Organic el device and liquid crystal display

Abstract

A liquid crystal display including a liquid crystal panel and an organic EL device, which functions as a backlight. The organic EL device includes a Peltier element, which functions as a substrate, and an organic EL element formed on the Peltier element. The organic EL element includes an organic EL layer and first and second electrodes, which sandwich the organic EL layer. The first electrode is shared with a metal layer, which is a heat absorbing electrode of the Peltier element. The second electrode is formed from ITO, which transmits visible light. Light emitted from the organic EL element exits from the second electrode. As a result, the organic EL device is thin and has a superior cooling effect.

1 . An organic electroluminescence device comprising: 
 a semiconductor substrate, a Peltier element being formed over substantially entire portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the Peltier element includes a semiconductor portion of the semiconductor substrate, a heat absorbing electrode, and a heat radiating electrode, wherein the heat absorbing electrode and the heat radiating electrode are located on opposite sides of the semiconductor portion so as to sandwich the semiconductor portion, and wherein the semiconductor portion lies along an area between the heat absorbing electrode and the heat radiating electrode; and    an organic electroluminescence element formed on the semiconductor substrate to be arranged on the heat absorbing electrode side, wherein light emitted from the organic electroluminescence element exits from a side facing away from the semiconductor substrate.    
   
   
       2 . The organic electroluminescence device according to  claim 1 , wherein the organic electroluminescence element includes an organic electroluminescence layer and first and second electrodes sandwiching the organic electroluminescence layer, the first electrode facing the heat absorbing electrode.  
   
   
       3 . The organic electroluminescence device according to  claim 2 , wherein the organic electroluminescence element is arranged on an insulating layer formed on the heat absorbing electrode.  
   
   
       4 . The organic electroluminescence device according to  claim 2 , wherein the heat absorbing electrode and the first electrode are both supplied with voltage from a common power source.  
   
   
       5 . The organic electroluminescence device according to  claim 2 , wherein one of the first and second electrodes is a cathode and the other one of the first and second electrodes is an anode, with voltage being applied between the cathode and the anode to emit light from the entire organic electroluminescence layer.  
   
   
       6 . The organic electroluminescence device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of organic electroluminescence elements, wherein said organic electroluminescence element is one of the plurality of organic electroluminescence elements, with the organic electroluminescence elements being configured so that each organic electroluminescence element emits light independently from the other organic electroluminescence elements.  
   
   
       7 . A liquid crystal display characterized by: 
 the organic electroluminescence device according to  claim 1;  and    a liquid crystal panel, wherein the organic electroluminescence device functions as a backlight for the liquid crystal panel.