We report imperceptibly micro-wrinkled organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) to define distortion-free pixel by in-situ deposition on two-dimensionally pre-stretched polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate. The developed fabrication process includes surface engineering for a low-temperature solution process. After releasing the pre-strain, a micro-wrinkled structure facilitates to maintain the clear shape of the pixel with the wrinkle period under 20 µm that is unrecognizable to the human eyes, whereas wrinkles of hundreds of µm are formed when using plastic films. The micro-wrinkled OLEDs show a luminance over 8,000 cd/m2, a maximum current efficiency of 7 cd/A and can endure two-dimensional 20% strain. Our in-situ fabrication method can become a new framework for stretchable OLEDs with simple and low-cost fabrication with improved visibility.
We report a facile fabrication method of curved mirror with 3D printed plastic mold. Polylactic acid (PLA) is used as material for plastic mold. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) replica is obtained from PLA mold, followed by planarization with spin-coating of additional PDMS. After ultraviolet (UV) treatment of smoothened PDMS replica, aluminum (Al) layer is deposited by thermal evaporation. Due to smoothened surface of PDMS replica, Al layer shows clear reflected image without perceptible lines, thereby functioning as a curved mirror. We expect that our curved mirror will be applicable to display and imaging devices.
The fabrication of silver nanowire electrodes (AgNWs) on elastomeric substrates using various patterning processes and embedding process allowed us to solve the problems of using conventional silver nanowire electrodes such as rough surface and complicated pattering process. When polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs) were fabricated using the AgNWs electrode fabricated above, they showed stable light emission and much lower driving voltage than alternating current electroluminescence. As a result, a stretchable transparent electrode was fabricated to the extent that it can be used for low voltage driven patterned lightings.
Solution-processed polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) have been widely investigated in display area due to their low-cost and large-scale fabrication. Generally, in order to pattern the device, the electrodes are deposited through a vacuum process such as sputtering or thermal evaporation. In terms of cost, inkjet printing is the most promising alternative to evaporation process because it allows low-material consumption as well as free patterning of the electrodes. However, direct inkjet-printing on the organic layers induces solvent permeation, which causes severe damage to underlying layers. In addition, fine patterns are hard to be obtained because the surface treatment on the functional layers is limited. In this research, we report solution-processed PLEDs with inkjet-printed electrodes. In order to prevent solvent permeation and obtain fine patterns by inkjet printing, we print top electrode on surface-modified polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate and laminate it on the organic functional layers. A structure of our devices is ITO (anode) / PEDOT :PSS (HIL) / PDY-132 (EML) / PEI (interlayer) / ZnO (EIL) / Ag (cathode). The device with laminated Ag shows a turn-on voltage of 2.7 V at 1 cd/m2 and a current efficiency of 7.8 cd/A at 1000 cd/m2, while the device with evaporated Ag shows 2.4 V and 9.9 cd/A under the same condition. Based on our lamination process, all solution-processed PLEDs are fabricated by replacing ITO to inkjet-printed PEDOT :PSS. Furthermore, passive-matrix application is demonstrated showing the possibilities of all solution-processed display. Detailed fabrication process and experimental results will be discussed at the conference.
We fabricated all solution-processed inverted polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs) where functional layers were spin-coated on patterned-ITO glass substrates and PEDOT:PSS anodes were deposited by a transfer process. The structure of our devices is ITO (cathode) / ZnO (EITL) / PEI (interlayer) / PDY-132 (EML) / PEDOT:PSS (HITL) / transferred conductive PEDOT:PSS (anode). Although many groups have studied all solution-processed PLEDs, top electrodes were typically fabricated by photolithography or adhesive tape, which hinders low-cost and large-area mass production. In order to fabricate top electrodes which will not damage underlying organic layers and can be implemented in a facile manner, we used the transfer process. PEDOT:PSS was selected as the top electrodes because it can be patterned by a printing process such as an inkjet printing technique, and then the patterned PEDOT:PSS electrodes can be easily transferred. We fabricated two types of inverted PLEDs which have an evaporated Al or a transferred PEDOT:PSS top electrode. The device with the evaporated Al showed a turn-on voltage of 2.6 V defined at 1 cd/m2 and a current efficiency of 10.2 cd/A at 1000 cd/m2 while the one with the transferred PEDOT:PSS showed a turn-on voltage of 2.7 V and a current efficiency of 8.2 cd/A at the same condition. Difference in sheet resistance of the top electrode and thus, charge balance change probably caused the performance variation. When the bottom cathodes are inkjet-printed, all solution-processed inverted PLEDs can be implemented, which will be also presented at conference.
