ABSTRACT

An organic light emitting diode (OLED) device has a well-defined threshold voltage, above which the current flowing through the device turns on rapidly. OLED devices can be designed to emit light through either the anode, the cathode, or even both for transparent displays. This chapter focuses on how OLED devices can be applied as a display technology. It discusses what distinguishes OLEDs from other display technologies, working up from the key properties of an OLED pixel to the performance of different types of display. The chapter also focuses on the construction of an OLED display panel, explaining the structure, fabrication methods, and important properties of the constituent components. The layers that constitute an OLED display will be discussed in the order they would be encountered in a fabrication process, i.e., from the substrate up, and grouped as layers prior to OLED deposition (the substrate stack: substrate, backplane, and anode), the organic layers themselves, and finally the cathode and encapsulation.