Micrometer-scale indirect photopatterning of RGB OLED emissive layers in single phase network structure

Seunghan Lee; Hyobin Ham; Shahid Ameen; Byung Hak Jhun; SeungHwan Roh; Hyeono Yee; Chang Hyeok Lim; Yuchan Heo; Hyukmin Kweon; Dongheon Han; Do Hwan Kim; Youngmin You; BongSoo Kim; Moon Sung Kang

doi:10.1038/s41377-025-01907-w

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Micrometer-scale indirect photopatterning of RGB OLED emissive layers in single phase network structure

Original Articles

- Micrometer-scale indirect photopatterning of RGB OLED emissive layers in single phase network structure
- Light: Science & Applications Vol. 14, Issue 9, Pages: 2642-2655(2025)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
  2.Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
  3.Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
  4.Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
  5.Institute of Nano Science and Technology & Clean-Energy Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
  6.Graduate School of Semiconductor Materials and Device Engineering & Graduate School of Carbon Neutrality, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
  7.Institute of Emergent Materials, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
- Author bio：
  
  BongSoo Kim (bongsoo@unist.ac.kr)
  Moon Sung Kang (kangms@sogang.ac.kr)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1038/s41377-025-01907-w
  CLC：
- Received：12 November 2024，
  
  Revised：2025-05-21，
  
  Accepted：21 May 2025，
  
  Published Online：22 July 2025，
  
  Published：30 September 2025
- Accepted：
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Lee, S. et al. Micrometer-scale indirect photopatterning of RGB OLED emissive layers in single phase network structure. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 2642-2655 (2025).
DOI：

Lee, S. et al. Micrometer-scale indirect photopatterning of RGB OLED emissive layers in single phase network structure. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 2642-2655 (2025). DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01907-w.

摘要

Abstract

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) used in virtual and augmented reality displays require micrometer-scale red-green-blue (RGB) pixel patterns in the emissive layer (EML). However

conventional patterning methods based on evaporation and shadow masks can only produce patterns larger than tens of micrometers owing to the geometric constraint of the mask. Herein

an indirect method for photopatterning solution-processed OLED EMLs is proposed

which can be used to form micrometer-scale RGB pixel patterns without involving direct exposure to UV radiation or harsh etching processes on EMLs. EMLs can be patterned by ⅰ) forming a sacrificial photoresist (PR) pattern

ⅱ) spin-coating an EML film

ⅲ) converting the EML film into a single-phase network (SPN) structure by crosslinking vinylbenzyl-group-appended hosts and dopants at a low temperature

and ⅳ) stripping the pre-formed PR pattern. Furthermore

repeating the process thrice results in the formation of RGB EML patterns. During the repeated process

the sacrificial PR pattern serves as a protective layer for the underlying EML pattern

effectively preventing the EML pattern from being exposed to solutions in subsequent processes. Using a conventional photolithography setup

we produced sets of RGB EML patterns with densities exceeding 3000 patterns/in.

which indicated the potential of the method for industrial use.

关键词

Keywords

references

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