Entry Date:
November 13, 2008

Micro-Patterning Organic Thin Films Via Contact Stamp Lift-Off for Organic Light-Emitting Device Arrays

Principal Investigator Vladimir Bulovic


Patterning of organics in electronic devices is done primarily by techniques that are limited in resolution or scalability or are potentially damaging to the organic material. We demonstrate a simple subtractive stamping technique for patterning micron-sized features on organic thin films of nanometer-range thickness. Patterning is achieved by placing a relief-patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp in contact with an organic film and peeling off the stamp. The procedure is done without applied pressure or heat and can be done in an ambient environment, although a nitrogen environment is preferred for organic light-emitting device (OLED) fabrication. This technique is applied to pattern 13 micron-sized features of a two-color OLED structure.

To fabricate a two-colored OLED, a hole-blocking or emissive layer is patterned using this technique. This technique can be applied twice to pattern blue-red devices with finer features.