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Enhancing OLED light outcoupling

Research Area: Integrated lasers and LEDs

Main Researcher: Peter Vandersteegen

Today organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) are considered the most likely candidate to build next-generation white light sources for general illumination. The possible advantages of OLEDs are numerous, the most important advantage is the OLEDs' energy efficient light generation. Another important advantage is the possibility to create large area light emitting surfaces.

(source: laser focus world)
(source: laser focus world)

Obtaining this next generation light source however still requires several issues to be resolved. These issues are adressed in todays' scientific European program OLLA. The performed research includes the total spectrum from developing new organic materials to investigating currents in these materials. Our work adresses the optics-issue, getting the light generated in the OLED layers out...

general OLED layer stack (source: laser focus world)
general OLED layer stack (source: laser focus world)

A schematic sketch of an OLED is seen in the second figure. Ideally all the light generated in the OLED is emitted to air. Most light however stays captured in the grating and oled layers by Total Internal Reflection (TIR). This work investigates the use of a grating on the substrate-air interface to achieve a greater extraction of light out of the substrate.

Related Research Projects

Publications

    International Journals

  1. P. Bienstman, P. Vandersteegen, R. Baets, Modelling gratings on either side of the substrate for light extraction in light-emitting diodes, Optical and Quantum Electronics, 39(10-11), p.797-804 doi:10.1007/s11082-007-9129-x (2007)  Download this Publication (275KB).
      International Conferences

    1. P. Vandersteegen, S. Mladenovski, V. van Elsbergen, G. Gaertner, P. Bienstman, K. Neyts, R. Baets, Light extraction for a doubly resonant cavity organic LED: the RC2LED, SPIE Optics & Photonics 2007, 6655(37), United States, doi:10.1117/12.732524 (2007)  Download this Publication (648KB).
    2. P. Vandersteegen, A. Ullan Nieto, C. Van Buggenhout, S. Verstuyft, P. Bienstman, P.P.P. Debackere, K. Neyts, R. Baets, Employing a 2D surface grating to improve light out coupling of a substrate emitting organic LED, Photonics West 2007: Integrated Optoelectronics Devices, 6486, United States, p.64860H doi:10.1117/12.701344 (2007)  Download this Publication (515KB).
    3. P. Bienstman, P. Vandersteegen, R. Baets, Modelling light extraction in 3D organic LEDs containing photonic crystals, OWTNM, Denmark, p.73 (2007)  Download this Publication (2.1MB).
    4. P. Bienstman, P. Vandersteegen, B. Maes, R. Baets, Modeling methods for high-index contrast linear and non-linear nanophotonics, NUSOD 2006 (Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronics Devices) (invited), Singapore, doi:10.1109/nusod.2006.306763 (2006)  Download this Publication (76KB).
    5. P. Vandersteegen, C. Van Buggenhout, P. Bienstman, R. Baets, Numerical Investigation of a 2D-Grating for Light Extraction of a Bottom Emitting OLED, ICTON, p.We.C.2.6 doi:10.1109/icton.2006.248376 (2006)  Download this Publication (233KB).

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