Nanoparticle Arrays for Efficient Organic Light-Emitting Diode Emission Management

Abstract

OLEDs are increasingly applied in illumination and displays because they offer excellent color quality, are mechanically flexible, and are self-emissive. However, their usage is limited by low external quantum efficiency (EQE) and efficiency roll-off at high driving voltages. These limitations, together with demands for smaller pixels and device sizes in emerging technologies, motivate innovations that increase efficiency and allow replacing external optical elements with embedded solutions. Here, we demonstrate enhanced outcoupling as well as directional and polarization control of OLED emission, based on collective surface lattice resonances of plasmonic nanoparticle arrays that are embedded in the active layers of four different state-of-the-art OLED structures. Both square arrays and more complex lattices producing flat bands are demonstrated to guide the light to directions and polarizations determined by their optical modes. We show that by the design of the array geometry and the OLED structure, spectral and angular enhancement of the electroluminescence (EL), up to 30 %, can be achieved. Our results verify that surface lattice resonances of nanoparticle arrays offer a robust and versatile embedded solution for tailoring the OLED emission, as well as exciting prospects for efficiency increase if combined with narrow-spectrum emitters.