Transparent conductive oxide coatings for organic light emitting diodes and solar devices

• US 9,444,068 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitro Flat Glass LLC (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Bhandari, Abhinav, McCamy, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmad, Khaja
• Application Number:
  US14/200,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20140312327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/82 Transparent electrodes, e.g. indium tin oxide [ITO] electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/816 Multilayers, e.g. transparent multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/828 Transparent cathodes, e.g. comprising thin metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

A transparent conductive oxide (TCO) electrode for an organic light emitting diode (OLED) has a first layer of a crystalline material and a second layer of an amorphous material. The material of the second layer can include one or more dopant materials.

Claims

1. An organic light emitting diode device, comprising:

a substrate, wherein the substrate is roughened;

a planarization layer comprising amorphous indium-zinc oxide (IZO);

an emissive layer;

a first electrode; and

a second electrode,

wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises a compound transparent conductive oxide (TCO) electrode comprising;

a first layer comprising an oxide material;

a second layer comprising a metal material;

a third layer comprising an oxide material;

a fourth layer comprising zinc oxide; and

a fifth layer over the fourth layer, the fifth layer comprising IZO.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the oxide materials of the first and third layers are independently selected from one or more oxides of Zn, Fe, Mn, Al, Ce, Sn, Sb, Hf, Zr, Ni, Bi, Ti, Co, Cr, Si, In, or an alloy of two or more of these materials.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the material of at least one of the first layer or the third layer comprises one or more dopant materials.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the metal material of the second layer is selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, osmium, palladium, aluminum, gold, copper, silver, or mixtures thereof.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises zinc doped indium oxide and the third layer comprises zinc doped indium oxide.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a doped oxide, and the third layer comprises titanium.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises IZO.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the second layer comprises silver.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the compound TCO electrode comprises:

the first layer comprising a doped oxide;

the second layer comprising a metallic material; and

the third layer comprising IZO, wherein the IZO is deposited in two layers, with a bottom layer deposited at a higher oxygen atmosphere than a top layer.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the compound TCO electrode comprises:

the first layer comprising an oxide selected from ITO and IZO;

the second layer comprising a metallic material; and

the third layer comprising ITO.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the compound TCO electrode comprises:

the first layer comprising zinc oxide;

the second layer comprising a metallic material; and

the third layer comprising alumina, silica, or a mixture of alumina and silica.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the compound TCO electrode comprises:

the first layer comprising zinc oxide;

the second layer comprising a metallic material; and

the third layer comprising IZO.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the compound TCO electrode comprises:

the first layer comprising an oxide material comprising zinc and tin;

the second layer comprising a metallic material; and

the third layer comprising titanium.

14. The organic light emitting diode device according to claim 1, wherein the planarization layer has a thickness in the range of 100 nm to 500 nm.