We fabricated solution-processed transparent silver nanowires (AgNWs) electrodes and applied them to anodes of polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs). While patterning methods of the AgNW electrodes in previous research were rather expensive and complicated, we used a transfer method. The AgNW electrodes were fabricated by transferring AgNWs from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp to inkjet-printed poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) without lithographic patterning. However, due to the rough surface property of the AgNWs placed on the PEDOT:PSS film, AgNW/PEDOT:PSS electrodes cannot be directly employed as the bottom electrode of PLEDs. Therefore, to reduce the surface roughness, they were embedded onto ultraviolet-curable photopolymer, enabling the PEDOT:PSS films to be placed on the AgNWs. The embedded PEDOT:PSS/AgNW electrodes exhibited a sheet resistance of 18.4 Ω/sq and transmittance of 85.6 % at the 550 nm wavelength, which were comparable with those of indium tin oxide (ITO). In addition, the surface roughness of embedded electrodes decreased from 26.8 nm to 11.8 nm in root-mean-square value. We fabricated the PLEDs with the embedded anode, which have a structure of anodes / PEDOT:PSS (HIL) / PDY-132 (EML) / LiF / Al (cathode) on the PEN substrates. As a result, the PLEDs with the embedded anodes showed a current efficiency of 7.1 cd/A and a power efficiency of 2.9 lm/W at 1000 cd/m2. Furthermore, they operated well under a constant current due to reduction of surface roughness without the high leakage current. The mechanical property of embedded AgNWs-transferred PEDOT:PSS electrodes and optimization of PLEDs with them can be presented at conference.
Elastomeric mirror is one of the main components of systems that require tunable optical characteristics, and is being applied in various devices such as optical zoom camera, electrostatic actuator, and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) display. Generally, to fabricate an elastomeric mirror, a metal layer is deposited on an elastomer substrate by vacuum process such as thermal evaporation, e-beam evaporation, and sputtering. However, these processes can damage the elastomeric substrate, thereby degrading the quality of the mirror surface. The metal layer formed on the elastomeric substrate is also vulnerable to small deformation, which limits applications of elastomeric mirror. In this work, we report all-solution-processed elastomeric mirror film whose constituent layers were deposited sequentially by spin coating and dip coating method. The film consists of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) base, aluminum (Al) mirror, and PDMS encapsulation layer. As a material of mirror layer, we selected a ‘mirror ink’, which composed of Al powder, organic solvent, adhesive and mainly used for screen printing. We adjusted the dilution concentration of mirror ink to make it suitable for the solution process and controlling the roughness of the coated mirror layer. In addition, there was no damage to the mirror layer against deformation due to the presence of encapsulation layer, so it can be attachable well to the curved surface. As an example of application, we demonstrated a seamless display system by placing the elastomeric mirror between two curved panels. We expect that our elastomeric mirror will be applicable to various tunable optical systems.
We have made a sol-gel deposited gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO) film as a transparent conductive anode in polymer
light-emitting diode (PLED) applications. The GZO films were obtained by spin-coating GZO precursor solutions
followed by consecutive thermal annealing in the air and in the hydrogen-rich atmosphere. The resistance of GZO film
was reduced to ~100 Ω/□ after thermal annealing in the hydrogen environment. Its surface roughness was sufficiently
low (1.159 nm RMS) for depositing other polymer layers. We have fabricated PLEDs with quartz substrate / solution-processed
GZO electrode (anode) / PEDOT:PSS (HITL) / SPG-01T (Green polymer light-emitting material purchased
from Merck, EML) / Ca (EIL) / Al (Cathode). The fabricated devices showed current efficiency of 3.06 cd/A and power
efficiency of 1.25 lm/W at luminance of 1000 cd/m2.
We fabricated the graphene based PLEDs that had the structure of glass / single layer graphene with Ag auxiliary
electrode (anode) / PEDOT:PSS (HITL) / SPG-01T(Green polymer lighting material from Merck, EML) / Ca (EIL) / Al
(Cathode). Single layer graphene was synthesized on copper foil by thermal CVD process, and then transferred to glass
substrate by PMMA stamp. Formation of single layer graphene was confirmed from AFM, Raman spectroscopy, and
UV-vis spectroscopy measurements. Graphene film was treated through a shadow mask for 15 minutes in UV ozone
chamber to obtain anode pattern. After that, the patterned graphene layer was exposed to UV ozone to control its work
function, which was found to be increased by 0.18eV and 0.27eV after 2.5 minutes and 5 minutes treatment,
respectively. On the graphene layer, PEDOT:PSS and SPG-01T were consecutively spin-coated and annealed in the
globe box. Ca and Al metal layer was deposited by thermal evaporation. Our graphene based PLEDs had the current
efficiency of 9.73 cd/A and the power efficiency of 5.51 lm/W while our reference device with ITO anode showed the
efficiencies of 12.5 cd/A and 8.01 lm/W.
