Quasi-Periodic Buckled OLED for Light Extraction Without Blurring

The patent changes the physical state and temperature parameters of the elastomeric substrate during metal deposition. By heating the substrate above the glass transition temperature of the elastomer and then cooling it, the patent induces thermal contraction that creates buckling structures in the metal layer. This parameter-based approach replaces complex lithographic and imprinting processes with a simpler thermal processing method, achieving periodic microstructures through controlled thermal expansion and contraction cycles.

The patent utilizes the glass transition phase transition of the elastomeric substrate. By heating the substrate above its glass transition temperature and then cooling it below, the patent exploits the volume change associated with this phase transition to induce buckling in the deposited metal layer. This phase transition mechanism provides a straightforward pathway to create periodic microstructures without requiring complex fabrication equipment or multiple processing steps.

The patent applies buckling structures only to specific regions of the OLED device rather than uniformly across the entire light-emitting area. By confining the buckled structures to localized zones, the patent enables light extraction enhancement in those regions while preserving sharp, clear light emission from non-buckled regions. This spatial differentiation of structure quality allows simultaneous achievement of enhanced light output and maintained emission sharpness.

The patent divides the OLED light-emitting surface into distinct segments: regions with buckled structures for light extraction enhancement and regions without buckling for sharp light emission. This segmentation strategy allows different functional zones to coexist on the same device, with each zone optimized for its specific purpose. The segmented approach resolves the contradiction by distributing different structural qualities to different spatial locations.