# US 8,786,183 B2 · Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, and electronic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,183 B2 - Document ID: US8786183B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/081,078 - Filed: 2013-11-15 - Published: 2014-03-13 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-07-04 - Assignees: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Tsunenori Suzuki; Satoshi Seo; Ryoji Nomura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786183B2 ## CPC - H10K 50/14: Carrier transporting layers - H10K 50/11: characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers - H10K 50/13: comprising stacked EL layers within one EL unit - H10K 50/155: comprising dopants - H10K 71/30: Doping active layers, e.g. electron transporting layers - H10K 85/324: {comprising aluminium, e.g. Alq3} - H10K 85/633: {comprising polycyclic condensed aromatic hydrocarbons as substituents on the nitrogen atom} - H10K 85/649: {Aromatic compounds comprising a hetero atom} - H10K 85/6572: {comprising only nitrogen in the heteroaromatic polycondensed ring system, e.g. phenanthroline or carbazole} - H10K 85/6574: {comprising only oxygen in the heteroaromatic polycondensed ring system, e.g. cumarine dyes} - H10K 2101/10: Triplet emission - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES ## Abstract The light-emitting element of the present invention includes a light-emitting layer and a layer for controlling movement of carriers between a pair of electrodes. The layer for controlling movement of carriers includes a first organic compound having a carrier transporting property and a second organic compound for reducing the carrier transporting property of the first organic compound, and the second organic compound is dispersed in the first organic compound. The layer for controlling movement of carriers is provided in such a manner, whereby change in carrier balance with time can be suppressed. Therefore, a light-emitting element having a long lifetime can be obtained. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light-emitting element comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a charge generating layer between the first electrode and the second electrode; a first light-emitting unit between the first electrode and the charge generating layer; a second light-emitting unit between the second electrode and the charge generating layer, wherein an emission color of the first light-emitting unit is different from an emission color of the second light-emitting unit, wherein the first light-emitting unit comprising: a light-emitting layer comprising a first substance having a light-emitting property; a first layer between the charge generating layer and the light-emitting layer, the first layer comprising a second substance having a carrier transporting property and a third substance for reducing the carrier transporting property of the second substance; and a second layer between the charge generating layer and the first layer, the second layer comprising a fourth substance having a carrier transporting property, wherein the second substance is different from the fourth substance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein a difference between a wavelength of the highest peak of an emission spectrum of the third substance and a wavelength of the highest peak of an emission spectrum of the first substance is within 30 nm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein an emission color of the third substance and an emission color of the first substance are similar colors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the first layer is in contact with the light-emitting layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first layer is greater than or equal to 5 nm and less than or equal to 20 nm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein a proportion of weight of the second substance is greater than a proportion of weight of the third substance in the first layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is an electron, and wherein a difference between a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level of the second substance and a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level of the third substance is less than 0.3 eV. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is an electron, wherein the second substance is a metal complex, and wherein the third substance is an aromatic amine compound. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is a hole, and wherein a difference between a highest occupied molecular orbital level of the second substance and a highest occupied molecular orbital level of the third substance is less than 0.3 eV. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is a hole, wherein the second substance is an aromatic amine compound, and wherein the third substance is a metal complex. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting layer further comprises a fifth substance having a carrier transporting property, and wherein a proportion of weight of the fifth substance is greater than a proportion of weight of the first substance in the light-emitting layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A light-emitting element according to claim 11, wherein structures of the second substance and the fifth substance are different from each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, further comprising a third layer between the first layer and the light-emitting layer, the third layer comprising a fifth substance having a carrier transporting property. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A light-emitting element according to claim 13, wherein the third layer is in contact with the light-emitting layer and the first layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A light-emitting element according to claim 1, further comprising a third layer between the first electrode and the light-emitting layer, the third layer comprising: a fifth substance having a carrier transporting property; and a sixth substance for reducing the carrier transporting property of the fifth substance, wherein a proportion of weight of the fifth substance is greater than a proportion of weight of the sixth substance in the third layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A light-emitting device comprising the light-emitting element according to claim 1. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) An electronic device comprising a display portion comprising the light-emitting element according to claim 1. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A lighting device comprising the light-emitting element according to claim 1. ### Claim 19 A light-emitting element comprising: an anode; a cathode; a charge generating layer between the anode and the cathode; a first light-emitting unit between the anode and the charge generating layer; a second light-emitting unit between the cathode and the charge generating layer, wherein an emission color of the first light-emitting unit is different from an emission color of the second light-emitting unit, wherein the first light-emitting unit comprising: a light-emitting layer comprising a first substance having a light-emitting property; a first layer between the charge generating layer and the light-emitting layer, the first layer comprising a second substance having an electron transporting property and a third substance having a hole transporting property; and a second layer between the charge generating layer and the first layer, the second layer comprising a fourth substance having an electron transporting property, wherein the second substance is different from the fourth substance. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A light-emitting element according to claim 19, wherein a difference between a wavelength of the highest peak of an emission spectrum of the third substance and a wavelength of the highest peak of an emission spectrum of the first substance is within 30 nm. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) A light-emitting element according to claim 19, wherein an emission color of the third substance and an emission color of the first substance are similar colors. