OLED CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Imagine having high definition TV that is 80 inches wide and less than a quarter-inch thick, consumes less power than most TVs on the market today and can be rolled up when you're not using it. What if you could have a "heads up" display in your car? How about a display monitor built into your clothing? These devices may be possible in the near future with the help of a technology called organic light- emitting diodes (OLEDs). Figure 1.1: Samsung's prototype 40-inch OLED TV OLEDs are solid-state devices composed of thin films of organic molecules that create light with the application of electricity. OLEDs can provide brighter, crisper displays on electronic devices and use less power than conventional light emitting diodes (LEDs) or liquid crystal displays (LCDs) used today.[3] DEPT OF ECE, CBIT, KOLAR 2014 Page 1
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Imagine having high definition TV that is 80 inches wide and less than a quarter-
inch thick, consumes less power than most TVs on the market today and can be rolled up
when you're not using it. What if you could have a "heads up" display in your car? How
about a display monitor built into your clothing? These devices may be possible in the
near future with the help of a technology called organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).
Figure 1.1: Samsung's prototype 40-inch OLED TV
OLEDs are solid-state devices composed of thin films of organic molecules that
create light with the application of electricity. OLEDs can provide brighter, crisper
displays on electronic devices and use less power than conventional light emitting
diodes (LEDs) or liquid crystal displays (LCDs) used today.[3]
1.1 WHAT IS OLED?
An OLED is a solid state device or electronic device that typically consists of
organic thin films sandwiched between two thin film conductive electrodes. When
electrical current is applied, a bright light is emitted. OLED use a carbon-based designer
molecule that emits light when an electric current passes through it. This is called
electrophosphorescence. Even with the layered system, these systems are thin . usually
less than 500 nm or about 200 times smaller than a human hair.[3]
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When used to produce displays. OLED technology produces self-luminous
displays that do not require backlighting and hence more energy efficient. These
properties result in thin, very compact displays. The displays require very little power, ie,
only 2-10 volts.[6]
OLED technology uses substances that emit red, green, blue or white light.
Without any other source of illumination, OLED materials present bright, clear video
and images that are easy to see at almost any angle. Enhancing organic material
helps to control the brightness and colour of light, i.e, the brightness of an
OLED is determined by how much power you supply to the system.
1.2 LITERATURE SURVEY
The first observations of electroluminescence in organic materials were in the early
1950s by A. Bernanose and co-workers at the Nancy-Université, France. They applied
high-voltage alternating current (AC) fields in air to materials such as acridine orange,
either deposited on or dissolved in cellulose or cellophane thin films. The proposed
mechanism was either direct excitation of the dye molecules or excitation of electrons.
In 1960, Martin Pope and co-workers at New York University developed ohmic
dark-injecting electrode contacts to organic crystals. They further described the necessary
energetic requirements (work functions) for hole and electron injecting electrode
contacts. These contacts are the basis of charge injection in all modern OLED devices.
Pope's group also first observed direct current (DC) electroluminescence under vacuum
on a pure single crystal of anthracene and on anthracene crystals doped with tetracene in
1963 using a small area silver electrode at 400V. The proposed mechanism was field-
accelerated electron excitation of molecular fluorescence.[5]
Pope's group reported in 1965 that in the absence of an external electric field, the
electroluminescence in anthracene crystals is caused by the recombination of a
thermalized electron and hole, and that the conducting level of anthracene is higher in
energy than the exciton energy level. Also in 1965, W. Helfrich and W. G. Schneider of
the National Research Council in Canada produced double injection recombination
electroluminescence for the first time in an anthracene single crystal using hole and
electron injecting electrodes, the forerunner of modern double injection devices. In the
same year, Dow Chemical researchers patented a method of preparing electroluminescent
cells using high voltage (500–1500 V) AC-driven (100–3000 Hz) electrically-insulated
one millimetre thin layers of a melted phosphor consisting of ground anthracene powder,
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tetracene, and graphite powder. Their proposed mechanism involved electronic excitation
at the contacts between the graphite particles and the anthracene molecules.[4]
Device performance was limited by the poor electrical conductivity of
contemporary organic materials. This was overcome by the discovery and development
of highly conductive polymers. For more on the history of such materials, see conductive
polymers.[1]
Electroluminescence from polymer films was first observed by Roger Partridge at
the National Physical Laboratory in the United Kingdom. The device consisted of a film
of poly(n- vinylcarbazole) up to 2.2 micrometres thick located between two charge
injecting electrodes. The results of the project were patented in 1975 and published in
1983.
The first diode device was reported at Eastman Kodak by Ching W. Tang and
Steven Van Slyke in 1987.This device used a novel two-layer structure with separate hole
transporting and electron transporting layers such that recombination and light emission
occurred in the middle of the organic layer. This resulted in a reduction in operating
voltage and improvements in efficiency and led to the current era of OLED research and
device production.Research into polymer electroluminescence culminated in 1990 with J.
