Scalable Ultrahigh Conductive Transparent Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Films for High-Efficiency OLED Lighting

Atom Inc will team up with the University of California, Los Angeles to develop a low-cost scalable ultrahigh conductive transparent single-walled carbon nanotube films fabricated on low surface roughness, high light extraction efficiency flexible polymer substrates for high efficiency OLED lighting. The project target is to demonstrate white OLEDs with a target EQE of 60% and 150 lm/W efficacy without the use of any additional light extraction structures. The proposed scalable ultrahigh conductive transparent single-walled carbon nanotube films is inspired by the ultrahigh conductivity of filters of high pressure monoxide conversion process for high quality single-walled carbon nanotubes invented by Nobel Laureate, Professor Richard E Smalley at Rice University in 1999. The demonstrated benefits of low surface roughness (Ra ~1.6 nm), high surface conductivity (5 /sq sheet resistance), and high OLED light extraction efficiency (2.5 X) of the integrated plastic substrate will be retained in the single-walled carbon nanotube films. The new substrate will additionally exhibit high thermal stability and surface flatness to provide additional advantages including compatibility with existing OLED production processes and a sufficient barrier to block moisture and oxygen from the anode side. Furthermore, the use of low cost materials and a solution-processed anode to replace ITO will meet the cost target of $2.5/klm for the substrate, anode, and light extractions combined. During Phase I, the team will (1) identify the composition and process protocols for the ultrahigh conductive transparent single-walled carbon nanotube film substrate and (2) carry out preliminary OLED device fabrication to characterize the substrate performance in OLED efficiencies and operational stability. It is anticipated that multiple iterations will be required to optimize the composition and structure of the substrate to achieve high OLED efficiency. The processing work will be carried out at Atom Inc, while the substrate formulation and OLED device fabrication will be done at UCLA.