Key technical issues of flexible stainless steel foil substrates are addressed for OLED display backplane
applications. Surface roughness and corresponding planarization layer technology development will be the major factors
for the stainless steel foil substrates to be used for commercial applications. Promising candidates for the planarization
layer materials are reviewed and some of the properties are addressed. In addition, if the substrate is sustained to a
constant voltage for guaranteed circuit operation, capacitive coupling through the insulation and planarization dielectric
layer, from the conductive substrate to the electrode and circuit elements on it, is also carefully analyzed for panel
design and operation. Especially for large size high-resolution display applications, low k and thick planarization layer
should be used.
We have fabricated pentacene organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) driven active matrix organic light-emitting diode
(OLED) displays on both glass and flexible polyethylene terephthalete (PET) substrates. These displays have 48 × 48
bottom-emission OLED pixels with two pentacene OTFTs used per pixel. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and parylene were
used to photolithographically pattern the pentacene active layer and isolate the OTFT backplane from the OLEDs.
Pentacene OTFTs are able to easily supply the current required for OLED operation, but improvements in device
uniformity and stability are of interest.
An integrating sphere CCD-based measurement system has been developed to accurately characterize the opto-electronic performances of organic polymer light-emitting devices (OP-LEDs). Comparing this method with the previously developed lens-coupled method, we have found that the integrating sphere-based measurement method provides more stable and reliable optical data in comparison with the lens-coupled measurement method. In addition, we demonstrate that an inappropriate calibration of the OP-LED measurement system can greatly exaggerate the device performances.
This paper presents an investigation of a stand-alone PZN-PT film-based movable micro-mirror and characterizes its precision level. Micro-mirrors have received considerable attention for applications in various micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems (MOEMS). For example, there is considerable interest in creating micro-mirror arrays for image display and telecommunication applications. Such optical applications require high precision position control of micro-mirrors. We present the development of stand-alone self-moving micro-mirrors on the basis of a single-film actuation mechanism. The mirror design provides for tilt motion using a single-crystal Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PZN-PT) film unimorph actuator. A prototype micro-mirror plate is designed to a size of 600 × 400 × 10 μm3 including actuation device. In this paper, it is shown that a prototype micro-mirror fabricated in our laboratories can be operated at frequency of 50 kHz.
Organic polymer red light-emitting devices (OPLEDs) with the double layer structure have been fabricated on flexible plastic substrates. Dow red emissive polymer and poly(3,4- ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrene)(PEDOT/PSS) have been used as an emissive and a hole injection polymer, respectively. The spin coating technique was used to deposit different polymers. The absorption and the cyclic voltammetry spectra have been used to construct the band diagram of our OPLEDs. The following electrical and optical properties have been obtained for our OPLEDs: turn-on voltage, defined at 1 cd/m2=~3.0V; voltage and current density defined at 100 cd/m2=~6.5V and ~34mA/cm2; maximum emission efficiency =~0.25 cd/A; and maximum luminous efficiency =~0.1m/W. The extrapolated lifetime of unpackaged OPLEDs on flexible plastic substrate of about 1160 min for initial brightness of 100 cd/m2 has been obtained.
Organic polymer light-emitting devices (Poly OLEDs) with the bi-layer thin film structures have been fabricated on both glass and flexible plastic substrates. The structural, optical, and electrical properties of each organic polymer layer have been optimized for the Poly OLED optimum electrical performances. The spin coating technique was used to fabricate our devices. An alternating co-polymer of poly (9, 9'-dihexyl fluorene-2, 7-diyl) and poly (benzothiadiazole 2, 5-diyl) (PHF-BTD), and poly (9-hexyl carbazole-3, 6-diyl) (PC6) have been used as light emitting and hole transporting polymer, respectively. The combination of the optical and cyclic voltammetry (CV) and analysis has been used to develop the band diagram for our Poly OLEDs. For our polymers, the oxidation/reduction processes are well defined and clearly observed in the CV spectra. This allows a direct comparison of the polymers band gaps determined by both the optical and electrical methods. The photoluminescence and electroluminescence emission peaks are both located around 570 nm, and maximum brightness up to 2000 cd/m2 was obtained. Turn-on voltages of approximately 16 and approximately 20 V, acceptable emission efficiencies of approximately 5.5 and approximately 4.2 cd/A, good power efficiencies of approximately 0.9 and 0.6 lm/W, and acceptable external quantum efficiencies of 1.8 and 1.6% have been obtained for OLEDs fabricated on both glass and plastic substrates, respectively.
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