Manufacture of optical device with conductive projections in non-optical operation regions

Abstract

Disclosed is an optical device used as an image panel which is allowed to be arranged together with the adjacent one on a display without a gap put therebetween and which is improved to form a stacked body including organic layers without damaging the surface of an already-formed organic layer by a vapor-deposition mask, and to provide a method of manufacturing the optical device. Metal bumps are provided on stripes of transparent electrodes arranged on a glass substrate in such a manner as to be located in non-optical operation regions, and are led on the back surface of the organic EL device. The metal bumps function as spacers upon vapor-deposition of the organic layer or the like, to prevent the contact of a vapor-deposition mask with an already-formed film surface, and are led on the back surface of the organic EL device together with metal electrodes and are connected to an electronic part mounted on the back surface side of the organic EL device.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An optical device comprising: 
 electrodes arranged on a base;    a stacked body provided on said electrodes in such a manner as to cover at least optical operation regions;    an insulating layer formed in such a manner as to cover the top surface of said stacked body; and    conductive projections provided on said electrodes in such a manner as to be located in non-optical operation regions;    wherein said projections are buried in through-holes formed in said insulating layer in such a manner that the top surfaces of said projections are higher than the top surface of said stacked body and also nearly equal to or less than the top surface of said insulating layer; and    exposed portions of said projections are electrically led onto said insulating layer.    
     
     
         2 . An optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein said projections comprise metal bumps provided on said electrodes; and 
 a conductive layer is formed on said metal bumps in such a manner as to cover said metal bumps and is then processed into a conductive pattern.    
     
     
         3 . An optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein said projections are connected to an electronic part mounted on said insulating layer.  
     
     
         4 . An optical device according to  claim 3 , wherein said projections connect said electrodes to driver elements arranged on said insulating layer, to constitute a simple matrix type luminescence device composed of said stacked body.  
     
     
         5 . An optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein counter electrodes, which are provided in said optical operation regions in such a manner as to face to said electrodes, are electrically led onto said insulating layer via a conductive layer deposited in through-holes formed in said insulating layer.  
     
     
         6 . An optical device according to  claim 5 , wherein said counter electrodes are connected to an electronic part mounted on said insulating layer.  
     
     
         7 . An optical device according to  claim 6 , wherein said counter electrodes connect said stacked body constituting a simple matrix type luminescence device to driver elements arranged on said insulating layer.  
     
     
         8 . An optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein a first electrode portion composed of an optically transparent electrodes, an organic hole transfer layer, an organic luminescent layer and/or an organic electron transfer layer, and a second electrode portion composed of metal electrodes are stacked on an optically transparent base.  
     
     
         9 . An optical device according to  claim 8 , wherein said optical device is configured as an organic electroluminescence device.  
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing an optical device in which a stacked body is provided on electrodes arranged in a base in such a manner as to cover at least optical operation regions and the top surface of said stacked body is covered with an insulating layer, said method comprising the steps of: 
 forming conductive projections on said electrodes in such a manner that said projections are located in non-optical operation regions and the top surfaces of said projections are higher than the top surface of said stacked body; and    disposing a mask on said projections which are taken as spacers, and forming layers constituting said stacked body through said mask.    
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: 
 forming said electrodes on said base using a first mask having a specific pattern;    forming said projections having a specific pattern in said non-optical operation regions on said electrodes by a physical vapor-deposition method or a plating method; and    disposing a second mask having a specific pattern on said projections, and forming at least counter electrodes facing to said electrodes, among components of said stacked body by the physical vapor-deposition method.    
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: 
 forming, after formation of said counter electrodes, an insulating layer over the entire surface; and    exposing the top surfaces of said projections by removing part of said insulating layer as needed.    
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 12 , further comprising the step of: 
 planarizing, after exposure of the top surfaces of said projections, the top surfaces of said projections by polishing.    
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of: 
 depositing a conductive layer on exposed portions of said projections as metal bumps in such a manner as to cover them; and    processing said conductive layer into a conductive pattern.    
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 12 , wherein said step of forming said insulating layer comprises the step of forming a protective layer and a hard coat layer in this order.  
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of: 
 forming said insulating layer in such a manner that the top surfaces of said projections in a state being buried in through-holes formed in said insulating layer are nearly equal to or less than the top surface of said insulating layer; and    electrically leading said projections onto said insulating layer.    
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 12 , further comprising the step of: 
 connecting said projections to an electronic part mounted on said insulating layer.    
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 17 , further comprising the step of: 
 connecting said electrodes to driver elements arranged on said insulating layer by means of said projections, to constitute a simple matrix type luminescence device composed of said stacked body.    
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of: 
 electrically leading counter electrodes, which have been provided in said optical operation regions in such a manner as to face to said electrodes, onto said insulating layer via a conductive layer deposited in through-holes formed in said insulating layer.    
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 19 , further comprising the step of: 
 connecting said counter electrodes to an electronic part mounted on said insulating layer.    
     
     
         21 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 20 , further comprising the step of: 
 connecting said counter electrodes to said stacked body constituting a simple matrix type luminescence device and to driver elements arranged on said insulating layer.    
     
     
         22 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of: 
 stacking a first electrode portion composed of transparent electrodes, an organic hole transfer layer, an organic luminescent layer and/or an organic electron transfer layer, and a second electrode portion composed of metal electrodes, on an optically transparent base.    
     
     
         23 . A method of manufacturing an optical device according to  claim 22 , wherein said optical device comprises an organic electroluminescence element.