Sealed Structure, Light-Emitting Device, Electronic Device, and Lighting Device

A sealed structure comprising:

• a substrate and a counter substrate respective surfaces of which face each other with a space therebetween;
• and
• a sealant layer which is in contact with both of the substrate and the counter substrate, defines a sealed space between the substrate and the counter substrate, and
• when viewed in a plan view, the sealant layer comprises:
• a corner portion in continuity with a first side portion and a second side portion, the corner portion being continuously formed from the first side portion to the second side portion, wherein one of an inner contour and an outer contour of the first side portion is a straight line and one of an inner contour and an outer contour of the second side portion is a straight line,
• wherein an outer contour of the corner portion and an inner contour of the corner portion of the sealant layer can each be described as a curve generally free of inflection points and singular points, when seen in the plan view,
• wherein a width of the corner portion of the sealant layer is smaller than a width of the first side portion of the sealant layer, the widths being defined as distances from the inner contour to the outer contour along a direction perpendicular to the inner contour.

A light-emitting device comprising:

• a substrate and a counter substrate respective surfaces of which face each other with a space therebetween;
• and
• a sealant layer which is in contact with both of the substrate and the counter substrate, defines a sealed space between the substrate and the counter substrate, and
• when viewed in a plan view, the sealant layer comprises:
• a corner portion in continuity with a first side portion and a second side portion, the corner portion being continuously formed from the first side portion to the second side portion, wherein one of an inner contour and an outer contour of the first side portion is a straight line and one of an inner contour and an outer contour of the second side portion is a straight line,
• wherein an outer contour of the corner portion and an inner contour of the corner portion of the sealant layer can each be described as a curve generally free of inflection points and singular points, when seen in the plan view,
• wherein the sealed space includes a light-emitting element in which a layer containing a light-emitting organic compound is provided between a pair of electrodes,
• wherein a width of the corner portion of the sealant layer is smaller than a width of the first side portion of the sealant layer, the widths being defined as distances from the inner contour to the outer contour along a direction perpendicular to the inner contour.

A sealed structure manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

• applying a sealant material on a substrate to form a sealant layer;
• disposing a counter substrate to make the counter substrate face the substrate, the counter substrate and the sealant layer being in close contact with each other;
• and
• wherein the sealant layer is in contact with both of the substrate and the counter substrate and defines a sealed space between the substrate and the counter substrate, and
• when viewed in plan view, the sealant layer comprises a corner portion in continuity with a first side portion and a second side portion, the corner portion being continuously formed from the first side portion to the second side portion,
• wherein one of an inner contour and an outer contour of the first side portion is a straight line and one of an inner contour and an outer contour of the second side portion is a straight line,
• wherein an outer contour of the corner portion and an inner contour of the corner portion of the sealant layer can each be described as a curve generally free of inflection points and singular points, when seen in the plan view, and
• wherein a width of the corner portion of the sealant layer is smaller than a width of the first side portion of the sealant layer, the widths being defined as distances from the inner contour to the outer contour along a direction perpendicular to the inner contour.