Electrode body, thin-film el device comprising the same, method for manufacturing the same, and display and illuminator comprising the thin-film el device

(Amended) A thin film EL device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the electron-injecting electrode contains an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from a low work function metal, the electron-deficient substance containing an organic metal compound or an inorganic metal compound, the organic metal compound being composed of a dinuclear complex containing a metal or semimetal atom as a central atom, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) A thin film EL device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the electron-injecting electrode contains a capturing substance for capturing a low work function metal in its ionic state, the capturing substance containing an atom selected from the group consisting of Li, Be, B, Mg, Al, Ca, Zn, and Ga and the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) A thin film EL device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the functional layer contains on a side of the electron-injecting electrode a capturing substance for capturing a low work function metal in its ionic state, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) A thin film EL device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the functional layer contains a low work function metal and a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state, the low work function metal having a lower work function than the electron-injecting electrode.

(Amended) A thin film EL device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the electron-injecting electrode contains:
• an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from a low work function metal, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals;
• and
• a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state.

(Amended) A thin film EL device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the functional layer contains an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from a low work function metal and a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) A thin film EL device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the functional layer contains a low work function metal having a lower work function than the electron-injecting electrode, a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state, and an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from the low work function metal.

(Amended) A thin film EL device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein one of an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from a low work function metal and a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state is contained in the electron-injecting electrode and the other is contained in the functional layer, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) A method of fabricating a thin film EL device having an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions, a hole-injecting electrode, and a functional layer provided between the electrodes and having a light-emitting function, the method comprising:

• forming the electron-injecting electrode, the forming of the electron-injecting electrode comprising at least:
• forming on a side of the functional layer an electron-deficient substance layer containing an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from a low work function metal, the electron-deficient substance containing an organic metal compound or an inorganic metal compound, the organic metal compound being composed of a dinuclear complex containing a metal or semimetal atom as a central atom, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals;
• and
• forming on an opposite side from the functional layer a metal layer containing the two or more different metals.

(Amended) A method of fabricating a thin film EL device having an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions, a hole-injecting electrode, and a functional layer provided between the electrodes and having a light-emitting function, the method comprising:

• forming the electron-injecting electrode, the forming of the electron-injecting electrode comprising at least:
• forming on a side of the functional layer a capture layer containing a capturing substance for capturing a low work function metal in its ionic state, the capturing substance containing an atom selected from the group consisting of Li, Be, B, Mg, Al, and Zn and the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals;
• and
• forming a metal layer on an opposite side from the functional layer, the metal layer containing an alloy composed of the two or more different metals.

(Amended) A method of fabricating a thin film EL device having an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions, a hole-injecting electrode, and a functional layer provided between the electrodes and having a light-emitting function, the method comprising:

• forming the electron-injecting electrode, the forming of the electron-injecting electrode comprising at least:
• forming an electron-deficient substance layer containing an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from a low work function metal, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals;
• forming a capture layer containing a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state;
• and
• forming a metal layer on the electron-deficient substance layer or the capture layer, the metal layer containing the two or more different metals.

(Amended) A method of fabricating a thin film EL device having an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions, a hole-injecting electrode, and a functional layer provided between the electrodes and having a light-emitting function, the method comprising:

• forming the electron-injecting electrode, the forming of the electron-injecting electrode comprising at least:
• forming an electron-deficient substance layer containing an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from a low work function metal, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals;
• and
• forming a capture layer containing the low work function metal and a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state.

(Amended) A display device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the electron-injecting electrode contains an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted fiom a low work function metal, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) A display device comprising:

• a hole-injecting electrode;
• an electron-injecting electrode paired with the hole-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the hole-injecting electrode and the electron-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein one of the electron-injecting electrode and the functional layer contains a low work function metal having a lower work function than a metal composing the electron-injecting electrode, and
• wherein the functional layer contains an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from the low work function metal.

(Amended) A display device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the electron-injecting electrode contains a capturing substance for capturing a low work function metal in its ionic state, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) A display device comprising:

• a hole-injecting electrode;
• an electron-injecting electrode paired with the hole-injecting electrode;
• a functional layer provided between the hole-injecting electrode and the electron-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein one of the electron-injecting electrode and the functional layer contains a low work function metal having a lower work function than a metal composing the electron-injecting electrode, and
• wherein the functional layer contains a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state.

(Amended) A display device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the electron-injecting electrode contains:
• an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from a low work function metal, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals;
• and
• a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state.

(Amended) A display device comprising:

• a hole-injecting electrode;
• an electron-injecting electrode paired with the hole-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the hole-injecting electrode and the electron-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein one of the electron-injecting electrode and the functional layer contains a low work function metal having a lower work function than a metal composing the electron-injecting electrode, and
• wherein the functional layer contains an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from a low work function metal and a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) A display device comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein one of a capturing substance for capturing a low work function metal in its ionic state and an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from the low work function metal is contained in the electron-injecting electrode and the other is contained in the functional layer, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) Alighting system comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the electron-injecting electrode contains an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted fiom a low work function metal, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) A lighting system comprising:

• a hole-injecting electrode;
• an electron-injecting electrode paired with the hole-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the hole-injecting electrode and the electron-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein one of the electron-injecting electrode and the functional layer contains a low work function metal having a lower work function than a metal composing the electron-injecting electrode, and
• wherein the functional layer contains an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from the low work function metal.

(Amended) Alighting system comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the electron-injecting electrode contains a capturing substance for capturing a low work function metal in its ionic state, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) A lighting system comprising:

• a hole-injecting electrode;
• an electron-injecting electrode paired with the hole-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the hole-injecting electrode and the electron-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein one of the electron-injecting electrode and the functional layer contains a low work function metal having a lower work function than a metal composing the electron-injecting electrode, and
• wherein the functional layer contains a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state.

(Amended) A lighting system comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein the electron-injecting electrode contains:
• an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from a low work function metal, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals;
• and
• a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state.

(Amended) A lighting system comprising:

• a hole-injecting electrode;
• an electron-injecting electrode paired with the hole-injecting electrode;
• and
• a functional layer provided between the hole-injecting electrode and the electron-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein one of the electron-injecting electrode and the functional layer contains a low work function metal having a lower work function than a metal composing the electron-injecting electrode, and
• wherein the functional layer contains an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from a low work function metal and a capturing substance for capturing the low work function metal in its ionic state, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.

(Amended) A lighting system comprising:

• an electron-injecting electrode containing at least two or more different metals having different work functions;
• a hole-injecting electrode paired with the electron-injecting electrode;
• a functional layer provided between the electron-injecting electrode and the hole-injecting electrode and having a light-emitting function,
• wherein one of a capturing substance for capturing a low work function metal in its ionic state and an electron-deficient substance for accepting electrons emitted from the low work function metal is contained in the electron-injecting electrode and the other is contained in the functional layer, the low work function metal being a metal other than a highest work function metal among the metals.