Photo-luminescence layer in the optical spectral region and in adjacent spectral regions

Abstract

This invention relates to a photoluminescent layer in the optical and adjoining spectral regions based on a solid solution of organic dyes. The photoluminescent layer includes organic dye molecules with a low dye concentration and a matrix material of metal oxides, with the matrix material having a slightly sub-stoichiometric oxygen content. A method and a device for producing the photoluminescent layer are described.

1 . Method for producing a photoluminescent layer on a substrate that emits light in the optical and adjoining spectral regions, in which organic dye and silicon oxide are deposited on a substrate under high vacuum, with the desired volume concentration of the dye in the matrix material being produced by setting the rate of vapor deposition of the components, characterized by the fact that the suboxide is vaporized for the deposition of silicon oxide, or a metal oxide is deposited instead of silicon oxide, with the particular suboxide of the metal oxide being vaporized.  
   
   
       2 . Method pursuant to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that SiO or Ti 2 O 3  is vaporized as the silicon or metal suboxide.  
   
   
       3 . Method pursuant to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the rate of vapor deposition of the dye is set by temperature control of the vaporizer source.  
   
   
       4 . Method pursuant to  claim 3 , characterized by the fact that the desired layer thickness is set by the rate of vapor deposition and the open time of the diaphragm located between vaporizer source and substrate.  
   
   
       5 . Device for implementing the method pursuant to  claim 1 , in which a dye vaporizer and a metal oxide vaporizer whose vapor jets are aimed at a substrate are provided in a vacuum chamber, with the dye vaporizer being cup-shaped and consisting, viewed from the inside toward the outside, of a quartz cuvette, a graphite block, a heater, a shield, and a jacket, with a thermocouple being provided in the bottom center of the cup between the quartz cuvette and the graphite block, and with a cover constricted to a cut-out hole being provided in the cup-shaped opening of the dye vaporizer, characterized by the fact that the cover constricted to a cut-out hole is connected to the quartz cuvette and displaced toward the dye, so that the cut-out hole in the cover has a temperature like that of the heated quartz cuvette.  
   
   
       6 . Device pursuant to  claim 5 , characterized by the fact that the jacket is a water-cooled copper jacket.  
   
   
       7 . Method pursuant to  claim 2 , characterized by the fact that the rate of vapor deposition of the dye is set by temperature control of the vaporizer source.  
   
   
       8 . Device for implementing the method pursuant to  claim 2 , in which a dye vaporizer and a metal oxide vaporizer whose vapor jets are aimed at a substrate are provided in a vacuum chamber, with the dye vaporizer being cup-shaped and consisting, viewed from the inside toward the outside, of a quartz cuvette, a graphite block, a heater, a shield, and a jacket, with a thermocouple being provided in the bottom center of the cup between the quartz cuvette and the graphite block, and with a cover constricted to a cut-out hole being provided in the cup-shaped opening of the dye vaporizer, characterized by the fact that the cover constricted to a cut-out hole is connected to the quartz cuvette and displaced toward the dye, so that the cut-out hole in the cover has a temperature like that of the heated quartz cuvette.  
   
   
       9 . Device for implementing the method pursuant to  claim 3 , in which a dye vaporizer and a metal oxide vaporizer whose vapor jets are aimed at a substrate are provided in a vacuum chamber, with the dye vaporizer being cup-shaped and consisting, viewed from the inside toward the outside, of a quartz cuvette, a graphite block, a heater, a shield, and a jacket, with a thermocouple being provided in the bottom center of the cup between the quartz cuvette and the graphite block, and with a cover constricted to a cut-out hole being provided in the cup-shaped opening of the dye vaporizer, characterized by the fact that the cover constricted to a cut-out hole is connected to the quartz cuvette and displaced toward the dye, so that the cut-out hole in the cover has a temperature like that of the heated quartz cuvette.  
   
   
       10 . Device for implementing the method pursuant to  claim 4 , in which a dye vaporizer and a metal oxide vaporizer whose vapor jets are aimed at a substrate are provided in a vacuum chamber, with the dye vaporizer being cup-shaped and consisting, viewed from the inside toward the outside, of a quartz cuvette, a graphite block, a heater, a shield, and a jacket, with a thermocouple being provided in the bottom center of the cup between the quartz cuvette and the graphite block, and with a cover constricted to a cut-out hole being provided in the cup-shaped opening of the dye vaporizer, characterized by the fact that the cover constricted to a cut-out hole is connected to the quartz cuvette and displaced toward the dye, so that the cut-out hole in the cover has a temperature like that of the heated quartz cuvette.  
   
   
       11 . Device pursuant to  claim 8 , characterized by the fact that the jacket is a water-cooled copper jacket.  
   
   
       12 . Device pursuant to  claim 9 , characterized by the fact that the jacket is a water-cooled copper jacket.  
   
   
       13 . Device pursuant to  claim 10 , characterized by the fact that the jacket is a water-cooled copper jacket.  
   
   
       14 . A method comprising: 
 vaporizing an organic dye and a suboxide of silicon or metal to form a photoluminescent layer having the organic dye embedded in a matrix material derived from the suboxide; and    adjusting the vapor deposition rate of the organic dye so that the concentration of the organic dye is less than 0.65 volume percent with respect to the matrix material,    wherein the matrix material has a sub-stoichiometric oxygen content.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising, during the vaporization, allowing the matrix material to react with residual oxygen to cause the sub-stoichiometric oxygen content of the matrix material to be at least 97.5% of the stoichiometric oxygen content of the matrix material.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the suboxide is a silicon suboxide or a titanium suboxide.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the matrix material is SiO x  or TiO x .  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein x is at least 1.95 and less than 2.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein an average spacing between molecules of the organic dye within the matrix material is at least about 50 nanometers.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein molecules of the organic dye occupy a single plane within the matrix material.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the concentration of the organic dye is at least 0.1 volume percent with respect to the matrix material.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the photoluminescent layer is formed on a substrate.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the photoluminescent layer emits light in an optical or adjoining spectral region.