阅读说明：本技术 有机器件的制造方法 (method for manufacturing organic device ) 是由 藤井贵志 松本康男 森岛进一 于 2018-04-05 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种有机器件(1)的制造方法,该制造方法包括：形成工序,在沿一个方向延伸的支承基板(3)的一个主面(3a)上,在一个方向上隔开给定的间隔形成多个至少依次层叠第1电极层(5)、有机功能层(7)及第2电极层(9)而得的有机器件部(10)；贴合工序,以使各有机器件部(10)的第1电极层(5)及第2电极层(9)各自的一部分露出并且跨着多个有机器件部(10)的方式,沿着一个方向贴合沿一个方向延伸的密封构件(11)；以及裁切工序,将贴合有密封构件(11)的多个有机器件部(10)单片化,在贴合工序中,将密封构件(11)利用压敏粘接剂贴合于有机EL部(10),在裁切工序中,使裁切刀(B)从密封构件(11)侧进入。(The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an organic device (1), the method comprising: a forming step of forming a plurality of organic device sections (10) in which at least a 1 st electrode layer (5), an organic functional layer (7), and a 2 nd electrode layer (9) are sequentially laminated on one main surface (3a) of a support substrate (3) extending in one direction at predetermined intervals in the one direction; a bonding step in which a sealing member (11) extending in one direction is bonded in one direction so that a part of each of the 1 st electrode layer (5) and the 2 nd electrode layer (9) of each organic device section (10) is exposed and the sealing member straddles over a plurality of organic device sections (10); and a cutting step of singulating the plurality of organic device sections (10) to which the sealing member (11) is bonded, wherein in the bonding step, the sealing member (11) is bonded to the organic EL section (10) with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and in the cutting step, a cutting blade (B) is inserted from the sealing member (11) side.)

1. A method of fabricating an organic device, the method comprising:

A forming step of forming a plurality of organic device sections in which at least a 1 st electrode layer, an organic functional layer, and a 2 nd electrode layer are sequentially stacked on one main surface of a support substrate extending in one direction at predetermined intervals in the one direction;

A bonding step of bonding a sealing member extending in the one direction along the one direction so that a part of each of the 1 st electrode layer and the 2 nd electrode layer of each of the organic device portions is exposed and the sealing member straddles over the plurality of organic device portions; and

A cutting step of singulating the plurality of organic device portions to which the sealing member is bonded,

In the bonding step, the sealing member having a sealing base material and a pressure-sensitive adhesive is bonded to the organic device portion,

In the cutting step, a cutting blade is inserted from the sealing member side.

2. The method of manufacturing an organic device according to claim 1,

In the forming step, a plurality of the organic device portions are formed at a predetermined interval in another direction orthogonal to the one direction,

In the bonding step, the sealing members are bonded to the respective rows of the plurality of organic device portions arranged in the other direction in the one direction.

3. The method for manufacturing an organic device according to claim 1 or 2,

In the cutting step, the plurality of organic device portions are singulated at the same timing by using the plurality of cutting blades having a frame shape.

4. The method for manufacturing an organic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

In the cutting process, a cutting portion having the cutting blade and an elastic member is used,

The cutting knife is arranged on the base part,

The elastic member is provided with a pair of elastic members which are disposed opposite to each other at a position where the base portion sandwiches the cutting blade, and which have elastic properties with a tip portion thereof projecting more than a tip portion of the cutting blade,

The elastic member contracts after the cutting blade enters from the sealing member side, and expands when the cutting blade exits.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an organic device.

Background

As a conventional method for manufacturing an organic device, for example, a method described in patent document 1 is known. The method for manufacturing an organic device described in patent document 1 includes, after the step of forming an organic functional element on a substrate: a sealing step of bonding a sealing material to the base material with a thermosetting adhesive so as to cover the organic functional element; and a cutting step of performing hot melt cutting after the sealing material is bonded and before the thermosetting adhesive is cured, thereby singulating the organic devices.

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

in a conventional method for manufacturing an organic device, the sealing member is prevented from peeling from the organic functional element during cutting by performing hot-melt cutting before the thermosetting adhesive for bonding the sealing member is cured. In the conventional method, a cutting blade heated by a heating mechanism is used for the thermal fusion cutting. However, in the thermal fusion cutting, heat may be transferred to the device, and thermal degradation may occur in the device. In the hot-melt cutting, a melted thermosetting adhesive or the like may adhere to the cutting blade, and the operation of adhering from the cutting blade may occur, which results in poor maintenance. In the hot-melt cutting, the cutting blade is heated by the heating means as described above, and therefore, the structure becomes complicated. Thus, reliability of the organic device is liable to be lowered, or it is difficult to efficiently singulate each organic device.

