FLEXIBLE LIGHT EMITTING DIODES FROM SEMICONDUCTING ORGANIC POLYERS

THE RECENT DEMONSTRATION OF CONDUCTING POLYMER LIGHT EMITTING DIODES (LEDS) EXPANDS THE POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF THESE MATERIALS INTO THE AREA OF ACTIVE LIGHT SOURCES, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES OVER EXISTING LED TECHNOLOGY. THESE ADVANTAGES INCLUDE THE EASE OF PROCESSING ASSOCIATED WITH THIN FILM COATING TECHNIQUES USED TO FABRICATE DEVICES FROM OPTICALLY ACTIVE POLYMERS AND THE CAPABILITY OF PRODUCING LOW POWER LIGHT SOURCES WHICH EMIT SELECTED COLORS RANGING THROUGHOUT THE VISIBLE SPECTRUM. IN ADDITION, RECENT WORK AT UNIAX HAS EXPLOITED THE MECHANICAL FLEXIBILITY OF POLYMER FILMS TO MAKE A "PLASTIC" LED WHICH CAN BE CURLED OR BENT DURING OPERATION WITHOUT FAILING. A PRINCIPAL TECHNICAL ISSUE WHICH MUST NOW BE ADDRESSED IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL STABILITY OF THE METAL CONTACTS USED TO INJECT ELECTRONS INTO THE EMISSIVE LAYER IN THESE DEVICES. THEIR OXIDATIVE DEGRADATION IS AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF DEVICE FAILURE AND, HENCE, OF SHORT OPERATION LIFETIMES. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL STUDY A VARIETY OF APPROACHES TO THE SOLUTION OF THIS PROBLEM. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS/POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS - THE INVENTION OF LEDS USING CONJUGATED POLYMERS AS THE EMISSIVE LAYER REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT NEW ALTERNATIVE TO EXISTING DEVICES MADE OF INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTORS. IF THE REMAINING TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO THE COMMERCIAL EXPLOITATION OF THIS PRECOMPETITIVE TECHNOLOGY CAN BE OVER- COME, THE DIPLAY, INDICATOR, AND OPTOELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES ARE EXPECTED TO BE IMPACTED BY THESE NOVEL LOW-COST MULTI-COLOR LIGHT SOURCES.