I-Corps: Idealized Electrodes on Organic Semiconductors

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to develop a low-cost organic light emitting diode (OLED). The improved economics of this OLED could bring this lighting closer to the price point required to be competitive in high-efficiency commercial lighting or in low-cost displays, such as monitors and calculators. Reduced cost in existing OLED products (phones, TVs) will also prove a significant boon for users.

This I-Corps project is based on the premise that inefficient interfaces between materials within the OLED stack are a significant source of performance loss. As a result, excess materials must be used (or expensive work arounds must be applied) to maintain an acceptable performance, but at a higher cost. The suitability of alternative technologies to improve interfacial issues in an industrial relevant manner is evaluated.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.