An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing an organic device, which can efficiently perform singulation while suppressing a decrease in reliability of the organic device.

A method for manufacturing an organic device according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a forming step of forming a plurality of organic device sections in which at least a 1 st electrode layer, an organic functional layer, and a 2 nd electrode layer are sequentially stacked on one main surface of a support substrate extending in one direction at predetermined intervals in the one direction; a bonding step of bonding a sealing member extending in one direction along the one direction so that a part of each of the 1 st electrode layer and the 2 nd electrode layer of each organic device section is exposed and the sealing member straddles over a plurality of organic device sections; and a cutting step of singulating the plurality of organic device portions to which the sealing member is bonded, wherein in the bonding step, the sealing member having the sealing base material and the pressure-sensitive adhesive is bonded to the organic device portions, and in the cutting step, the cutting blade is inserted from the sealing member side.

In the method for manufacturing an organic device according to one aspect of the present invention, a sealing member including a sealing base material and a pressure-sensitive adhesive is bonded to an organic device portion. Thereafter, a cutting blade is advanced from the sealing member side, and the organic device is singulated. The pressure-sensitive adhesive is bonded by being applied with pressure, and is not cured after bonding, but has flexibility. Therefore, it is possible to cause the pressure-sensitive adhesive to adhere the sealing member to the organic device portion with the pressure at the time of entry of the cutting blade, and to suppress the peeling of the sealing base material from the pressure-sensitive adhesive at the time of exit of the cutting blade. Therefore, in the method for manufacturing an organic device, occurrence of a defect caused by interlayer peeling can be suppressed, and thus a decrease in reliability can be suppressed. In the method of manufacturing an organic device, since a thermosetting adhesive is not used, hot-melt cutting is not required. Thus, in the method for manufacturing an organic device, the device is not thermally degraded, and the thermosetting adhesive or the like is not attached to the cutting blade, so that the device is excellent in maintainability, and the heating mechanism is not required, so that the configuration can be simplified. Therefore, in the method for manufacturing an organic device, the organic device can be efficiently singulated while suppressing a decrease in reliability of the organic device.

In one embodiment, the plurality of organic device portions may be formed at predetermined intervals in another direction orthogonal to the one direction in the forming step, and the sealing member may be bonded to each of the plurality of organic device portions aligned in the other direction along the one direction in the bonding step. By attaching the plurality of sealing members in this manner, an organic device can be efficiently manufactured.

In one embodiment, in the cutting step, a plurality of frame-shaped cutting blades may be used to singulate a plurality of organic device portions at the same time. This enables efficient singulation. In a conventional hot-melt cutting method, a cutting blade having a heating mechanism is used. In the conventional method, when a plurality of cutting blades are used, a heating mechanism needs to be provided for each cutting blade, which makes the configuration complicated. In the method of manufacturing an organic device according to one embodiment, since the heating mechanism is not required, the organic device can be efficiently singulated with a simple configuration even when a plurality of cutting blades are used.

In one embodiment, in the cutting process, a cutting portion having a pair of cutting blades provided at a base portion and an elastic member disposed at the base portion at a position where the cutting blades are sandwiched therebetween and having elasticity such that the elastic member contracts when the cutting blades are fed from the sealing member and expands when the cutting blades are withdrawn may be used. In this method, by using the elastic member having the tip portion projecting more than the tip portion of the cutting blade, the sealing member can be pushed by the elastic member when the cutting blade enters and exits. Thus, the pressure-sensitive adhesive can be applied with pressure when the cutting blade is moved in, and the peeling of the seal base material and the pressure-sensitive adhesive caused by the pulling of the seal base material by the cutting blade can be suppressed when the cutting blade is moved out. Therefore, occurrence of troubles such as generation of black spots (ダ ー ク ス ポ ッ ト) due to interlayer peeling can be suppressed. As a result, a decrease in reliability of the organic device can be suppressed.

Effects of the invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, the organic device can be efficiently singulated while suppressing a decrease in reliability of the organic device.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of an organic EL element manufactured by a method for manufacturing an organic device according to an embodiment.

fig. 2 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing an organic EL device.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a sealing member is bonded to an organic device portion.

Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the cutting process.

Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the cutting process.

Fig. 6 is a view showing a cut portion.

Fig. 7(a), 7(b), and 7(c) are diagrams for explaining the cutting process in detail.

Fig. 8 is a view showing a cut portion of a modification.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof is omitted.

as shown in fig. 1, an organic EL element (organic device) 1 manufactured by the method for manufacturing an organic device according to the present embodiment includes a support substrate 3, an anode layer (1 st electrode layer) 5, an organic functional layer 7, a cathode layer (2 nd electrode layer) 9, and a sealing member 11. The anode layer 5, the organic functional layer 7, and the cathode layer 9 constitute an organic EL section (organic device section) 10.