H. Burroughes et al. at the Cavindish laboratory in Cambridge reporting a high efficiency
green light-emitting polymer based device using 100 nm thick films of poly(p-phenylene
vinylene).[2]
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CHAPTER 2
FEATURES OF OLED
Organic LED has several inherent properties that afford unique possibilities
High brightness is achieved at low drive voltages/current densities.
Operating lifetime exceeding 10,000 hours.
Materials do not need to be crystalline, so easy to fabricate.
Possible to fabricate on glass and flexible substrates.
Self luminescent so no requirement of backlighting.
Higher brightness.
Low operating and turn-on voltage.
Low cost of materials and substrates of OLEDs can provide desirable advantages over
todays liquid crystal displays(LCDs)
High contrast
Low power consumption
Wide operating temperature range
Long operating lifetime
A flexible, thin and light weight
Cost effective manufacturability
Increased brightness
Faster response time for full motion video
Conventional semiconductor components have become smaller and smaller over
the course of time. Silicon is the base material of all microelectronics and is eminently
suited for this purpose. However, the making of larger components is difficult and
therefore costly.
The silicon in semiconductor components has to be mono crystalline; it has to have
a very pure crystal form without defects in the crystal structure. This is achieved by
allowing melted silicon to crystallize under precisely controlled conditions. The larger
the crystal, the more problematic this process is. Plastic does not have any of these
problems, so that semiconducting plastics are paving way for larger semiconductor
components.
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CHAPTER 3
WORKING OF OLED
3.1 OLED COMPONENTS
Figure 3.1:OLED components include organic layers that are made of organic
molecules or polymers.
Like an LED, an OLED is a solid-state semiconductor device that is 100 to 500
nanometers thick or about 200 times smaller than a human hair. OLEDs can have either
two layers or three layers of organic material; in the latter design, the third layer helps
transport electrons from the cathode to the emissive layer.
An OLED consists of the following parts:
Substrate (clear plastic, glass, foil) - The substrate supports the OLED.
Anode (transparent) - The anode removes electrons (adds electron "holes") when a
current flows through the device.
Organic layers - These layers are made of organic molecules or polymers.
Conducting layer - This layer is made of organic plastic molecules that transport "holes"
from the anode. One conducting polymer used in OLEDs is polyaniline.
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Emissive layer - This layer is made of organic plastic molecules (different ones from the
conducting layer) that transport electrons from the cathode; this is where light is made.
One polymer used in the emissive layer is polyfluorene.
Cathode (may or may not be transparent depending on the type of OLED) - The cathode
injects electrons when a current flows through the device.
3.2 MANUFACTURING OF OLED
The biggest part of manufacturing OLEDs is applying the organic layers to the substrate.
This can be done in three ways:
Vacuum deposition or vacuum thermal evaporation (VTE) - In a vacuum
chamber, the organic molecules are gently heated (evaporated) and allowed to
condense as thin films onto cooled substrates. This process is expensive and
inefficient.
Organic vapor phase deposition (OVPD) - In a low-pressure, hot-walled reactor
chamber, a carrier gas transports evaporated organic molecules onto cooled substrates,
where they condense into thin films. Using a carrier gas increases the efficiency and
reduces the cost of making OLEDs.
Figure 3.1:OVPD
Inkjet printing – With inkjet technology, OLEDs are sprayed onto substrates just
like inks are sprayed onto paper during printing. Inkjet technology greatly reduces the
cost of OLED manufacturing and allows OLEDs to be printed onto very large films
for large displays like 80-inch TV screens or electronic billboards.
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3.3 HOW DO OLEDs EMIT LIGHT?
Figure 3.3:OLED light is created through a process called electrophosphorescence..
OLEDs emit light in a similar manner to LEDs, through a process called
electrophosphorescence.
The process is as follows:
1. The battery or power supply of the device containing the OLED applies a voltage
across the OLED.
2. An electrical current flows from the cathode to the anode through the organic layers
(an electrical current is a flow of electrons). The cathode gives electrons to the
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emissive layer of organic molecules. The anode removes electrons from the
conductive layer of organic molecules. (This is the equivalent to giving electron holes
to the conductive layer.)
3. At the boundary between the emissive and the conductive layers, electrons find
electron holes. When an electron finds an electron hole, the electron fills the hole (it
falls into an energy level of the atom that's missing an electron). When this happens,
the electron gives up energy in the form of a photon of light.
4. The OLED emits light.
5. The color of the light depends on the type of organic molecule in the emissive layer.
Manufacturers place several types of organic films on the same OLED to make color
displays.
6. The intensity or brightness of the light depends on the amount of electrical current
applied: the more current, the brighter the light.
3.4 SMALL MOLECULE OLED VS. POLYMER OLED
The types of molecules used by Kodak scientists in 1987 in the first OLEDs were
small organic molecules. Although small molecules emitted bright light, scientists had to
deposit them onto the substrates in a vacuum (an expensive manufacturing process called
vacuum deposition -- see previous section).
