Highly Customizable All Solution-Processed Polymer Light Emitting Diodes with Inkjet Printed Ag and Transfer Printed Conductive Polymer Electrodes

Abstract

Inkjet and transfer printing processes are combined to easily form patterned poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films as top anodes of all solution-processed inverted polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs) on rigid glass and flexible plastic substrates. An adhesive PEDOT:PSS ink is formulated and fully customizable patterns are obtained using the inkjet printing process. In order to transfer the patterned PEDOT:PSS films, adhesion properties at interfaces during multistep transfer printing processes are carefully adjusted. The transferred PEDOT:PSS film on the plastic substrates shows not only a sheet resistance of 260.6 omega/ and a transmittance of 92.1% at 550 nm wavelength but also excellent mechanical flexibility. The PLEDs with spin-coated functional layers sandwiched between the transferred PEDOT:PSS top anodes and inkjet-printed Ag bottom cathodes are fabricated. The fabricated PLEDs on the plastic substrates show a high current efficiency of 10.4 cd A(-1) and high mechanical stability. It is noted that because both Ag and PEDOT:PSS electrodes can be patterned with a high degree of freedom via the inkjet printing process, highly customizable PLEDs with various pattern sizes and shapes are demonstrated on the glass and plastic substrates. Finally, with all solution process, a 5 x 7 passive matrix PLED array is demonstrated.