[ supporting base plate ]

The support substrate 3 is made of a resin having transparency to visible light (light having a wavelength of 400nm to 800 nm). The support substrate 3 is a film-like substrate (flexible substrate ). The thickness of the support substrate 3 is, for example, 30 μm or more and 500 μm or less. When the support substrate 3 is made of resin, it is preferably 45 μm or more from the viewpoint of substrate rattling (ヨ レ), wrinkling, and elongation when the roll-to-roll system is continuously performed, and preferably 125 μm or less from the viewpoint of flexibility.

The support substrate 3 is, for example, a plastic film. The material of the support substrate 3 includes, for example, polyether sulfone (PES); polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN); polyolefin resins such as Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and cyclic polyolefin; a polyamide resin; a polycarbonate resin; a polystyrene resin; a polyvinyl alcohol resin; saponified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers; polyacrylonitrile resin; an acetal resin; a polyimide resin; epoxy resins, and the like.

Among the above resins, the material of the support substrate 3 is preferably a polyester resin or a polyolefin resin, and more preferably polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate, because of high heat resistance, low linear expansion coefficient, and low production cost. These resins may be used alone in 1 kind, or may be used in combination in 2 or more kinds.

A gas barrier layer or a moisture barrier layer may be disposed on the one principal surface 3a of the support substrate 3. The other principal surface 3b of the support substrate 3 is a light-emitting surface. A light extraction film may be provided on the other main surface 3b of the support substrate 3. The light extraction film may be bonded to the other main surface 3b of the support substrate 3 with an adhesive layer. The support substrate 3 may be a thin film glass. When the support substrate 3 is a thin-film glass, the thickness thereof is preferably 30 μm or more from the viewpoint of strength, and is preferably 100 μm or less from the viewpoint of flexibility.

[ Anode layer ]

The anode layer 5 is disposed on the one principal surface 3a of the support substrate 3. As the anode layer 5, an electrode layer exhibiting light transmittance is used. As the electrode exhibiting light transmittance, a thin film of a metal oxide, a metal sulfide, a metal or the like having high electrical conductivity can be used, and a thin film having high light transmittance can be suitably used. For example, a thin film containing Indium Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Tin Oxide, Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), Indium Zinc Oxide (IZO), gold, platinum, silver, copper, or the like is used, and among them, a thin film containing ITO, IZO, or Tin Oxide can be suitably used.

As the anode layer 5, a transparent conductive film of an organic material such as polyaniline and a derivative thereof, polythiophene and a derivative thereof, or the like may be used. As the anode layer 5, an electrode in which the above-mentioned metal, metal alloy, or the like is patterned into a mesh shape, or an electrode in which silver-containing nanowires are formed into a mesh shape can be used.

The thickness of the anode layer 5 may be determined in consideration of light transmittance, electrical conductivity, and the like. The thickness of the anode layer 5 is usually 10nm to 10 μm, preferably 20nm to 1 μm, and more preferably 50nm to 200 nm.

Examples of the method for forming the anode layer 5 include dry film forming methods such as vacuum deposition, sputtering, and ion plating, and coating methods such as an ink jet method, a slot die coater method, a gravure printing method, a screen printing method, and a spray coater method. The anode layer 5 may be further patterned by photolithography, dry etching, laser trimming, or the like. The pattern may be formed by directly coating the support substrate 3 by a coating method without using a photolithography method, a dry etching method, a laser trimming method, or the like.

[ organic functional layer ]

The organic functional layer 7 is disposed on a main surface (a surface opposite to the surface contacting the support substrate 3) of the anode layer 5 and on the one main surface 3a of the support substrate 3. The organic functional layer 7 includes a light emitting layer. The organic functional layer 7 generally contains a light-emitting material that mainly emits fluorescence and/or phosphorescence, or the light-emitting material and a dopant material for a light-emitting layer that assists it. The dopant material for the light-emitting layer is added, for example, to improve the light-emitting efficiency and to change the light-emitting wavelength. The fluorescent and/or phosphorescent light-emitting material may be a low molecular compound or a high molecular compound. Examples of the organic material constituting the organic functional layer 7 include a luminescent material that emits fluorescence and/or phosphorescence, such as a dye material, a metal complex material, and a polymer material, and a dopant material for a luminescent layer, which are described below.

