Color-stable, ITO-free white organic light-emitting diodes with enhanced efficiency using solution-processed transparent electrodes and optical outcoupling layers

In this work, we demonstrate color-stable, ITO-free white organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs) with enhanced efficiencies by combining the high-conductivity conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS as transparent electrode and a nanoparticle-based scattering layer (NPSL) as the effective optical out-coupling layer. In addition to efficiency enhancement, the NPSL is also beneficial to the stabilization of electroluminescent spectra/colors over viewing angles. Both the PEDOT:PSS and the NPSL can be fabricated by simple, low-temperature solution processing. The integration of both solution-processable transparent electrodes and light extraction structures into OLEDs is particularly attractive for applications since they simultaneously provide manufacturing, cost and efficiency advantages. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.