title: Outcoupling-Enhanced Flexible Organic Light-Emitting Diodes on Ameliorated Plastic Substrate with Built-in Indium-Tin-Oxide-Free Transparent Electrode.
abstract: Enhancing light outcoupling in flexible organic light-emitting diodes (FOLEDs) is an important task for increasing their efficiencies for display and lighting applications. Here, a strategy for an angularly and spectrally independent boost in light outcoupling of FOLEDs is demonstrated by using plastic substrates with a low refractive index, consisting of a bioinspired optical coupling layer and a transparent conductive electrode composed of a silver network. The good transmittance to full-color emission (>94% over the whole visible wavelength range), ultralow sheet resistance to carrier injection (<5 Ω sq(-1)), and high tolerance to mechanical bending of the ameliorated plastic substrates synergistically optimize the device performance of FOLEDs. The maximum power efficiencies reach 47, 93, 56, and 52 lm W(-1) for red, green, blue, and white emissions, which are competitive with similarly structured OLEDs fabricated on traditional indium-tin-oxide (ITO) glass. This paradigm for light outcoupling enhancement in ITO-free FOLEDs offers additional features and design freedoms for highly efficient flexible optoelectronics in large-scale and low-cost manufacturing without the need for a high-refractive-index plastic substrate.
authors.forename: Heng-Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Yan-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hao-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Chi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qing-Dong
authors.initials: QD
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: §College of Physics Optoelectronics and Energy, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
authors.forename: Lin-Sen
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: ∥Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films, Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Sing
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shuit-Tong
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jian-Xin
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Tang
keywords: flexible OLEDs; flexible transparent conductors; light outcoupling; plastic substrates