(pigment Material)

Examples of the coloring material include cyclopentamine and its derivatives, tetraphenylbutadiene and its derivatives, triphenylamine and its derivatives, oxadiazole and its derivatives, pyrazoloquinoline and its derivatives, distyrylbenzene and its derivatives, distyrylarylene and its derivatives, pyrrole and its derivatives, thiophene compounds, pyridine compounds, perinone and its derivatives, perylene and its derivatives, oligothiophene and its derivatives, oxadiazole dimers, pyrazoline dimers, quinacridone and its derivatives, and coumarin and its derivatives.

(Metal Complex Material)

Examples of the metal complex material include metal complexes having a rare earth metal such as Tb, Eu, and Dy as a central metal, or a metal complex having a structure such as Al, Zn, Be, Pt, and Ir as a ligand, including oxadiazole, thiadiazole, phenylpyridine, phenylbenzimidazole, and quinoline. Examples of the metal complex include metal complexes having luminescence from a triplet excited state, such as iridium complexes and platinum complexes, aluminum hydroxyquinoline complexes, beryllium benzohydroxyquinoline complexes, zinc benzoxazolyl complexes, zinc benzothiazolyl complexes, zinc azomethylzinc complexes, zinc porphyrin complexes, and europium phenanthroline complexes.

(Polymer Material)

Examples of the polymer material include polyparaphenylene vinylene and its derivatives, polythiophene and its derivatives, polyparaphenylene and its derivatives, polysilane and its derivatives, polyacetylene and its derivatives, polyfluorene and its derivatives, polyvinylcarbazole and its derivatives, and a material obtained by polymerizing the above-mentioned pigment material or metal complex material.

(dopant material for light-emitting layer)

Examples of the dopant material for the light-emitting layer include perylene and a derivative thereof, coumarin and a derivative thereof, rubrene and a derivative thereof, quinacridone and a derivative thereof, squarylium and a derivative thereof, porphyrin and a derivative thereof, styryl pigment, tetracene and a derivative thereof, pyrazolone and a derivative thereof, decacycloalkene and a derivative thereof, and phenoxazone and a derivative thereof.

The thickness of the organic functional layer 7 is generally about 2nm to 200 nm. The organic functional layer 7 can be formed by, for example, a coating method using a coating liquid (e.g., ink) containing the light-emitting material described above. The solvent of the coating liquid containing the light-emitting material is not limited as long as the solvent dissolves the light-emitting material. The light-emitting material described above may be formed by vacuum evaporation.

[ cathode layer ]

The cathode layer 9 is disposed on the main surface (the surface opposite to the surface contacting the anode layer 5) of the organic functional layer 7 and the one main surface 3a of the support substrate 3. As the material of the cathode layer 9, for example, alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, periodic table group 13 metal, and the like can be used. Specific examples of the material of the cathode layer 9 include metals such as lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, aluminum, scandium, vanadium, zinc, yttrium, indium, cerium, samarium, europium, terbium, ytterbium, alloys of 2 or more of the metals, alloys of 1 or more of the metals with 1 or more of gold, silver, platinum, copper, manganese, titanium, cobalt, nickel, tungsten, and tin, and graphite or graphite intercalation compounds. Examples of the alloy include a magnesium-silver alloy, a magnesium-indium alloy, a magnesium-aluminum alloy, an indium-silver alloy, a lithium-aluminum alloy, a lithium-magnesium alloy, a lithium-indium alloy, and a calcium-aluminum alloy.

as the cathode layer 9, for example, a transparent conductive electrode containing a conductive metal oxide, a conductive organic substance, or the like can be used. Specific examples of the conductive metal oxide include indium oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, ITO, IZO, and the like, and examples of the conductive organic material include polyaniline and a derivative thereof, polythiophene and a derivative thereof, and the like. The cathode layer 9 may be a laminate in which 2 or more layers are laminated. An electron injection layer described later may be used as the cathode layer 9.

The thickness of the cathode layer 9 may be set in consideration of electrical conductivity and durability. The thickness of the cathode layer 9 is usually 10nm to 10 μm, preferably 20nm to 1 μm, and more preferably 50nm to 500 nm.

Examples of the method for forming the cathode layer 9 include an ink jet method, a die coater method, a gravure printing method, a screen printing method, a coating method such as a coater method, a vacuum deposition method, a sputtering method, a lamination method in which a metal thin film is thermocompression bonded, and the like, and a vacuum deposition method or a sputtering method is preferable.