Since 1990, researchers have been using large polymer molecules to emit light.
Polymers can be made less expensively and in large sheets, so they are more suitable for
large-screen displays.
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CHAPTER 4
TYPES OF OLED
There are six types of OLEDs:
Passive-matrix OLED
Active-matrix OLED
Transparent OLED
Top-emitting OLED
Foldable OLED
White OLED
4.1 PASSIVE-MATRIX OLED (PMOLED)
Figure 4.1:Passive-matrix OLED(PMOLED).
PMOLEDs have strips of cathode, organic layers and strips of anode. The anode
strips are arranged perpendicular to the cathode strips. The intersections of the cathode
and anode make up the pixels where light is emitted. External circuitry applies current to
selected strips of anode and cathode, determining which pixels get turned on and which
pixels remain off. Again, the brightness of each pixel is proportional to the amount of
applied current.
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PMOLEDs are easy to make, but they consume more power than other types of
OLED, mainly due to the power needed for the external circuitry. PMOLEDs are most
efficient for text and icons and are best suited for small screens (2- to 3-inch diagonal)
such as those you find in cell phones, PDAs and MP3 players. Even with the external
circuitry, passive-matrix OLEDs consume less battery power than the LCDs that currently
power these devices.
4.2 ACTIVE-MATRIX OLED (AMOLED)
Figure 4.2:Active-matrix OLED (AMOLED)
AMOLEDs have full layers of cathode, organic molecules and anode, but the
anode layer overlays a thin film transistor (TFT) array that forms a matrix. The TFT array
itself is the circuitry that determines which pixels get turned on to form an image.
AMOLEDs consume less power than PMOLEDs because the TFT array requires
less power than external circuitry, so they are efficient for large displays. AMOLEDs also
have faster refresh rates suitable for video. The best uses for AMOLEDs are computer
monitors, large-screen TVs and electronic signs or billboards.
4.3 TRANSPARENT OLED
Transparent OLEDs have only transparent components (substrate, cathode and
anode) and, when turned off, are up to 85 percent as transparent as their substrate. When a
transparent OLED display is turned on, it allows light to pass in both directions. A
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transparent OLED display can be either active or passive matrix. This technology can be
used for heads up displays.
Figure 4.3: Transparent OLED
4.4 TOP-EMITTING OLED
Top-emitting OLEDs have a substrate that is either opaque or reflective. They are
best suited to active-matrix design. Manufacturers may use top-emitting OLED displays
in smart cards.
Figure 4.4: Top-emitting OLED
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4.5 FOLDABLE OLED
Foldable OLEDs have substrates made of very flexible metallic foils or plastics.
Foldable OLEDs are very lightweight and durable. Their use in devices such as cell
phones and PDAs can reduce breakage, a major cause for return or repair. Potentially,
foldable OLED displays can be attached to fabrics to create "smart" clothing, such as
outdoor survival clothing with an integrated computer chip, cell phone, GPS receiver and
OLED display sewn into it.
4.6 WHITE OLED
White OLEDs emit white light that is brighter, more uniform and more energy
efficient than that emitted by fluorescent lights. White OLEDs also have the true-color
qualities of incandescent lighting. Because OLEDs can be made in large sheets, they can
replace fluorescent lights that are currently used in homes and buildings. Their use could
potentially reduce energy costs for lighting.
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CHAPTER 5
ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES AND
APPLICATIONS OF OLED
5.1 ADVANTAGES
5.1.1 LOW POWER
Figure 5.1: Lower power consumption of OLED
In this picture we have structures of LCD and OLED. Since in LCDs we have a
gray scale shutter i.e polarizer for light this makes the structure more complex whereas in
OLEDs the organic layers themselves produce colors and thus the structure which leads to
low cost of OLED.
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5.1.2 HIGH POWER EFFICIENCY
As we can see in the first picture that for same amount of luminance, we are
getting a better display. For producing the same amount of brightness as shown in the
second picture, OLED will need comparatively lesser luminance.
Figure 5.2: Comparing OLED and LCD pictures
5.1.3 LESS POWER CONSUMPTION
Figure 5.3: Power ratings of different lights
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Organic light emitting diode, or OLED, displays seem to have it all: energy,
efficiency and a beautiful, crisp picture that refreshes rapidly. But it’s difficult to make
them on large scale, so OLED televisions remain very expensive. DuPont Displays
announced the development of a manufacturing process that the company says can be
used to print large, high performance OLED televisions at volumes that should bring
down costs.
Figure 5.4: Power consumption by different displays.
5.1.4 BETTER DISPLAYS
Figure 5.5: Brightness and Contrast of OLED and LCD display
Compared to LCDs, todays dominant flat panel display (FCD) technology,
OLEDs are capable of markedly better performance feature. Thinner, lighter and more