Performance enhancement of organic light-emitting diodes by chlorine plasma treatment of indium tin oxide

Journal Article · Mon Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4709426· OSTI ID:22025538

Cao, X A; Zhang, Y Q ^[1]

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1. Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506 (United States)

The characteristics of green phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) fabricated on ITO/glass substrates pretreated with low-energy O{sub 2} and Cl{sub 2} plasma were compared. At 20 mA/cm{sup 2}, the OLEDs with O{sub 2} and Cl{sub 2} plasma-treated indium tin oxide (ITO) had voltages of 9.6 and 7.6 eV, and brightness of 9580 and 12380 cd/m{sup 2}, respectively. At {approx}10{sup 4} cd/m{sup 2}, the latter had a 30% higher external quantum efficiency and a 74% higher power efficiency. Photoelectron spectroscopies revealed that Cl{sub 2} plasma treatment created stable In-Cl bonds and raised the work function of ITO by up to 0.9 eV. These results suggest that the better energy level alignment at the chlorinated ITO/organic interface enhances hole injection, leading to more efficient and more reliable operation of the OLEDs. The developed plasma chlorination process is very effective for surface modification of ITO and compatible with the fabrication of various organic electronics.

• OSTI ID: 22025538
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 100, Issue 18; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BRIGHTNESS
CESIUM IODIDES
CHLORINATION
CHLORINE
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ENERGY LEVELS
EV RANGE
GLASS
HOLES
INDIUM
INDIUM CHLORIDES
INTERFACES
LIGHT EMITTING DIODES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PLASMA
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
SUBSTRATES
TIN OXIDES
WORK FUNCTIONS