[ sealing Member ]

The sealing member 11 is disposed at the uppermost portion of the organic EL element 1 so as to cover at least the functional layer 7. The sealing member 11 has an adhesive portion 17, a shield layer 18, and a sealing base material 19. The sealing member 11 is laminated in the order of the adhesive portion 17, the shield layer 18, and the sealing base material 19. The adhesive portion 17 is used to adhere the shield layer 18 and the sealing substrate 19 to the anode layer 5, the organic functional layer 7, and the cathode layer 9. Specifically, the adhesive bonding portion 17 is a pressure-sensitive adhesive. The pressure-sensitive adhesive preferably contains an α -olefin resin and a tackifier. The α -olefin resin and the tackifier are not particularly limited, and conventionally known materials can be used. Examples of the α -olefin resin include homopolymers and copolymers of polyethylene, polyisobutylene, and the like. Examples of the copolymer include a copolymer obtained by polymerizing 2 or more kinds of α -olefins, and a copolymer obtained by polymerizing α -olefins and monomers other than α -olefins (for example, styrene, a non-conjugated diene, and the like). The pressure sensitive adhesive may also contain additives. Examples of the additive include hygroscopic metal oxides (e.g., calcium oxide, calcined hydrotalcite, etc.) and inorganic fillers other than hygroscopic metal oxides (e.g., silica, mica, talc, etc.).

the shielding layer 18 has a gas shielding function, and particularly has a moisture shielding function. The sealing substrate 19 includes a metal foil, a transparent plastic film, or a thin film glass having flexibility. As the metal foil, copper, aluminum, or stainless steel is preferable from the viewpoint of shielding property. The thickness of the metal foil is preferably as large as possible from the viewpoint of suppressing pinholes, but is preferably from 10 μm to 50 μm from the viewpoint of flexibility.

[ method for producing organic EL element ]

Next, a method for manufacturing the organic EL element 1 having the above-described configuration will be described.

In the case where the support substrate 3 is a flexible substrate extending in the longitudinal direction, a roll-to-roll method may be employed from the substrate drying step S01 to the bonding step S05 shown in fig. 2.

In the case of manufacturing the organic EL element 1, the supporting substrate 3 is first heated and dried (substrate drying step S01). Next, the anode layer 5 is formed on the one main surface 3a of the dried support substrate 3 (anode layer forming step (forming step) S02). The anode layer 5 can be formed by the formation method exemplified in the description of the anode layer 5. On the support substrate 3, a plurality of anode layers 5 are formed at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction of the support substrate 3, and a plurality of (2 in the present embodiment) anode layers 5 are formed at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the support substrate 3 (the other direction orthogonal to the one direction).

Next, the organic functional layer 7 is formed on the anode layer 5 (organic functional layer forming step (forming step) S03). The organic functional layer 7 can be formed by the formation method exemplified in the description of the organic functional layer 7. Next, the cathode layer 9 is formed on the organic functional layer 7 (cathode layer forming step (forming step) S04). The cathode layer 9 can be formed by the formation method exemplified in the description of the cathode layer 9. With the above operation, as shown in fig. 3, on the support substrate 3, a plurality of organic EL portions 10 are formed at a given interval in the longitudinal direction (Y direction in fig. 3) of the support substrate 3, and a plurality of (2 in the present embodiment) organic EL portions 10 are formed at a given interval in the width direction (X direction in fig. 3) of the support substrate 3. That is, 2 rows of the organic EL units 10 are formed along the longitudinal direction of the support substrate 3.

Next, the sealing member 11 is bonded (bonding step S05). The sealing member 11 has a given width, and extends in the longitudinal direction of the support substrate 3. Specifically, as shown in fig. 3, the sealing member 11 is set to have a strip shape such that a part of each of the anode layer 5 and the cathode layer 9 is exposed. The sealing member 11 has flexibility. The sealing member 11 has an adhesive portion 17 on one surface of a sealing base material 19. The sealing member 11 may be cut into a strip shape after forming the adhesive portion 17 on one surface of the sealing substrate 19 with the shield layer 18 interposed therebetween, or may be cut into a strip shape after forming the sealing substrate 19 with the shield layer 18 interposed therebetween, and then the adhesive portion 17 may be formed on one surface of the sealing substrate 19 with the shield layer 18 interposed therebetween.

the sealing member 11 is bonded to the organic EL unit 10 so as to expose a part of the anode layer 5 and a part of the cathode layer 9. Specifically, the sealing member 11 is attached in one direction across the plurality of organic EL units 10. In the roll-to-roll method, the organic EL portion 10 formed on the support substrate 3 is bonded to the sealing member 11 while the support substrate 3 is conveyed. The support substrate 3 and the sealing member 11 pass between rollers (not shown). Thereby, the support substrate 3 and the sealing member 11 are pressed by the roller. Thereby, the adhesive bonding portion 17 is closely attached to the organic EL portion 10. When the organic EL unit 10 is bonded to the sealing member 11, the bonding is preferably performed in an environment with a low moisture concentration, and particularly preferably in a nitrogen atmosphere.

