Organic Electronic Device Metal Oxide Interface

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current organic electronic devices, such as OLEDs and OTFTs, face limitations in adding functional variety and additional functions due to the need for specific energy levels in materials for carrier injection, which restricts the use of electrodes and requires a heavy sealing structure.

Innovation Solution

An organic electronic device with a pair of electrodes, an organic film layer containing a benzothiadiazole skeleton, and a metal oxide layer deposited by vacuum vapor deposition, allowing for abundant carrier injection independent of the organic film's energy level, with molybdenum or vanadium oxide enhancing hole injection efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If materials with specific energy levels are selected for carrier injection, then carrier injection efficiency is improved, but device complexity and sealing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrier injection efficiencyVSAvoidsealing structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a metal oxide layer as an intermediary between the electrode and the organic film. This intermediate layer mediates the carrier injection process, enabling efficient injection without requiring the organic material to have specific energy levels. The metal oxide layer acts as a buffer that facilitates charge transfer while relaxing the energy level matching requirements, thereby improving carrier injection efficiency without increasing sealing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters at the electrode-organic interface by introducing a metal oxide layer with specific properties (such as MoO3 or V2O5). This parameter change in the interface structure enables efficient carrier injection through the metal oxide layer, which has appropriate work function and electron affinity values that facilitate charge transfer independent of the organic film's energy levels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If energy level matching is required for carrier injection, then injection efficiency is improved, but adaptability and functional variety are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrier injection efficiencyVSAvoidfunctional variety

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The metal oxide layer serves multiple functions: it enables carrier injection, improves hole injection efficiency, and allows the use of various organic materials with different energy levels. This universal interface layer makes the device structure adaptable to different organic materials and functional requirements, thereby increasing functional variety while maintaining efficient carrier injection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The metal oxide layer acts as a universal intermediary that decouples the electrode from the specific energy level requirements of different organic materials. This allows researchers to select from a broader range of organic materials with various functions (light emission, charge transport, sensing) without being constrained by energy level matching, thus enhancing adaptability and functional variety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If active metal with low work function is used on cathode, then carrier injection is improved, but sealing structure becomes heavier

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrier injectionVSAvoidsealing structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The metal oxide layer serves as an intermediary that enables efficient carrier injection without requiring reactive active metals. This intermediate layer provides the necessary charge transfer capability while allowing the use of more stable electrode materials, thereby reducing the need for heavy sealing structures that would be required to protect reactive metals from environmental degradation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The metal oxide layer (such as MoO3 or V2O5) provides a stable, non-reactive interface that replaces the need for reactive active metals. This allows the use of more stable electrode materials that do not require heavy protective sealing, effectively replacing short-lived reactive metals with stable oxide layers that eliminate the need for protective sealing structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration enables increased carrier injection efficiency and atmospheric stability in organic light emitting devices without the need for sealing, allowing for a more versatile and functional organic electronic device.

Implementation Method 1

a metal oxide layer provided on the organic film layer by vacuum vapor deposition

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum vapor deposition: Physical Vapour Deposition

Data Source

PatentUS8124250B2Organic electronic device

Publication Date: 2012.02.28 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

An organic electronic device includes: a pair of electrodes, an organic film layer containing an organic substance having a benzothiadiazole skeleton, a metal oxide layer provided on the organic film layer by vacuum vapor deposition, and an interface formed between the pair of electrodes out of the organic film layer and the metal oxide layer.