# US 2016/0260784 A1 · Organic electroluminescent element, lighting device, and lighting system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0260784 A1 - Document ID: US20160260784A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/058,323 - Filed: 2016-03-02 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-05 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Akio AMANO; Tomoko Sugizaki; Daimotsu Kato; Tomio Ono - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160260784A1 ## CPC - H10K 50/814: combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines - H10K 85/1135: {Polyethylene dioxythiophene [PEDOT]; Derivatives thereof} - H10K 50/858: comprising refractive means, e.g. lenses - H10K 2102/351: {Thickness} - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES ## Abstract According to one embodiment, an organic electroluminescent element includes a substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, an organic layer and a first conductive unit. The substrate is light-transmissive. The second electrode is provided between the substrate and the first electrode. The second electrode is light-transmissive. The second electrode includes a first region and a second region. A direction connecting the first region and the second region intersects a first direction connecting the substrate and the first electrode. The organic layer is provided between the second electrode and the first electrode. The first conductive unit is provided between the first region and a portion of the substrate. The first conductive unit is electrically connected with the second electrode. The first conductive unit includes a third region and a fourth region. A portion of the fourth region is disposed between the substrate and at least a portion of the third region. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An organic electroluminescent element, comprising: a substrate being light-transmissive; a first electrode; a second electrode provided between the substrate and the first electrode, the second electrode being light-transmissive and including a first region and a second region, a direction connecting the first region and the second region intersecting a first direction connecting the substrate and the first electrode; an organic layer provided between the second electrode and the first electrode; and a first conductive unit provided between the first region and a portion of the substrate and electrically connected with the second electrode, the first conductive unit including a third region and a fourth region, a portion of the fourth region being disposed between the substrate and at least a portion of the third region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The element according to claim 1, further comprising a first insulating layer including a fifth region provided between the third region and the second region in a second direction intersecting the first direction, one other portion of the fourth region not overlapping the fifth region in the first direction, the one other portion of the fourth region contacting the second electrode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The element according to claim 2, wherein the first insulating layer further includes a sixth region provided between the first conductive unit and the first region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The element according to claim 2, further comprising: a second conductive unit; and a second insulating layer, the second electrode further including a seventh region and an eighth region, a direction connecting the first region and the seventh region being aligned with the second direction, a direction connecting the second region and the eighth region being aligned with the second direction, the second conductive unit being provided between the seventh region and one other portion of the substrate and electrically connected with the second electrode, the second conductive unit including a ninth region and a tenth region, a portion of the tenth region being disposed between the substrate and at least a portion of the ninth region, the second insulating layer including an eleventh region provided between the ninth region and the eighth region in the second direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The element according to claim 4, wherein the second insulating layer further includes a twelfth region provided between the second conductive unit and the seventh region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The element according to claim 4, wherein the substrate contacts the second electrode between the first conductive unit and the second conductive unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The element according to claim 1, wherein a thickness along the first direction of the third region is thicker than a thickness along the first direction of the fourth region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The element according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive unit further includes a side surface intersecting the first direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The element according to claim 8, wherein the first conductive unit includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mo, Ta, Nb, Al, Ni, and Ti. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The element according to claim 1, wherein the third region further includes a first side surface aligned with the first direction, and the fourth region further includes a second side surface aligned with the first direction and separated from the first side surface in the second direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The element according to claim 10, wherein the fourth region further includes a first portion, and a second portion arranged with the first portion in the second direction, and one other portion of the third region is provided between the first portion and the second portion in the second direction and contacts the substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The element according to claim 10, wherein a light transmittance of the fourth region is higher than a light transmittance of the third region. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The element according to claim 10, wherein the third region includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mo, Ta, Nb, Al, Ni, and Ti, and the fourth region includes an oxide including at least one element selected from the group consisting of In, Sn, Zn, and Ti. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The element according to claim 1, wherein a light reflectance of the first electrode is higher than a light reflectance of the second electrode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The element according to claim 1, wherein a refractive index of the second electrode is higher than a refractive index of the substrate and lower than a refractive index of the organic layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The element according to claim 15, wherein the refractive index of the second electrode is 1.6 or less. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The element according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode includes polyethylene dioxythiophene. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The element according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating layer includes one of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride. ### Claim 19 A lighting device, comprising: an organic electroluminescent element including a substrate being light-transmissive, a first electrode, a second electrode provided between the substrate and the first electrode, the second electrode being light-transmissive and including a first region and a second region, a direction connecting the first region and the second region intersecting a first direction connecting the substrate and the first electrode, an organic layer provided between the second electrode and the first electrode, and a first conductive unit provided between the first region and a portion of the substrate and electrically connected with the second electrode, the first conductive unit including a third region and a fourth region, a portion of the fourth region being disposed between the substrate and at least a portion of the third region; and a power supply unit electrically connected with the first electrode and the second electrode, the power supply unit supplying a current to the organic electroluminescent element. ### Claim 20 A lighting system, comprising: a plurality of organic electroluminescent elements, each of the organic electroluminescent elements including a substrate being light-transmissive, a first electrode, a second electrode provided between the substrate and the first electrode, the second electrode being light-transmissive and including a first region and a second region, a direction connecting the first region and the second region intersecting a first direction connecting the substrate and the first electrode, an organic layer provided between the second electrode and the first electrode, and a first conductive unit provided between the first region and a portion of the substrate and electrically connected with the second electrode, the first conductive unit including a third region and a fourth region, a portion of the fourth region being disposed between the substrate and at least a portion of the third region; and a controller electrically connected with one of the plurality of organic electroluminescent elements, the controller controlling an intensity of a light emission of the one of the plurality of organic electroluminescent elements.