next, the plurality of organic EL portions 10 to which the sealing member 11 is bonded are singulated (cutting step S06). As shown in fig. 3, in the cutting step S06, the support substrate 3 and the sealing member 11 are cut along the cutting line L, and the plurality of organic EL portions 10 to which the sealing member 11 is bonded are singulated. Specifically, as shown in fig. 4 and 5, the support substrate 3 is supported by the support body 100, and the support substrate 3 is cut by the cutting blade B. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the X direction in fig. 3, as viewed from the Y direction, and shows a cross-section at a position including the anode layer 5 and the organic functional layer 7. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the X direction in fig. 3, as viewed from the Y direction, and shows a cross-section at a position not including the anode layer 5 and the organic functional layer 7.

as shown in fig. 6, the cutting blade B is provided in the cutting portion 50. The cutting portion 50 has a cutting blade B, a holding portion (base) 52 that holds the cutting blade B, and elastic members 54, 55. The holding portion 52 is a plate member such as a plywood (ベ ニ ヤ plate), for example. The cutting blade B has a shape corresponding to the cutting line L and is shaped like a frame. In the present embodiment, the cutting blade B is integrally provided with 4 blade members. For example, the cutting blade B is held by the holding portion 52 by embedding the end portion of the cutting blade B on the holding portion 52 side in the holding portion 52. As another example, the cutting blade B may be a blade cut by cutting a part of the holding portion 52 using an NC (numerical control) processing machine, and the cutting blade B may be integrated with the holding portion 52. In this case, the cutting blade B and the holding portion 52 may be made of the same material.

examples of the elastic members 54 and 55 include rubber and sponge. The elastic members 54, 55 are fixed to the holding portion 52. A pair of elastic members 54 and 55 are disposed so as to face each other at a position where the cutting blade B is sandwiched therebetween. In the present embodiment, a plurality of (here, 10 sets) sets of elastic members 54, 55 are provided at a given interval. As shown in fig. 6, the distal ends (the ends opposite to the ends joined to the holding portion 52) of the elastic members 54 and 55 protrude further than the distal end (cutting edge) of the cutting blade B.

The operation (function) of the elastic members 54 and 55 will be described with reference to fig. 7(a) to 7 (c). Fig. 7(a) to 7(c) illustrate an example of cutting the support substrate 3. As shown in fig. 7(a), the cutting blade B is positioned at the cutting position. At this time, the elastic members 54 and 55, the tip portions of which protrude further from the cutting blade B, push the support substrate 3. As shown in fig. 7(B), when the cutting blade B is inserted into the support substrate 3, the elastic members 54 and 55 are sandwiched between the support substrate 3 and the holding portion 52 and pushed by the holding portion 52, thereby contracting. Thereafter, as shown in fig. 7(c), when the cutting blade B returns to the original position after cutting the support substrate 3, the elastic members 54 and 55 are also extended and return to the original state. When the cutting blade B is retreated from the support substrate 3, the support substrate 3 is pressed by the elastic members 54, 55. This can prevent the support substrate 3 from being pulled by the cutting blade B and the support substrate 3 from being lifted when the cutting blade B is lifted from the support substrate 3. When the sealing member 11, the organic EL portion 10, and the support substrate 3 are cut by the cutting blade B, the sealing base material 19 of the sealing member 11 can be prevented from being lifted. In the cutting step S06, a plurality of cut portions 50 having the configuration as described above are used. Thus, in the cutting step S06, the plurality of organic EL elements 1 can be singulated at a time.

In the cutting step S06, as shown in fig. 4 and 5, the support substrate 3 on which the plurality of organic EL portions 10 are formed is supported by the support 100. Thereafter, the cutting blade B of the cutting section 50 is caused to enter from the side of the one main surface 3a of the support substrate 3 (the side of the sealing member 11 is the region where the sealing member 11 is bonded). The cutting blade B is advanced to a position where the tip thereof reaches the other main surface 3B of the support substrate 3. Thereby, the plurality of organic EL units 10 to which the sealing member 11 is bonded are singulated. With the above operation, the organic EL element 1 shown in fig. 1 is manufactured.

As described above, in the method of manufacturing the organic EL element 1 according to the present embodiment, the sealing member 11 having the sealing base material 19 and the pressure-sensitive adhesive portion 17 is bonded to the organic EL portion 10. Thereafter, the cutting blade B is inserted from the sealing member 11 side, and the plurality of organic EL portions 10 to which the sealing member 11 is bonded are singulated. The adhesive bonding portion 17 is bonded by applying pressure, and has flexibility without being cured after bonding. Therefore, the pressure at the time of entry of the cutting blade B can bond the sealing member 11 and the organic EL portion 10 to each other by the adhesive bonding portion 17, and the peeling of the sealing base material 19 and the adhesive bonding portion 17 can be suppressed when the cutting blade B is retracted. Therefore, in the method for manufacturing the organic EL element 1, occurrence of a trouble due to interlayer peeling can be suppressed, and a decrease in reliability can be suppressed.