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) A light-emitting element according to claim 19, wherein the first layer is in contact with the light-emitting layer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) A light-emitting element according to claim 19, wherein a thickness of the first layer is greater than or equal to 5 nm and less than or equal to 20 nm. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) A light-emitting element according to claim 19, wherein a proportion of weight of the second substance is greater than a proportion of weight of the third substance in the first layer. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A light-emitting element according to claim 24, wherein a difference between a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level of the second substance and a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level of the third substance is less than 0.3 eV. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) A light-emitting element according to claim 24, wherein the second substance is a metal complex, and wherein the third substance is an aromatic amine compound. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) A light-emitting element according to claim 24, wherein the light-emitting layer has an electron transporting property. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) A light-emitting element according to claim 24, wherein, when a magnitude of a dipole moment of the second substance is P1 and a magnitude of a dipole moment of the third substance is P2, P1/P2≧3 is satisfied. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) A light-emitting element according to claim 24, wherein the light-emitting layer further comprises a fifth substance having an electron transporting property, and wherein a proportion of weight of the fifth substance is greater than a proportion of weight of the first substance in the light-emitting layer. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A light-emitting element according to claim 29, wherein structures of the second substance and the fifth substance are different from each other. ### Claim 31 (depends on 19) A light-emitting element according to claim 19, further comprising a third layer between the first layer and the light-emitting layer, the third layer comprising a fifth substance having an electron transporting property. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) A light-emitting element according to claim 31, wherein the third layer is in contact with the light-emitting layer and the first layer. ### Claim 33 (depends on 19) A light-emitting element according to claim 19, further comprising a third layer between the anode and the light-emitting layer, the third layer comprising: a fifth substance having a hole transporting property; and a sixth substance having an electron transporting property, wherein a proportion of weight of the fifth substance is greater than a proportion of weight of the sixth substance in the third layer. ### Claim 34 (depends on 19) A light-emitting device comprising the light-emitting element according to claim 19. ### Claim 35 (depends on 19) An electronic device comprising a display portion comprising the light-emitting element according to claim 19. ### Claim 36 (depends on 19) A lighting device comprising the light-emitting element according to claim 19. ### Claim 37 A light-emitting element comprising: an anode; a cathode; a charge generating layer between the anode and the cathode; a first light-emitting unit between the cathode and the charge generating layer; a second light-emitting unit between the anode and the charge generating layer, wherein an emission color of the first light-emitting unit is different from an emission color of the second light-emitting unit, wherein the first light-emitting unit comprising: a light-emitting layer comprising a first substance having a light-emitting property; a first layer between the charge generating layer and the light-emitting layer, the first layer comprising a second substance having a hole transporting property and a third substance having an electron transporting property; and a second layer between the charge generating layer and the first layer, the second layer comprising a fourth substance having a hole transporting property, wherein the second substance is different from the fourth substance. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) A light-emitting element according to claim 37, wherein a difference between a wavelength of the highest peak of an emission spectrum of the third substance and a wavelength of the highest peak of an emission spectrum of the first substance is within 30 nm. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) A light-emitting element according to claim 37, wherein an emission color of the third substance and an emission color of the first substance are similar colors. ### Claim 40 (depends on 37) A light-emitting element according to claim 37, wherein the first layer is in contact with the light-emitting layer. ### Claim 41 (depends on 37) A light-emitting element according to claim 37, wherein a thickness of the first layer is greater than or equal to 5 nm and less than or equal to 20 nm. ### Claim 42 (depends on 37) A light-emitting element according to claim 37, wherein a proportion of weight of the second substance is greater than a proportion of weight of the third substance in the first layer. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) A light-emitting element according to claim 42, wherein a difference between a highest occupied molecular orbital level of the second substance and a highest occupied molecular orbital level of the third substance is less than 0.3 eV. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) A light-emitting element according to claim 42, wherein the second substance is an aromatic amine compound, and wherein the third substance is a metal complex. ### Claim 45 (depends on 42) A light-emitting element according to claim 42, wherein the light-emitting layer has a hole transporting property. ### Claim 46 (depends on 42) A light-emitting element according to claim 42, wherein, when a magnitude of a dipole moment of the second substance is P1 and a magnitude of a dipole moment of the third substance is P2, P1/P2≦0.33 is satisfied. ### Claim 47 (depends on 42) A light-emitting element according to claim 42, wherein the light-emitting layer further comprises a fifth substance having a hole transporting property, and wherein a proportion of weight of the fifth substance is greater than a proportion of weight of the first substance in the light-emitting layer. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) A light-emitting element according to claim 47, wherein structures of the second substance and the fifth substance are different from each other. ### Claim 49 (depends on 37) A light-emitting element according to claim 37, further comprising a third layer between the first layer and the light-emitting layer, the third layer comprising a fifth substance having a hole transporting property. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) A light-emitting element according to claim 49, wherein the third layer is in contact with the light-emitting layer and the first layer. ### Claim 51 (depends on 37) A light-emitting element according to claim 37, further comprising a third layer between the cathode and the light-emitting layer, the third layer comprising: a fifth substance having an electron transporting property; and a sixth substance having a hole transporting property, wherein a proportion of weight of the fifth substance is greater than a proportion of weight of the sixth substance in the third layer. ### Claim 52 (depends on 37) A light-emitting device comprising the light-emitting element according to claim 37. ### Claim 53 (depends on 37) An electronic device comprising a display portion comprising the light-emitting element according to claim 37. ### Claim 54 (depends on 37) A lighting device comprising the light-emitting element according to claim 37.