and an insulation film. Both the metal layer and the insulation film extend along side surfaces of a luminescence layer and are adapted to reflect light emitted in a direction toward the side surfaces of the luminescence layer. Thereby, the amount of light emitted toward neighboring pixels is reduced, while the amount of light emitted by the display element is increased. The invention reduces cross-talk of light between neighboring pixels and thereby achieves an improvement in contrast for each pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Assignee: Goldstar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Y. Lee, Hyoung K. Bae
  • Patent number: 5491379
    Abstract: The method and structure for providing a pair of electrical contact terminals on the back side of an electroluminescent (EL) lamp. The EL lamp has a first conductive layer, a layer of EL material, a first insulating layer, a second conductive layer, a second insulating layer and a film of conductive material, all disposed on a transparent substrate, respectively. The film of conductive material extends around the second insulating layer to come in electrical contact with the first conductive layer. This allows an electrical contact terminal to be established on the film of conductive material, rather than directly on the first conductive layer. The other electrical contact terminal is positioned on the second conductive layer. The second insulating layer serves to electrically separate the two contact terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Assignee: Timex Corporation
    Inventors: Lyman R. Daigle, Andrew C. Ledesma, Sotero A. Ang
  • Patent number: 5491377
    Abstract: A flexible, thick film, electroluminescent lamp and method of construction in which a single non-hygroscopic binder is used for all layers (with the optional exception of the rear electrode), thereby reducing delamination as a result of temperature changes and the susceptibility to moisture. The binder includes a fluoropolymer resin, namely polyvinylidene fluoride, which has ultraviolet radiation absorbing characteristics. The use of a common binder for both phosphor and adjacent dielectric layers reduces lamp failure due to localized heating, thus increasing light output for a given voltage and excitation frequency, and increasing the ability of the lamp to withstand overvoltage conditions without failure. The lamps may be made by screen printing, by spraying, by roller coating or vacuum deposition, although screen printing is preferred. By the multilayer process, unique control of the illumination is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Inventor: Albert Janusauskas