In the method of manufacturing the organic EL element 1 of the present embodiment, since a thermosetting adhesive is not used, hot-melt cutting is not required. Therefore, in the method of manufacturing the organic EL element 1, the element is not thermally deteriorated, and the thermosetting adhesive or the like is not attached to the cutting blade B, so that the maintainability is good, and the heating mechanism is not required, so that the configuration can be simplified. Therefore, in the method of manufacturing the organic EL element 1, the organic EL element 1 can be efficiently singulated while suppressing a decrease in reliability.

In the method of manufacturing the organic EL element 1 of the present embodiment, the plurality of organic EL portions 10 are formed at predetermined intervals in the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the support substrate 3. In the bonding step S05, the sealing members 11 are bonded to the rows of the organic EL units 10 arranged in the width direction of the support substrate 3 in one direction. By thus bonding the plurality of sealing members 11, the organic EL element 1 can be efficiently manufactured.

In the method of manufacturing the organic EL element 1 according to the present embodiment, in the cutting step S06, the plurality of organic EL elements 1 are separated into individual pieces at the same timing by using the plurality of frame-shaped cutting blades B. This makes it possible to efficiently singulate the organic EL element 1. In a conventional hot-melt cutting method, a cutting blade having a heating mechanism is used. In the conventional method, when a plurality of cutting blades are used, a heating mechanism needs to be provided for each cutting blade, which makes the structure complicated. In the method of manufacturing the organic EL element 1 of the present embodiment, since the heating mechanism is not required, the organic EL element can be efficiently singulated with a simple configuration even when a plurality of cutting blades B are used.

In the method of manufacturing the organic EL element 1 of the present embodiment, in the cutting step S06, the cutting portion 50 having the cutting blade B provided in the holding portion 52 and the elastic members 54 and 55 having elasticity and having a pair of elastic members 54 and 55 arranged at positions sandwiching the cutting blade B in the holding portion 52 and having the tip portions protruding further from the tip of the cutting blade B is used. In the cutting section 50, the elastic members 54, 55 contract when the cutting blade B enters from the sealing member 11, and the elastic members 54, 55 expand when the cutting blade B exits. In this method, by using the elastic members 54, 55 whose tip portions protrude further than the tip end of the cutting blade B, the sealing member 11 can be pushed by the elastic members 54, 55 when the cutting blade B enters and exits. This makes it possible to apply pressure to the adhesive part 17 when the cutting blade B is moved in, and to prevent the sealing base material 19 and the adhesive part 17 from being peeled off by being pulled by the cutting blade B when the cutting blade B is moved out. Therefore, occurrence of troubles such as occurrence of black spots due to interlayer peeling can be suppressed. As a result, the reliability of the organic EL element 1 can be suppressed from being lowered.

While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

for example, in the above embodiment, the organic EL element 1 in which the organic functional layer 7 including the light-emitting layer is disposed between the anode layer 5 and the cathode layer 9 is illustrated. However, the structure of the organic functional layer 7 is not limited to this. The organic functional layer 7 may have the following configuration.

(a) (anode layer)/luminescent layer/(cathode layer)

(b) (anode layer)/hole injection layer/light emitting layer/(cathode layer)

(c) (anode layer)/hole injection layer/luminescent layer/electron injection layer/(cathode layer)

(d) (anode layer)/hole injection layer/luminescent layer/electron transport layer/electron injection layer/(cathode layer)

(e) (anode layer)/hole injection layer/hole transport layer/light emitting layer/(cathode layer)

(f) (anode layer)/hole injection layer/hole transport layer/light emitting layer/electron injection layer/(cathode layer)

(g) (anode layer)/hole injection layer/hole transport layer/light emitting layer/electron transport layer/electron injection layer/(cathode layer)

(h) (anode layer)/light-emitting layer/electron injection layer/(cathode layer)

(i) (anode layer)/luminescent layer/electron transport layer/electron injection layer/(cathode layer)

Here, the symbol "/" indicates that the layers of the clamping symbol "/" are adjacently stacked. The structure shown in (a) above represents the structure of the organic EL element 1 of the above embodiment.

The hole injection layer, the hole transport layer, the electron transport layer, and the electron injection layer may be made of known materials. The hole injection layer, the hole transport layer, the electron transport layer, and the electron injection layer can be formed by, for example, a coating method in the same manner as the organic functional layer 7.

