Patent · US Expired

Article comprising a microcavity light source

US5674636A · kind A · utility

35Cited by
4References
23Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 13, 1995
Grant dateOct 7, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 13, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S428/917
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Optical microcavities are potentially useful as light emitters for, e.g., flat panel displays. Such microcavities comprise a layer structure, including two spaced apart reflectors that define the cavity, with a layer or layers of organic (electroluminescent) material disposed between the reflectors. We have discovered that a microcavity can simultaneously emit radiation of two or more predetermined colors such that the emission has a desired apparent color, exemplarily white. Emission of two or more colors requires that the effective optical length of the cavity is selected such that the cavity is a multimode cavity, with the wavelengths of two or more of the standing wave modes that are supported by the cavity lying within the emission region of the electroluminescence spectrum of the active material. A particular embodiment with two organic emitting (active) layers is disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.