Here, the electron injection layer may contain an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, or an oxide or a fluoride of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. Examples of the method for forming the electron injection layer include a coating method and a vacuum deposition method. In the case of oxides and fluorides, the thickness of the electron injection layer is preferably from 0.5nm to 20 nm. The electron injection layer is preferably a thin film, particularly when it has high insulating properties, from the viewpoint of suppressing an increase in the driving voltage of the organic EL element 1, and is preferably 0.5nm to 10nm in thickness, for example, and is preferably 2nm to 7nm from the viewpoint of electron injection properties.

The organic EL element 1 may have a single organic functional layer 7, or may have 2 or more organic functional layers 7. In any of the layer configurations (a) to (i), when the laminated structure disposed between the anode layer 5 and the cathode layer 9 is referred to as "structural unit a", the layer configuration shown in (j) below is an example of the configuration of the organic EL element having the 2-layer organic functional layer 7. The layer structures in which 2 (structural units a) are present may be the same or different from each other.

(j) Anode layer/(structural unit A)/charge generation layer/(structural unit A)/cathode layer

The charge generation layer is a layer that generates holes and electrons by applying an electric field. Examples of the charge generation layer include a thin film containing vanadium oxide, ITO, molybdenum oxide, or the like.

If "(structural unit a)/charge generation layer" is "structural unit B", the organic EL element having 3 or more organic functional layers 7 has a layer structure shown in the following (k), for example.

(k) Anode layer/(structural unit B) x/(structural unit A)/cathode layer

The symbol "x" represents an integer of 2 or more, and the symbol "(structural unit B) x" represents a laminate in which x layers (structural unit B) are laminated. The layer structures in which a plurality of (structural units B) are present may be the same or different.

Instead of providing a charge generation layer, a plurality of organic functional layers 7 may be directly stacked to form an organic EL device.

In the above embodiment, the description has been given by taking, as an example, a mode in which the anode layer 5 is formed on the support substrate 3. However, a roll (ロ ー ル) in which the anode layer 5 is formed in advance on the support substrate 3 may be used.

in the above-described embodiment, the method for manufacturing the organic EL element 1 has been described as an example of a method for performing a step of heating and drying the support substrate 3. However, the drying step of the support substrate 3 is not necessarily performed.

In the above embodiment, the description has been given by taking, as an example, a mode in which the cut portion 50 is used in the cutting step S06. However, the cutting blade used in the cutting process S06 may not have the elastic members 54, 55. That is, the cutting blade may be used alone.

In the above embodiment, a description has been given by taking, as an example, a mode in which the cut-out portion 50 shown in fig. 6 is used. However, the cut portion may have the configuration shown in fig. 8. As shown in fig. 8, the cutting portion 50A has a cutting blade B, a holding portion 52, and elastic members 54A, 55A. The elastic members 54A, 55A of the cut portion 50A are different in configuration from the cut portion 50. The elastic members 54A, 55A are disposed to face each other at a position where the cutting blade B is sandwiched therebetween. The elastic member 54A is located outside the cutting blade B, and a plurality of (here, 8) elastic members are provided at given intervals. The elastic member 55A is disposed inside the frame-shaped cutting blade B and has a shape (rectangular shape) along the cutting blade B. As shown in fig. 8, the distal ends (the ends opposite to the ends joined to the holding portion 52) of the elastic members 54A and 55A protrude further than the distal end of the cutting blade B.

In the above embodiment, the description has been given by taking as an example a case where the cutting blade B has a frame shape. However, the shape of the cutting blade is not limited thereto. The cutting blade may have any shape as long as it can cut along the cutting line.

In the above-described embodiment, as an example, as shown in fig. 3, a mode in which a plurality of organic EL portions 10 are formed on the support substrate 3 at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction (Y direction in fig. 3) of the support substrate 3 and a plurality of organic EL portions 10 are formed at predetermined intervals in the width direction (X direction in fig. 3) of the support substrate 3 has been described. That is, the description has been given by way of example of a mode in which 2 rows (a plurality of rows) of organic EL units 10 are formed on the support substrate 3. However, the organic EL units 10 may be formed in at least 1 row on the support substrate 3.

In the above embodiments, the organic EL device is described as an example of the organic device. The organic device may also be an organic thin film transistor, an organic photodetector, an organic thin film solar cell, or the like.

Description of the symbols

1 organic EL element (organic device), 3 support substrate, 3a one principal surface, 5 anode layer (1 st electrode layer), 7 organic functional layer, 9 cathode layer (2 nd electrode layer), 10 organic EL portion (organic device portion), 11 sealing member, 17 adhesive bonding portion (pressure sensitive adhesive), 19 sealing base material, 50A cutting portion, 52 holding portion (base portion), 54, 55, 54A, 55A elastic member, B cutting blade.